Dorset Family History
Society

Dorset Family History Society is an active and forward looking association dedicated to thorough research into the many facets of family history.

Dorset Family History Society celebrating their 30th Anniversary with their Open Day 2018

Beginners are welcome as are the experts or nearly experts from Dorset, the UK and all over the world.

Dorset is a particularly rich county for family historians. It is mainly a rural area, but there are also lovely towns on the south Jurassic coast, Dorchester, Poole, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Weymouth.

The county has also seen folk emigrating to many parts of the world since emigration to the Americas, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand began centuries ago.

The county holds Portland Prison where there are considerable records for the prisoners and staff. Many prisoners were sent to Australia. Portland is a useful page here too.

Dorset is Hardy country. The birthplace of Thomas Hardy is in Upper Bockhampton and the home he designed and his brother, Henry built, Max Gate, in Dorchester. Both these properties are in the hands of the National Trust so can be visited.

However it is not just Thomas Hardy, there are many other talented people that were born or spent many years in Dorset. Dorchester is particularly well represented.

How can Dorset Family History Society help?

Plenty of resources

Dorset Family History Society hold records and resources that are essential for the accurate research that we all want into our ancestors. Does not matter if you are a Dorset local, in the UK, or overseas a membership can be very handy indeed. Research is available if you get stuck, need help, or just cannot get to the society, for a modest fee of course.

What else is available?

Lots!!

Interesting talks. A mine of information by knowledgeable people. Sometimes of course at first glance one may think the talk is not on a subject of interest. Think again, there is often a nugget of information or a research trick that can be very useful or set off a trend of thought in another direction.

Family History Courses and Workshops.

These will not be just for the beginner, we are all open to new ideas.

Computer group. Experts are our major tool!!!

Internet access. Plenty of it.

Extensive Library. We tend to think everything is on the net these days. There are books on all topics of family history that can be up to speed and just plain interesting. There are books and aids for sale too.

Coach trips to Archives and places of interest. Outings are good! Specialist places are interesting. Friendly and fun. There is nothing like being in situ!!

All those volunteers. Each one has skills that can be very useful, especially for beginners, but not necessarily for them alone. Cross fertilization of ideas can set the researcher off again.