Aussies at Rootstech London

One of the Rootstech Organisers told me there were 50+ Australians registered for Rootstech London while another told me there were 60. I think I managed to hook up with about 40 of them prior to or at the event. I was told that the Australians were the second largest group of overseas registrants after genies from the USA at the event.

Some of the Aussies at Rootstech gathered for a photo

Whatever the number it was a vast improvement on the the numbers that travel to Salt Lake City each year for the annual Rootstech conference there. In my interviews and chats with the Australians in London all agreed that for the many Australians who have British, Irish and European ancestry London is a more attractive venue because it can be combined with visits to ancestral cities and towns and associated national, regional and local archives.

Cathie Sherwood, Kerry Farmer and Brad Argent represented Australia on the Rootstech London program while Fran Kitto, Sharn White, Jenny Joyce and I  acted as Ambassadors. We Ambassadors were very busy tweeting throughout the event. I also posted quite a few photos of the event on my Facebook Page here.

Prior to the event we had an active Facebook Group with lots of discussion and friendly advice being shared. We organised meetups in Sydney and London prior to the event so that we would all know some familiar faces when we got tothe Excel Centre for Rootstech London. All members of that group met new genies who became their genimates. I was especially pleased that my third cousin Regina, whom I had only met on one previous occasion was at the event. Having a fellow descendant of our convict Elizabeth Phipps from London with me there was very special.

Cousin Regina and I

I managed to interview a few Australian genies while at Rootstech London. I just wish I would have had time to chat with more. If you are considering a visit to Rootstech if it is staged again in London  then listen to what these genies had to say in our interviews and as Fran Kitto said "Start saving your pennies".