CHRON No pix 28.01.13 THE county council is providing a series of workshops to give people in Hampshire an insight to the past and how it is documented.

The sessions will run throughout January, February and March, giving residents a peek inside the county’s Record Office and how important documents are archived.

Executive member for culture and recreation, Councillor Keith Chapman, said: “These workshops are hugely popular as ancestry research becomes an ever-growing pastime for many people.

“Over the next few months, anyone with an interest in the past, or keen to trace the branches of their family tree can enjoy a variety of sessions on offer.”

The first session, Paupers and Workhouses took place last weekend (January 26, 27) and explored records revealing the hardships faced by past generations.

On Wednesday, February 6, from 2pm to 4pm, House History for Beginners looks at how archive sources can be used to discover the previous occupants of one’s home.

There will be a chance to Meet the Archive Conservators on Wednesday March, 13, from 2pm to 4pm, and visitors can learn how documents come to be damaged, and what is done to restore and preserve them for future generations.

The Family History for Beginners workshop will be held on Thursday afternoon, January 31, the evening of Tuesday February 26, from 6pm to 8pm, and during the afternoon of Thursday March 21. The sessions will look at the main sources available to archivists and historians, including microfiche and film, and how people can use them to research family trees.

Priced at £10 per person, each session must be booked in advance by calling 01962 846154 or emailing enquiries.archives@hants.gov.uk.