English and Welsh GRO adds recent deaths indexes

From the English and Welsh General Register Office (GRO) at www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/login.asp

Website Improvements

Welcome to the new look website for the General Register Office which was updated on 12th September 2019

We are currently adding to our online indexes which will help you identify and apply for copies of our records. We have now added online indexes for deaths registered between 1984 to 2019.

We will notify you here when more indexes are added online.

COMMENT: Fair play to the English GRO, it's about time! Here's hoping births and marriages follow soon.

Looking at you now Northern Ireland...

(With thanks to Karen Cummings and the Census Detectives via Twitter)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast adds English and Welsh death and probate records

The following records have been added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Greater London Burial Index
Were your ancestors buried in Greater London? Over 45,000 new records covering 10 parishes across the region have been added to the index and are now available to search. The records in this collection date all the way back to 1399 and will reveal the date and location of your ancestor's burial as well as their occupation, address, denomination and age at death.

Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions
A further 3,400 records from the parishes of Harefield St Mary the Virgin and Sunbury St Mary have been added to the collection. Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions spans the years 1485 to 2014 and includes transcripts for each entry. Transcripts may include your ancestor's age at death, death year, burial location and inscription. Inscriptions can reveal the names of relatives as well as other biographical details.

Dorset Memorial Inscriptions
Over 13,000 additional records from 35 burial sites across Dorset are now available to search.Each record contains a transcript of an original inscription taken from gravestones, tombs, monuments and even stained glass windows. The information contained in each record may vary considerably depending on a number of factors such as weathering or the type of memorial.

England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1960-2019
Find a probate record from 1960 to 2019 with the England & Wales government probate index containing more than 14 million records. You can now search the government probate index on Findmypast. The index will give you a person’s death date, probate date, residence, next of kin and more.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 182,823 brand new pages including six brand new London titles to our collection. This week's new additions span the first half of the nineteenth century and include the world’s first ever evening newspaper, the Star (London). Our most recent update also includes the Statesman (London) and the Express (London). The Statesman (London) was a daily title owned by Robert Wardell, but the newspaper went out of print in 1824 when Wardell sailed to Australia to found the country’s first ever independent newspaper, The Australian. Also now available to search is the Express (London), printed by William Anselm Jones in the mid-1800s, the British Press, a daily newspaper published in London in the early 1800s, and the Press (London), a Saturday paper from the mid-1800s.

Further details and links at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/new-uk-burials-monumental-inscriptions-and-more

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Possible merger for Denbighshire and Flintshire archives

Denbighshire County Archives (http://archives.denbighshire.gov.uk), currently based in the former gaol at Ruthin, may be forced to close and merge with Flintshire Archives (www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/LeisureAndTourism/Records-and-Archives/Home.aspx).

The suggested plan is to replace the facilities with a new centre at Mold next to Theatr Clwyd, at a cost of £16.6 million, and with work expected to commence in 2022. The proposals have not gone down too well with users of the facilities, with whom there appears to have been no consultation.

For more on the story visit www.deeside.com/denbighshire-county-archives-could-merge-with-flintshires-and-move-to-16m-building-in-mold and www.darrenmillaram.com/news/council-criticised-failing-consult-public-over-plans-close-denbighshire-archives.

(With thanks to Martin James via Twitter)

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Ancestry releases Pembrokeshire and Bristol records

Ancestry has added several new collections for Pembrokeshire and Bristol.

Pembrokeshire, Wales, Electoral Registers, 1740-1978
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/pembrokeshireelectoral/
Source: Electoral rolls for Pembrokeshire, Wales. Archifdy Sir Benfro - Pembrokeshire Archives, Haverfordwest, embrokeshire, Wales.

Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/bristolparish/
Source: Bristol Church of England Parish Registers and Bishop Transcripts, Bristol Record Office, Bristol, England.

Bristol, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1918
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/bristolbaptisms/
Source: Bristol Church of England Parish Registers and Bishop Transcripts, Bristol Record Office, Bristol, England.

Bristol, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1935
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/bristolmarriages/
Source: Bristol Church of England Parish Registers and Bishop Transcripts, Bristol Record Office, Bristol, England.

Bristol, England, Church of England Burials, 1813-1994
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/bristolburials/
Source: Bristol Church of England Parish Registers and Bishop Transcripts, Bristol Record Office, Bristol, England.

Have fun!

Update: Just found a listing for my grandfather Ernest Graham in 1970 in the Pembroke records. He was killed in an accident just two years later in Milford Haven, before I ever got a chance to meet him. C'est la vie...

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scottish Research Online course starts 2 September 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Find a Will drops price of historic wills

Thanks to Chalfont Research via Twitter (@ChalfontR) for the following:

"Anyone noticed that the cost of downloading wills from the probate service has gone down from £10 to £1.50? #genealogy #result"

It's true. The following is the new section on how to pay in the Find a Will site at https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk, which permits you to order copies of English and Welsh wills post-1858:

How to pay for your copy grant or will

The fee for each copy request is £1.50 to download (the £1.50 charge is required by law for the release of public documents. You will receive a copy of the grant of representation and the will if there is one. You can pay online using a debit or credit card.

If you are unable to pay with a credit or debit card, then you can download form PA1S from https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/searching-for-probate-records. The form will have an address to send it to together with your cheque. This service will take 4 weeks

Have fun!

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Huge update to The List of Historic Welsh Place Names

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (https://rcahmw.gov.uk) has announced that The List of Historic Welsh Place Names has added some 500,000 place names, after it received date from the Cynefin Project from the National Library of Wales before Christmas. The number of names it now holds is 660,000.

The Cynefin: Mapping Wales’ Sense of Place project ran from 2014 to 2017, and saw the digitisation of, and transcription of data from, some 1,100 Welsh tithe maps held at the NLS.

For more on the story visit https://rcahmw.gov.uk/list-of-historic-welsh-place-names-now-over-660000-records. To access The List of Historic Place Names of Wales project itself visit https://historicplacenames.rcahmw.gov.uk.

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

National Library of Wales now a FamilySearch affiliate

A tweet from the National Library of Wales (https://www.library.wales):

We are pleased to announce that @NLWales is now a FamilySearch Affiliate Library giving free access within our building to digital genealogical collections that are otherwise accessible only through one of their centres

For more on FamilySearch affiliate libraries visit https://www.familysearch.org/blog/en/familysearch-affiliate-libraries/.

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilySearch adds English and Welsh National Probate Calendar

FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) has added a new database:

England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2451051

This collection is the National Probate Calendar for England and Wales, it is an index to wills and administrations from 1858-1957.

The National Probate Calendar is the English and Welsh equivalent of Scotland's Calendars of Confirmations and Inventories, with the confirmation process down south known as 'probate'.

FamilySearch's index is free to search, but to view an image for further details you will need to visit a LDS family history centre, or affiliate centre.

UPDATE: Thanks to David Wharton via The GENES Blog facebook page, for the following important additional point:

"And they have also indexed the Executors or Administrators, incorrectly described as Beneficiaries [although they might also be one]. They give the deceased's name and the probate date, so it is then easy to go to the official site probatesearch.service.gov.uk to see the index. For 1858 to 1925 you can see the actual registered copy of the will at a Family Search Library."

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

AGRA announces speakers for Sept 2019 conference

AGRA (www.agra.org.uk) has provided further news of its second conference (see https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2018/09/agra-announces-conference-for-2019.html), including its speakers and talks programme, which will be of particular interest to those with English and Welsh ancestry:

Bloomin' Ancestors! Giving your family history personality 
https://www.agra.org.uk/conference2019/

AGRA’s second conference, open to the public as well as AGRA Members and Associates, will be held in Pembroke College, Oxford University. It will commence with a formal dinner in the College Hall on the evening of 27th September. The lectures, featuring an exciting programme of expert speakers, will be held in the state-of-the-art Pichette Auditorium on Saturday 28th. It will be possible to come to the dinner and stay overnight or just attend on Saturday.

The conference speakers will be as follows:

· Dr Janina Ramirez will be the keynote speaker opening the Conference. She will be speaking about ‘Personalities of the Past’. Janina will be familiar as a British art and cultural historian, but above all as a presenter of history programmes on BBC4.

· Sue Adams - Follow the Money in the Property Records of the Manor

· Carol Kerry Green – Dying to Impress – Examining the role and image of the Press Gang (Impressment), particularly during war time. It will show how a single line in a burial register can lead to fleshing out an ancestor’s life and gaining an understanding of the times they lived in.

· Sue Paul – A Most Notorious, False, Lying Fellow: a Global Black Sheep or Maligned Character – a Case Study of Henry Smith demonstrating how you can use historical sources – East India Company Records, published source and private papers – to enhance your ancestral history.

· John Titford – Bounce Backers - ancestors who moved away, then returned home.

There will be three concurrent workshops as follows:

· Antony Marr – On the Authority of the Registrar General - Exploring the little understood area of re-registrations and corrections on register entries

· Susan Moore – Cracking Chancery Records

· Charity Rouse - Discoveries from Across the Pond

The conference dinner will be held on Friday 27th September in the medieval College Hall. We are very lucky to have the writer Nick Barlay as the after-dinner speaker. Nick has written four novels, including Scattered Ghosts, which tells the 200-year story of his Hungarian Jewish family through war, Holocaust and revolution to contemporary Britain.

For more information and bookings, visit https://www.agra.org.uk/conference2019/

(With thanks to Sharon Grant, Chair, AGRA)

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Cardiganshire parish records added to FindmyPast

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) this week:

Scotland, Dumfriesshire Death & Burial Index
Explore your Scottish ancestry with over 39,000 death and burial records from Dumfriesshire. Many of the burial records include additional details about your ancestor such as, their last address, parents' names and birth date.

Pennsylvania, Register of Mine Accidents
Discover whether your mining ancestor was involved in a mining accident in Pennsylvania. Within this collection of more than 163,000 records, you will find large numbers of immigrants which is indicated by their nationality along with vital information about the accident itself and whether it was fatal.

Cardiganshire Baptisms
Over 74,000 additional records from across 45 parishes have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Baptisms.

Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns
Over 65,000 additional records from across 45 parishes have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns.

Cardiganshire Burials
Over 81,000 additional records from across 45 parishes have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns.

International records – Italy
Celebrate Italy's Festival of the Republic on June 2nd by unearthing your Italian roots. Three indexes containing over 3.1 million births, marriages and deaths are now available to search and explore on Findmypast. These indexes span the years 1806 to 1900 and will generate hints against your Findmypast family tree.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 95,674 pages to our collection of historical British & Irish Newspapers. We are delighted to have two brand new titles joining us this week – West Midlands title the Sandwell Evening Mail and Field, which describes itself as 'the country gentleman's newspaper. We are also pleased to welcome updates to eleven of our existing titles, with updates to five of our Irish titles, as well as titles from Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire and London. Details of these updates are included at the end of this blog post.


For further details, and links, visit https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2638513354.html

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Welsh probate documents now searchable on Ancestry

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has recently added the following collection:

Wales, Wills and Probate, 1513-1858
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/waleswills/
Source: Wills proved in the Welsh Ecclesiastical courts before 1858, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru: The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales.


About Wales, Wills and Probate, 1513-1858

Historical Context

Wills before 1858 were generally proved in the church courts, of which there was a hierarchy extending from an individual parish up to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The ministers of some parishes had a right to prove the wills of those of their parishioners who had property solely in their parish - known as a peculiar jurisdiction. This could be 'inhibited' by the Dean or Bishop at certain times.

The more important churches within the dioceses, and the cathedrals, often held their own courts. Courts of Dean and Chapters, and of the Prebends, of Cathedrals are numerous - their jurisdictions were over the places from which their revenues derived. In addition, Rural Deans supervised a group of parishes (normally not less than 12, and not including peculiars), and in some parts of the country had authority to prove wills within that area.

A larger number of parishes was headed by an archdeacon, and there would be one or more archdeaconries in a diocese, headed by a Bishop. The archdeaconry courts would normally grant probate for persons with property in their area of jurisdiction. The bishop's court (or consistory court) would grant probate for any person having property in more than one archdeaconry within the diocese. The dioceses in the south of England with the Channel Islands and Wales, formed the Province of Canterbury, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury was the head. His Prerogative Court of Canterbury proved the wills of those with property in more than one diocese or peculiar in the Province. In the north of England, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of York acted in the same way for northern dioceses.

Canterbury claimed overall jurisdiction in probate matters when persons had property in both Provinces or had died abroad. (However, this did not always happen in practice.)

Wills in England and Wales

Wills could be written for males beginning at age 14 and females at age 12. In 1837 the age was changed to 21 for both men and women, although in the case of women, these were primarily unmarried or widowed women, since a woman’s property by law was the property of her husband until 1882.

What can I find in these records?

There were seven dioceses or their equivalents in Wales. The following list shows the areas of probate jurisdiction and the dates of the wills included in the collection:

Diocese of Bangor: Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire, most of Merioneth, parts of Denbighshire and Montgomeryshire Original wills 1576-1858 (majority dated 1635-1648, 1660-1858) Copy wills 1790, 1851-1858

Archdeaconry of Brecon: Breconshire, most of Radnorshire, and some parishes in Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire and Herefordshire Original wills 1557-1857 (mainly 1609-1653, 1660-1857) Copy wills 1543-1858 (mainly 1570-1589, 1694-1858)

Diocese of Chester: four parishes in Flintshire and Holt in Denbighshire. Original wills 1521-1858 (mainly 1557-1650, 1660-1858)

Peculiar of Hawarden: parish of Hawarden Original wills 1554-1858 (mainly 1554-1641, 1660-1858)

Diocese of Llandaff: Monmouthshire and Glamorgan (except for Gower) Original 1568-1857 Copy wills 1695-1844

Diocese of St Asaph: most of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Montgomeryshire, and parts of Merioneth, Caernarfonshire and Shropshire Original 1557-1858 (mainly 1583-1649, 1660-1857) Copy wills 1548-1709 (mainly 1565-1648, 1660-1669, 1684-1709)

Diocese of St David’s: Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and part of Glamorgan (Gower) Original 1556-1858 (mainly 1564-1653, 1660-1858) Copy wills 1703-1858 (mainly 1703-1731, 1814-1858)

You may be able to find the following information (where available):

Name
Date will was proved
Place will was proved

Parts of this description have been taken from the National Library of Wales website. You can find out more about their collections on this page.


Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FFHS to become Family History Federation

From the Federation of Family History Societies (www.ffhs.org.uk):

FEDERATION OF FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES IS CHANGING ITS NAME

• The Federation of Family History Societies is rebranding as 'Family History Federation'
• Rebranding to Family History Federation will officially launch at Family Tree Live in April 2019 along with a new-look website.

The rebranding to Family History Federation acknowledges that the membership of the Federation is wider than just family history societies, encompassing a range of associated organisations. ‘Family History Federation’ also reflects how its focus is firmly on family history: the primary purpose being to encourage, educate and support all family historians.

The Family History Federation will launch at Family Tree Live, at Alexandra Palace on 26 April 2019 which is opportune as this new event is brought to London thanks to a partnership between Family Tree magazine and the Federation. A new website will showcase member organisations and act as a gateway for family historians to find the help and expertise they need to grow their tree.

Ian Waller, Publicity Officer for the Federation, said “As we move forward as a Federation we are working towards encouraging more and more people who pursue their family history to become actively involved in their local organisations and to make it easier for them to find help, gain knowledge and be aware of the many resources available to them as they pursue this absorbing hobby.”

Steve Manning, Education Officer for the Federation, added “The Federation has a long heritage, which we are very proud of, but it is still important to look to the future, so that the Federation can continue to help grow camaraderie among family historians and encourage them to tap into experienced groups well into the 21st century.“

About the Federation
The Family History Federation is an educational charity with member organisations throughout the world. Most of these focus on a particular geographical area or on a specific surname but there are other specialist organisations with associated disciplines. Using its website, social media and other means of communication, the Federation ensures that family history news, book reviews and guidance on how to learn more about the subject are readily available to the general public as well as to its member organisations.

Contact details
For more information, please contact:
Emma Waltham, Marketing Manager

emma@ffhs.org.uk

Family History Federation
PO Box 62
Sheringham
NR26 9AR

www.ffhs.org.uk

(With thanks to @FederationFHS)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast to host 1921 English/Welsh census

From FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

The National Archives in association with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has awarded Findmypast the contract to digitise and publish the 1921 Census online

In the most anticipated family history development since the online publication of the 1939 Register, Findmypast has been selected as The National Archives' commercial partner to make the 1921 Census of England & Wales available online.


The census, which was the first to be conducted following the introduction of the Census Act of 1920, will be published online by Findmypast in January 2022.

The project will see Findmypast capture digital images and transcribe the records in a way that will enable family historians across the globe to conduct meaningful searches of these important records when they are opened for the very first time.

Taken on 19th June 1921, the census consists of more than 28,000 bound volumes of original household returns containing detailed information on close to 38 million individuals.

It provides greater detail than any previous census as, in addition to the questions asked in 1911, the 1921 returns also asked householders to reveal their place of employment, the industry they worked in and the materials they worked with as well as their employer's name. Those aged 15 and older were required to provide information about their marital status, including if divorced, while for those under 15 the census recorded whether both parents were alive or if either or both had died.

The 1921 Census also included detailed questions on education, and was the first in which individual householders could submit separate confidential returns.

(Source: https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/1921-census-2630175088.html)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

PDF option for English & Welsh GRO records now permanent

From the General Register Office for England and Wales (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp):

GRO News

GRO has been piloting a service providing PDF copies of historical birth and death records. From the 16th February 2019 PDF’s have become a permanent service.

Applications for PDF’s cost £7, must be made online and include a GRO index reference. England and Wales records which are available to order in PDF format include:

Births: 1837–1918
Deaths: 1837–1957

Note: A PDF is not a certificate and has no “evidential” value, therefore a paper certified copy [certificate] is required for official purposes, e.g. applying for a passport, driving licence or where required to give notice of marriage.

(With thanks to @CensusDetective via Twitter)


Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

NLS uploads Ordnance Survey 1950s-1960s maps

From Chris Fleet, Map Curator of the National Library of Scotland's Collections and Research Department:

New Ordnance Survey National Grid 1:10,560 maps (1950s-1960s) go online

The National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk) has just put online 13,953 Ordnance Survey maps which provide near-complete coverage of England, Scotland and Wales in the 1950s-1960s.

These maps show excellent detail of the mid-20th century urban and rural landscape, including farms and settlements, roads and railways, rivers and watercourses, administrative and field boundaries, woodland and land use. Buildings are simplified in urban areas but many street names are also shown. They are especially useful for more remote rural areas, where this is the most detailed scale of Ordnance Survey mapping. This online addition includes all our out-of-copyright maps at this scale, published over 50 years ago.

• The maps are all available via the home page at: https://maps.nls.uk/os/national-grid/index.html
• There is a clickable index map at: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/find/#zoom=6&lat=55.2535&lon=-2.6990&layers=61&b=1 .
• A georeferenced layer is at: https://maps.nls.uk/openlayers/?m=1&id=193 (This currently covers Scotland and northern England only, but will extend to all of England and Wales by March 2019)

NLS Maps Website User Survey

During January and February 2019, we are undertaking a survey of those using our maps website in order to help plan future developments. We are very keen for a range of responses from personal, educational, business and professional users. All responses will be anonymous.

Detail about the survey is available at this link: https://maps.nls.uk/additions.html#61.

The survey is available at: https://maps.nls.uk/survey

This and other map news is also available in our January 2019 Cairt newsletter at: https://www.nls.uk/media/1685264/cairt34.pdf

(With thanks to Chris)

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FindmyPast updates National Burial Index for England and Wales

The following records have been added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

National Burial Index for England & Wales
Over 717,000 new records have been added to the National Burial Index. The new additions cover 288 burial places in the historic counties of Co. Durham, Northumberland and Cumberland as well as 656 burials sites across Lincolnshire. Each transcript will list a combination of your ancestor's name, age, death year, burial place, burial date and place of worship.

England Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms
Over 65,000 exclusive new records covering the Diocese of Middlesbrough have been added to our collection of England Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms. The new additions cover 36 parishes across the county, span the years 1742 to 1917 and are the latest newly digitised records to join the collection which now covers the Dioceses of Westminster, Birmingham and Middlesbrough.

England Roman Catholic Parish Marriages
Over 19,000 exclusive new Diocese of Middlesbrough Sacramental Register entries have been added to our collection of England Roman Catholic Parish Marriages. The new additions cover marriages preformed across 28 parishes between 1796 and 1944.

England Roman Catholic Parish Burials
Over 7,000 new and exclusive records held by the Diocese of Middlesbrough have been added to our collection of England Roman Catholic Parish Burials. The new additions cover burial sites in 22 parishes between 1774 and 1974.

England Roman Catholic Parish Congregational records
Over 47,000 records from the Diocese of Middlesbrough have also been added to our collection of English Catholic Parish Congregational Records. Covering 30 parishes and spanning the years 1743 to 1920, these records will enable you to learn more about your ancestor's relationship with their local parish.

United States General Land Office Records 1796-2013
Did your ancestors buy Public Domain land? Search this vast collection of over six million records for land sale documents (patents) and discover the original title and exact parcel of land purchased by your ancestor from the U.S. Federal Government. Each entry includes a transcript and an image of the original document.

Middlesex Baptisms 1543-1876
Over 10,000 baptism records covering the parish of All Saints in Iselworth between 1566 and 1783 have been added to the collection.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 108,256 pages to the Archive. We have added two brand new titles – the Gorey Guardian, published in Wexford, and the Bray People, published in Wicklow. Both these titles cover the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. We have also added new pages to the New Ross Standard and to the Lichfield Mercury.

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-january-18th-2019-2626272312.html.

Chris

My next Scottish Research Online course starts March 11th 2019 - see www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. For my Scottish and Irish themed books, visit https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

RCAHMW enhances Welsh heritage database Coflein

The Royal Commission for the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (https://rcahmw.gov.uk) has posted a review of changes it made to its Coflein database in 2018.

Coflein, which is accessible at www.coflein.gov.uk, is the body's online database and Inventory of ancient and historical monuments, providing access to hundreds of thousands of heritage based documents. Amongst the enhancements is an overhaul of the Coflein Mapping system, the addition of thousands of aerial photographs across Wales, from recently commissioned aerial surveys, and improved descriptions on many catalogue entries.

To read about the improvements visit https://rcahmw.gov.uk/2018-year-in-review-our-improvements-to-coflein.

(With thanks to the RCAHMW)

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

English and Welsh BMD certificate costs to soar

Brace yourselves...

From 16 February 2019, the price of English and Welsh civil birth, marriage and death certificates is to soar to £11 from the current £9.25. Priority orders are to dramaticially increase in cost further, from the current £23.40 to £35. Some additional new fees are also to be introduced, such as a charge of £3 if a full index reference is not supplied.

Full details of the rises are available at https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/1268/pdfs/uksi_20181268_en.pdf, with the story initially broken to the genie community by Peter Calver of Lost Cousins at https://www.lostcousins.com/newsletters2/xmasday18.htm#BMD.

Best to get any remaining certs ordered up fast!

(With thanks to Peter Calver and @SoGGenealogist)

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Additional English/Welsh electoral registers added to FindmyPast

The latest records on FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1920-1932
A further 54 million newly indexed records spanning the years 1921 to 1925 have just been added to our collection of newly indexed England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1920-1932. These new additions mean that the collection now contains a complete run of all surviving records for all parliamentary boroughs from A to L (the first being the PB of Accrington and the last being the PC of Nottinghamshire, Rushcliffe Division).

(NB: Note that there are bizarrely some Scottish records for Linlithgow in this collection - Chris)

Dorset Baptisms
Discover if your ancestor was born in the English county of Dorset. Search more than 387,000 additional records spanning the years 1538 to 1978 and covering more than 300 parishes across the county. A full list of the parishes and date ranges covered by the collection can be found via the useful links & resources section of the search page.

Dorset Burials
Over 22,000 new records have been added to our collection of Dorset burials. The collection spans the years 1538 to 1995 and covers more than 330 parishes across the county. A full list of the parishes and date ranges covered by the collection can be found via the useful links & resources section of the search page.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser 1905, 1913-1919, 1930-1939, 1949-1957
The Showman 1900, 1902
New Crusader 1917-1919
N.T.F. In Aid Of British Prisoners 1918
Deliverer and Record of Salvation Army Rescue Work 1910-1918
Landswoman 1918-1920
Broad Arrow 1868-1869, 1871-1877, 1914-1917
Liverpool Echo 1933-1936, 1949-1952, 1954, 1959
Cumberland & Westmorland Herald 1869-1870
Westmorland Advertiser and Kendal Chronicle 1811, 1822
Wicklow People 1977-1979, 1983-1985, 2002-2005
Scottish Referee 1904, 1908
Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser 1867
Henley & South Oxford Standard 1886, 1889, 1892
Lakes Herald 1887
Norwood News 1873-1874, 1965
Lakes Chronicle and Reporter 1875
Ally Sloper's Half Holiday 1923
Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal 1914-1916, 1918-1919, 1921, 1923-1926
Irish Independent 1920, 2003
War Savings 1916-1918
War Office Times and Naval Review 1910-1913, 1915-1916
Social Gazette 1910-1917
Silver Bullet 1918-1919

Further details are available at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-october-2611681143.html

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Welsh parish records added to FindmyPast

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has added several new Welsh collections:

There are more than 925,000 new Welsh records available to search this Findmypast Friday, including:

Welsh Parish Records
Over 921,000 new records have been added to a variety of our Welsh Parish collections. Additional parish baptisms, banns, marriages and burials are now available to search across 13 of our county collections, including:

Wales Counties Baptisms
Carmarthenshire Baptisms
Cardiganshire Baptisms
Denbighshire Baptisms
Flintshire Baptisms
Breconshire Baptisms
Radnorshire Baptisms
Montgomeryshire Baptisms
Pembrokeshire Baptisms
Glamorganshire Baptisms
Merionethshire Baptisms
Anglesey Baptisms
Monmouthshire Baptisms

Wales Counties Banns & Marriages
Anglesey Marriages and Banns
Breconshire Marriages and Banns
Caernarvonshire Marriages and Banns
Cardiganshire Marriages and Banns
Carmarthenshire Marriages and Banns
Denbighshire Marriages and Banns
Flintshire Marriages and Banns
Glamorganshire Marriages and Banns
Monmouthshire Marriages and Banns
Montgomeryshire Marriages and Banns
Pembrokeshire Marriages and Banns
Radnorshire Marriages and Banns

Wales Counties Burials
Carmarthenshire Burials
Cardiganshire Burials
Denbighshire Burials
Flintshire Burials
Breconshire Burials
Radnorshire Burials
Montgomeryshire Burials
Pembrokeshire Burials
Merionethshire Burials
Anglesey Burials
Glamorganshire Burials

Welsh Registers & Records
Explore six fascinating publications containing over 4,000 register entries and records to discover your Welsh roots. Welsh Registers & Records currently includes the following titles:

Episcopal Registers of the Diocese of St David's, Volumes I & II
Highways & Byways in North Wales, published 1898
Notes On the History of the Anglesey Hunt
Parish Registers of Caerwent & Llanfair Discoed, published 1920
Parish Registers of Conwy, published 1900
West Wales Historical Records, various volumes published between 1913 and 1929

Further details at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-august-2608381271.html

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.