Compton resident Sandra Edlington has used her research skills to find out details of one of her ancestors.

Although her late great grandfather George James Bignell died almost 100 years ago in Victoria, her pain-staking examination of official and family records has turned up many interesting facts and a few photographs.

She was the guest speaker when the South East Family History Group held its recent monthly meeting in Millicent.

Ms Edlington is the librarian of the vast SEFHG collection of books, newspapers and microfiche records.

Her ancestor was born in Adelaide in 1848 and his family moved to Bendigo in Victoria about two years later.

Mr Bignell spent the rest of his life in Victoria with much of the talk devoted to his time as a runner where he competed in races on the Melbourne Cricket Club.

Later in life he served as a volunteer with the Ballarat Fire Brigade and they competed in various skills competitions as far away as New Zealand.

A distant relative of Mr Bignell ran the Kalangadoo Bakery many years ago.

The final SEFHG meeting for 2021 will be the customary Christmas party at the research centre at 6.30pm on November 25.