Tracing your family history

If you want to find out more about your background, Tony Moore has two pieces of advice to make the task easier.

First of all, don’t leave it too late; and secondly, join your local branch of the Genealogy Society, which has a wealth of resources to simplify your mission.

“It’s easy to get sidetracked, particularly if you are using the internet, and become confused by the wealth of information out there,” he says. “Typically people try to skip a generation instead of starting with themselves. You need to concentrate on the living and work back.”
The Wellsford branch of the NZ Genealogy Society is currently looking to boost its membership. It meets on the first Thursday of the month, at 10am.

Mr Moore says that the club is thinking of holding evening meetings if there is sufficient demand, recognising that younger people, who may be working, are becoming increasingly interested in their family history.

“Perhaps it’s genetic, but around our mid-40s we start to become more interested in finding out about our ancestors, often prompted by a request from our children, and a desire to show extended family where we came from.”

Mr Moore, who will give a talk on using computers for genealogy at the group’s next meeting onThursday, August 6, says that he is still finding out things about his family, in spite of the fact that he and his wife Colleen have been involved with the Wellsford group since its formation almost 25 years ago.

Information: Tony Moore, ph: 423 8547.

Tony Moore in his book-lined study.