Researching Family History: An Introduction - Retford Library - Adult Learning

About this course

Are you interested in tracing your family tree but don’t know where to start? Suitable for beginners in family history, this course will introduce you to the main types of records available for your research. You will discover where to locate family history documents and online information, as well as developing your research skills to help you make sense of what you find. 

At the beginning of the course, we will discuss important first steps to take before starting to explore family history records, indexes and information available online, as well as in libraries and archives. Focusing mainly on records of England and Wales, we will look at birth, marriage and death records, census returns, the 1939 Register, and parish registers. The course will also give a brief introduction to other sources including newspapers, trade directories, electoral registers, and wills/probate records. Using sample documents and case studies, you will develop your research skills and learn search strategies to help you when growing your own family tree. Suggestions will also be given on how to organise and present your research. 

The only qualification for the course is a desire to learn about your ancestry, although a basic understanding of how to use the internet would be a great advantage. 

Please bring pen and paper to each session of the course. A folder may also be useful for collating hand-outs. 

Booking your place and fee information

If you are in receipt of certain benefits you will be offered the course for free, however if you have a financial barrier which may prevent you from enrolling on the course  please visit our webpage for further information  https://www.inspireculture.org.uk/skills-learning/funding-your-courses/

To secure your place on the course BOTH the following must be done:

• Complete the EVENTBRITE BOOKING.
• Complete our INSPIRE ONLINE ENROLMENT FORM for each person attending the course.

You should be redirected to the Inspire Online Enrolment Form after completing the Eventbrite booking.  If you are not redirected, please use the link supplied in the Eventbrite booking confirmation email.

To book and enrol on one of our courses, you must have been living in England and have been resident in the UK for the past 3 years.

Some exceptions may apply if you are living in England with evidence of the right to remain and are from an EEU/EEAU country (completion of a questionnaire will be required).

As we no longer receive funding for our ESFA-funded courses for learners living in the devolved areas listed below, full cost fees would apply to these courses if you live in these areas:

• Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield 
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
• Greater London
• Greater Manchester
• Liverpool City Region
• Newcastle Upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland
• Tees Valley
• West of England
• West Midlands
• West Yorkshire

Any questions?

Check the FAQs page, or get in touch:

• By phone: 01623 677 200
• By email: learning@inspireculture.org.uk

Book online with Eventbrite

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