Save Bexley Archives

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

Save Bexley Archives

Local authorities are under great financial pressure, leading to reduced funding for services that are of particular use to family historians. For instance, Bexley Council is proposing to close Bexley Local Studies and Archive Centre as part of its 2014/15 Budget plan and transfer the service to Bromley Central Library in another borough. The Council has published this ‘budget option’ on its website here: http://www.bexley.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16835.

If you live in the Bexley area or have research interests there, you may well wish to become involved in the campaign to protect its local archive services. You can find more information at http://www.bexleyhistoricalsociety.co.uk/74.html

(With thanks to Philippa McCray)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

PRONI workshops in 2014 - Exploring Archives

More news from PRONI in Belfast (www.proni.gov.uk):

Exploring Archives in Depth: Practical Workshops in Family and Local History
January to February 2014

PRONI is pleased to announce an upcoming workshop series on archival sources for family and local history. Many of these sources are now accessible online, and five respected specialists will illustrate their historical context and use. These workshops shall provide an excellent opportunity to gain insider knowledge on often-overlooked archives, so come along to discover more about the world of your ancestors.

Programme
22nd January
Dr. Annaleigh Margey (Dundalk Institute of Technology): The 1641 Depositions: An Early Source for Local History (and Beyond)

29th January
Valerie Adams (Presbyterian Historical Society of Ireland): Using Church Records for Family and Local History- First Steps

5th February
Alistair Butler (General Register Office, Northern Ireland): Family trees- How GRONI can help them grow

12th February
Drew Ferris (Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland): "Maps from Snaps": Archive Mapping and Aerial Photography for Local and Family History

19th February
Dr. Bill McAfee (Private researcher): Understanding an Ancestor's Neighbourhood-The Griffith's Valuation Books, Maps, and Revision Books

WHERE: All workshops will be held at PRONI
WHEN: Wednesdays from 1pm
HOW MUCH: Admission is FREE but booking is essential. Please contact PRONI at proni@dcalni.gov.uk to book your place.

(With thanks to Garth Stewart)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

PRONI - additional Valuation Revision Books now online

From PRONI (www.proni.gov.uk) in Belfast, news on the Valuation Revision books which act as a follow up to Griffiths Valuation of the mid 19th century:

PRONI is pleased to announce that a further 39 volumes of Valuation Revision books have been added to the existing online application. The database has also been updated with a number of corrections relating to missed pages, duplicates, typos etc which members of the public have identified. The following are the newly added books:

VAL/12/B/1/4E
Ballyclare: Grange of Doagh, Ballycorr & Kilbride 1897 - 1904

VAL/12/B/1/12A
Coggrey: Grange of Doagh & Ballycorr & Kilbride 1923 – 1929

VAL/12/B/1/14A
Craigarogan: Ballymartin & Templepatrick 1864 – 1866

VAL/12/B/1/14B
Craigarogan: Ballymartin & Templepatrick 1867 – 1880

VAL/12/B/1/14C
Craigarogan: Ballymartin & Templepatrick 1881 – 1891

VAL/12/B/1/14D
Craigarogan: Ballymartin & Templepatrick 1892 - 1899

VAL/12/B/1/14E
Craigarogan: Ballymartin & Templepatrick 1901-1911

VAL/12/B/1/14F
Craigarogan: Ballymartin & Templepatrick 1912-1929

VAL/12/B/1/25C
Rashee: Rashee 1881-1890

VAL/12/B/1/25D
Rashee: Rashee 1890-1900

VAL/12/B/1/25E
Rashee: Rashee 1890-1900

VAL/12/B/1/25F
Rashee: Rashee & Connor 1912-1929

VAL/12/B/3/1A
Ahoghill: Portglenone & Ahoghill 1865-1879

VAL/12/B/3/1B
Ahoghill: Portglenone & Ahoghill 1880-1889

VAL/12/B/3/1C
Ahoghill: Portglenone & Ahoghill 1890-1900

VAL/12/B/3/5L
Ballymena: Ballyclug, Ahoghill & Kirkinriola 1896-1901

VAL/12/B/3/5M
Ballymena: Ballyclug, Ahoghill & Kirkinriola 1896-1901

VAL/12/B/3/5N
Ballymena: Kirkinriola 1901-1910

VAL/12/B/3/5P
Ballymena: Kirkinriola 1901-1910

VAL/12/B/3/5Q
Ballymena: Ballyclug 1911 – 1920

VAL/12/B/3/5R
Ballymena: Ballyclug 1921 – 1930

VAL/12/B/3/5S
Ballymena: Kirkinriola 1911 – 1920

VAL/12/B/3/5T
Ballymena: Kirkinriola 1921 – 1931

VAL/12/B/4/3D
Ballymoney: Ballymoney 1884 – 1894

VAL/12/B/4/3E
Ballymoney: Ballymoney 1894 – 1905

VAL/12/B/4/3F
Ballymoney: Ballymoney 1907 – 1915

VAL/12/B/4/3G
Ballymoney: Ballymoney 1916 – 1930

VAL/12/B/4/17C
Killoquin Upper: Rasharkin 1884 – 1897

VAL/12/B/4/18A
Kilraghts: Kilraghts 1864 – 1866

VAL/12/B/4/18B
Kilraghts: Kilraghts 1867 – 1887

VAL/12/B/4/18C
Kilraghts: Kilraghts 1887 – 1901

VAL/12/B/4/18D
Kilraghts: Kilraghts 1901 – 1912

VAL/12/B/4/18E
Kilraghts: Kilraghts 1912 – 1929

VAL/12/B/4/19A
Kirkmoyle: Ballymoney 1923 – 1929

VAL/12/B/23/9K
Newtownards: Clifton Ward Bangor Urban 1918 – 1928

VAL/12/B/26/25D
Imeroo: Enniskillen 1890 – 1909

VAL/12/B/26/25E
Imeroo: Enniskillen 1910 – 1923

VAL/12/B/42/19C
Dunnamahagh: Donaghedy 1879-1881

VAL/12/B/43/H/4
Duncairn: Shankill 1906 – 1915

The complete collection of books is accessible directly at www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/val12b.htm.

(With thanks to Gavin McMahon)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

Ayr Advertiser - BMD index 1803-1835

South Ayrshire Libraries has launched a new database online of all births, marriages and deaths as recorded in the Ayr Advertiser from 1803-1835. It can be accessed at www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/libraries/bmd.aspx. You need to register to access, though registration is free.

(With thanks to Jean Inness via LinkedIn)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

British Newspaper Archive additions

Some further recent additions to the British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk), since November 25th:

• Birmingham Gazette 1877
• Bolton Evening News. 1869
• Bradford Daily Telegraph. 1875
• Bucks free press 1947
• Daily Herald., The 1917
• Durham County Advertiser, The 1815 - 1854
• Evening Post, The 1900 - 1905
• Grantham Journal 1915, 1919 - 1920, 1923 - 1927, 1940
• Hastings and St Leonards Observer 1914, 1918 - 1920, 1925 - 1928, 1931 - 1932, 1934, 1936 - 1939, 1941
• Hereford Times 1909 - 1910, 1912, 1930, 1935, 1937
• Inverness Courier 1935, 1938 - 1941
• Norfolk Chronicle 1889, 1908, 1921
• Paisley Herald and Renfrewshire Advertiser 1874
• Sligo Champion 1948
• Staffordshire Advertiser 1814, 1847
• Surrey Comet, and General Advertiser., The 1878
• Swindon Advertiser and North Wilts Chronicle 1858 - 1930
• Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser 1820
• Wells Journal 1898
• Worcester Journal 1938 - 1941
• Yorkshire Evening Post 1940
• Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, The 1868 - 1953

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

Isle of Man indexes on Ancestry

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has recently added three databases form a third party site, that of the Manx Museum on the Isle of Man. The databases are

Isle of Man, Baptism Index, 1600-1981 http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=9217
Isle of Man, Marriage Index, 1606-1984 http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=9218
Isle of Man, Burial Index, 1598-2003 http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=9219

The databases are free to search.

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

Society of Genealogists 2014 events programme now online

News from the Society of Genealogists (www.sog.org.uk) in London:

The Society of Genealogists 2014 events programme is now online: www.sog.org.uk/books-courses

With over 150 Lectures, Courses, Visits and Walks, there is something for everyone with an interest in family history.

Events are now searchable and bookable online by date and topic. The year 2014 will mark 100 years since the start of the First World War. In commemoration, we will offer a full-day course, ‘Tracing your First World War Ancestors’, on 28 June, as well as several military-themed events throughout the year.

For further details contact Lori Weinstein at events@sog.org.uk

(With thanks to Lori)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

WDYTYA Live 2014 - promo video

Who Do You Think You Are Live 2014 (www.whodoyouthinkyouarelive.com) has a new promotional video showing the sort of thing to expect at the event, based on last year's experience.

(The video is also available at http://youtu.be/sUeWyTrdM-0)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive

News of a digitisation project from Cork:

The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive: 
http://fleischmanndiaries.ucc.ie

The digitised 1926 and 1927 diaries of Irish composer, Aloys Fleischmann

The digitised 1926 and 1927 diaries of the Irish composer, Aloys Fleischmann (1910 – 1992) were launched on Wednesday, 20th November 2013 in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, O'Rahilly Building G27, University College Cork (UCC), Ireland. The project was launched by Róisín O’Brien on behalf of the Digital Arts and Humanities Program, with Dr Ruth Fleischmann as the guest of honour. The Program was outlined, the digitisation process explained and the diaries, part of the extensive Fleischmann Collection housed in the Archives at UCC, introduced.

Aloys Fleischmann (1910-1992) was born into a family of immigrant German musicians resident in Cork since 1879. His maternal grandfather, Hans Conrad Swertz, had come from the Bavarian town of Dachau to take up a post as organist and choirmaster. The second of his nine children, Tilly, born in Cork in 1882, studied in Munich at the Royal Academy of Music from 1901-1905; she married the Dachau organist and composer Aloys Fleischmann, who came to Cork with her the following year to take over her father’s position at the cathedral.

Their son Aloys was to become a composer, musicologist, scholar of traditional Irish music, professor of music at University College Cork 1934-1980, founder and conductor of the Cork Symphony Orchestra 1934-1992, founder of the Cork Orchestral Society in 1938, of the Cork International Choral Festival and its director for 20 years, provider of music for the Cork Ballet Company for 45 years, chairman of the Cork Sculpture Park for 24 years, and a life-long campaigner to bring classical music into the schools and lives of Irish people.

The sources of this commitment to the cause of the arts in Ireland can be traced in the diaries written by the boy during his last two years at school. About 200 photographs selected from Tilly Fleischmann’s albums illustrate the diaries.

The public is invited to visit the website; high-resolution images of the diaries and accompanying illustrations can be downloaded.

The digitisation of the diaries was undertaken by Róisín O’Brien as a thesis project for the Masters Degree in Digital Arts and Humanities at UCC. It was carried out with the collaboration of the Fleischmann family and guidance of a number of international practitioners. In addition to the digital preservation of fragile artefacts through photography and online publication, the aim of the project was to create a freely available digitisation prototype for scholars and non-experts, providing them with a reproducible model. A dissertation, “Digitising the Diaries of Aloys Fleischmann: a prototype for novices”, which documents the technical process and establishes a theoretical basis for the project, will be distributed as an Open Access publication at the Cork Open Research Archive in 2013.

To view the Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive, please visit: http://fleischmanndiaries.ucc.ie

For further information about the launch, please contact: Róisín O’Brien roisinaobrien@gmail.com

(With thanks to Róisín O'Brien)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.

Scottish OS one inch hills maps online

The National Library of Scotland (www.nls.uk) has added the OS One-Inch "Hills" edition covering Scotland in 131 sheets for the 1885-1903 period - they can be viewed individually or as a seamless mosaic. The collection is available at http://maps.nls.uk/os/one-inch-2nd-hills/index.html.

The institution has also added a new side-by-side viewing platform, allowing for comparison of two maps on a single browser page. This can be explored at http://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/sidebyside.cfm.

Finally, the latest Discover NLS online magazine for Winter 2013 is now available at www.nls.uk/about-us/publications/discover-nls.

(With thanks to the NLS Newsletter)

Chris

My latest book, Discover Scottish Civil Registration Records, is now available from http://www.gould.com.au (print) and http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html (ebook), whilst Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet is available at http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-History-on-the-Internet/p/3889/.