Inspired by the British documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?
With Family Day approaching, Oxford County Archives is inviting residents to explore their family history through a new video and podcast series.
Tracing Your Roots: Uncovering the Family Histories Behind the Council Table launches on Family Day and highlights how archival records can reveal powerful stories about family, place, and community.
Inspired by the British documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?, the three-episode series features local elected officials discovering details about their own roots with help from Archives staff.
The series includes:
Brian Petrie (Town of Ingersoll), exploring various archival records and their role in family research.
Jim Palmer (Township of Norwich), examining land records that tell stories of settlement and ownership.
Marcus Ryan (Township of Zorra), focusing on online tools that make tracing family history more accessible.
Each councillor volunteered and had no prior knowledge of what would be uncovered during filming.
The project was developed as part of the 25th anniversary of Oxford County Archives in 2025, marking the 175th anniversary of Oxford County’s incorporation and the 60th anniversary of the Oxford County Library system.
New episodes will be released weekly on YouTube and Spotify.
