Hundreds of West Indians sailed to Britain on the Empire Windrush

Residents who are desperate to discover more about their long lost relatives will be shown the basic techniques of researching their genealogy.

They will be given the opportunity to look at records which could be the key to unlocking their hidden past.

The county council record office's Black History session is on October 16.

Obstacles to research

Talei Rounds, an archivist at Oxfordshire County Council's records office, said: "The black family history sessions are about helping people get started in tracing their family tree.

"It is often assumed that it is more difficult to research black family history because of the obstacles thrown up by slavery.

"But the initial stages of family research are the same regardless of origin so this is a chance for people to learn about the kind of sources available to them."

An exhibition for Black History Month looking at how the history of black people's presence in the county can be preserved is also currently on display at the record office.

It features new material - only uncovered in the past year - such as records of the baptisms of an eight-year old Bengali boy in 1700 and a Black servant boy in 1766.