Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2012 | Page 58

FEATURE

Family affair

By Peter White
The Family Tree - a subject that
intrigues so many of us. But all too
often initial interest begins to wane,
sometimes because of a lack of time
or simply because it can be difficult
to go back more than a couple of
generations.
But neither has deterred Linda Jones
from Shanklin from delving into
historical records, both on her family’s
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behalf and of many others.
Linda’s interest in her own family
tree developed more than 30 years
ago when she was handed the family
bible that contained all the names and
dates of her maternal grandfather and
his siblings from Denbighshire and
Merionethshire.
She smiled: “I frequently discussed
my Welsh relations with my mother,
and if she was alive today she would be
amazed at how much more I’ve learned

about her family.”
Linda was later contacted by other
families eager to discover more about
their own roots. She continued:
“Eventually it was suggested to me that
I should run courses on the subject.
The first Family History Course I
held was in January 2011 and I was
surprised at the demand. The course
quickly sold out and I was encouraged
to start a waiting list for the next one.
Summer is not the best time for this