Discover your family history with a little help from the Essex Record Office (ERO) during two courses being run in October. The workshops will help people in Uttlesford and across the county to unlock the history of not only their family, but also their h

Discover your family history with a little help from the Essex Record Office (ERO) during two courses being run in October.

The workshops will help people in Uttlesford and across the county to unlock the history of not only their family, but also their home.

The first course, being held at the ERO in Chelmsford, is about discovering the history of your house and takes place from 2.30pm to 4.30pm on Monday October 19.

Enabling people to find out about the history of their home and the land it was built on, the course will show people how to search through the vast records at the ERO.

The course will enable people to learn where to start and where to go for the best information.

The second course will help people to learn about their family's history through parish registers. It will be held from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesday October 27 at the ERO.

Parish registers date back to 1538 and are very useful to a family historian, but may be intimidating to someone who does not know how to use them. This course will help people with this and explain how to get the most of them.

Essex County Counil's cabinet member for heritage, culture and arts, Cllr Jeremy Lucas, said: "It fascinates me that there is so much information at the ERO and it's great that these courses are on offer to help people find their way around all the records held there. I would recommend them to anyone wanting to find out about their past."

Both of these courses take place at ERO on Wharf Road, Chelmsford, CM2 6YT and cost �7 a session. Booking is essential and can be done by calling 01245 244620.