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Genealogy brick-walls: finding a great-grandfather
DNA – SOLVING GENEALOGY BRICKWALLS
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On Monday 21st March, we were entertained via Zoom by Mia Bennett and her talk “DNA – Solving Genealogy Brickwalls”.
Using the example of her search for her great-grandfather, she took us through the various steps of using DNA to trace family members. During this journey of discovery she came across forgeries, quick marriages, criminal ancestors — and often her research ended up in more questions than answers. During her talk, and at the end, Mia emphasised that DNA research needs to be backed up by research undertaken using traditional genealogical methods. For example, Mia was able to track down information she needed in her research by consulting local newspapers from the period.
Mia has been researching her family history for over 25 years, and she is now a professional genealogist specialising in using DNA to solve family history mysteries. She has recently finished a six-year term as a Trustee of the Society of Genealogists. She is an Associate of AGRA (the professional body for genealogists in England and Wales).
Mia trained as a hazards engineer, but she now uses her analysis skills to investigate the fascinating world of her own and other people’s relatives. She carries out DNA analysis for family history, gives advice at family-history shows, and gives talks on DNA and family history. Science is at the fore with Mia’s interest in using DNA to solve genealogical mysteries. The study of DNA is a very complex subject, and it is evolving all the time.
Pat Carter
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Mia Bennett's talk uses an example from her own family history where she progressed a 'brick wall' using DNA alongside traditional genealogy research. The path to solving this brick wall had a number of surprises along the way — with forgeries, quick marriages, criminal ancestors, and often more questions than answers. In telling the story, methods and tools for using DNA to break down brick walls are provided. You can visit Mia's website here.
Mia has followed in her ancestors’ footsteps as an engineer for her ‘paid’ job, including a spell on the Suffolk Coast at Sizewell B, and has used her well-honed analytical skills to explore her own family history for some 25 years. Her extensive genealogical credentials also include being a former Trustee of the Society of Genealogists (SoG) for more than six years, an Associate of the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA), an alumna of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy, and a current student of the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies (IHGS), Canterbury. Mia delighted our large audience in January last year with her talk ‘Hidden in Plain Site’, and we are very pleased to welcome her back again, by popular demand.
This Zoom-based event, at 2:30pm, is free to members, but is also available to non-members at a cost of £3.00. If you wish to ‘attend’ (and maybe join too if you're not already a member), please register via our «Book for our next Zoom talk» page by 5:00pm on Friday, 18th March, and you'll be sent joining instructions in acknowledgement. The Zoom link will be emailed to you during the morning of the talk, but the 'doors' won't open until around 2:00pm.