British Researchers Search For Cumbrian Roots (8/3/2007)

Over a hundred Cumbrian volunteers are needed to give blood samples to help researchers at Newcastle University as part of a national study which uses genetic information to reveal the history of British people.

Already, 173 people of Cumbrian descent have come forward to donate blood samples but 127 more are needed for the groundbreaking project.

People have to be able to trace all four of their grandparents to the same geographical area in Cumbria or the Scottish Borders to take part in the Northern England part of a national project called People of the British Isles.

Project leader, Dr Caroline Relton, of Newcastle University's Institute of Human Genetics says "We've had an amazing response so far. People are genuinely interested in helping us, the scientists, to learn more about their genetic make-up. The information gathered from the blood samples as part of the People of the British Isles project helps develop our knowledge about how different people migrated and mixed to make up the British population we know today. It can also help our understanding of the complex causes of genetic diseases."

The researchers, including a nurse, will be taking to the road and collecting blood samples of around 20ml from volunteers who fit the criteria at a series of road shows (listed below).

Volunteers from Cumbria have already contributed to a pilot study which suggested that certain genetic markers on the Y chromosome are more prevalent in this part of the UK. This suggests that Cumbrians have a stronger Celtic influence than other parts of the country, but also have Norse Viking influence. This information compliments and enriches existing knowledge of our ancestry, as the kings of Rheged, Cumbria's ancient kingdom, are known to come from Celtic stock. The last collection at the Family and Regional History Fair in May saw 75 volunteers give blood samples.

Some early findings have recently been featured in a Channel 4 TV series, "The Face of Britain".

The People of the British Isles is a pioneering project led by Oxford University and the Wellcome Trust which intends to collect 3,500 blood samples from populations throughout the UK. These will be used to look at the pattern of differences in people's genetic make up around the UK. Newcastle University's Institute of Human Genetics is managing the project in the Northern region.

Case studies

Jack and Dorothy Nicholson have been married for 44 years and moved back to Dearham in Cumbria when they retired. Both can trace all four of their grandparents to Cumbria.

Dorothy says "We'd seen the TV programme and were interested as we'd been tracing our family tree. It was easy with my mother's side as they were farmers in the Keswick area but as my father died when I was nine it was harder to trace his side of the family. My grandfather came from a mining family and we thought he had an unusual first name – he was called Faulder Proud – but we were surprised to find that many generations of my family had had that name so it has made the search quite difficult. In learning about my family heritage I was keen to find out more about the genetics too which is why I took part in this study."

Jack says "Giving the blood was a small thing but it was a chance to be part of a major project. We've been lucky enough to be able to trace my paternal grandmother's family back to the 1700's. She was an Ostle, a well-known Quaker family and the local history society in Mawbray has traced the Ostle's back to the 1500's in Parish records. That side of my family were all farmers and I'm the first generation to be off the land as I became a teacher. On my mother's side it was much more industrial – my great grandfather was a collier and my grandfather an engine driver and they came from the Distington area"

Where and when?

Blood samples collections for the study will take place at:

Thursday 9th August : Appleby Agricultural Show from 10am at the Barley Field near Appleby Golf Course.

Saturday 11th August : Dalston Show

Wednesday 15th August : Gosforth Agricultural Show, Gosforth, Cumbria, the Gosforth showfield adjacent to A595 at the jct with B5344

Thursday 16th August : Brough Agricultural Show at the showfield near Brough Sowerby

Saturday 18th August : Skelton Show at Old Park, Hutton-in-the-Forest Park on Penrith-Wigton Road (B5305)

Sunday 19th August : Lakeland Country Fair at Torver, near Coniston on A593/A5084

Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Newcastle University

Post Comments: