Research Training

In 2015 it was recognised that computer training was needed to enable all members of the Kirkburton History Group to research the names on the soldiers’ memorial board using on-line programs such as Ancestry. Each of the 400 names are being researched in detail.

At the beginning of November 2015, nine members of the Group met at The Hub, Kirkburton each Wednesday afternoon for three weeks for training in how to use Ancestry, which is the most common on-line research site. The sessions were run by Mrs Lorraine Sykes from the Greenfield Centre in Dalton, Huddersfield who specialises in computers and family tree research.

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Research Training-02

Lorraine showed the group how to start researching on Ancestry by using an organised approach to get the best results. Members were encouraged to start with their own family to find out more from the past and maybe find relatives that they were unaware of. Once the basics had been mastered, members were then able to use their new skills to research some of the soldiers on the memorial board.

Each session lasted 2 hours and members found it very informative and enjoyable. It has certainly helped members who had no previous experience of using on-line research tools and even those who were already familiar with Ancestry found the training beneficial. After the training, members used their new skills to research the

background of the women of Kirkburton who served as volunteers at the Kirkburton Auxiliary Military Hospital and a memorial board has been commissioned to commemorate their contribution to the war effort.

Further in-house training was held in Library in 2016 for those who were unable to attend the November 2015 sessions.