The course, led by Penny Smith from Midland Ancestors in association with the Friends of Wolverhampton Archives and Wolverhampton's Library Service, is designed for complete beginners and will cover the basic building blocks of research, demystifying key historical documents and providing practical advice on where to find them.
Over the 3 weeks, participants will gain a solid foundation in researching family history. The first week offers a guide to recording family history, sources of help, and the registration system, including what to look for on birth, marriage and death certificates.
Week two will focus on census records dating back as far as 1841 and examine the 1939 Register, and finally week three will look in detail at church records for baptisms, banns and weddings, and burials, and discuss possible next steps for researchers.
It takes place on Fridays 10, 17 and 24 October and spaces are limited. People are urged to reserve now to avoid disappointment and will need to be able to attend all 3 weeks – please email jennifer.lees@wolverhampton.gov.uk for more details.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Resident Services, said: “This course is a brilliant way for people to connect with their roots and uncover the stories of those who came before them.
“Family history is not just about names and dates — it’s about understanding who we are and where we’ve come from – and I’m delighted we’re able to offer this opportunity, right here in Wolverhampton, free of charge.
"Penny is very knowledgeable on all things family history and ran a successful course for us last year as part of the Know Your Neighbourhood project.
"Since then she has run monthly drop-in sessions at Penn Library where people can bring in their research queries, and this course is a great opportunity for residents to explore their personal histories in greater detail."
The Know Your Neighbourhood project, supported by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Arts Council England and national charity Libraries Connected, is designed to widen participation in volunteering and tackle loneliness in 27 disadvantaged areas across England.
So far Wolverhampton Libraries have delivered over 350 sessions as part of the project with more than 2,100 attendees, covering areas such as local history, arts and crafts, social groups, games and wellbeing.
To find out more about Midland Ancestors, please visit Midland Ancestors.
