Residents are continuing to explore the history of Melksham families through an ancestry database created by a local woman.
Lisa Ellis launched the database last year, allowing people to trace connections in Melksham from the late 1700s to the 1930s. It currently contains around 54,000 individuals linked to the town and surrounding villages.
The project is part of The Well House Collection – a compilation of documents, photographs, books and audio/visual files chronicling local history. Lisa and her husband, Graham, have spent around 20 years building the database and collecting historical items.
Lisa said, “Most of the historic information I have gathered about local people is easily accessed through a database containing almost 54,000 different people. In many cases there are photos and family links, transcriptions of censuses. This database is constantly updated.
“I love researching and people are welcome to be in touch with me to look into their Melksham family or do a little more research on their home’s history, or anything that’s local.”
Lisa has also looked into forensic genealogy, which merges DNA analysis with family tree research. She said, “This is used in the television programme ‘Long Lost Family’ to try to solve a personal family mystery, which I did. So that gave me a better insight into tracing family through DNA matches.
“People are definitely interested in learning about their Melksham families, and I receive emails asking for more information; many are from out-of-town and some even come to Melksham to look up their family.”
Lisa and Graham previously ran a small museum in their home, exhibiting items from Melksham’s history. While it is now closed, Lisa has supported proposals to establish a dedicated museum in the town. She also runs the ‘On This Day’ Facebook page, sharing historic birth and death dates and newspaper headlines.
For more information on The Well House Collection and to access the database, visit https://twhc.org.uk/person.html.
Pictured: Lisa Ellis
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