Our joint Bookham and Fetcham U3A group consists of around 30 members who have become very competent researchers. Many of us have found long lost family, famous ancestors and have discovered impressive family trees.

Family History traces your ancestry and also leads to a study of the lifestyle and livelihood of your forebears. It is essential to talk to family members to gain as much knowledge as possible about your ancestors. This will give you a head start to begin researching back in time. Family photographs will also help to jog their memory along with anecdotes, letters and diaries.

It is increasingly easy to do a great deal of family history research using a computer because of the very rapid increase of original records on the internet. This means access to a computer is almost essential.

We have proficient members who have experience in research at archive centres and on the internet and who are willing to pass on their expertise. Discussion is an essential part of our programme with opportunities to present completed pieces of research.

Last year we were lucky to have several Outside Speakers. They spoke on various topics including Starting Research, Welsh Ancestry and Creating Life Histories for Victorian Communities.