COMMERCIAL DNA kits that can be completed at home are a popular Christmas gift, and in the first few months of the New Year thousands of Australians open their results excited to see where their ancestors came from.
The excitement can turn to confusion however, if the results don’t match expectations, which can be followed by questions and a desire for more information.
This is where organisations such as the Laurieton Family History Society (LFHS) come to the rescue; by providing advice, knowledge and access to resources, members can start their journey of family discovery.
The LFHS has approximately 20 local members and has been meeting for the last fifteen years, with their get togethers held on the last Monday of the month at Laurieton United Services Club in Seymour Street.
Group Coordinator Kerry Jones told News Of The Area, “What I love about our group is that it is forever changing with new and older members mingling and exchanging ideas and knowledge.
“It is through this diversity of knowledge that members can discuss where they are at with their research and walk away with new avenues to delve into to assist them with their journeys to find their ancestors as well as often removing long standing roadblocks.”
Group members use digital and paper-based records, alongside DNA results to conduct their research, with recent exploration into the use of AI to search large text records.
Enquiries to djnkj55@gmail.com.
By Rachael THORPE
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