Discovering Your British Family and Local Community in the early 20th Century (210)

Family historians often neglect the twentieth century but there is plenty to be discovered: The first half of the twentieth century was a time of great change and our family members who lived through that era witnessed five monarchs coming to the throne, two world wars, the Depression, the General Strike and the influenza epidemic. They experienced revolutions in transport, in communications, in fashion and in healthcare, as well as the arrival of electricity and indoor sanitation in their homes. The world began to alter for women, as they gained the right to vote and their educational and working opportunities expanded.

These more recent ancestors were often known to us personally and we may have the benefit of hearing their stories in our own childhoods. Sometimes, this means that we don't research their stories in the same way as those of our earlier ancestors. Tutor, Janet Few, invites you to spend time focussing on your early twentieth century ancestors. Join her in a quest to preserve the memory of parents, grandparents or great grandparents and set their lives alongside the contemporary social, local and national history that will have had such an impact upon them.

The course Discovering Your British Ancestors and their Communities in the Early Twentieth Century is all about examining more recent family members in the context of their community and their time, suggesting sources and research methods that will help you. It is ideal for anyone aiming to tell their story in more detail. The course is not just about individuals but also about the communities in which they lived, so local historians and those conducting one-place studies should also find inspiration from these five weeks of study. The 1921 census is a recent addition to the researchers toolkit and the course includes a new section about how you can get the most out of this resource.

Reading List:

Students often ask us for recommended reading for their courses, that they can look at before the course starts. Here is a suggested book list for this course.