Family History Month this year has been an interesting one! I managed to get to one in-person Expo in Auckland right before New Zealand went into a level 4 lockdown, due to a Covid 19 case being detected in the community. The organisers of the Christchuch Expo, to be held the following weekend, leapt into action and set up a virtual event in place of the cancelled in-person version, which they’d had to do last year as well.
Other events around the motu have had to be cancelled, but thankfully AFFHO (Australasian Federation of Family History Organisations)’s closing presentation this evening (8pm NZST / 6pm AEST) is via Zoom and there’s still time to register. It features Christchurch genealogist Fiona Brooker from Memories in Time talking about how to use the UK’s 1939 Register for your family history research.
Fiona Brooker, Memories in Time
To register, email info@familyhistorymonth.org.au and you will be sent an invite for the Zoom session.
The 1939 Register for Family Historians – AFFHOOnlineExpired
If you feel inspired after Fiona’s presentation, you can search and view open records of the 1939 Register through Findmypast and Ancestry, and transcriptions through My Heritage. Searching is free, but you’ll need a subscription to view images and full transcriptions. Findmypast also has a very useful 1939 Register map search.
Disclosure: I’m a Global Ambassador for Findmypast, helping to highlight records you can find, plus news and upcoming events. As part of the Friends of Findmypast program, I receive a free Australian Pro subscription.
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John Heath
Hi Maggie, hope you are well. Thanks for this info. I managed to see it in time to get the invite! Very interesting session.
Maggie
Glad you caught it in time, was a helpful presentation! Hope you’re well over there despite restrictions. Fingers crossed we’ll be back travelling again soon.
John Heath
Yes, I am ok. Have managed to stay clear of Covid! Now had both my vaccinations, but maintaining a very cautious attitude towards it. Lockdowns didn’t bother me as I have tons of FH work to do, but getting tired of the restrictions now. Hopefully we will see better times soon, and as you say travel again. I am hoping they will be able to run Family History Down Under next year as planned, and I will try and go to Norfolk Island for the Congress..