On the search for your family history

Exploring the roots of genealogical history is a favourite pastime and an addiction for Rockingham history enthusiast Sue Marshall.

Ms Marshall said uncovering her family history required a large amount of detective work and was a never-ending journey of self-discovery.

“For me, it was a personal reason why I started the search.

My husband needed to get Australian citizenship and had to find out who his mother was,” she said.

“From that point, I wanted to know more and kept searching and now I can’t stop because there is so much to uncover.”

Rockingham family history centre director Jim Blackham said the popularity of websites such as ancestry.com had increased dramatically in recent times.

He said exploring family history was one of the most popular hobbies in the Western world.

This Saturday a free family history expo will be hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1pm in Rockingham.

People interested in genealogy are encouraged to attend and bring their laptops.

Rockingham family history consultant Greg Kelson said the church had access to records all around the world and 11.5 million miles of films were being digitised. He said the public were welcome to use the church’s facilities as they pleased and, by filling in their family history, they were benefiting many other people with missing links.

Mr Blackham said when someone came into the centre, they would be provided with a login and given a run through of the websites and then they could explore.

Guest speakers from the National archives, WA genealogical society and special guest Gillian O’Meara, author and genealogy researcher, will be in attendance.

Contact Geoff Powell on 0405 197 744 or email geoffn7@gmail.com or show up on the day at 38 Casserley Road.