Directory help for family trees

A directory is to be set up in Cheslyn Hay to help villagers tracing family trees to share information.

Cheslyn Hay and District Local History Society decided its annual exhibition later this year should include an ancestry feature to help people who are keen to trace their roots.

The society will print basic paper family trees for people to get started and they will be given advice on how best to trace family members at the exhibition.

The starter page will be printed in the society's next newsletter and members should keep hold of it to take along to the exhibition. It is planned for September 29 and will be at Cheslyn Hay Village Hall in Pinfold Lane.

Rob Allan, editor of the society's newsletter, urged anyone tracing their own family history to get in touch so people could find out who was looking for who so a directory could be set up.

He said: "I have traced my own paternal line back to the 1700s and it may be that there are different descendant lines that I am not aware of.

"This also reminded me that there are lots of other resources out there in the libraries etc which don't need a computer. The local libraries will always try to source any book you need and if they do not have the one locally themselves, they can always order them in from the county library services."

There will be more laptop computers available at the exhibition and census records for the village from 1841-1901 will be on display. Other records which will be available include baptism, marriage and burial records for St Mark's Church and baptisms for Salem Methodist Church.

Society chairman Trevor McFarlane said: "Early discussions for our annual exhibition favour taking up an extra room to concentrate on advising anyone wishing to trace their ancestors from the Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley area."

Society members have also been encouraged to put forward suggestions for items to include at future exhibitions or topics for speakers. The group has more than 180 members and has produced a couple of successful books and devised guided walks. Long onto www.cheslynhay.info or call Mr McFarlane on 01922 414772.