FIBIS Blog
The following activities will run throughout the conference:
Findmypast are supplying computers and free access to their website during the conference, to facilitate research using their records. There will be individual support to use these.
FIBIS trustees Valmay Young and Sarah Bilton offer individual support on using the FIBIS website and other sources. Their schedule will be published nearer the date and delegates are advised to book a time.
Experts will be on hand to answer questions on a range of topics. Their specialisms will be notified in advance and tables will be available where delegates can ask for help on specific queries. These sessions will fit round the lecture programme, not during lectures.
At the beginning of Friday ‘s session there will be an open session, where we will consider questions or situations put forward by delegates. This will call on the expertise of specialist researchers and also allow anyone with an interest to make a contribution. The session will be led by Richard Morgan, a former FIBIS trustee who has produced FIBIS fact files and one of our research guides. If you have a particular question or topic which you would like us to include in the opening plenary session would you please outline it for us. Email: Penny Tipper transcriptions-coordinator@
fibis.org
For those who like to get involved, we always welcome practical support, for example: on the bookstall, with displays, manning the hand-held mikes, arranging the flowers for Saturday night …
Delegates will receive a questionnaire to gauge the level of interest in the various activities, which will only run if there is sufficient interest. If they are very popular, we will operate a system of first come, first served.
Provisional Schedule of workshops
Friday
13.15-14.00 – Liz Chater – Sir Catchick Paul Chater, Armenian entrepreneur who made his mark in Hong Kong.
13.15-14.00 – Introduction to the FIBIS website – for complete beginners
13.15-14.00 – Scanning and saving old photographs. Using restoration software – demonstration
16.30-17.00 – Beverly Hallam / Xandra Sherman – Research workshop/case study
Saturday
09.30-10.30 – Beverly Hallam – Identifying and using internet sources
11.00-11.45 – Jason Tilley – ‘People of India ‘ – Following an ancestor ‘s photo trail.
11.00-11.45 – Beverly Hallam – Aspects of research with case studies
12.00-12.30 – Research support – Allan Stanistreet – medals presentation
14.00-15.45 – Jayne Shrimpton – ‘1:1 Expert Photograph Dating ‘. Delegates need to bring along their photos, which can be any family photos – not necessarily from India. They do not need to be sent in advance as it ‘s an on-the-spot dating process. If there is a high demand we may need to limit photos to one or two per person. Delegates will also need to sign up for this to avoid disappointment.
14.30-15.00 – Research support – Allan Stanistreet – medals discussion group
14.30-15.00 Peter Bailey – Q/A follow-up to the morning lecture – Informal discussion for maximum 12 people. Booking essential.
16.00-17.00 – Gill Blanchard – 1st follow-up tutorial from her talk ‘Writing your family history ‘ – Adding social and historical context. Delegates should bring something along to work on. Gill will suggest suitable material in advance.
17.00-18.00 – Light-hearted quiz with a loosely British India theme for teams of 4 or 5 people. Vouchers to use at the bar for the winning team.
Sunday
09.30-10.15 – Beverly Hallam/Xandra Sherman – Research case study or small group for Q/A
11.00-12.00 – Gill Blanchard – 2nd follow-up workshop from her talk ‘Writing your family history ‘ . Repetition, Missing Pieces and Anomalies. Delegates should bring something along to work on. Gill will suggest suitable material in advance.