1. Family History for Beginners
Your guide to genealogy resources at Lake Macquarie Library
Intro & housekeeping
Read THE  ELUSIVE  ANCESTOR by Merrell Kenworthy

2. Be Prepared
Begin with who you know (i.e. You!) work back one generation at a time, verify each step with reference to a vital record.
Vital records are official testaments to life events as administered by a civic body, examples include Birth, Death & Marriage certificates.

3. Getting started
Write or type what you know to be true, starting with you!
Record the stories of your relatives
Refer to what has already been done
Set up a system for recording and organising your research and consider duplicates
Which branch do you want to investigate, maternal or paternal?

4. Start with yourself
Documentation is an important part of a family history.
Gather the documents you have on your own life (birth, marriage, diplomas, etc.)
Make copies for your records and store the originals in a safe place.
Write down the significant milestones in your life, include dates and places
Some genealogists get so caught up in chasing ancestors that they forget to document their own lives. Genealogy is more than names on a family tree. Documentation is an important part of a family history. So, start by gathering the documents you have on your own life (birth, marriage, diplomas, etc.) Make copies for your records and store the originals in a safe place. Write down the significant watermarks in your life, include dates and places. A good way to keep a perspective on your life is to imagine a descendent reading you genealogy a hundred years from now. What they would like to know about your life is the same as what you would like to know about your ancestors lives?

5. Gather what you have Vital records information from a family bible,
newspaper clippings (obituaries, birth, and wedding announcements, and other family events),
funeral cards
cards sent to you announcing births, weddings, and graduations,
old pictures of your family, and letters.
You may have at hand information to add to your family tree. Beyond the obvious of birth, marriage and death certificates, look for information from a family bible, newspaper clippings (such as obituaries, birth, and wedding announcements, and other events in your family's life), funeral cards, cards sent to you announcing births, weddings, and graduations, old pictures of your family, and letters.

6. Gather what you have Write down what you remember from family stories.
Many of these stories might be right on target, others may be inaccurate.
All are important for the clues they will give you.
Do not ignore family legends - but also take them with a grain of salt
write down what you remember from family stories. Many of these stories might be right on target, others may be inaccurate. All are important for the clues they will give you.
Do not ignore family legends - but also do not take them as certain to be literally true. Rather, use them as yet another source of guidance for your efforts at finding out the truth about the past. Give some examples.

7. Talk to your relatives
talk to your oldest relatives while they are still alive
visit nearby relatives
call, write and more distant relatives.
copy their documents
family stories
some of them may have already researched some your family tree
It is always important to talk to your oldest relatives while they are still alive. Visit nearby relatives; call, write and more distant relatives. Have conversations. What you are looking for are records they may have that they will copy for you, additions to the family stories, and the work some of then may have already done on your family tree.

8. Talk to your relatives Ask where your ancestor: went to school
met his/her spouse
got married
Be sure you write down (record) what others tell you.
Copy what you can, record what you can’t. Take photographs, make digital copies, write it down
Remember that not everyone will be happy about your new interest in genealogy. Particularly, older relatives may think you will unearth family skeletons. In truth, genealogists love those tidbits as they add colour to the family history.
Remember location is important for more research

9. Has it already been done?
There are a few places to search:
Internet
Pioneer registers
Published genealogies via Trove
The next step is to find out if there is someone out there researching your family as part of their own genealogical investigations. There are a few ways you can go about this.
Internet – Google search, ancestry.com has family trees – word of caution
Pioneer Registers
Published genealogies

10. Which branch? Choose one line to avoid confusion and getting lost
Start with a surname that seems most promising
an easier line will enable you to gain valuable experience
success will spur you on
Switch to another branch when you hit a brick wall
The mistake that many beginning genealogists make is to try to research too many family branches at the same time. It doesn't take long before you will be confused and lost with that method. Start with the surname that seems most promising. A little bit of success will be helpful at the start, and an easier line will enable you to gain experience before you tackle more difficult research. When you run into what genealogists call 'the brick wall', you can set aside that branch and start work on another

11. Record and organise your research
Use whatever works for you. Flash drives are cheap and easily sourced. Most cultural institutions also have free WiFi enabled so don’t forget your laptop or tablet device!
Consider paper files
genealogy computer programmes
online programmes
There is nothing wrong with keeping paper files if this is what you are most comfortable with. The key is ORGANISATION.

12. Online Family Tree Web Builders
Online programmes are a great way to organise, just be wary of the ones that publish immediately on the web. If you have an iPad or tablet, there are apps out there. Like much of the software, there are free and paid ones. Ancestry publishes - Legacy and Tribal pages give you the option. These are example.

13. Family Group Sheet
Enables you to compile and correct family names, as well as connect families.

14. Ancestral Chart
Allows you to record the ancestors from whom you directly descend.

15. Get to know the resources
Visit your local library’s genealogy department
You will have access to
microfiche and microfilm readers
Multi Functional Devices (i.e. photocopiers)
print resources
computers and online subscriptions to genealogical websites
expert assistance
Visit your local library. Most library services have a genealogical section. Familiarise yourself with what resources they have available and ask about any handouts and resource lists they may have. The genealogy section is not the only part of the library you will be using. After you get into your research, you will be needing historical, language and geographical information. Learn how to use the microfiche and microfilm readers and the photocopiers.
Tuesday/Friday sessions. Free to visit the department during opening hours. Located at Speers Point Library. Staff are there to help if needed

16. Get to know the resources
Visit and join your local genealogical society.
Individuals within these groups are happy to share their expertise, often suggesting valuable lines of enquiry.
Their libraries of hard copy resources, including much self-published material, are usually comprehensive.
Visit and join your local genealogical society. Even if your present residence is not where you will be researching, they have sources other than local. They can provide help on research techniques, including the Internet. Their library of genealogical books is often extensive.
Details later of local Family History Groups

17. Available Resources online physical
Genealogical websites
Vital records
newspapers
Cemetery indexes
shipping records
physical
microfilm/microfiche
pioneer registers
local cemetery records
“how to” books
Both are equally efficient and work together

18. Online Resources
Lake Mac Libraries subscribe to and recommend a number of highly respected online resources.

19. NSW Births Deaths and Marriages
Search Page
The main tools to use for growing your family tree are Birth, Death and Marriage indexes.
Birth death and marriage indexes are just that. They give basic details of events – just enough to let you verify you have the correct person. You are then expected to purchase the full certificate to get the extra detail required for family history.
When purchasing a certificate from a registry, you receive an official document which can be used for legal purposes. If you are doing family history, you really don’t require an official certificate.
In NSW, The Registry has accredited Transcription Agents who are able to provide genealogists with full transcriptions, partial transcriptions or verification of certain fields of a birth, death or marriage record. They charge roughly half the cost of an official certificate.
Some BDM’s offer online purchases – Qld already, NSW are moving in that direction. Vic asks for payment of search. Some states do not have online search facility - Tas

20. NSW Births Deaths and Marriages
Entries with V registration numbers are church records made before civil registration began in Community History holds these records on microfilm.
When ordering certificates, it is advisable to refer to the registration number

21. Birth Records
Church Record
Civil Record

22. Marriage Records
Church Record
Civil Record

23. Death Records
Church Record
Civil Record

24. Consider joining a Family History Group
Lake Macquarie Family History Group
PO Box 3046 Teralba, New South Wales 2284.
Meetings are held on the third Saturday of each month at the Marmong Point Community Hall. (December an exception)
Newcastle Family History Society
Ph (during library hours)
Meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday each month at the Library & Meeting Room, Mechanics Institute, 68 Elder St,  Lambton NSW. (January an exception)
Worthwhile joining a FHG where your ancestor lived for a long period of time. Eg. Sussex, England FHG; Broken Hill FHG
ADVANTAGES:
Perhaps they offer some free research
Local newsletters
Access to local databases
Local knowledge

25. Review Start with what you know
Find what resources are available and learn how to use them
Research one branch at a time
Record your findings
Collate your findings in a logical system
Visit your library’s genealogy department
Visit or join a local Family History Group

26. Contact Us Community History Lake Mac Libraries
139 Main Road, Speers Point
Phone: (02)