http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/ Whether you are just starting to trace your family tree or have been doing genealogical research for many years, you will find Ancestors full of tips and guidance. en-gb Copyright 2010, Wharncliffe Publishing Limited and The National Archives Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:31:24 +0000 1440 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/images/logo-rss.gif http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/ 144 52 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#198 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#198 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:31:24 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#196 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#196 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:01:37 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#195 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#195 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline has a multitude of really useful resources for family historians, as can be seen through some of the few Valentines themed weird and wonderful names within the 7.5 million documents available.

76 soldiers named Venus were awarded campaign medals during the First World War
Acting Lance Corporal William Risque of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry was discharged in July 1919.
Four Private Cupids (John, Jeremiah, Dalton and Albert) served in the British West Indies Regiment during the First World War.
Sailor, James Cupid (born 1851 in Canton, China) served on three British ships between 1873 and 1881 and his record states that he is "anxious to become a British subject".
Lieutenant Edmund Crush (17 Field Company Royal Engineers) was recommended for a Military Cross for being an "outstanding inspiration to his platoon" in 1944.
Elizabeth Naughty, servant to William Anderson of Highwood Hill , Middlesex, unusually for her sex and status at the time left a will in 1824

DocumentsOnline allows you to access The National Archives' collection of digitised public records, including both academic and family history sources. Searching the index is free, and costs £3.50 (medal index cards £2) to download an image ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:23:08 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#194 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#194 http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:31:11 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#193 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#193 Turkish baths were introduced into England in the 1850s, after the Turkish Bath Movement was organised by the working men's Foreign Affairs Committees.
If you feel in need of a (vicarious) warm-up, a visit to Malcolm Shifrin's interesting website on Victorian Turkish baths http://www.victorianturkishbath.org could be just the job.

The site scooped an Encyclopaedia Britannica Web's Best Site Award for 2009. It lists details of over 600 Victorian-style Turkish baths, which opened in Britain between 1856 and 1976. There are illustrated articles on 50 different baths, and 10 located in London. There are also an image gallery, with an array of original advertisements, photographs and cartoons. You can browse through information on bath companies and characters, which is includes insights into Victorian attitudes to hygiene.
Malcolm is keen to both share and exchange information on the baths, so if you have any memorabilia, documents or photographs - or you just fancy finding your nearest Turkish bath (the site also lists baths which are still open) head to the website. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 15 Jan 2010 18:24:40 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#192 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#192 Yesterday are asking for your help in compiling an online library of stories and memorabilia from the period. They are inviting you to share your experiences with others by asking for your help in collating wartime memories and stories.
Viewers can send your memories in any format by email and the channel'll pick the best to display on the Yesterday website for all to see. You could even record a wartime story on your mobile, and submit a sound bite! Getting involved is easy, simply visit http://www.visityesterday.co.uk or email your stories to your1940story@uktv.co.uk.
Ration Book Britain, a brand new, one hour special begins on 15 January 2010 at 5pm, marking the 70th anniversary of the start of food rationing in Britain, with a unique look at this period of austerity and the impact that rationing had on individual lives.
Top chef Valentine Warner will use all his culinary skills to recreate wartime recipes. The programme will also hear firsthand memories from the people who kept Britain fighting fit throughout the War.
Yesterday can be found on the following digital, satellite and cable channels Sky 537, Virgin 203, Freeview 12. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:54:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#191 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#191
Reichenbach Falls

On a hiking tour of Switzerland, our route took us from the town of Meiringen through the celebrated falls themselves. They are a great natural wonder, but they take second place to the entirely fictional event located there. A white star on the rocks marks the precise spot where Sherlock Holmes and his arch enemy, Professor Moriarty, fell together into the thundering torrent. If you are minded to mark your visit with a photograph, you can put your head through the cut-out of a figure in a cape and deer-stalker cap. Holmes's creator decided to kill off his popular character in order to free himself from the demands of his readers and he chose this dramatic setting to do it. It wasn't a popular move. He wanted to write more elevated works. Don't we all? You can get a good idea of his life just from scanning the manuscript sources. Click on the link.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P8431

The real Sherlock Holmes unmasked

There can often be dispute about who was the inspiration for a particular fictional character. But there is widespread agreement that a Scottish surgeon was the "original" on whom Conan Doyle based Sherlock Holmes. Certainly, his phenomenal powers of observation enabled him to deduce much about his patients' occupation, background and habits before he proceeded to a diagnosis of their condition. Sounds familiar? If you don't know who I'm talking about, click on the link.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P44506

The Case of Oscar Slater

This was not one of Holmes's cases, but truth is often stranger than fiction and this time it was Conan Doyle's turn to involve himself in the aftermath of a brutal murder. When an elderly spinster was killed in Glasgow in 1908, police had little doubt that Slater was the culprit. The evidence against him was weak, but the trial turned on the examination of Slater's character, which was steeped in criminality. His German Jewish origins didn't help him either and he was sentenced to hang. The sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life but the doubts about his conviction remained and Conan Doyle was one of a number of figures who campaigned for a pardon. This was granted, but not until 1927. Anyway, here's a link to Oscar and, beyond that, a detailed description of the collection on the SCAN website.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P52803

The Return of Sherlock Holmes

Since re-emerging from the Reichenbach Falls, Holmes has been busier than ever. TV and cinema has seen numerous actors offer their interpretation of the Baker Street sleuth, but one can perhaps claim to be the most familiar. Amazingly, he was even related to me (however distantly). I never met him but, as a boy, met his brother when he visited. The old gentleman slipped me some money before he left and I honour his kindness, along with the acting genius of his more famous brother. If you are as slow on the uptake as Dr Watson, follow the link for further details.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P52804

That's a brief glimpse of what the NRA can offer but, pray, feel free to make your own investigations. And if anyone can find an inspiration for Irene Adler (the only woman Holmes admired), please let us know. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:30:56 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#190 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#190

It was Christmas at the Archives
And the cold bare walls are bright
With tinsel decorations
And signs about copyright

The volunteers and customers
Have given many treats
Tins of Roses, shortbread tails
And even homemade sweets

The searchroom is like a wasteland
With everything quiet and still
No whirring from the microfilm
Or ringing of the till

But one man remains seated
Trawling through the books
Regardless of the silent room
And the assistant's angry looks

"They must be in here somewhere,
I know they will be found
I'll try another parish
In case they moved around"

He requests another volume
Although it's nearly four
Despite the early closing
He might just do one more

The archivist walks over
And puts the volume down
He turns the parchment pages
And reads them with a frown

Then suddenly he sees them!
And gives a happy shout
The name he's searched for many years
Was there without a doubt

The staff are there to share his joy
It's only twenty past!
If they help him take a copy
They might get home at last

He leaves with joyful wishes
The copy given free
The staff lock up, set the alarm
And turn the lights off on the tree

Each one goes home happy
A job well done they said
A long lost relative is found
And we go home to bed

The customer's also delighted
And full of Christmas cheer
"That's one lot found," he says aloud
But plenty more next year!" ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:12:41 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#189 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#189 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:57:55 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#188 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#188
Following the earlier experiment of allowing a guest contributor to edit the monthly NRA post (thanks again to William Bones of the British Buccaneering Federation), it has been decided to extend this facility to other minority groups. Consequently, this month's post has been edited by a meerkat. This may explain any infelicities of style and inconsistencies of grammar, the correction of which, it was felt, might otherwise detract from the charm of the piece. Now read on.

Meerkat Research

Meerkats are very curious animals. We know this. But where we can find many informations about meerkats? Surely British National Register of Archives will have answer. So we look and this what we find…nearly.

Covent Garden Meerkat

This was place in London for fruit and vegetables. Also flowers. Now is big tourist trap. Also tube station deeper than meerkat burrow. Here Professor Higgins find Eliza Doolittle and make speak good in My Fair Lady. Also Mister Alfred Hitchcock make film here called Frenzy. Was not good film. Too much stranglings, no enough meerkats. But we like this place. Is good place to watch. You follow link. You see.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O96735

Meerkat Traders Federation

We in meerkat community were shocked. What this vile trade in meerkats? You think this right in civilised society? Where is modern Mister Wilberforce to make free enslaved meerkats? We start make petition and sing freedom songs (when meerkat was in Egypt's land, etc). But then we follow link. And is mistake. But we remain vigilant.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O59153

You can't buck the Meerkat

Credit crunch was no problem for meerkats. We see it coming. We see everything coming. It is what we do. Maybe if we look for search term "vigilance" on NRA, it will unlock sources for meerkat history. Let us try.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O34974

Compare the Piggy.com

We are not finding so much about meerkats. Maybe we need go back comparing websites. So let us look for other animal. Maybe piggy. Not vigilant like meerkat, so they must buy insurance.
Simples!

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O58398


A meerkatty Christmas and a very watchful New Year to you all. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:52:11 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#187 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#187
The University of East London has launched a searchable online Theatre Archive at http://www.elta-project.org.

The Archive, which aims to promote East London theatre, has material on over one hundred theatres from 1827. It covers various different collections, including more recent East London-based theatres, like the Cartoon Archetypical Slogan Theatre, in addition to a wealth of older material from the V&A Theatre Collections.

They have a varied range of theatrical paraphernalia - theatre programmes, scripts, designs, reviews, maps and drawings, early press releases - to name just a few, as well as some informative essays.

Also available is a map showing the locations of theatres, both closed and current, across the East End. You can search and even download any of the 14,900 images from the 3,368 archive items for free.

Back in the Golden Age of Theatre over 2,000 documents relating to the early 17th century impresario Philip Henslowe's theatrical empire are now at http://www.henslowe-alleyn.org.uk
Henslowe ran the Fortune and the Rose theatres until his death in 1616, when his son-in-law Edward Alleyn took over.

The archive, owned by Dulwich College (which was founded by Alleyn), contains box office receipts - including those for Titus Andronicus and Henry VI - as well as lists of payments to actors and playwrights - including Ben Jonson and Thomas Middleton - the 1587 deeds of partnership for the Rose and the only surviving Elizabethan actor's script.

One of the treasures of the collection is a backstage guide to remind actors of their entrance cues for a play entitled The Seven Deadly Sins, Part II.
Another is Henslowe's 476 page diary, which names over 300 16th and 17th century plays - most of which have not survived. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:49:53 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#186 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#186
Incidentally the Archives will be closed for Stocktaking between Friday 4 December and Tuesday 8 December

From 4 January The National Archives will be open five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday). Opening hours and document ordering times have been increased and will be: Wednesday, Friday and Saturday opening hours 9am-5pm (document ordering 9am-4.15pm); Thursday 9am-7pm (document ordering 9am-5pm). Find out more at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/visit/times.htm ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:01:07 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#185 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#185 The past year has seen the deaths of Henry Allingham, Harry Patch and Bill Stone, the last British servicemen to survive from the Great War. It was called the Great War by those who did not realise that it was destined to be but the first of two world wars. The sacrifice and loss endured in the years 1914-1918 still commands our attention today and a selection of archive collections that capture something of the war and its aftermath are set out below.

Beneath contempt
In 1914, Britain lacked the large army of its continental neighbours. At first, the British could send only a small, but highly professional, force to fight in France. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), as it was known, was supposedly dismissed by the German Kaiser as "that contemptible little army". What was meant as an insult was adopted by BEF survivors as a proud badge of identity, as you will see, if you just follow the link
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O61896

Mad Jack
"Good morning, good morning" the General said
When we met him last week on our way to the line
Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead,
And we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine
"He's a cheery old card", grunted Harry to Jack
As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack
But he did for them both by his plan of attack

These lines by one of the most celebrated war poets capture the stoic good humour of the British Tommy in the face of military incompetence. That poet distinguished himself through a reckless bravery that earned him the nickname Mad Jack. He then disowned the war, in an equally brave and reckless act. And now he's back in the news again, with his papers (all but) saved for the nation. Follow the link to find out more.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P25354

The Imperishable Boy
In the summer of 1916 the British and German fleets came as close to a decisive naval battle as they would ever get. The Battle of Jutland ended as a strategic victory for the Royal Navy, but at a considerable cost in lives. Though the result was confused enough for both sides to claim it as a victory, a human story emerged that was to act as an inspiration for the British public. Sixteen year old Jack Cornwell was the sole survivor when his gun crew were wiped out on the cruiser HMS Chester. Cornwell was found at his post and awaiting further orders, though fatally wounded. His heroism was recognised by the award of the Victoria Cross and he was seen as the model for all patriotic youngsters. He may well be the youngest person to appear on the personal index of the National Register of Archives and you can follow links through to his life story in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. The VC and gun he served can still be seen at the Imperial War Museum.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P38502


The guns fall silent

After the war there was great concern that the sacrifice made was properly acknowledged. This was seen in large public works, such as the Cenotaph in Whitehall and the Scottish National War Memorial in Edinburgh Castle. But the contribution of small communities was marked by local monuments and memorials. Their presence in every town and village offers its own commentary on the human cost of the war. The NRA notes the location of material on more than 100 local war memorials. Follow this link for an example.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O40621

We will remember them

Those who fell in the Great War were buried close to where they died, often in the great military cemeteries of northern France and Belgium. They are, by all accounts, immaculately kept and a fitting memorial to those that lie there. This is the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. In recent years the Commission has developed its website so that it is possible to seek out details of ancestors and their resting place. Thus it is possible for me to see a photograph of the French churchyard in which my ancestor, an officer in the Cameronians, is buried. It is a great resource, worthy of a visit today or any other day, and one which can be reached by following the links from ARCHON.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=1903 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:43:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#184 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#184 http://www.ancestry.co.uk/military ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:51:58 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#183 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#183 The records were created after the formation of the RAF in April 1918, although they include retrospective details of earlier service in the Royal Flying Corps or Royal Naval Air Service, where appropriate.
You can search by surname, forename or date of birth.
At the top of the record are the officer's forenames or initials, surname, date and place of birth and next-of-kin with their address. On the record sheet itself are usually the date the officer was commissioned, promotions, the units with which the individual served (including the date of arrival at the unit and the date they left), and details of specialist courses attended. In the case of pilots, the record will note any Royal Aero Club certificate numbers and the dates they were granted.
On the back of record sheets you may find information about the type of aircraft flown, details of any honours and awards and the date they were announced in the London Gazette.
Finally the record will note the date when an individual relinquished their commission, the date of death or a date of retirement.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:12:23 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#181 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#181
What is the story of your house?
We would like to find owners of derelict, historic homes for a new BBC television series, and follow them as they save these architectural gems from ruin and restore them into wonderful 21st century homes, while turning detective to unravel the properties' extraordinary lives.
What secrets do these houses hold? What events happened? Who lived there over generations? How was the property used?
At the end of it all, we'll see an important historical property saved from dereliction and brought back to life to become a home once more.
If you are renovating a property and want to discover more about its structural and social history, please call 020 8222 4996 or e-mail homes@endemoluk.com.

Family History - Your Story
Do you have an interesting story to tell about your family history? Has the research you've undertaken led you on an interesting quest? Has family history changed the way you think and feel about your ancestors? If so, top author Cherry Gilchrist would love to hear from you! Her new book, Growing Your Family Tree, will be about the experience and meaning of family history, and will include many individual stories and anecdotes.
You can find more about Cherry at http://www.cherrygilchrist.co.uk. Her latest book, Your Life, Your Story: Writing your Life Story for Family and Friends, is published next February by Piatkus. She is also a keen family historian, a member of the Powys and the Montgomeryshire Family History Societies, and has been researching her mother's family tree for about five years now.
If you are interested please contact Cherry for a questionnaire about your experiences in family history cherry.gilchrist@btinternet.com. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:29:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#180 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#180
Britain has shaped much of Africa, for good or ill. Equally, Africa has influenced Britain in a variety of ways from Born Free to the fictional, traditionally-built lady detective in Botswana, to Um Bongo tropical fruit drink (and no, they don't drink it in the Congo - that's just an advertising jingle). It's perhaps ambitious to try to encapsulate a whole continent in a blog but, faced with the Dark Continent, who can resist the temptation to explore?


Slavery, Gold and Chocolate
That's the rather mixed heritage of this country, apart from Liberia, the first of the sub-Saharan countries to gain independence in 1957. Unfortunately, in Africa, the exploitation of natural resources doesn't necessarily translate into prosperity for ordinary people. Think of Nigeria and oil. Or Britain and oil. As to slavery, well I'm not going to say anything that hasn't been better said elsewhere. There is some very interesting stuff on it, however, if you just follow the links.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=659


Just like Scotland, but with sun
That's a description of a small African country, formerly known as Nyasaland. There are strong links with Scotland, whose Presbyterian missionaries maintained a presence at Livingstonia. Indeed, their first president, Dr Hastings Banda, was a Church of Scotland elder (as well as once a devoted GP in Harlesden). But it's strange what happens to people when they become African presidents. Asked to come up with a couple of facts about Malawi, most people would probably come up with Dr Banda and Madonna, who swung through there on adoption business. It's a pity the two of them never met. They say the people are the nicest in Africa. I'd like to find out someday. Oh yes, and to visit their National Archives in Zomba. But for now, it's enough just to follow the links.
[/url] www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=3178[url]

Balancing boulders
Zimbabwean banknotes carry pictures of a common sight near Bulawayo, improbably stacked piles of boulders. That's about the only reason for keeping the notes, for these days everyone uses US dollars. There are some who would argue that they provide clear evidence of extra-terrestrial intervention, as such a large number of balancing boulders could not exist naturally. That's why you should always wear a hat in the sun. Now, when it comes to Zimbabwe I actually know what I'm talking about, Well, a bit. As I stood before the thundering roar of the majestic Victoria Falls, a statue reminded me of an earlier visitor, a remarkable Scottish explorer…follow the link to find out whom.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P17621


King Solomon's Mines
Africa has always provided a naturally dramatic setting for adventure stories. The wildness, the wide landscapes and the idea of a continent where discoveries were still to be made or secrets unearthed, was easily distilled into a heady, fictional mix. South Africa, in particular, inspired John Buchan who not only wrote the African-set Prester John, but repeatedly used characters such as the colonial mining engineer Richard Hannay and his Boer accomplice, Pieter Pienaar. But there was another writer whose fortune derived from African-inspired fiction. With King Solomon's Mines and the mystical She, he captured the public's imagination-and mine too, when I was a boy. Click on the link to find out who he was where his papers are.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P12528

White Mischief
Now, as I keep explaining, ARCHON is very proud of its overseas coverage. If we exclude mighty South Africa from the equation, then the best represented African country is Kenya. Back in the 1920s if you were an aristocratic loafer who desired a decadent, drink-sodden existence in a colonial setting, then Kenya was the destination of choice. No wonder they called it Happy Valley. You've perhaps read the book or seen the film of White Mischief, now check out the websites.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/foreign.asp ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:20:03 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#179 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#179 Iceland was one of the last places on the earth to be inhabited. The first settlers arrived in roughly 870AD, drawn by the wide open spaces and the chance to escape oppressive Norwegian kings. The stories of many of these settlers, particularly the chieftains, are told in a series of stories - sagas - which were passed down orally, generation by generation, until they were written down in the 13th century.
The Icelanders are largely descended from Viking men and the Celtic women whom they met or enslaved on their journeys: something which has recently been confirmed by genetic testing of the population.
Virtually all Icelanders can trace their ancestry back to the first settlers. Indeed I was told that everybody has genealogical links to two particularly fecund medieval bishops.
The sagas are proving to be a much more accurate historical account of early Icelandic history than was long thought to be the case. For example, archaeological evidence found at the Viking settlement in Newfoundland, largely tallies with account given in the sagas.
It is strange to drive past an isolated farmstead and to be told that in the 10th century such and such a farmer lived there and the sagas said he did this or that. We know next to nothing about what happened to farmers and their families in England at that time.
However, the centuries after the arrival of the Black Death in 1401 really up until the Second World War were not happy ones for Iceland. The population fell dramatically as the result of climatic changes brought about by the Little Ice Age and the economic stagnated through centuries of insensitive Danish colonial control. At one time there was serious talk about evacuating the population and at the end of the 19th century thousands of Icelanders emigrated to better lives in North America.
There is clearly an element of nostalgia for the era of the saga in today's Iceland, particularly after last year's economic crash. The whole period means a lot to Icelanders, perhaps in a similar way to the British view of the Second World War - a period of heroic deeds and a time when our nation was important in the annals of the world.
As a result of this fascination there are two dozen or so impressive museums and tourist attractions mostly scattered across the Western half of the island, where most of the first settlements took place. I'll be writing about my experiences and the importance of genealogy in the country today in a future issue of Ancestors. In the meantime if you are thinking about next year's holiday why not consider Iceland - you won't regret it: find out more about the saga attractions at http://www.sagatrail.is. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:31:49 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#178 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#178 The videocasts will be available on The National Archives website - War on Film: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/waronfilm. The first videocast is now online and is on the theme of evacuation, which lies behind the 1987 film Hope and Glory. A videocast on a different theme will be released each week until 8 October.
The real events behind films such as The Dambusters and The Longest Day are retold by The National Archives' Principle Military Records Specialist William Spencer: "The videocasts are a fantastic new way to bring history to life", says William, "They allow anyone to explore the archival truth behind the stories told in some of the most iconic British war films of all time." ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:23:08 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#177 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#177
First to Fight
Under the cynical terms of the Nazi-Soviet Pact, Poland was quickly overrun in the so-called September Campaign. Yet Poland remained a combatant nation, with her navy sailing to Britain and her soldiers escaping by roundabout means to re-form in other theatres. Her airmen were to play a crucial role in the Battle of Britain. Meanwhile, her government in exile established itself in London. However, victory in Europe in 1945 brought little joy to Poles, many of whom refused to return and live under a communist regime. All this had a practical consequence in terms of the archives of Poland's war effort. Follow the links to find out more.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=1235


Crisis in Karelia

In the grim winter of 1939-40, freedom-loving nations were inspired by a small country that stood up to totalitarian bullying. Perhaps it would have been wiser for the Finns to have made the territorial concessions demanded by Stalin, but they didn't. When the Soviets attacked it seemed as if there could only be one outcome, but the Red Army's offensive stalled in the face of dogged and resourceful defence. For several months Finland was the focus of world attention. But while many sympathised, few countries were prepared to provide the practical assistance that Finland needed and she was forced to make a disadvantageous peace. During the heady days of heroic resistance, a British politician was one of many to make his way to Finland to witness the apparent miracle that was taking place there. He published 'My Finnish Diary', as you would. Click on the link to find out who he was and where his papers are.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P5668


Death on the Danube
By virtue of her geography, Hungary could hardly stay out of the war and was forced to become an unwilling satellite of Nazi Germany. At least for much of the war she was far from the front line and spared many of the horrors inflicted on other nations. By 1944 that time had run out and Budapest was subjected to a long and terrible siege, during which the local fascists, the Arrow Cross, went on their own killing spree. Imagine what it would have been like if there had been a British person there to record events. Well, in fact, there was. Follow the links to find out more about an obscure but interesting journalist.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P52757


Struggle in Spain
Of course, some people would argue that the war really started in 1936 and that World War Two flowed naturally from the Spanish Civil War. Certainly much of what lay ahead, such as the aerial bombing of civilians, was tested there. The struggle between the Republican government and the insurgents under General Franco was fuelled by the aid given to Franco from Italy and Germany. Britain and France maintained a posture of non-intervention. However, there remained room for individual initiative and many British volunteers headed for Spain to fight for the Republicans. Read George Orwell's 'Homage to Catalonia' for a vivid account of the reality of bitter civil war. British volunteers who returned from service with the International Brigades kept alive the camaraderie and ideals of the time through an association. Click on the link to find out more.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O50665

Morality in Manchester
War naturally presents moral dilemmas for those with deep-rooted pacifist beliefs. That may seem like stating the obvious. But what if the war seemed both necessary and unavoidable? And what if you yourself were Jewish and your wife was a refugee from Nazi Germany? These were the questions that this man wrestled with and found his conscience led him into a principled but lonely position. See Pat Starkey, 'I Will Not Fight' (1992) for more on this. Meantime, click on the links.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P52760 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:31:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#176 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#176 There are several excellent genealogy newsletters. The best known is Dick Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter http://blog.eogn.com which includes a wide range of news stories culled from a variety of sources or sent to him directly. There's also a plus edition you can subscribe to for a few dollars per year (it is an American site, although there is fair coverage of events this side of the Atlantic). Closer to home, Chris Paton, who writes Ancestors' Internet News pages, blogs at http://scottishancestry.blogspot.com with a full range of news mainly from Scotland and Ireland. He covers a lot of stories with some interesting comments.
However, there are few if any family history blogs devoted to the research for individual ancestors (if I have missed something interesting let me know). This lack is made up by a number of great general history blogs. Stories from Scottish military history is covered at http://scottishmilitary.blogspot.com and The Times Archive has stories based on old issues of 'The Thunderer' http://timesonline.typepad.com/timesarchive. Indeed a number of institutions do have blogs. For example, the National Maritime Museum's Caird Library does so http://www.nmm.ac.uk/library and, in the US, the Rhode Island Historical Society has some excellent entries (many with a surprisingly British resonance) http://rihs.wordpress.com. One of the few English local history societies to include a blog is from Foxearth on the Essex/Suffolk border at http://www.foxearth.org.uk/WeblogIndex.html although it is not updated all that often there are some excellent stories. A British Library curator, Matthew Shaw, reflects on history, particularly political history, at http://britishlibrary.typepad.co.uk/takingliberties.
A number of blogs are based on reprinting diaries of other documents in "real time" with explanatory text and other information. The best known example is Pepys Diary at http://www.pepysdiary.com, but there are others such as The Natural History of Selborne at http://naturalhistoryofselborne.com and the WW1 war diary of the 9th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment at http://yldiaries.blogspot.com. The blogger here is researching the career of William Henry Bonser Lamin, an ordinary Tommy in the regiment, and there are accompanying letters from the front. And at http://bookofthomastye.blogspot.com there is a ongoing transcription of an 18th century account book.
There are several problems with blogs. Often enough they are self-indulgent twaddle. Alternatively they might not be updated frequently (of which I'm aware I'm guilty).
Another issue is that they can be surprisingly hard to track down. There is a blog search facility on Google, but it is pretty useless http://blogsearch.google.co.uk. Links to many history blogs (generally American, but not entirely) is http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/9665.html and a list of some 20 blog directories at http://www.searchenginejournal.com/20-essential-blog-directories-to-submit-your-blog-to/5998. Do you blog or have a favourite blog then pass it on. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:27:58 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#175 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#175
There is a huge and ready market for all sorts of horror, especially when it speaks to our deepest fears and anxieties. But what can it have to do with the NRA, which flourishes in the bright sunlight of rationality? Surely there can't be any dark and mysterious corners to that? But, on reflection, it turns out that there are.

The Modern Prometheus
That was the alternative title of a book better known by its one, dread, name. A book about the creation of a monster, perverted science and the dangers of playing God. Many believed that such a book could not have been written by a woman, yet it was. And why not? The surprise, perhaps, is that it was written so long ago, as its themes have only acquired greater relevance over time. If you haven't guessed who I'm writing about, click on the link.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P25963

"In my native Transylvania…"
How often I have wanted to begin a sentence like that. And sometimes I have, but it can attract funny looks. We are moving into vampire territory now, a land unconstrained by borders or even time. The recent Swedish film Let the Right One In reworked the vampire theme to remarkable effect. Catch it while you still can. Such stories can be set anywhere and at any time. After all, Dracula begins in the port of Whitby. And it was written by an Irish theatre manager who was responsible for the introduction of numbered seats in theatres. Rarely can hard-headed practicality have co-existed with such tortured imagination. Maybe these papers can shed light on the creative process.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P27376

As in monster
There are some names that you would expect the bearers to change because a) they could usefully be anglicised or b) they have unfortunate connotations. And near the top of the list of such names one would surely find Frankenstein. Yet one would be quite wrong. No horror to be found here and the science part seems to have served the needs of mankind. This time around.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=B35868

Taste the Blood of Dracula
I must say that, as invitations go, that's one I can resist. But the fact is that it was the title of one of a number of British horror films, turned out from the 1950s to the 1970s. Within the genre of horror films, they carved out an identity all of their own. They were memorably spoofed by Steve Coogan in Dr Terrible's House of Horrible, but I don't think that I have ever seen one all the way through. Stakeholders are invited to click on the link.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=B25871

That's enough horror for now. I'm sorry there's no room this time around for werewolves, mummies, wicker men or even homicidal hillbillies. But, in the tradition of horror flicks, there's always room for a sequel. Meantime, carry on screaming! ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 03 Aug 2009 10:22:59 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#174 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#174 The opening episode delved into Davina McCall's family history. To my mind this worked very well with a couple of strong stories, and it was nice to see a star genuinely interested in her ancestry. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:39:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#173 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#173 The proposals are part of plans to reduce running costs by 10 per cent by April 2010. These savings will ensure The National Archives has sufficient funds to continue with its core activities and be able to invest for the future.
Savings of £4.2m are being made across the organisation. However, The National Archives will continue to invest in improving online access to our records and expertise. At present 170 documents are seen online compared to every one in the reading rooms. Projects to be supported include enhancing the online catalogue, more digitisation projects and launching innovative online help and expertise pages.
The proposals are out for consultation until September. This will be followed by detailed planning until the New Year. The changes will be introduced during the first quarter of 2010.
The challenge is to reduce costs by 10% by March 2010 to meet operating costs. The National Archives very much values your views and is open to discussing the details of the changes and how the impact is minimised on you. However, please bear in mind that they cannot reduce the amount of savings needed.

You can email the Archives at changes@nationalarchives.gov.uk. Details of the changes can be found at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/changes.htm
We would also of course welcome your views in Ancestors.

However, it is not all doom and gloom. There are some very positive things happening at Kew. First of all check out the excellent research signposts, which offer informative and practical advice on many topics which historians are likely to be interested in. The initial signposts are mainly for family historians, but others on places and subjects are due to be added shortly [url]www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/gettingstarted/guides.htm?source=ddmenu_research1[/ur]
The National Archives is very successful in bidding for money for particular projects relating to the records. We've covered several of these projects in Ancestors such as using ships' logs to identify the changing weather and naval medical journals to trace the spread of medical innovations in the early 19th century. Find out more in the research e-newsletter http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/research-enewsletter/june2009.htm
Business archives are perhaps not the first place to visit in your research, but they are important repositories of historic memory and in the present economic climate there is always the temptation to shut them or reduce their staffing. Along with the Business Archives Council and other interested bodies, The National Archives has just launched a new policy to raise the profile of these archives and promote their value to researchers and to the businesses themselves. We will be including articles on business archives over the next few months. The policy is at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/corporate-memory.pdf. Unusually for such a report it is both well-written and attractively presented.
The Annual Report has just been published covering The National Archives activities between April 2008 and March 2009 and as always makes interesting reading. The report at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/annualreport0809.pdf highlights key achievements during 2008-2009 as well as detailed set of accounts. There's no mention of Ancestors though! ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:49:19 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#172 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#172
In my end is my beginning
It all began on a Leeds market stall 125 years ago. Michael Marks had one of the simplest and best business ideas ever. He sold everything for a penny. You don't get much for a penny at Marks & Spencer these days, though I got a great denim shirt knocked down to a fiver. M & S remain at the forefront of retail innovation but, as you'll have noticed, they have proudly decided to celebrate their 125 year history. And they have plans for their archives. Did I mention Leeds already?
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/media/press_releases/current09/marksandspencer_archive.htm

Anglo-Dutch giant washes whiter
That doesn't quite work as a slogan, does it? While sometimes a company's name is synonymous with its product (done any hoovering recently?), others have such a diversified product range that the company identity is often secondary to the brand. There can't be many brands with as strong a profile as Persil. If you haven't realised that Persil is 100 years old, you can't have been paying attention. Persil is just one of a number of brands owned by the same company. The giant in question is unlikely to forget its fascinating history or premium brands, for it is serviced by a pretty nifty archives department. As you will see, if you follow the link.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=1752

80 years of good reading
The publishing world offers business records of particular interest and value. The concentration of so many publishers in London proved unfortunate when, in 1941, the Luftwaffe decided to leave only bomb craters where the book trade used to flourish around St Paul's Cathedral. So let's appreciate what there is left, including this publishing house (founded 1929) famous for its stable of distinguished authors and its association with TS Eliot. All of which will be reflected in an exhibition at the British Library this autumn.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=2553

Dublin's gift to the world
There I was walking through Helsinki's fair city, when I first set my eyes on a pub called Molly Malone's. It was a reminder how in recent years the Irish pub has conquered the world. But what use is an Irish pub without a decent drop of beer to go with it? It was in Dublin in 1759 that Arthur Guinness founded a business producing the legendary stout that bore his name. Its staying power was enhanced by advertising of great creativity and invention. So the next time you enjoy a pint of the black stuff, you won't just be slaking your thirst. You will be savouring 250 years of business history in a glass.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=1634

Archives and globalisation
One can always learn from the experience of other nations, of course. My recent attendance at a seminar of the International Council on Archives (Section for Business and Labour Archives) in Helsinki showed that there are some very talented business archivists around the world. And it was a pleasure to meet them. But it was when I went shopping afterwards that an idea came to me. Stockmann is the biggest chain store in Finland and a great place for gifts, though it helps if you like reindeer motifs. Clearly, they have a history and they are doing something with it. So follow the link and don't worry, it's in English. And it made me smile as I followed the time line, so it should do the same for you. Especially when you reach their first computer!
http://www.stockmann.com/group/en/company_information/stockmann_through_the_years

It's the business
It is impossible to do more than feature a fraction of the 32,500 plus businesses that are noted on the National Register of Archives (NRA). But there has never been a better time for users to check it out and test the functionality that allows you to search by different criteria. Click on the link and your journey into business history can begin here.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/advanceSearch.asp?subjectType=B ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:17:39 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#171 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#171 UPDATE - a colleague has pointed out the best way to get access to these maps is via The National Archives census links page at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/census. It is strange how blinkered one can become because not in a million years would I have thought of looking here! ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:52:01 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#170 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#170 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:35:46 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#169 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#169 The whole of the 1911 census is now available online. The last schedules for the Channel Isles, the Isle of Man, the Royal Navy and the military overseas were posted up yesterday evening. Also available are the enumerators' schedule books containing a list of which household schedules were distributed to which householder. These books are available free if you have already downloaded the appropriate household schedule. August's issue will include a piece about the military overseas and the importance of these books was discussed back in the March issue. Find out more at http://www.1911census.co.uk

Features online
I think I may have mentioned in the past that can you download individual articles from back issues from The National Archives' Documents Online service. Another forty or so articles have recently been uploaded covering a variety of topics from convicts in Bermuda to silly surnames. More will be added over the next few months. Individual articles cost 75p to download or you can buy a package of up to five features for £1.50. Find out more at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline

Who Do You Think You Are
Coming shortly to BBC ONE is the new series of Who Do You Think You Are? The press release mentions a summer transmission. I haven't been able to find out anything more definite than this. Unfortunately the transmission date is likely to be fixed only a few weeks before the programme is aired. This is very frustrating if you are trying to plan a monthly magazine!
Celebrities to be included in this series are Kim Cattrall, Davina McCall, Chris Moyles, Martin Freeman, Kate Humble and David Mitchell. With the exception of the comedian David Mitchell I can't say I have heard of any of them; it's probably a sign of getting old!

Pub History Society
The current issue of Ancestors contains a number of short articles about pubs and publicans. One of the key websites we mentioned, from the Pub History Society, has had a makeover and now looks very professional. There's also additional material about researching pubs and the people who ran them. http://www.pubhistorysociety.co.uk ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Jun 2009 09:29:45 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#168 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#168
Since 1066 (at least) Britain has been a land of immigrants. Behind each group lies a story of how and why they came here. Naturally, they formed organisations that preserved the ties to their native land, language and culture, while adjusting to their new life. And that is how they pop up on the radar of the National Register of Archives. So let's have a look at a few of these and the stories they tell us.

The Onion Rings of Identity

If you are Swiss. And an Italian-speaker. And come from the canton of Ticino. And live in London. Then this could be the very organisation for you. However, if you are all of these things, then you probably know about it already. For the rest of us, there's an interesting discovery to be made if we just follow the links.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O93144

Out of Africa

A lot of people have come from Somalia in recent years. Not so many are in a hurry to go back. There are Somali communities in many parts of the country these days (they form a large part of my sister's theatre company in Glasgow, for example). Lovely people from a war-torn country, so it is shame that Somalia is only linked in the public mind with asylum-seeking and piracy. So here is something that sounds entirely benign.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O122980


Two for the price of one

Patterns of settlement for Britain's Jewish population are interesting and Manchester has long supported a thriving community. On the other hand, we think of Poles as recent arrivals. This overlooks the wartime influx of Polish servicemen-and an even earlier wave. At the end of the 19th century Poland was still partitioned between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Russia. It was not unusual then, to be Polish, Jewish and a subject of the Tsar. No wonder many decided it was a good time to move to Manchester, leaving behind the state-sponsored pogroms that blighted their life. All of which is reflected to some extent by the following link

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O34427

(and don't forget the article about the Polish community in Britain in issue 51 of Ancestors!)

Tractors in History

Many of us will have read Marina Lewycka's touching and funny book, A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian, rooted in her personal experience. Many Ukrainians came to Britain in the aftermath of the Second World War, but the earliest settlement dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and to Manchester, once again. Maybe it is surprising that there is not more about the Ukrainian community in the NRA, for they seem pretty well organised, with specialist schools and everything. But here's a starting point, at least.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O121362

Our most overlooked immigrants?

The Chinese community somehow manages to retain a strong identity, while at the same time being part of the fabric of everyday British life. I'm never happier than when I am in Soho, enjoying a bowl of won ton soup in the Wong Kei. Of course, London has a strong and defined Chinatown (as does Manchester, that's three mentions now). But there are Chinese communities in many places, so maybe it is not so surprising to find one in…well, click on the link to see.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=O62064

This is a big subject and I probably haven't done it justice. If you have some interesting but obscure collections connected with immigrant communities, why not respond to this post? ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:08:14 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#167 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#167
The internet promises to solve these problems. Several national papers, notably The Times and the (Manchester) Guardian, have digitised and indexed their back issues and placed them online.

Now the British Library has joined them with nearly fifty 19th century newspapers, including many local papers, which otherwise probably never have been digitised. So the chances of finding an ancestor are much greater.

It is a superb service - easy to use and informative - and fairly cheap: £6.99 for a day's access or £9.99 for seven days. http://newspapers.bl.uk/blcs. Bizarrely there is no link from the main BL website.

I tested the service by following up my Belcher ancestors. Fortunately Belcher is a fairly uncommon name. It helped that they often called their sons Paul: a surprisingly unusual forename until the 1950s.

For generations, they lived respectable middle class lives in the East Midlands. Clearly it might be more difficult to find working class forebears here.

Four Paul Belchers appear in the database - three clergymen and a doctor. It is not clear from the papers whether there was any family link between the men, but I would guess that there was.

There are 62 entries, only one of which appeared to be broken. Just out of interest I checked The Times Digital Archive - no entries - and the Guardian Archive, where one relating to a marriage in 1845 (I was too mean to pay to find out more).

Stories appear in half a dozen different newspapers, but overwhelmingly their activities are chronicled in the Derby Mercury, which despite the name also covered Burton upon Trent and surrounding villages. Entries also appear in papers as far apart as Leeds and Liverpool, Birmingham, Oxford and London.

Only once could it be said that they stepped into the limelight. In May 1854, as Revd Paul Belcher was announcing the banns for an unfortunately unnamed couple at Heather parish church the father of the bride objected: "I forbid the banns in this church and everywhere else becos hers too young and hers robbed me." This was picked up by several papers across the country, as no doubt a similar story would be today.

It would be tedious to go through the results story by story. They seem to fall into three categories: stories which confirm information found elsewhere or could be surrogates for other records (births, marriages and deaths); those which provide leads that could be followed up in other sources (for example Burton workhouse records where Dr Paul Belcher was medical officer or the records of Ashbourne School where Revd Paul Belcher was master for many years); but the majority of stories provide new insights from burglaries to attendance at weddings. Perhaps the most striking example of this is the coverage of the suicide of Dr Belcher in September 1890 from Prussic Acid. Would this information appear on the death certificate? I haven't checked, but I would be surprised if it did.

Of course newspaper stories only offer a partial insight. There is much missing, although there is more coverage from the 1850s when local papers really take off after the abolition of stamp duty. Also newspapers get things wrong (particularly names) and fail to follow stories up, so you may only get partial coverage of a trial. Again these are familiar complaints about the media today.

This new service really does open up a major new resource for family historians. Realistically for the first time it is possible to use newspapers to complement other records to build up a rounder portrait of our ancestors, with information that would not be possible to obtain elsewhere.

Thanks to the British Library for their help with this blog. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Sat, 30 May 2009 09:31:58 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#166 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#166 http://www.croydevenishphibbs.co.uk. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 29 May 2009 16:06:11 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#165 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#165 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/partnerprojects/a4a; and catalogues for archives collected by groups are part of the Access to Archives database at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a. And Hampshire Record Office has many pages about setting up and running community archives, as part of their Living Links project at http://www3.hants.gov.uk/archives/living-links.htm. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 26 May 2009 19:45:54 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#164 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#164 http://myfamilysilver.com which enables family historians to search for silver engraved with their crest - or even initials - in the catalogues of some of the world's leading silver dealers and auctioneers.
In the past most middle and upper class families engraves their silver with a crest for display which were passed down the generations. I have a few fish-knives with the Crozier crest on inherited from my maternal grandmother. Potential burglars, however, should note that they are probably less now then when they were new, as they are very well used and the electroplating is wearing pretty thin.
We are occasionally asked questions by readers about their family silver, so clearly there is a demand for this sort of service. And this easy to use site may meet a demand. Of course searching is very hit and miss - the chances of finding anything is pretty low. But of course you never know.
This leads nicely into the latest rival to the Google search engine -Wolfram Alpha. You may have read about it as it takes a radically different approach to searching - you ask it a question, which requires a specific answer, such as "What is the height of Mount Everest?" and it will give you answer. Try this on Google and you'll just be pointed in the direction of sites that may or indeed may not tell you.
Unfortunately Wolfram Alpha is pretty useless, because it can only supply facts; nothing more. It won't give you any information about family history, let alone tell you who your missing great-grandmother was. Type in a name and you'll just get details of the numbers of the holders of the name in the United States. Which is a problem in itself.
Try it for yourself at http://www.wolframalpha.com, but don't say I didn't warn you. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 19 May 2009 14:26:29 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#163 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#163
500 Years Ago

I was watching that Richard Starkey the other night. Now there's a man who knows a good document when he handles it. In his white cotton gloves, of course. And what a story he has to tell. You can't go wrong with Henry VIII: six wives, a couple of wars and a barrow-load of executions. Plus a bust-up with the Pope for good measure. So, should we be celebrating his accession to the throne in 1509? Like Henry himself, it's too big to be ignored. Bring history to life? Be careful what you wish for, I say. Tyranny is but a click away.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P13673


250 Years Ago

The year 1759 was a crucial one in Britain's emergence as a world power. Nothing confirmed this more than the dramatic victory over the French at Quebec. Just as at Trafalgar nearly 50 years later, the event was given added poignancy by the death of the British commander in the very moment of victory. That sacrifice laid the foundations of imperial legend, so it is funny to think that it might all have been so different. What if the general had fallen in battle against the Jacobites at Culloden in 1746? Of whom do I write? One click will answer.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P31039


200 Years Ago

To be honest, I've had enough already with Chuck "I swim with the iguanas" Darwin. If dinosaurs weren't roaming the earth at the same time as humans, then what was that film with Raquel Welch all about? Don't tell me they got that wrong! I take no view on the theory of evolution or the fixity of species, but then I'm not an American politician. Maybe it is time to take a sideways look at Darwin from the perspective of someone who accompanied him on the epic voyage of the Beagle. Someone like this man.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P10134


100 Years Ago

You might have missed this one, but 2009 marks 100 years of naval aviation. From the first air ship, through to the torpedo attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto (which gave the Japanese the idea for the attack on Pearl Harbour), ancient Swordfish aircraft disabling the German battleship Bismarck in 1941 and Sea Harriers winning the air war over the Falklands in 1982, there's a lot to learn. Why not start by clicking on this link to ARCHON and going on from there.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=2734


70 Years Ago

"I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received and that consequently this country is at war with Germany". These were the words with which the Prime Minister told the nation that the Second World War had begun. Actually, it had started several days before as Hitler's armies crossed into Poland for a lightning campaign. Britain's first war premier is better remembered for the failed policy of appeasement than for anything he achieved in the following months. By next May Churchill had taken over, though still darker days lay ahead. But for an insight into the events of 1939 follow the link.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P5298


Anniversaries begin at home

Years ago I was puzzling over an historical enquiry. Some papers had apparently been transferred to Kew, but they seemed an unlikely addition to the collections of the Public Record Office, being about botanical specimens. And then the penny dropped. Since the 1970s "Kew" had been adopted as shorthand for the PRO/TNA. But there was an archival institution at Kew long before that. So it's a happy 250th anniversary to our distinguished neighbours. And if you still don't know what I'm talking about, click on the link to their ARCHON page.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=68

Happy Anniversaries, everybody! ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 01 May 2009 16:05:17 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#162 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#162 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/featuresonline.asp. This new service is very much an experiment, so please leave your comments and suggestions for articles you would like to download. Since our first edition we have included well over 600 articles, so there is plenty to choose from.
Incidentally we are also working on a detailed index to back issues which should be available in the Autumn ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:25:18 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#161 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#161 http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma.
Records currently viewed on microfilm at Guildhall Library are available on microfilm at LMA. These include genealogical sources such as parish registers, will registers and act books, marriage allegations (to 1900) and bonds (to 1823), Christ's Hospital admission records and presentation papers, Bunhill Fields interment order books and selected livery company records.
At least 48 hours' advance notice will be required for the production of original manuscripts. Readers may order up to ten items per day from the Guildhall Library stores; orders can be placed in person at LMA or by email to manuscripts.guildhall@cityoflondon.gov.uk ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:42:45 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#160 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#160 There's no news about when the census for Wales or the Isle of Man and Channel Islands will be released. http://www.1911census.co.uk ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:53:01 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#159 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#159 Marking the 500th anniversary of the monarch's accession an online exhibition "Henry VIII: Power, Passion and Parchment" tells the story of Britain's most famous King, through his own records.
From the elaborate splendour of Valor Ecclesiasticus - his survey of the wealth of the churches of England and Wales - to his divorce papers, the exhibition provides an intriguing insight into Henry's reign and turbulent private life.
The exhibition, at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/henryviii, allows visitors to use the documents, and learn how these unique records have survived long after Henry's reign ended.
The majority of the records from Henry VIII's reign are made of parchment, which predates paper, and the exhibition has pages on the conservation techniques used to care for these centuries-old documents.
Without such documents, building a reliable picture of the past would be impossible.
The National Archives' homepage also has examples of documents which were used by Dr David Starkey in the Chanel 4 series "Henry VIII: The Mind of a Tyrant". ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:29:05 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#157 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#157

A National Strategy for Pirate Records

Pirates don't worry none about no stakeholders. Plank holders, maybe! They has their own priorities. Pieces of eight. A fair shake. Plenty of duff. And rum. Now, how to turn all that into a strategic document? How to make a sea chest compliant with BS 5454*? There's some as say it can't be done, but documents is important to pirates and, even more, treasure maps. Them as "surfs the Internet" ain't never seen no real surf, you may lay to that! But treasure maps is everywhere, just follow the link.

http://www.nls.uk/rlstevenson/pics/picture-j2.html

The World According to Pirates

Pirates has places as is special to them: the Barbary Coast, the Spanish Main, the Dry Tortugas. They don't mean nothing to a lubber, but to a salt-caked buccaneer they be a home from home. Mark you, I used that ARCHON once and it answered. And you may lay to that! Follow the links to the Colonial Bank and there'll be doubloons enough for every man Jack as can swing a cutlass.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archon/searches/locresult_details.asp?LR=759

Pirates and Identity Theft

Long John Silver be an iconic figure for us buccaneers. But, mark you, he weren't no real pirate. Truth to tell, he weren't no pirate at all. That swab Stevenson took his mate, slapped a parrot on his shoulder, and wrote him into pirate history. Without as much as a by your leave. And you may lay to that! I reckons as how Mister Stevenson should've stuck to family business-building lighthouses. Leave pirating to pirates, I says. Still, that Henley fellow must've had something about him to make so thorough a pirate. Click on the link for more on the swab.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P13655

Pirates is Angry

Pirates is not stupid. We knows the importance of branding. So, when we found a bunch of lubbers playing music from some ship at anchor. And when we found some as would call them "Pirate Radio". Then think as how our blood did boil. And they didn't play no pirate tunes, neither. We waited in vain for "Lillibullero". But they was scuppered soon enough, not by angry buccaneers, but by angry bureaucrats. And you may lay to that! Follow the link.

[url]www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=6&CATID=3878491&SearchInit=4&CATREF=HO+255%2F1001[/url]

Pirates Celebrates Diversity in the Workplace

Now I wouldn't want to turn Turk myself, but it if was that or Davy Jones, then I might think again. Pirates from the Barbary states (North Africa from Morocco to Libya), corsairs, they be called. They sailed close to the wind and didn't give no quarter or ask none neither. Fair play to them, they was good at their job. But they put themselves in harm's way. If you wants to read of a sea fight with an Algerine corsair in the year 1678, then this link should answer.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra/searches/subjectView.asp?ID=P13715

That be enough for now, but the National Register of Archives be a one-stop shop for Pirate history, if you do but look. And you may lay to that!

* BS 5454: recommendations for the storage and exhibition of archival documents."

Let me know if you liked this and whether you like more along these lines. Otherwise you might be forced to walk the plank! ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:21:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#155 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#155
1 FTS is based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, north west of York, and, as part of commemorations to mark nine-decades of pilot training, Linton is offering the public a glimpse of its history as a wartime bomber base and subsequent role teaching RAF fast jet pilots; firstly on Piston and Jet Provosts and now Tucano aircraft.

Tours of the unique Memorial Room will be conducted on the last Sunday of each month, beginning on March 29, and will run until October.

RAF Linton-on-Ouse was one of Yorkshire's most important wartime bases. Squadrons there began the war by dropping propaganda leaflets over Germany and later took part in the 1000 bomber raids. Flying legend Group Captain Leonard Cheshire VC was the commanding officer of 76 Squadron which today at Linton is part of 1 FTS.

The memorial room commemorates the 2009 airmen from Linton and its satellite airfields at East Moor and Tholthorpe who were killed while serving with Bomber Command during the first part of the war and with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1943.

Founded by the late Bill Steel, the room offers a fascinating snapshot of photographs, stories and artefacts from the wartime era as well as mementoes and pictures which tell the story of 1 FTS from its formative years in 1919 when it was based at Netheravon, Wiltshire, (pictured) to the present day at Linton.

The memorial room will be open to members of the public on a pre-booked basis at 2.00pm and 3.30pm on one Sunday each month from March to October; normally this will be the last Sunday of the month.

For further information, and to book a visit, please phone Passes and Permits at RAF Linton-on-Ouse on 01347 747660. Visitors will need proof of identity to gain access to the station. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:59:45 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#154 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#154 http://www.lambethpalacelibrary.org/content/newsletter. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:51:43 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#153 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#153 http://www.1911census.co.uk: Yorkshire North Riding, Yorkshire East Riding, and Durham. All three are fully searchable. They anticipate that the remaining English counties will be launched in about a month's time. Findmypast have also extended the expiry date of any credits with a 90 days expiry date bought to date by an additional 90 days (meaning they will expire 180 days from the date of purchase). For further up to the minute details please see Findmypast's excellent blog: http://blog.1911census.co.uk. In the March issue we included an article about the Enumerator's Summary Books in the expectation that they would be added to the 1911 census site roughly at the time the issue went on sale. Unfortunately the launch of these books has been put back, probably to late Spring. It is not unknown for launches of online services to be delayed; we were caught out by another example of the phenomenon. I'm assured the wait will be worth it. Incidentally the Scottish 1911 census is likely to be released slightly earlier in March or April 2011, rather in January 2012 as we said in the March issue. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:50:05 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#151 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#151 http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk (This is a pay-to-use site). The records include births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials of British subjects abroad in Europe, the Empire and bizarrely Lundy Island. The series contains original registers, notebooks and copies of entries in registers kept by incumbents of English churches and missions, British embassies and legations; documents deposited for safe keeping, correspondence and memoranda. The material is largely for the 19th and 20th centuries but includes some for the seventeenth century concerning the English congregation at The Hague. It also includes a volume of marriages solemnised on board HM ships (1842 to 1879); a volume of events registered by British consuls prior to the Consular Marriages Act, 1849; and two volumes compiled by the Colonial Office noting deaths from enemy action in the Far East, between 1941 and 1945. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:56:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#150 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#150 http://tinyurl.com/archive-search-gadget for this. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:54:47 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#148 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#148 http://medievalsoldier.org. It is the result of work being undertaken by the universities of Reading and Southampton. In fact there are two databases for the period 1369-1453, based on rolls found at Kew: the first contains 90,000 "service records" taken from muster rolls; the second is the protection and attorney database with 20,000 records from the treaty rolls. This database should be used with care, as a protection or attorney only indicates an intention to serve, rather than actual service. In addition there are detailed biographies for a number of soldiers. Information includes name, rank (both officers and other ranks), with whom served and where served, as well as the TNA reference of the original record. If you are interested in finding out more (the website is rather reticent about its findings and the project in general) a conference is being organised in Reading in July. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Feb 2009 09:34:31 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#147 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#147 http://www.familyhistoryonline.org.uk, although it is no longer possible to sign up. If you are already a subscriber unused credits will be transferred to FMP. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:08:51 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#146 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#146 If you don't already subscribe, pop out now and buy your copy at WH Smiths in the high street, larger Tescos and many newsagents. It's the best £3.99 you'll spend today! ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:32:59 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#145 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#145 http://www.wcml.org.uk and it is both attractive and useful. It includes pages for family historians, a timeline with snapshots from 200 years of working class activism, and information about the working lives of ordinary people such as brushmakers and silk workers. And the online library catalogue contains details of books, pamphlets and journals as well as artefacts.
There are also new displays for visitors to the Library, and a temporary exhibition marking the centenary of the first payments of the state pension. The Library is now on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, from 1 to 5pm. At other times visitors are welcome to make appointments to view or use the collection. Details on the website or ring 0161-736 3601. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 29 Jan 2009 10:48:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#144 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#144 http://www.1911census.co.uk. So for Heywood, you can also check Haywood, Heyward and so on. The variants search facility is essentially a large thesaurus identifing common variants, misspellings and alternative spellings. This should be of great help in tracking down elusive ancestors. Click on the "Show advanced fields" button. New features to be added shortly include the ability to use a wildcard as the first character, and an increase range of birth years available to be searched (currently set at a maximum of +/- 2 years).
One of the more unusual entries is that for Adolph Hitler's half-brother Alois. Like many young German men Alois came to Britain becoming a waiter in Dublin where he met his future wife Bridget. They settled in Liverpool and at the time of the 1911 census they were living at 102 Upper Stanhope Street, Toxteth Park. Their son William Henry was born a few days before census day. It has been rumoured that Adolph visited his half-brother in 1912 or 1913, but there is no evidence that he did. Alois seems to have returned to Germany in May 1914 abandoning his family in the process. The American journalist John Gunther claims to have found him working as a barber in Berlin in the mid-1930s. William Henry emigrated to America and served in the US Navy during the Second World War. You can read more about the Hitlers of Liverpool at http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/liverpool/user_1_article_1.shtml. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 28 Jan 2009 10:19:02 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#143 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#143 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/bt389.asp.
In 1939 the Admiralty said that, for reasons of security, masters of merchant vessels were not to enter destinations or ports of call on the ships' logs or the crew lists and agreements,. However, it was still important to record the movements of merchant vessels, which led to the creation of these cards.
They record the movements of both British registered and Allied vessels. Cards give the name of the ship, any former name it had, its tonnage, to whom it was registered, the ship's destination, date of arrival and sometimes ports of call. They also indicate any cargo carried on board. And the cards also show if the ship was torpedoed, mined, damaged or sunk. They do not contain details of any passengers or crew. You can search by: ship name; former ship name and gross tonnage. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:28:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#142 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#142 http://applications.proni.gov.uk/LL_DCAL_PRONI_ECATNI/SearchPage.aspx. Over a million entries are available for searching and browsing representing the culmination of five years work. You can search by entering a keyword, such as a name, place or subject. Wildcards are acceptable. You can also modify searches by date or by reference or choose to search by description or detail. Often the descriptions are very detailed and often include lists of names or extracts from diaries, such as the rather bizarre "Autobiography" of Rev. Dr James Donnelly, who was a collector for the Catholic University of America in New England in the mid-1850s. There are brief help pages if you need help. Alternatively you can browse by government department or series, probably most useful if you know how PRONI's record holdings are structured. Unfortunately response time can be a bit tardy, which might be problem for users with slow internet connections. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:06:23 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#141 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#141 "Out of the box" is a blog from staff of the LSE Archives discussing their work and holdings at http://lib-1.lse.ac.uk/archivesblog. The Archives is best known as being the home of the papers and maps resulting from Booth's survey of London poverty in the 1890s, but as the blog shows there is much else besides. Recent postings include stories about the 1930s land utilisation maps, the history of the LSE library and holdings of business archives. In Scotland, letters by Robert Burns dating from 1787 onwards are being placed online by the National Trust for Scotland, as it prepares to begin work on a new museum on the poet's life. The letters, at http://www.burnsletters.wordpress.com, reveal many sides to Burns as he writes to friends, colleagues, literary magazines and other companions he encountered throughout his rich, colourful life. More than 90 letters will appear online on the dates they were originally written. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 16 Jan 2009 14:08:43 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#139 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#139 http://www.1911census.co.uk. There's a pretty good atmosphere at The National Archives as the fact that the launch has gone so well. The media coverage has been extremely positive and there has been none of the problems which dogged the 1901 census. Indeed the site seems to be coping well with the demand. We'll be looking in detail at the new census in the issue on sale on 5 February. On a much smaller scale Royal Marine registers of service, in series ADM 159, are now available through the Documents Online service at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline. They cover the period between 1842 and 1936. There's a feature on Royal Marines in the March issue. The Europeana website, which Chris Paton mentioned in a recent Internet News, is now up and running at http://www.europeana.eu. Europeana provides a searchable database of images held by many European museums and libraries, including the British Library and the Scottish SCRAN service. Lastly the new series of Who Do You Think You Are is due to be transmitted on Wednesday 4 February at 9pm on BBC1: the celebs featured are Rory Bremner, Fiona Bruce, Rick Stein, Zoe Wanamaker and Kevin Whateley. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 16 Jan 2009 11:06:46 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#138 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#138 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:23:04 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#137 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#137 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:13:00 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#136 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#136 Find out more at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue and http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/reiby.htm ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:39:49 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#135 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#135 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers. The project has been funded by the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and it is totally free service. What is available are cabinet conclusions and memordandum between 1916 and 1977, together with the notebooks kept by the Cabinet Secretary (which includes verbatim notes taken of the debates around the Cabinet table) and precedent books. The papers for 1978 will be added when they are opened in January 2009. Users can search the entire collection by key word; and there are a host of innovative teaching aids. Indeed website has more than 100 topics which form an integral part of A-level examination syllabuses and university courses. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:35:46 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#134 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#134 http://www.sutherlandcollection.org.uk. For family historians there is a name index to the individuals, servants and tradesmen as well as the great and the good, who appear in the papers. Also of interest are the various themes on subjects such as places, people and philanthropy which highlight some of the material that researchers will find if they use the collections. I particularly liked the extraordinary theme, with letters selling Dr Deimel's underwear and "a recipe to prevent rabbits etc attacking young trees" together with some nice begging letters. All in all this is a fascinating and well-designed website giving a real flavour of what an important collection of private papers might contain. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 12:32:26 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#133 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#133 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:44:15 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#132 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#132 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:36:15 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#130 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#130 http://mappingouranzacs.naa.gov.au. Based on Google Maps, markers identify places around the world where Australian service personnel were born or enlisted - many of whom of course were born in the UK. Clicking on the markers allows you to view details of the individuals (sometimes with next of kin), with links to digitised copies of their service records. You can also add additional information about individual man. It is clear and easy to use. Indeed it is a brilliant way to get access to this data, particularly for local historians or for people researching their local war memorial. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 24 Nov 2008 09:21:15 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#129 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#129 http://earth.google.com/rome/index.html you may have read about (and I spent a lot of time over the weekend trying to find). If you haven't already got it, you will need to download Google Earth, which can do from the main Google homepage. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:55:53 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#126 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#126 Now scanned images and indexes for 800 volumes are available online at http://www.british-history.ac.uk. Most are free, but about ten per cent of volumes are pay per view (although it is not clear from the website which ones you have to pay for). There is also a feature which allows users to update, correct, or enhance the calendars for the benefit of other users. Not everything, however, is yet available, another 150 volumes will be added over the next year.
Among the series now available are 21 volumes of "Letters and Papers of Henry VIII", 25 volumes of "State Papers, Foreign - Edward, Mary and Elizabeth" and 38 volumes of
"State Papers, Venetian (1202-1675". The British History Online website in general has lots of very useful material particularly if you are researching the Tudor, Stuart or Georgian periods or are interested in local history, particularly for London. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:06:50 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#125 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#125 http://www.bt.com/archivesonline

The archive collection includes the records of BT plc, the historical phone books, the Post Office telecommunications business, a reference library, and visual materials consisting of both images and film. There is a vast array of material covering topics documenting the development of telecommunications.

There are some interesting stories within the collections. For example did you know: that the first successful experiment in telegraphy took place on 25 July 1837? William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone demonstrated their five needle telegraph to the directors of the London and Birmingham Railway. And to inaugurate the new transatlantic cable, Queen Victoria sent the first message on 16 August 1858 to President James Buchanan in Washington. Or that the first such telephone emergency service in the world opened in London on 30 June 1937. In the first week there were 1336 emergency 999 calls, 91 of which were considered practical jokes. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:03:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#121 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#121 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/rnvr.asp. And here's a useless fact, Commander James Bond was supposed to have been in the RNVR during WW2. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:33:10 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#120 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#120 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:00:20 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#119 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#119 http://www.ancestry.co.uk. In addition downloads of medal index cards from Documents Online have been cut to £2.50 each rather than £3.50 they used to be. Details at [url]www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline]. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 03 Nov 2008 09:58:10 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#118 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#118 "Voices of the Armistice" brings the heroism and horrors of war to life as listeners are taken from mobilisation to the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, in the words of those who were there.
Being released between now and 11 November the series starts with the tragic story of Britain's first war casualty, who died of pneumonia in England in the early days of August 1914 while working 20-hour days to prepare for the mobilisation of troops. Telling first-hand the terrifying accounts of gas attacks, life as a prisoner of war and the appalling conditions endured in the trenches, the series feature many hidden gems found in diaries and letters as well as some war diaries and diplomatic despatches. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/armistice.
There's also been a spate of new books about the Great War, many of them containing diaries written by the men who were there. We'll be reviewing a few in Ancestors and several titles are available as prizes in our 75th issue competition. However, one title we won't be including, because it has been published as an e-book, is the war diary and album by Len Smith, a commercial artist in civilian life. It is an amazing visual feast of the humanity of war as it was seen by a lowly private. You can find a selection of images and the chance to buy the book at http://greatwarartist.com. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:45:15 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#117 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#117 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/events/catalogue-day.htm ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 10 Oct 2008 09:45:37 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#115 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#115 http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/research/groindexes/holders_of_the_gro_indexes.asp#England. And of course I should stress that The National Archives does not have the original large volumes of indexes (which were a familiar sight at the Family Records Centre and before then St Catherine's House and Somerset House) although a number of people apparently come to Kew every week with this firm belief. My understanding is that these books are enjoying a peaceful retirement in a warehouse somewhere on the South Coast. So stick to the microform and the online services like FreeBMD at http://www.freebmd.org.uk. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:05:30 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#114 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#114 http://www.historybytheyard.co.uk/family_history.htm with lots of useful links to other websits complementing those referred to in the magazine. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 06 Oct 2008 09:21:09 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#113 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#113 http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/londonmaze. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:57:57 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#112 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#112 http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames.
Most websites devoted to one-name studies are rather dull affairs and are of little interest even to the holders of that name. One exception is Kenneth Jacob's site devoted to the Jacob surname http://www.myjacobfamily.com which is the culmination of 30 years of research. It includes many transcripts and abstracts of manuscripts. And ready to be uploaded cine-film of family members which was shot between the 1920s and 1960s: according to Kenneth: "all of it never having seen the light of day. Much of it from India, some of a military nature." In addition there are 1600 photographs waiting to be added: Kenneth tells me all this will depend on more webspace being made available. The navigation is slightly confusing - there are no obvious links from the home pages to other pages on the site, you need to click on the name or subject on the homepage. There are also some interesting links: I'm not sure about Crow City, but despite the name http://adenairways.com is a fascinating look at the former British colony at the mouth of the Red Sea. "Yesterday's Journey" contains transcripts of 18th century records mainly for Derbyshire. The site says it "is a compilation of available sources concerning Settlement Examinations, Settlement Certificates, Removal Orders, Bastardy and Apprenticeship Indentures, documents that reveal our ancestors brush with officialdom." Even if you are not local, the material found here are good examples of records fond in any parish chest at record offices around England and Wales: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~spire/Yesterday/index.htm. Another great local history site is maintained by the Tonbridge Local History Society at http://www.tonbridgehistory.org.uk. It's clearly laid out with lots of images and short histories of some of the old buildings present and demolished.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:52:36 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#111 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#111 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:40:50 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#110 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#110 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/cabinetpapers.asp
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:38:35 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#109 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#109 http://www.archivesforlondon.org.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:34:20 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#108 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#108 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/annualreport07-08.pdf.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 01 Sep 2008 13:22:45 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#107 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#107 The second episode of the series, which saw Johnson tracking down his great-grandfather, a radical Turkish journalist, and investigating the supposed French aristocracy of his granny, attracted 28.5% of the 9pm-10pm audience."
Personally I was irritated by Johnson's faux boyish charm and inability to string a sentence together or indeed use a comb, but everybody else I've met thought the episode was fascinating and the Mayor was on good form.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:17:29 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#106 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#106 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:57:45 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#105 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#105 http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2008/aug/16/genealogy.records. Meanwhile Guy Kawaski a partner at Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, and formerly "chief evangelist of Apple" (the mind boggles at the job description), has contacted me to say that this blog has been added to http://genealogy.alltop.com which is a well laid out list of mainly American genealogical blogs, which was nice. Incidentally we have a survey of genealogical blogs and podcasts in the October issue on sale on 4 September - reserve your copy now. But of course there always has to be downside. I was checking out the new search engine cuil (pronounced cool) at http://www.cuil.com and typed in "Simon Fowler" as one does. The result caused consternation in the Ancestors' office. Try it for yourself: look at the photograph next to a link to an article in Wikipedia. Joking aside it is an interesting attempt to rival Google.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 18 Aug 2008 17:20:39 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#104 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#104 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 15 Aug 2008 09:11:11 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#103 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#103 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wo373.asp
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:51:09 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#102 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#102 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/adm196.asp. Some 57,000 records of officers who joined the service between 1756 and 1917 (and warrant officers to 1931) have been digitised, although before the 1840s the records were not systematically kept. Pieces now available are 1-6, 8-25, 29-32, 34-56, 68-71, 73-82, 84-85, 117-124, 130-133, 136-137, 153, 156-161, 164-165 and 167-172. You can search by any of the following: first name; last name; rank; date of enlistment, and date of birth.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:15:07 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#101 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#101 http://www.geni.com about this relatively new social networking site he is involved with. There are lots of such sites, but trying this one out I have to say I was pretty impressed. It is easy to input your family tree either manually or via GEDCOM, together with photos, videos and the like, and there are one or two cool features like plotting where ancestors were born on a map. But the real point is that the site offers a place where families can collaborate on constructing a family tree. One of the founders of the company, JoAnne Rockower, says it is where Facebook meets family history. I'm not sufficiently young or have enough friends to use Facebook, but I see what she means. She also stresses how secure the site is. Only the people you decide can have access to the family tree. The site will even send family members a weekly newsletter and even remind you of their birthdays. More importantly it's also got an uncluttered design and, above all, it is free. In fact I could not work out how the company makes any money from the site, but that's their problem. You can also see an informative interview with JoAnne Rockover, which explains more about the product and the ethos behind it at http://rootstelevision.com/players/player_conferences.php?bctid=1646075903


]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:12:02 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#100 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#100 The Army Medal Office created these cards after the war had ended, and generally they record the latest unit that the soldier served in and the last rank he held. Some of the medal cards record claims for medals that were made as late as the 1930s.
Read more at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp#indianarmy
Incidentally a new edition of William Spencer's 'Army Service Records of the First World War' has just been published. It has been extensively updated and is on sale for £12.99 at TNA shop or you can buy online at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:43:07 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#99 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#99
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 30 Jul 2008 10:25:52 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#98 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#98 http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/familyhistory/quiz. I got eight out of the nine questions posted right (failing on the school attendance register). Unfortunately there is something wrong with the design of the webpage here, so there was nothing for the tenth and final question. It's a pity because it is an interesting site, particularly if you have connections with the Principality.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:17:50 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#97 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#97 He added: "When I started I never planned to go back that far but the more I looked the more interested I became. There have been some very frustrating times when I seemingly hit a brick wall. But there is always a way around or over an obstacle and you just have to persevere. I could go back further into my French descendants but I think I'll leave it as it is."
He has now found relatives right back to the Cerdick family in 500 AD and can link himself through 37 generations to William the Conqueror in the 11th Century and 45 generations to Alfred the Great in 880AD. "The records show that my family were yeoman from around the 10th century when monks first started recording births," he said.
Without wishing to denigrate Mr Blackmore's achievements (and it is a pity I can't get to Taunton to see the exhibition) I wonder how far back is it possible realistically to go. Mid-18th century, easy-peasy; mid-17th century one or two lines; but before then, unless you are descended from nobility or royalty, it must be very hard. Certainly I haven't got that far.
[Story based on articles in Somerset Gazette and the Daily Telegraph]

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:16:37 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#96 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#96 http://les.guillotines.free.fr. Although it is in French, it is fairly easy to work out what each entry says.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:14:16 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#95 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#95 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:25:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#94 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#94 http://www.searchme.com is a new search engine (still in beta test form) which produces images of webpages and allows you to flick through them to find the one you want. It's vaguely reminiscent of the music and video search facilities on the Apple iPhone and iTouch. It's fun and seems pretty effective as well. You can search by website, video or image. A rough test suggested that it was as good as Google for websites, but less so for photos (it seemed only to search flickr) or videos (utube). Even so give it a try. Combining detective fiction and Google Earth seems a strange mash-up, but Penguin Books have made a brave attempt at http://wetellstories.co.uk/stories/week1. Starting at St Pancras station you can follow the hero around the world to solve the mystery. I just read chapter 1, which takes place at St Pancras and got rather bored, but you may get more from it.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:18:07 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#93 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#93 http://www.a2a.org.uk. 'Buried Battles and Veterans' Voices' has recorded for posterity the experiences of veterans who served with the Surreys and its predecessors between the 1930s and 1950s. Extracts from interviews with some of the veterans are on the regimental museum's website http://www.queensroyalsurreys.org.uk/video/index.html. You can watch the interviews or read a transcript.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:16:05 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#91 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#91 http://www.deceasedonline.com and as many pages didn't open it seems more test than beta, but clearly this is a resource worth watching.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:12:40 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#90 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#90
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:11:39 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#89 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#89 The survey is at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=9XArLRa_2b_2bFTLdL3ELj5bDA_3d_3d
Please complete it. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 23 May 2008 09:15:01 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#88 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#88 http://www.isogg.org which provides advice about DNA and genetics in general. The website, for example, contains a useful comparison of services provided by commercial DNA testing companies. There is also a bulletin board section for new members. Other pages provide summaries of information in this rapidly changing arena, for example about the markers which make up various Haplogroups. It also publishes a Journal of Genetic Genealogy. And there are a store of independent experts who can provide advice on testing and interpretation of results and the pros and cons of the various testing companies. And amazingly membership is free.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 15 May 2008 16:06:03 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#87 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#87 http://ufos.nationalarchives.gov.uk where you can download files and podcasts. You have to be quick the files are only free until mid-June - otherwise the normal Documents Online charges will apply. There's also an excellent guide to sources at TNA by Dr Peter Clark, an academic at Sheffield Hallam University.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 15 May 2008 11:40:49 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#86 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#86 http://www.bbc.co.uk/fivelive/programmes/midday.shtml then click on Monday and fast forward to 12.34) and BBC Radio Essex. Along with Chris Pomery, who contributed the other article on DNA in this issue, Penny should appear on BBC Radio 4's "You and Yours" programme on Friday morning. Why not listen in. My personal view is that DNA tests of these kind (that is heritge tests) are a complete con and do not contribute to individual's family history. Other types of testing however may be more useful, but you need to know the science and what you are likely to gain from such tests. Penny's article shows this clearly.
The best book on the subject is Chris Pomery's 'Family history in the Genes' available from The National Archives bookshop at [url]www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop/searchresult.aspx?k=in%20the%20Genes[/url]. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 14 May 2008 11:45:51 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#85 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#85 will be available between 1pm and 4 pm to identify visitors' photographs and
other memorabilia, and to offer advice and research tips. There is no need to
make an appointment - just come along! Details at http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk. Even if you don't have any military ancestors the Museum offers a diverting half-day out. It's a few years since I have visited, but I remember the highlight being a mid-19th century model of the Battle of Waterloo. You can't mistake it, it's vast!
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 08 May 2008 14:42:59 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#84 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#84 http://www.quaker.org.uk/shared_asp_files/GFSR.asp?NodeID=152762 Among other things there is a note about the magnificent new Biographical dictionary of British Quakers in commerce and industry 1775-1920 edited by Edward H Milligan, reports on Library work on the history of the anti-slavery movement, as well as the recent acquisition of two World War I manuscript diaries (with notes about the Friends' relief organisations during the two world war). There is also a section on the preservation of the Library's manuscript collections.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:23:49 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#83 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#83 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Improvements include: the addition of new resources, such as the Your Archives wiki and relevant books held by TNA Library; improvements to design based on customer feedback, and finally, and most importantly, cutting edge technology allows additional filtering and more targeted searching so that the search engine will make suggestions to you about how to refine your search. The problem with the original global search was that it was very difficult to narrow down what you wanted. Now it is easier, but still not perfect. Take for example my attempt to find files about canteens run by the NAAFI for the Army. A general search turns up 271 entries, including a Your Archives list of sources for records about the wartime ENSA ('Every Night Something Awful') entertainments service and a history in the library. Click on 'refine search' you can break down the search by year, by some thirty broad subjects ('armed forces', 'government' looked the most useful for the NAAFI search) or by database ('Access to Archives', 'Bookshop', 'Moving Here' etc). Curiously you can search the 1851 census but none of the others. But it wouldn't let me easily just find War Office files relating to the NAAFI. By trial and error I found that to do this you needed to enter both NAAFI and War Office as search terms or, taking the low tech approach, plough through all 108 files found with just the armed forces filter turned on. Another search, just using the A2A, came up with 83 entries for records in local archives from Plymouth to Leeds. In conclusion it is much better than the first edition, but it still not always intuitive and the help pages in particular are unhelpful. It's real use is to get an idea of what is available for a particular search across archives, large and small, in England (and to a lesser extent Wales, Scotland and Ireland).

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:09:03 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#82 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#82 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/?source=ddmenu_research0_e ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:10:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#81 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#81 http://www.oldbaileyonline.org.uk. The original site (with a different URL) had fully searchable transcripts of trials which took place at the Old Bailey between about 1674 and 1834. It has now been extended to November 1913 when the proceedings end. The new trials have a different character than those from the earlier period. There are fewer cases of certain types of theft (animal theft, highway robbery, and shoplifting), but more cases of embezzlement, robbery, theft from the post, and property crimes involving deception (bankruptcy, forgery, and fraud). With respect to violent crimes, there are fewer murders but more cases of manslaughter, and more cases of minor violence such as assault, threatening behaviour, and wounding. In addition Ordinary's Accounts published between 1690 and 1772 are now available. These richly detailed narratives of the lives and deaths of convicts executed at Tyburn have been linked to the relevant trials. Searching always was easy, but you can now search by key word as well as by person. The results can be revealing. For example, I've done some research for an article on dangerous drugs in the first half of the 20th century. Historians have suggested that the cocaine habit only really arrived with Canadian troops during the First World War. Yet, typing in 'cocaine' reveals at least two defendants who admitted to being "cocaine maniacs" in the early 1900s - at least a decade earlier than previously thought. The keyword also brings up a transcript of the trial of Hawley Harvey Crippen. In addition there are new background notes and you can search for crimes by street - using a neat little map. Click on Myddelton Street -the former home of the Family Records Centre, for example - and crimes which happened in the street come up (all thefts in the early 1830s). In short this is a superb resource for anybody who has an ancestor in London, interested in the capital's local history or wants to put flesh on Henry Mayhew's (and other writers) accounts of poverty and criminality in the metropolis.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:38:12 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#80 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#80 http://www.hertsdirect.org/libsleisure/heritage1/HALS, which is an online index to half a dozen or so indexes held by the Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies (HALS) including apprentices' indentures, marriages, coroner's reports, photographs from a selection of local papers and biographies of men from the Royston area who fought in the First World War. Despite the title you can search by place or keyword, which also makes it very useful for local historians. And if you can't get to Hertford you can request a quote for copies of the items you are interested in. Too late for inclusion in the list of websites on MIs which accompanied the piece on NAOMI in May's magazine was Gravestone Photographs http://www.gravestonephotos.com. The site provides a transcript of the genealogical information on the tombstone. It is possible to request a free photograph of the stone itself. Coverage is very patchy, but if you do find a parish you are interested in it could be very useful. Across the Irish Sea, Roscommon Historical Research http://www.roscommonhistory.ie is building up a history of the county. It is all a bit random with an emphasis on the modern rather than the old, and the Genealogy pages are still under construction, but there is some nice ephemera (bill heads, election material and the like). If you are researching Irish ancestry then you might like to know that Ancestry has put up indexes to Griffith's Valuation and the Tithe Applotment Books http://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/rectype/alldblist.aspx. These are essential census surrogates as they provide many lists of landowners and tenants about the time of the Great Famine. I'm surprised they didn't make more of this as they really are a key resource for Irish genealogy [later note - I have received a press release about the records which they will formally launch on 23 April]. Ancestry are also trialling a new search facility which at a cursory glance seems rather better than the old one, which I always found difficult to use. As you know I'm always happy to feature sites you recommend or are running, so keep suggestions coming.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:43:10 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#79 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#79 Maxbal's website has a range of products which now include custom designed charts printed on canvas. More details at http://www.maxbal.co.uk.
The Who Do You Think Show takes place at Kensington Olympia between 2 and 4 May. Ancestors Magazine will be sharing The National Archives stand no 175. Details at http://www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com. Incidentally, I will be there on the Saturday and Penny Law, the Deputy Editor, on Friday and Saturday - look out for us.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:55:55 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#78 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#78 "Professor Robert Bartlett, one of the world's leading medievalists, is the host on a new landmark history series 'Inside the Medieval Mind'.
The four-part series, co-produced by The Open University, will explore the mindset and lifestyle of medieval citizens and will reveal what motivated people who lived between 800AD and 1400AD and what beliefs we share with our ancestors.
The series, beginning at 9pm on Thursday April 17, is the first in a season of Medieval themed programmes on BBC Four this Spring." Find out more at http://www3.open.ac.uk/media/fullstory.aspx?id=13412
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 02 Apr 2008 10:44:38 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#77 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#77 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/royal-navy-service.asp. Before 1853 ratings were paid off at the end of each voyage, but now the system changed. Initially boys and men over 18 who joined up had to serve ten years "continuous service" and existing ratings were encouraged to swap to the new system as well. These records are the first attempt by the Navy to introduce what in effect a single service record. Meanwhile, FindMyPast have added the last batch of outward bound passenger lists for the 1950s http://www.ancestorsonboard.com now they are complete between 1890 and 1960 and very useful they are too. There's been a competition among colleagues here at Kew tracking famous people (or people who later found fame) in the lists from the 50s. The most obscure entry was for a one-year old Tony Blair who was taken to Australia by his parents in 1953. His family weren't part of the mass emigration under the "Ten Pound Pom" scheme, but hundreds of thousands of people took advantage to start new lives Downunder. Lastly, Genes Reunited have added the indexes to the General Register Office (GRO) registers of mainly English-born service personnel who died in the two world wars http://www.genesreunited.com. These are the least used of all of the lists of the war dead, but will give you a man's full name and service number and occasionally other information as well. You can also use the information to order a death certificate for the individual from GRO.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:08:05 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#76 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#76 Best of all tickets are free. To get yours ring 020-8392 5271 or email ancestors@nationalarchives.gov.uk. The last two such events were sell out events, I'd advise you to book now. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:42:37 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#75 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#75 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:36:34 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#74 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#74 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/services/recordkeeping.htm or is on sale in the shop at The National Archives at Kew, price £2.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:06:14 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#73 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#73 http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk has recently been updated and now offers nearly 16,000 pages of indexed records that can be searched and downloaded free of charge. They include hundreds of memorial inscriptions from Kent parish churches and graveyards transcribed between 1756 and 1921. In many cases the original gravestones or monuments have been destroyed or become illegible. In addition, there are transcriptions of 200 individual Tithe Award Schedules from 1830s and 1840s. Eventually the KAS will publish all of the county's 403 schedules online. Also available are scans of the Victoria County History of Kent Vol 3, which includes census figures for every parish in the county (1801 - 1921), indexes from "Archaeologia Cantiana" plus a selection of articles taken from it and part of Arthur Ruderman's research into Ashford's births, marriages and burials, manor rentals, and manor court rolls. More professionally produced is the "Documenting the Workshop of the World" project for the Black Country. The project has now been completed and the results available at http://www.blackcountryhistory.org. Over the past three years over 60 collections of business records and other material from local firms as well as 10,000 images covering life in the region have been digitised. The site is relatively easy to use and there are some great images to be found here. I spent a happy half hour looking at pictures of pubs - the Black Country is noted for its many splendid hostelries as I hope to rediscover shortly!


]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:02:58 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#72 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#72 http://www.ancestry.co.uk/military. There was a huge amount of publicity over this and many people may have got the impression that it is the first time that these records have become available. In fact, they have been on TNA's DocumentsOnline service http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline for a number of years. Ancestry does offer several distinct advantages over DocumentsOnline: first the quality of the scanning is superb, and secondly you get to see both sides of the card. In most cases there is no additional information, but in about 50,000 cases the back provides an address, but occasionally there are notes about other medals awarded or other data. Unfortunately the indexing seems to be pretty poor.* I particularly wanted to find the card for my unlucky great-uncle Pte Henry P S Crozier, 18th London Regiment who was killed in the last week of the war. I couldn't find him in the Ancestry service, although he was easy enough to find on DocumentsOnline, along with lots of other Croziers who do not seem to appear in Ancestry. I tried other names as well and DocumentsOnline constantly came up with more results than Ancestry. In general I do find searching the various Ancestry databases increasingly difficult and certainly more frustrating than rival sites. Using the censuses on Genes Reunited http://www.genesreunited.co.uk, for example, seems easier and more accurate. But of course it may just be me. I'd be interested to hear about your experiences. *Since writing this I have been contacted by Ancestry's Simon Ziviani who points out that only "2.1 million names [from the medal cards] were launched last week - the remaining 3.4 million will go live in the coming weeks, meaning that at this stage there is a less than 50% chance that your relative's name would be contained." ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:44:38 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#71 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#71 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:41:47 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#70 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#70 http://www.1911censusinfo.co.uk/census-news.php. At present there isn't much on the site, but I'm told this will change over the next few months as work speeds up and the release date comes closer.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:39:01 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#69 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#69 http://www.ancestorsonboard.com. The largest British community was in Buenos Aires, although there was sizeable communities in most large cities and port towns. It can be very difficult to track these people, because genealogy is only beginning to take off here and the records tend to be in Spanish or Portuguese. Help, however, may well come from the Brits in South America Index at http://www. bisa.btinternet.co.uk which has details of thousands of British and Irish people who were attracted to the continent, although it doesn't pretend to be complete. It is also simply designed with links to other relevant sites - the perfect place to start research as exotic as this!
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:40:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#68 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#68 Lisa Edwards piece 'Gaps and Silences' in the January issue prompted an email from Sarah Hagen who with friends and neighbours are trying to build up a history of Rainhill Hospital on Merseyside. If you can help let me know or visit http://www.stbenedictswood.com. The history page has a link to a website specifically dedicated to the hospital http://www.dwnw13400.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/index.htm. In March's issue our letter about the Backhouses in Ruhleben Camp for British civilians interned in Germany during the First World War drew a response from Chris Paton. He runs a detailed site devoted to the Camp and includes details of all the men who spent the war years there at http://ruhleben.tripod.com. Unfortunately it is hard to navigate between pages because of pop-ups and other "nasties" (although to be fair, this may be Tripod's fault). He also runs an excellent genealogical blog at http://www.scottishancestry.blogspot.com which despite the name has stories from all over the British Isles.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 14 Feb 2008 10:17:01 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#67 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#67 http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/?product_id=1448], I included a whole chapter on war memorials and rolls of honour. One of the best I came across was for the spa town of Cheltenham commemorating 1611 Cheltonians and men from surrounding villages who made the supreme sacrifice during the First World War. The authors, Dave and Jimmy James, have spent years researching them and the results are impressive. As well as the basic details of where a man died and where he is buried, there are often stories about the indivduals, photographs and details of local men who for some reason are not commemorated on war memorials in the area. In addition there is material about those who died a year or two so after the Armistice of wounds about whom the James have been campaigning for official recognition. The site's URL is http://www.remembering.org.uk
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:07:34 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#66 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#66 http://www.archiveshub.ac.uk/feb08.shtml. There is an online exhibition at http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk/exhibitions/warForAmerica about the British Army in America during the War of Independence which fits in well with our article 'Hugging Brown Bess' (p36). Lastly we were unable to squeeze in a list of regiments which took part in the Quebec Campaign of 1759 (see "Who served with Wolfe?" (p42)). If any reader would like the list please let me know.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 05 Feb 2008 11:04:42 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#65 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#65 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:35:20 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#64 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#64 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 04 Feb 2008 11:04:54 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#63 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#63 http://www.worcesterbmsgh.co.uk. At its centre is a guide to parishes (click on 'tracing your ancestors') in the old historic county of Worcestershire, so it includes many places in the Black Country. For each parish the site tells you which sources are available and where they are held. There is also general information on the location of the parish, neighbouring parishes with, in some cases, photographs of the parish church. Other information can include details of the Poor Law and school records. There is also a glossary of terms you might find in parish record and material about the branch and its activities. The website is well designed and clearly laid out. Perhaps a model for other local societies to follow? ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:44:26 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#62 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#62 1 March - "Family History on the Internet" (with Ruth Edwards) offers a short introduction to finding your way around the internet including a practical guide to using the most important websites for family history research. 4 March - "A Brief History of Myddelton Street" Myddelton Street has been home to the Family Records Centre for nearly eleven years - but what was there before? In the last ever talk at the FRC, Dave Annal will take a look at the history of this Clerkenwell Street from its early days as a track through the fields, through the 19th century when it was a major centre for watchmaking right up to the present day. The talks begin at 2pm and are free. Tickets available on the day only at the FRC. Sponsored by Ancestors. More information at http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/extra/events_calendar.htm ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 29 Jan 2008 14:33:26 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#61 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#61 More details at:
http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/news/display.var.1978316.0.Scotland_Online_buys_family_history_website.php ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:37:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#59 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#59 Readers at Kew, and the Family Records Centre in Myddleton Street (until 15 March 2008), have free access to the digitised indexes, for an initial one-year trial period.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:39:38 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#58 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#58 If you would like a copy of the CDs send a large (preferably padded) self-addressed envelope to: Tracing Your Roots (CDs), Zone 3.05, BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay, Glasgow G20 8NS
Postage will be paid by the BBC.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:37:57 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#57 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#57 http://www.egdesign.co.uk/exhibition.htm. Eric has challenged me: "It may (or may not) be to your tastes, and although it looks quite abstract I hope you can see what all the dots and marks are about." I'm not sure I do, but you might!
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:35:55 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#56 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#56 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:34:53 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#55 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#55 http://www.30yearrulereview.org.uk. The consultation ends on 29 February.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 14 Jan 2008 10:27:53 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#54 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#54 http://www.proni.gov.uk/index.htm. The old one was frankly unattractive, difficult to navigate around and it was hard to find anything. A quick glance suggests that all these criticisms have been rectified. If you want to know more the site has been extensively reviewed in an excellent blog on Irish family history http://www.irishfamilyhistory.ie/blog. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 11 Jan 2008 12:10:57 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#53 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#53 http://www.chartists.net devoted to them.
Recently he has added 3,900 names drawn from the list of subscribers to the Chartist Land Company. These men and women came Lancashire industrial towns. He has also updated the list of "Chartist children". The first piece he wrote for us was about the Chartists who named their children after their political heroes. At the time he found about a hundred examples. He repeated the exercise last month for some of the leaders of the movement: Feargus O'Connor, William Lovett, John Frost, Henry Vincent and Ernest Jones and came up with 1,399 names. Incidentally, the 1851 census has just seven men and boys born in England before 1838 with the name Feargus. From 1838 onwards, he has found 138 named "Feargus O'Connor xxxxxxxxxx" alone and many more with the forename Feargus.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:59:20 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#52 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#52 simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:53:10 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#51 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#51


On the other hand the General Register Office (GRO) showed contempt for a key user group in the way they handled the closure of their services at the Family Records Centre. The closure received coverage in the national press, but it was too little and too late to make a difference. Indeed the GRO has not had a good year, with key indexing and digitisation projects way behind schedule. It remains to be seen whether the Office's merger with the Identity and Passport Service due in April will lead to an improvement.
The hobby is dominated by the internet in a way which would have been inconceivable even three or four years ago. The major records to be put online during the year were the outward passenger lists between 1890 and 1960 by FindMyPast and the surviving First World War Army service records by Ancestry.co.uk. Neither is yet complete, but they should be by the end of 2008. In addition the first batch of the 1901 and 1911 Irish censuses (Dublin 1911) were made available in December and S&N put the first tranche of the pre-1837 non-conformist parochial registers online in September.
But the larger sites are now offering much more than raw data. The big value added services to emerge during 2007 were social networking and DNA. Neither, of course, is exactly new. The current fashion is for social networking (see the hype over Facebook et al), but family historians have been sharing research and family trees since the infancy of the internet. And it has been possible to have DNA tests done for a number of years now, although the results are so general that in most cases they are meaningless.
The excitement lies in the convergence between social networking, DNA and genealogical data to build up a massive genealogical database, literally for all of our ancestors whether they left a written record or not. Clearly the company which does this first - or best - is set to make a killing (and will probably kill the hobby stone-dead if all you have to do is type a few names in order to receive a complete pedigree). Two American companies Genetree and Ancestry.com are already working along these lines. They launched services in the autumn. Genetree provide social networking and DNA, while Ancestry offer all three. At present the market leader for social networking in Britain is GenesReunited, but they seem to be resting on their laurels and could conceivably loose out to newer rivals such as FamilyRelatives which has an impressive (and free) social network facility.
The family history world still needs its annual fix of "Who Do You Think You Are?" The fourth series aired on BBC One in September and October (with a special earlier in the year). Personally I did not find it as interesting as previous series, and one or two programmes were positively dull. Viewing figures however remained very respectable. Over six million people watched the first programme with Natasha Kaplinski. However I have seen no evidence that archives and libraries had a surge in people desperate to trace their ancestors as a result of the programmes. Perhaps everybody who wants to find their forebears are already doing it, or now that most households are linked to the internet viewers are doing their research online. Further series are planned for 2008 and 2009.
However there were two spin offs from the programme. The first is a new magazine from BBC Magazines. With six family history titles now on the newsstand one wonders whether they can all survive. Fortunately the circulation of Ancestors was not hit by the new magazine. Indeed, our sales are slightly up.
Secondly the Who Do You Think You Are Show took place at Olympia over the early May bank holiday. Some 12,000 people came through the doors, dwarfing the attendance at the old Society of Genealogists' family history fairs which had in previous years been on the same weekend. The organisers Brand Events (who do this sort of thing for a living) brought a professionalism which had previously been missing from such events. It was a massive success - I was rushed off my feet answering questions from attendees on The National Archives stand - and all copies of the magazine had been sold by lunchtime on the Sunday. The 2008 show will be bigger, both in terms of space and the numbers of exhibitors - with more emphasis on heritage - and is scheduled for 2-4 May.
2007 was not all good news. Increasingly (and inevitably) the family history world is dominated by a few big commercial companies - primarily Ancestry.co.uk, FindMyPast and S&N - and one institution The National Archives. Even here there were persistent rumours that both Ancestry and FindMyPast were for sale. As proof in September, Spectrum Equity Investors bought a majority share in Ancestry's parent company The Generation Network for $300m.
Smaller companies are finding it increasingly difficult to compete and a few ceased trading during the year. The Federation of Family History Societies closed its commercial arm, selling the well-regarded FH Online website to FindMyPast and Genfair to S&N. Many of the existing booklets were taken over by a new company the Family History Partnership. In addition, Stepping Stones, which mainly produced census CDs was bought by S&N, and Archive CD Books suddenly ceased trading in October.
My predictions for 2008: 1) more emphasis on value added services by the big providers in order to encourage new subscribers and retain those who are already members; 2) the first tranche of the English and Welsh 1911 census in the autumn will bring new standards to the indexing and the quality of the digitised images; 3) the concentration within the industry will continue as more companies offering genealogical services close as they are unable to compete against the major hitters; 4) new standards and facilities for those using the records in person will be provided by the new reading rooms at Kew and the Scottish Family History Centre in Edinburgh; 5) Ancestors will continue to cover these stories and the background behind them, but then you knew this. Happy New Year!
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Sat, 29 Dec 2007 19:11:06 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#50 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#50 Quoted by John Hamrock in "Tracing Your Roscommon Ancestors" (Flyleaf Press, 2007) which we will be reviewing in the magazine shortly.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Sat, 22 Dec 2007 14:52:39 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#47 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#47 http://www.192.com. At the time (this was a couple of years ago) he and his family were living at 11 Downing Street. In a funny way it made our erstwhile prime minister a real human being rather than just a face on the telly. I had a similar but much stronger feeling when searching the Yad Vashem database of the Jews who had perished during the Holocaust http://www.yadvashem.org. Here in flickering black and white are the names and often the fates of over three million men and women (about half of those murdered). It brought home the share scale and horror in a way which books had not. And I think it was more shocking because I came across the site more or less by accident. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Roll of Honour http://www.cwgc.org with its details of over a million British and Commonwealth service personnel (and some civilians) who died during the two world wars had not had this effect, perhaps because it is so well known. Lastly, I felt the same with the excellent Britain's Small Wars website, devoted to the various post-1945 conflicts and campaigns in which British servicemen have been engaged. Harold Wilson has been praised for resisting American pressure to commit troops, but there have long been rumours that the SAS and perhaps other units experienced action there. http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Vietnam/index.htm (click on Rumour Control) includes debate and enough eyewitness accounts to suggest that the British forces were in the region at least in small numbers. Did the Prime Minister know? If you have visited sites which sent shivers down your spine, tell me and I'll include them here.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:48:37 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#46 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#46 Seats will be allocated on the first come, first served basis. In addition the reading rooms will be closed between 21 and 26 January inclusive. Information about these arrangements is available at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/disruption.htm
Unless your visit is really urgent you might want to wait until the middle of March when most of the building works will have been completed. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:19:21 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#45 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#45 http://www.weekehistory.co.uk
It is an excellent site with various pages (although essays might be a better description as each page is rather wordy) devoted to this Saxon parish, although as photographs here suggest that only the most devoted local historian can discern much amidst the urban sprawl.
He has also included extracts from parish registers between 1577 and 1870; lists of rectors; and extracts from the census and tithe records. More is promised.
I've suggested adding extracts from parish magazines, mainly because I've just written a short article about their worth for family and local historians for February's Ancestors. I was impressed how informative these magazines could be. They should be better known. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:00:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#43 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#43 http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie in a fully searchable form. This is the first tranche of a joint project between the National Archives of Ireland and Library and Archives Canada to digitise the whole of the Irish 1911 census. Then as now Dublin was by far and away the largest city in Ireland.
It is easy to search by name and the result is displayed in a PDF. The index leads to a simple transcription of the names and ages of the people in the household. From there you can call up a page of the original census enumerator's form. This is slightly tricky - don't click on view census form on the transcription page. Instead click on the address at the top of the page. You will then be presented with all the households in a particular house or street. Now click on the family you want and the enumerators sheet will appear as a PDF. The images are very clear in greyscale.
The whole site is clean and well laid out. And best of all it is free! But I am not sure why Irish and Canadian taxpayers should subsidise my hobby. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 06 Dec 2007 20:53:52 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#41 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#41 http://www.ancestralscotland.com has lots of resources.
In order to attract such visitors the Angus and Dundee tourism people are organising a Roots Festival between 6 and 13 September 2008. They tell me it will include "a packed programme of events with visits to ancestral sites, living history re-enactments, talks, demonstrations, film shows and much more." Details at http://www.tayroots.com. You can find more about the Festival in the January issue of Ancestors which will be on sale on Thursday 6 December. Indeed the whole issue has a distinctly Scottish theme.
Further ahead 2009 marks the year of the "Homecoming Scotland" with a mass of events and celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of Robbie Burns' birth and Scottish culture and heritage. More at http://www.homecomingscotland.com


]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:21:10 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#40 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#40 http://www.rma-searcher.co.uk, which has details of the admission of 11,000 children who passed through the Royal Miitary Asylum betweeen 1801 and 1892. There are also details from the surviving registers of the Royal Hibernian Military School in Dublin(1765-1924). The bulk of the records of the Hibernian school were stored in London following closure of the institution and destroyed in the London Blitz.
Art's own very interesting website at http://www.achart.ca deals with, amongst other matters, the history of the military schools and gives biographical detail of some of the more famous students of the Hibernian and RMA (renamed the Duke of York's Royal Military School in 1892).
Readers seeking information on ancestors who attended these schools can contact Peter who is happy to help them - email petergoble.rma@googlemail.com.
Incidentally records about the three schools are in series WO 143 at The National Archives.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:47:17 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#38 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#38 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 22 Nov 2007 10:24:22 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#37 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#37 Firstly reader Clare Gibson has launched The Army Children Archive (TACA) at http://www.archhistory.co.uk. The Archive was established to collect, record and preserve details of the unique aspects of growing up as the child of a soldier in the British Army. Although it is still in its infancy, she hopes that "the Archive and the website will eventually provide a useful source for social and military historians, and particularly that it will interest former and current army children, who, on the one hand, may find that it ignites some sparks of recognition that in turn trigger a string of memories or, on the other, may enjoy the sense of having a rich history all of their own". At present she has posted a number of interesting pages and of course Clare would welcome contributions if you came from an army family or your ancestors did.
Weather has a profound influence on the lives of our ancestors, particularly those less well off who were particularly affected by harvest failures and the resulting high price of bread. Even in late-Victorian times heavy snowfall could throw tens of thousands out of work. http://www.booty.org.uk/booty.weather/metindex.htm has pages about weather over the centuries presented in various ways from timelines comparing historical events to the weather at the time to summaries of weather extremities and oddities from the Stone Age almost to the present.
Outside work I've been working on a proposal for a book about crime between the two world wars. One topic I have been researching is the gangs of young men, particularly those which caused trouble in working class communities in Sheffield and Glasgow. I stumbled across an excellent website - The Glasgow Story - which explores the history of the "Empire's Second City" in great detail (although there is not much about gangs). There are pages and pages of well-written history plus an extensive photographic library and indexes to the Valuation Rolls for 1913-1914 which provide details of the city's ratepayers - in effect a surrogate census. http://www.theglasgowstory.com

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:23:44 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#35 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#35 http://www.socialscrutiny.org/weblog.php?id=P279.
Actually, even if the proposal was seriously entertained, it would only be a minor inconvenience: deed poll records end up at The National Archives in series J 18, and changes of name by deed poll are published in the London Gazette as soon as they are issued. For more information see [url]www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=176&j=[/url]
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:16:52 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#34 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#34 The problem, however, is often not so much the style but the content. Researching the subject and then making it interesting is not as easy as it seems, as I can well testify.
Which is why I'm pleased to publicise the first ever MA in non-fiction creative writing at London's City University. It is aimed at people who wish to write narrative non-fiction, including history, autobiographies, biographies and travel books. It is unique not least because graduates will leave with a completed full-length book. And Ancestors hopes to run a competition for students and print the best results.
It builds upon City's existing creative writing courses and offers students the opportunity to hone their writing in a central London location with access to publishers and agents, research libraries and archives.
It will be mainly run in the evening.
Applications are invited from potential students, who will need to submit 5000 words of non-fiction prose as part of the selection process. Visit http://www.city.ac.uk/journalism/courses/postgrad/cwnonfiction/entry_apply.html for more information and application forms.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:58:50 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#33 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#33 http://www.smallandspecial.org provides fascinating information about the children who were admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital from 1852 - when it first opened its doors - to 1914.
Compiled by academics and volunteers from Kingston University's Centre for Local History Studies, the collection has details of more than 84,000 young patients including names, addresses, ages, symptoms and the outcomes of their hospital treatment.
It is the first time hospital records of such historic significance have been digitised.
Incidentally, the website's name comes from Elizabeth Lomax's book "Small and Special: the Development of Hospitals for Children in Victorian Britain" published by the Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine in 1996.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:53:49 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#32 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#32 You can find out more and order titles at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:51:17 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#30 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#30 http://www.historicfarnborough.co.uk. It concentrates on the buildings - there's a chance to vote for the town's greatest architectural eyesore - and the people, with a few memories contributed by the locals

Incidentally if you have a site which you would like mentioned here why not send me details - simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:00:26 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#29 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#29 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk. He also contributes a genealogy blog to the newspaper's website, which is full of useful advice particularly for the beginner. It's actually hard to find on the main site, but you can read it at http://genealogy.merseyblogs.co.uk Recent posts include articles about wills, family photographs and, um, gardeners.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 25 Oct 2007 13:57:15 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#28 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#28 http://www.researchbuzz.org with pages of reviews about search engines, databases and the like, plus tips about how to use them and details of new bells and whistles that are constantly being introduced. I should stress that it is not specifically about family history, although she does reasonably often review genealogy sites, and some at least of the resources described elsewhere could be adapted for genealogical purposes. Unfortunately her site is arranged as a blog and is not all that easy to search (perhaps a case of the cobbler's children). I subscribe to her monthly e-newsletter which has links to many new search engines, websites and services. Irritatingly my email program thinks the e-newsletter is junk, so I have to occasionally retrieve it from the trash. You may find the same happens to you!
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Oct 2007 11:04:08 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#27 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#27 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop/details.aspx?titleId=441
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:59:51 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#26 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#26 Subscribe, for free, at mail@adkinshistory.com.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:57:05 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#25 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#25 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/events/catalogue-awareness-day.htm
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:54:36 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#24 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#24 http://www.genuki.co.uk and Cyndi's List http://www.cydnislist.com suffer from having too many sites to wade through. A reader sent me details of an impressive American site http://pricegen.com/english_genealogy.html which has links to over 500 sites by category (Census, migration, heraldry military etc etc). The hyperlinks themselves are colour coded between sites which are free and those which charge - a nice touch. There are also a selection of articles on research problems. The site is actually a spin off from the work of Price and Associations who are professional researchers specialising in English research based in Salt Lake City. If their work is as good as this site, they may be worth hiring!
They include at least one site I hadn't come across before: the Genealogue http://www.genealogue.com which claims to contain "genealogy news you can't possibly use". It combines news stories (many from old newspapers), quiz questions and humour. It is an American site, so some of the humor doesn't translate, but there is enough to amuse and intrigue visitors to allow them waste many minutes, as I have to confess I have just done. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:38:07 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#23 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#23 Sessions take place at the Elvin Room, Ruskin College, Walton Street Oxford 0X1 2HE and begin promptly at 11am. There's coffee from 10.30 and seminars finish by lunchtime. To be added to the mailing list or for more information contact edeeley@ruskin.ac.uk.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 03 Oct 2007 11:35:09 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#22 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#22 http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/external/hlw/hlw04.htm
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:42:37 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#21 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#21 To put it in context only top dramas, soap operas and major sporting events can normally command these sort of viewing figures in these days of multi-channel TV. It is little wonder that a fifth series has already been commissioned.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:40:55 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#20 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#20 They have looked in vain for contact details of the owner. However, there are some clues which may help locate him or her. There are quite a number of references to the Midlands and Birmingham Anthony Joseph Workshops and numerous notes for essays. There is a family Tree - including names Chamberlain and Chatterley; and notes from two workshops on 21 April 2007: Joan Addo - The Body in Europe and Maggie Hains Workshop.
The only reference to a contact appears on a page entitled "Masquerade". "Stevie, Gegard, Max and Henry. Jon Haliday and Lesley Mountain." If you own the notebook please contact the Fair's organiser Robert Blatchford on 01904 332638 or email robert.blatchford@nationalfamilyhistoryfair.com.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 26 Sep 2007 09:38:19 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#19 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#19
The timetable for the move is:

13/14 October Births, Deaths, Marriages 1947-2005 inclusive;
20/21 October Births, Deaths, Marriages 1865-1946 inclusive;
27/28 October Births, Deaths, Marriages 1837-1864 inclusive;
27/28 October Overseas All years.

The indexes, however, will continue to be seen on microfiche on the first floor at the FRC or online from various providers.

]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 12 Sep 2007 09:07:58 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#18 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#18 The website, at http://www.clarelibrary.ie also has a variety of other databases and indexes, including lists of local land owners in Clare 1876, the Bodyke Evictions, men from North Clare who served in the First World War, and biographical notices from the Clare Champion newspaper between 1935 and 1985.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 11 Sep 2007 14:40:51 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#17 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#17 For more information visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk and of course we will cover all the changes in Ancestors.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:40:58 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#16 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#16 All this will have major implications for the hobby and how we undertake research and indeed on the nature of the records and indexes themselves. We will be including an article about these developments shortly.
In the mean time, the team from Family Relatives came to see me about a month ago to demonstrate their new site and the services it provides. I was pretty impressed - the social network component in particular was easy to use and very flexible. It could even be useful even if you are not really a family historian. And the service is free.
Subsequently I received a rather breathless press release, saying that they have "added for the first time ever a new and exciting free social network facility for families and family historians which allows for the rapid linking of people across the world. The facility enables not only experts but also amateur family historians to share common interests by enabling the sharing of local knowledge and of people.
Familyrelatives.com allows families to work together by - creating, building, connecting and sharing with other members researching the same family history. these unique features ensure that where different members are researching the same information it matches them and allows them to share their information. This covers in excess of 600 million records and additional names can be added through an easy to use interface.
Add a comment to the records - if you knew the person or are related? For anyone whose Birth, Marriage or Death took place in the last 20 years you can add a comment and on many millions of other records too."
Why not visit http://www.familyrelatives.com and see for yourself.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 06 Sep 2007 14:39:04 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#15 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#15
The Society has just launched a new website http://www.localpopulationstudies.org.uk which contains information about its activities. You can also download articles free of charge from back issues of "Local Population Studies" between 1968 and 1998. They cover a wide range of topics from studies of the census to discussions about bastardy and may provide answers to some of the questions you may across in your family history research.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:39:30 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#14 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#14 There will also be a new venue - they are moving round the corner to the larger National Hall. This means that there will be plenty of room for exhibitors and lecture rooms (which were on the first floor this year). They are also aiming to attract many more exhibitors particularly from the military history and heritage sectors to make it much more of a "National History Show".
There will still be stalls run by local family history societies - many of whom have already booked their space. Ancestors and The National Archives will of course be present, although how and what we do has yet to be decided.
Tickets will remain the same price £20 per person, or two for £20 if you book in advance. It is thought that advance bookings may open in December.
Full details of the Show will of course be given in Ancestors Magazine.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:41:00 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#13 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#13 The first is The National Archives newsletter which comes out once a month with details of releases of new records, books and a pleasing number of puffs for Ancestors Magazine. You can subscribe at http://www.ionmx.com/FormServer/?F=F011258F15899
The Federation of Family History Societies publishes a bi-monthly e-zine which contains brief news items about what is going on in the Federation and the world of British Genealogy in general with details of forthcoming events. Details at http://www.ffhs.org.uk/ezine/intro.php
London's Guildhall Library produces a quarterly newsletter full of news about the Library and its holdings with informative short articles about recently accessioned or catalogued records. If you are researching ancestors in the Metropolis or regularly use Guildhall Library or other London archives it is worth signing up - email manuscripts.guildhall@corpoflondon.gov.uk or visit http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/news98.htm
Two of Ancestors Magazine's authors, Roy and Lesley Adkins, produce an occasional delightful newsletter about life in Nelson's life, research into memorials they have come across, developments in archaeology and anything else historically that takes their fancy. You can download back copies or subscribe at http://www.adkinsarchaeology.com/newsletter.aspx
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 10 Aug 2007 11:09:43 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#12 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#12 This is the latest in a series of crises which have hit the General Register Office recently, including problems with the new computer system introduced to help with the registration of births, marriages and deaths and the closure of the ground floor of the FRC.
More information at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/aboutus/lookingahead/Latest_news.asp and http://www.sog.org.uk/latest.shtml
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:00:48 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#11 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#11 The reasons cited are falling numbers of users now that the ledgers are widely available on the internet and certificates can be ordered online - only 11 per cent of applications for certificates are now made in person. In addition the building is urgently needed to house staff from its parent department the Office for National Statistics after its headquarters at Drummond Gate in Pimlico closes.
Sets of the ledgers, however, will be made available in microfilm in the census area on the first floor of the Centre, although this will cease at the end of March when The National Archives moves its services to Kew.
The ONS briefing paper can read at http://www.ffhs.org.uk/archives/gro/briefing070725.php. The GRO has placed additional information about replacement services at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/aboutus/lookingahead/Latest_news.asp.
The genealogical community has naturally reacted angrily to the news. A strong statement by the Society of Genealogists can be read at http://www.sog.org.uk/latest.shtml. And an e-petition to the Prime Minister against the closure has been launched at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/FRC-closure.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:58:34 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#10 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#10 Transportation began to Australia in 1788, but was not formally abolished until 1868, but in practice it was effectively stopped in 1857, and had become increasingly unusual well before that date. As result 158,702 convicts arrived in Australia from England and Ireland, and 1321 from other parts of the Empire, making a total of 160,023 men and women transported.
Holders of Ancestry international subscriptions have free access to the records, otherwise you will need to take out a subscription to the Australian site http://www.ancestry.com.au.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:11:39 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#9 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#9
This is where Family History Companion, the new genealogy title from The National Archives (TNA), comes into its own. Sensibly, Mark Pearsall has chosen a broad brush approach covering all periods from the medieval to the mid-20th century in approximately 700 entries, beginning with abeyance and ending with Zetland.

To point you further in the right direction, there are entries for major British and Irish archives and libraries (TNA's entry is itself a master of compression), plus pointers to key websites and books.

The author puts particular emphasis on legal aspects, with succinct definitions of many terms one might come across in wills and land documents, plus brief histories of various courts, along with an indication of where the records are to be found.

The text is broken up by half a dozen short essays by TNA experts - David Annal, for example, looks at "Tackling the Census"; Adrian Ailes explains "Herald's Visitations", while Sean Cunningham explores "Inquisitions Post Mortem".

It is genuinely a useful and innovative book.

Publication details
Author Mark Pearsall
Title Family History Companion
Publisher The National Archives
Price £7.99
ISBN 978-1-905615-07-0

Order online at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/bookshop/details.aspx?titleId=377 ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:21:00 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#8 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#8 Plans are well advanced for the move of the Family Records Centre to Kew by the end of March 2008. The opportunity is being taken to radically redesign the reading rooms and generally improve the experiences of researchers while they are at The National Archives.

These changes will entail some building work. Inevitably there will be some disruption to services from late summer 2007 to spring 2008, including the possibility of closing the reading rooms for a short period of time.

Details of building works and any closed periods will be posted on The National Archives website http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

If you are planning to visit Kew or the FRC over the next few months it is a good idea to check the website before setting out. ]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Thu, 12 Jul 2007 16:09:29 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#7 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#7 Ancestor search at http://www.ancestor-search.info/HOME.htm is a really useful site containing links to record offices and local studies libraries across England and Wales. In addition there is information, and links, to one-name studies; brief introductions to the major series of records used by family historians (BMD registers, censuses etc), plus a guide to getting organised. It is by no means the only site offering this sort of information, but it has two great advantages: it is clearly laid out and, more importantly, the website is right up to date.
Irish readers, and those with forebears who came from the Six Counties, might like Emerald Ancestors http://www.emeraldancestors.com. It claims to have one million names take from birth, marriage and death registers for Northern Ireland. A potentially useful feature is the e-book service. Subscribers receive an e-book, that is a facsimile of an old history book or directory - or you can buy the books separately.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:54:50 +0000 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#6 http://www.ancestorsmagazine.co.uk/?page=blog#6 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki which is written by its users. Personally I find it extremely useful and refer to it all the time.
Over the past few months The National Archives has been trialling its own wiki, called My Archive, where staff have been encouraged to add their knowledge of the records or how the records can be used to help in researching particular subjects.
Now it is available to the general public. When you visit TNA's online catalogue http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue there is the opportunity to add illuminating comments about particular records or historical topics. You have to sign in, with your reader's ticket, to use the service. It's probably most useful to add background information and cross-references to sources elsewhere rather to provide details of individual ancestors who appear in the records.
It is likely to become a very useful additional resource.
]]> simon.fowler@nationalarchives.gov.uk (Simon Fowler) Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:37:38 +0000