Saturday 31 August 2019

Free access to USA and Canadian records on MyHeritage

From MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

Discover more about the lives of your ancestors this Labor Day with FREE access to all US and Canadian census records from 1790 to 1940. Search through this treasure trove of 740 million census records for free from August 30 through September 2, 2019.

For further details visit http://blog.myheritage.com/2019/08/740-million-free-census-records-for-labor-day/

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.

Last call for my next Scottish Research Online course!

My next Scottish Research Online course starts on Monday 2nd September, but there's still time to sign up!

For full details of the five week course, visit https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102

Hopefully I'll see you there!


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.

My new Irish book - Kindle edition now available

Apologies for the lack of posts this week, I have been flat out finishing off the first draft of my next book, Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet (to be published next year)!

I noticed during the week that both a Kindle and ePub edition of Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (Second Edition) is now available on the Pen and Sword website at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. The cost for the elctronic version of the book is just £5.99.

To pre-order Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records (out November) visit https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848.

I hope they help!

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.

Tower Hamlets Lloyd George Domesday Survey records released

From TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):

TheGenealogist has just released the Lloyd George Domesday Survey records for Tower Hamlets which cover land owners and occupiers in 1910-1915 with over 91,500 individuals recorded. These now join the previously released data books and their detailed associated maps for other parts of London, bringing the total number to nearly half a million individuals within this record set.

This new release is the latest phase of TheGenealogist’s extensive ongoing project to digitise over 94,500 Field Books, each having hundreds of pages, and linking them to large scale IR121 annotated OS maps which are now viewable in TheGenealogist’s powerful Map Explorer tool.

The records, which are sourced from The National Archives, were originally compiled by the Valuation Office in a period that stretched from 1910-1915 in response to Lloyd George’s government passing the People’s Budget 1909/1910.

This new release covers records made of property ownership and occupation in Bethnal Green East, Bethnal Green North, Bethnal Green South, Bethnal Green West, Bow, Bromley, Christchurch, Limehouse, Mile End Centre, Mile End East, Mile End New Town, Mile End North, Mile End South West, Norton Folgate, Old Artillery Ground, Poplar North, Poplar South, Ratcliff, Saint Botolph without Aldgate, Saint George in the East, Shadwell, Wapping and Whitechapel.


Coutts Lane identified by TheGenealogist’s map explorer showing the plot on Lloyd George Domesday map

Family historians can use these records to:

● Find ancestors who owned or occupied property in the Tower Hamlets area of London

● See the outlines of their houses on large scale maps from the time

● Fade between historic and modern maps to see how the environment has changed

● Check details of properties in the neighbourhood by clicking the red pins

● Locate an address from your research down to a specific house on the map

● Search by name, parish and street to uncover ancestors’ property in 1910-1915

Complementing the maps on TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer are the accompanying Field Books which provide detailed information relative to the valuation of each property, including the valuation assessment number, map reference, owner, occupier, situation, description and extent.

For family historians looking for ancestors’ homes just before the First World War in the Tower Hamlets area of London this recordset is invaluable.

Read TheGenealogist’s article: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2019/finding-your-london-ancestors-in-the-1910-land-tax-records-1176/

(With thanks to Nick Thorne)

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.

Men's workwear over the last 100 years

Thanks to Holly O'Rourke for the following:

Culture on clothes: How society has shaped men’s workwear, in the last 100 years.

The male workwear wardrobe has evolved, with the strict business suit now replaced with sneakers and sweatshirts. Opening the doors to the historical workwear wardrobe, Woodhouse Clothing has picked out the most popular fashion trends from every decade in the last century, exploring how and why they’ve changed so much.

Woodhouse Clothing teamed with Tim Former Vogue Australia Editor and fashion trends expert, Tony Glenville to answer some key questions on how key historical events including WW2 impacted fashion.


1940’s

During the 1940’s fabric rationing and cutbacks in clothing production meant clothes were basic. Most men were at war wearing uniform, and colours were dark, getting notably brighter when the war came to an end.

Jobs

Tony Glenville said: “Class structure was still very much part of everyday life, it had been shattered by the war but working people in manual and dirty and hard jobs, both male and female were very different to those in office jobs.

“Things like the mills and the mines still employed a lot of people for a few years after the war. Outside toilets, etc were common until the end of the 1950’s! It was an old fashioned pre war world and very grey until 1953.

“When the war ended two things happened; firstly rationing continued ( so 1941-1949 - eight bloody years!) and secondly men were demobbed and given a demob suit. According to figures, 75,000 were made a week, so sizing was often not great!”

Many men went back to looking for a job and working in factories and manual labour became big. Men changed from smarter clothes to workwear to preserve their suits and more formal clothing.”

Fashion Ration

“The Queen’s Coronation in 1953 saw the end of rationing and the arrival of gold, colour and pomp and ceremony. Suddenly everyone wanted a television to watch it on, but many couldn’t afford this luxury, like a fridge or a Hoover they were not for everyone! It’s another world and only 60 years ago!

“Clothes rationing and the coupons required during the war to purchase clothes plus fabric shortages meant clothes were precious. “

Mend and Make Do

“Make do and mend was the slogan, and motto, of those years to extend the life of clothes and since ready to wear and off the peg fashions were still not huge operations, everyone followed was in the same boat.”

Trends

Fashion Ration - Men wore utility clothing to work due to the rationing of fabric. This meant no pockets, no cuffs, and no embellishment.

Demob suits - Preceding the war, all servicemen returning home were issued with a formal three-piece suit, many of these were made by Burtons.

Military Jackets- The military jackets we see today are inspired from the RAF pilots in the 1940’s. Navy blue with gold buttons, the uniform was sleek and stylish.

Key colours – Colours stayed similar the 1930’s as the country went through a time of loss and mourning. The cheap fabric also effected the choice of colours that were worn during the decade.

Style icons – Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy

You can see the full 100 years of workwear, here: https://www.woodhouseclothing.com/en-gb/100-years-of-mens-workwear


Notes to Editors

Tim Glenville is a Former editor at Vogue Australia, and now a leading Fashion Writer, well informed on the history of fashion. He has been involved with trends since the1970’s across many areas from womenswear to interiors to babywear to lighting.

(With thanks to Holly)

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.

Scottish newspaper notices added to FindmyPast

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):


Scotland, Newspaper Birth Notices
Over 121,000 new records have been added to our collection of Scottish newspaper notices of births. These new additions have been transcribed from our existing collection of Scottish newspapers.

Scotland, Newspaper Death Reports & Obituaries
Over 500,000 additional records are now available to search. This collection of newspaper death reports and obituaries may reveal interesting or undiscovered stories surrounding your ancestors’ life and death.

Scotland, Newspaper Marriage & Anniversary Notices
A further 201,000 new records have also been added to Scotland, Newspapers Marriage and Anniversary Notices.

Lancashire Wills & Probate 1457-1858
More than 26,000 new records have recently been added to this collection. Search these records to see if your ancestor’s probate papers have survived through the centuries. This index will give you details about the type of material available, the probate year, your ancestor’s occupation and residence.

International Records Update – Netherlands
Unearth your Dutch roots with three indexes covering more than three million births, baptisms, marriages, deaths and burials that took place in the Netherlands between 1564 and 1945.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
Over 147,000 new pages including five new titles have been added this week. New titles available to search include the Alloa Journal, the Forfar Herald and the Dalkeith Advertiser, as well as the Clyde Bill of Entry and Shipping List. The latter title was published by the Custom House in Glasgow, and recorded the declarations of goods being imported and exported. In total, our brand new Scottish titles comprise of 63,182 new pages, and together cover the hundred years between 1859 and 1959. Our fifth new addition this week is the Daily Citizen (Manchester). A short-lived publication, produced between 1912 and 1915, this paper was the official newspaper of the fledgling Labour party.

Further information and links at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/add-new-scottish-branches-to-your-family-tree

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.

Sunday 25 August 2019

Pre-order Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records

Having just had Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (Second Edition) published (which I am delighted to say is now in Amazon's top ten genealogy best sellers!), next up are my two forthcoming Scottish titles for Pen and Sword.

I have just submitted the final corrections and index for Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records, which is due to be published in November. Pen and Sword is already taking pre-orders for the book at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848, at a special price of just £11.99 plus p&p (RRP £14.99).

So here's a wee bit of blurb about book number two the noo...!

Despite its Union with England and Wales in 1707, Scotland remained virtually independent from its partners in many ways, retaining its own legal system, its own state church, and its own education system.

In Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records, genealogist Chris Paton examines the most common records used by family historians in Scotland, ranging from the vital records kept by the state and the various churches, the decennial censuses, tax records, registers of land ownership and inheritance, and records of law and order.

Through precepts of clare constat and ultimus haeres records, feudalism and udal tenure, to irregular marriages, penny weddings and records of sequestration, Chris Paton expertly explores the unique concepts and language within many Scottish records that are simply not found elsewhere within the British Isles. He details their purpose and the information recorded, the legal basis by which they were created, and where to find them both online and within Scotland's many archives and institutions.

So just to add, in this book I go into detail on how civil registration has historically worked in Scotland; the nature of the Kirk's history, its many splits, and how to find vital records before 1855; the Scottish judical system; the records of where to find folk and the nature of Scottish land tenure; Scottish inheritance law, and its many record types; and so much more.

And over this coming week I will be at home working flat out to complete my third offering - Tracing Your Scottish Family History on the Internet (to be published 2020) - as an additional offering to the above.

More on that in due course, suffice to say that I am determined you will be able to find your Scottish and Irish ancestors, or by ye gods, I'll die trying...! :)

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.

Free access to Ancestry's UK and Irish records

This one almost passed me by - as it is a bank holiday in England tomorrow, Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) is offering free access to its UK and Irish collections until midnight Monday night.

FREE ACCESS*

Only this Bank Holiday weekend, find your family’s past, FREE.
Curious about your family’s past? Free access to our records ends tomorrow.
Search a name to find your family in military, court and parish records, plus many more.

*Access to the records in the featured collections will be free until 26 Aug 2019 at 23:59 GMT. To view these records you will need to register for free with Ancestry.co.uk with your name and email address. After the free access period ends, you will only be able to view the records in the featured collections using an Ancestry.co.uk paid membership.

To see a full list of the records in the featured collections visit https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/categories/uk_irish_records/.

Have fun!

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.

Saturday 24 August 2019

New MOOC to explore Working Lives on Britain's Railways

From Tahitia McCabe at the University of Strathclyde's genealogy team:

Just wanted to tell you about a new MOOC (massive open online course) which has been created by colleagues from the English Studies programme here at Strathclyde and the Railway Museum in York. It’s Working Lives on Britain's Railways: Railway History and Heritage and as you might suspect focuses on people working on the railways and their experiences. I think it will be of interest to genealogists! It’s free, offered through FutureLearn and starts at the end of September. Folks can sign up here https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/working-lives-on-the-railway.

And here's the formal description from the course site:

Working Lives on Britain's Railways: Railway History and Heritage

Discover Britain's industrial heritage and learn about the lives of British railway workers from 1840-1914.

Explore British railway history and learn what work on the railways was like

On this course, you will investigate the professional lives of the men and women working on the British railways from the 1840s until the First World War.

Using archival materials from the National Railway Museum, you will learn about the mental and physical hardship endured by railway workers, as well as the risks and pleasures that came with working in this new industry.

From Irish Catholic navvies to female office clerks based in industrial cities, you will discover the surprising diversity and complexity of the railway workforce.


What topics will you cover?

You will learn about four categories of railway worker:

• Engine-drivers
• Signallers
• Navvies
• Clerks

You will compare their differing experiences, investigate the physical and mental labour involved in their job and consider some of the following questions:

• What did they do on a daily basis?
• How did this change during this period?
• What were the key responsibilities and risks in their work?
• What were the key pleasures?

You will look at the ways in which railway workers represented their own work, using autobiographies and other primary historical materials.

You will also study how these professions were represented by those with no direct connection to railway labour.

(With thanks to Tahitia)

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.

Friday 23 August 2019

FindmyPast adds Scottish Court and Criminal database

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):


Scotland, Court & Criminal Database
Were your Scottish ancestors in trouble with the law or a victim of a crime? Search from them in this database of more than 28,000 Crown Office Precognitions and High Court Trial Papers between 1801 and 1917. The collection also includes The Fife Kalendar of Convicts, and index to many of the Courts in Fife from 1708 to 1909, as well as the High Court Records.

Each result will include both a transcript and an image of the original document. The amount of information listed in each documents will vary, but most will reveal a combination of the accused’s name, birth year, birth place, address, occupation, the nature of their offence, the date and location of their trail as well as the sentence they received. Some records will also include trial notes, verdict comments, and previous convictions and additional comments (added by the licensor as opposed to being factual information included or taken from the records).

Crown Office Precognitions are factual statements that have been given by witnesses to both the prosecution and defence before the case goes to trial. Precognitions differ from a witness statement, a witness statement is an account of what the witness has said or seen were as a precognition is an account of the witness’s evidence. Precognitions are not put the witnesses during a trial.

The High Court is the highest court in Scotland, it has jurisdiction over the most serious crimes such as murder, rape, treason, heresy, counterfeiting and crimes of a sexual nature. A single judge hears cases with a jury of 15 people.

Church of Scotland Ministers 1560-1949
Explore PDF images of the “The Succession of Ministers on the Church of Scotland from the Reformation”. Compiled by Hew Scott, D.D., The work was revised and continued up to 1949 under the Superintendence of a Committee appointed by the General Assembly.

As quoted in the book, “the design of the present work is to present a comprehensive account of the Succession of Ministers of the Church of Scotland since the period of the Reformation. An attempt is made to give some additional interest by furnishing incidental notices of their lives, writings and families, which may prove useful to the Biographer, the Genealogist, and the Historian.”

Isle of Man Roll Of Honour WW1
Find your Isle of Man ancestors who fell in the Great War. The Isle Of Man Roll Of Honour recorded the names of more than 1,900 men who died during the First World War or died as a result of wounds, injury or disease contracted on active service. These transcripts will reveal your ancestor’s rank, regiment, parish and biography.

Originally published in 1934 by the War Pensions Committee, the publication was funded entirely by Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby. In 1936, the War Pensions Committee donated copies to each parish church throughout the island. The foreword, provided by Lord Stanley, reads ‘It is well that the deeds of those who died in the Great War should find a permanent memorial in such a list. Whilst this generation lives their names will not be forgotten, but other generations will arise to whom they will not be personally known. This Roll will serve to keep their memory green and future Manxmen and Manxwomen, when reading it, will realise that in our great struggle the Isle of Man played a noble part’.

International Records – Lichtenstein
Discover if your ancestors were born in Liechtenstein. Search through thousands of records from the Liechtenstein birth and baptism index. The records were created through the International Genealogical Index.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
Over 94,000 new pages covering 123 years of history are have been added to our newspaper collection this week. We have updated seven of our existing titles, with significant updates to Newcastle publication the Newcastle Daily Chronicle, to which we have added over 60,000 pages spanning the years 1870-1914. We also have significant updates to society publication The Queen, as we continue to augment our early twentieth-century holdings for this newspaper. We have added pages to regional titles covering the North West of England – Penrith Observer and Lichfield Mercury – as well as Aberdeen – Aberdeen Press and Journal and Aberdeen Evening Express. Rounding off our updates this week is the Sunday World (Dublin).

Further details and links at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/did-your-ancestors-have-a-brush-with-the-law

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.

Thursday 22 August 2019

North Lanarkshire records added to Ancestry

The following Scottish collections have been added to Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1847-1969
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/northlanarkshire/
Source: North Lanarkshire Electoral Registers, North Lanarkshire Archives, Motherwell, Scotland.

This database contains yearly registers listing names and residences of people in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, who were eligible to vote in elections. These year-by-year registers can help place your ancestors in a particular place and possibly also reveal some information about property they owned.


North Lanarkshire, Scotland, Poor Law Applications and Registers, 1849-1917
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/northlanarkshirepoorlaw/
Source: North Lanarkshire Poor Law Applications and Registers, North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre, Motherwell, North Lanarkshire, Scotland.

After the Poor Law Scotland Act of 1845, Scottish parishes were able to establish institutions called Parochial Boards to care for the poor, house them and give out relief. Whilst there was a Central Supervising body, each institution was locally run. Unlike the poor in England, those who were destitute in Scotland were able to appeal if denied relief.

This collection contains applications for relief from parish institutions in North Lanarkshire. To establish the needs of the applicant and their eligibility, Inspectors of the Poor recorded large amounts of personal data in ‘registers of applications’ or ‘general registers of poor’.

Applications and General Registers will normally include:

  • Name of applicant, including maiden name of women
  • Age and/or birth date
  • Birthplace, including county of birth (compulsory from 1865)
  • Religion (from 1865)
  • Dependants, including children’s names, ages, places of birth
  • Marital history
  • Names of applicant’s parents and parents-in-law, confirming where born and if still alive
  • Previous addresses

Have fun!

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.

Scottish Research Online course starts soon!

Hi folks, just over a week to go until the start of my next Scottish Research Online course, which starts on September 2nd 2019, and which runs for 5 weeks - here's the description!

Scottish Research Online (102)
Tutor: Chris Paton

Scotland was first to have major records digitized and offer indexes and images online. It has also been a leader in placing resource information on the World Wide Web. This course describes the major sites, the types of information and data that they offer, the forms in which databases are presented and how to analyze results. You will learn to lay the foundations for searching a family, how to select best resources and what to do next either online or in libraries and archives.

Lesson Headings:
  • Scotlands People, Family Search, Ancestry, FreeCen: content, comparison, assessment
  • Essential Maps and Gazetteers
  • Civil Registration and Census Research Online
  • Searching in Church of Scotland Registers Online
  • Scottish Wills and Inventories Online
  • Take It From Here

Note: it is recommended but not required that students in this course sign up for the basic search option, 30 units/seven days, at ScotlandsPeople (cost is seven pounds).

Each lesson includes exercises and activities; a minimum of 1 one-hour chat s See How the Courses Work.

STUDENTS SAID: "I particularly liked the fact that the course didn't just focus on the well-known BMD resources available, but on a much wider range of websites, including many which give extremely useful background information on the geography and history of the localities where our ancestors lived."

"a very knowledgeable Instructor"

Relevant Countries: Scotland

This course is offered twice annually.

Course Length: 5 Weeks
Start Date: 2 September 2019
Cost: £49.99

And for a wee video introduction, visit https://youtu.be/ssdYLlGtoHw or watch below!



To sign up to the course, please visit https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102

Note that the follow up course to this, Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs starts on November 4th - for further details on this, please visit https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302

Hopefully see you there!

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.

Scottish Monumental Inscriptions - 50% discount offer

Scottish Monumental Inscriptions (https://scottish-monumental-inscriptions.com) is offering a 50% discount on all of its burials CDs.

Visit the site, and when making a purchase, use the code K3A60DDXR2QH


Have fun!

(With thanks to Helen Grant)

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.

Society of Genealogists announces search for new premises

From the London based Society of Genealogists (http://www.sog.org.uk):

Society of Genealogists looks to relocate

After two years of careful analysis and discussions the Trustees of the Society of Genealogists have concluded that that we have finally outgrown our premises in Clerkenwell and are seeking to relocate.

Charterhouse Buildings is our fifth home since the Society was founded in 1911. But after 35 years, the current library no longer provides adequate space and facilities for our needs and requires significant investment for major repairs, maintenance and IT.

Moving to more suitable premises will enable the Society to reinvest in our core services of providing the best genealogical library and collections in the UK, to continue and expand upon our education programme and to create a more convivial space for our members and users.

No decisions have yet been made about when we will move or where we will go. Rest assured no decision will be made until we have consulted widely and sought advice and input from our stakeholders. The process will no doubt take some time and it is unlikely to be less than a three to five-year period.

We hope that our members and friends will join us in this period of transformation and look forward to better times ahead.

For any further comment or questions please direct enquiries to June Perrin, Chief Executive Officer, Society of Genealogists ceo@sog.org.uk

(With thanks to Else Churchill)

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.

Sunday 18 August 2019

The Men Behind The Glass Exhibition at PRONI

Details of a talk and exhibition at PRONI (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) on Tuesday 20th August 2019:

The Men Behind The Glass Exhibition

PRONI is delighted to host a lunchtime talk on the Men Behind the Glass exhibition and project on 20 August, 1.00 pm to 2.00 pm.

PRONI will be hosting a travelling exhibition curated by Campbell College this summer. The exhibition features many former Campbellians including First World War participants such as Lieutenant Edmund De Wind VC. Subjects include, Pre-War Campbell, life at Campbell, Campbellians at War, Campbell’s Contribution and Commemorating. The exhibition will be on display from 19 August to 27 September.


(With thanks to Gavin McMahon)

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.

Latest additions to FindmyPast

The latest additions to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):


Manchester, Peterloo Witnesses and Casualties, 1819
Discover if your English ancestor witnessed or was injured during the Peterloo Massacre which occurred on 16 August 1819 at St Peter’s Field, Manchester. The records show whether a person was injured and how; such as, “right elbow and head cut severely”. It also includes witness statements like, “saw constables hitting [John] Lees with truncheons and a broken flagpole. Addresses, occupations and additional notes are also included in many transcripts.

Maryland, Wills and Probate Records
Do you have ancestors’ from Maryland? Search this collection of Wills and Probates to find out the date of their Will. As confirmed in the introduction of the publication, the Maryland Calendar of Wills was compiled in response to an already “long existent and steadily increasing need for such work, a need not only of genealogists, nor only for Marylanders now living in the State, but also for the large class of persons, whose ancestors are to be numbered among the men and women who took part in the nation-building as begun on Maryland shores, and whose descendants are now to be found in every State of the Union.”

Maryland, Index To Colonial Probate Records, 1634-1777
Search this index to more than 107,000 probate records from 1634 to 1777 for transcripts and images of both Prerogative Court and County records. The amount of information listed in each record will vary but looking at images is always recommended.

Britain, Knights Of The Realm & Commonwealth Index
Over 14,000 additional records have been added to the Knights of the Realm & Commonwealth Index.

International Records Update - Hungary Baptisms 1734-1895
Discover if your ancestors were baptised in Hungary. Search through 14,000 records from the Hungarian baptism index to find out. The records were created through the International Genealogical Index and will generate hints against your Findmypast family tree.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 123,844 brand new pages. We have two new titles covering the Moray area, namely the Forres News and Advertiser and the Northern Scot and Moray & Nairn Express. Our third new Scottish newspaper is the Renfrewshire Independent, for which we have so far published the years 1858 to 1877. Our final new addition this week is the Devon Valley Tribune. Published in Tillicoultry, Clackmannanshire, we have an impressive run of pages for this title, ranging from the end of the 1890s right up until the 1950s.

Further details at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/new-records-covering-maryland-knights-of-the-realm

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.

Thursday 15 August 2019

TheGenealogist adds Charles Booth's London poverty maps

From TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):

TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer adds the Charles Booth Poverty Maps of London

TheGenealogist’s innovative Map Explorer, which allows family history researchers to trace an ancestor’s property and then view the changing environment over time, now boasts another powerful new feature.

While previously researchers were able to view the georeferenced Lloyd George Domesday Survey Data Layer of maps and also see the sites of UK War Memorials, cemeteries and churchyards from across the country, TheGenealogist has now added the fascinating Booth Poverty Maps of London 1898-1899 to this useful resource.

● Use the new Charles Booth Maps to reveal London streets classified by income and class

● Research neighbourhoods where different classes of people lived close to each other

● Use the opacity slider to view various modern day maps as a base layer to see the area today

There were seven classifications detailed on Booth Maps ranging from the lowest to the wealthy. Those streets coloured black were for the ‘Lowest classes. Vicious, semi-criminal’. Next was dark blue for the ‘Very poor, casual. Chronic want’. This was followed by light blue to indicate ‘Poor. 18s to 21s a week for a moderate family’. Streets in purple indicated ‘Mixed. Some comfortable others poor’. Those roads in pink were ‘Fairly comfortable. Good ordinary earnings’. Red designated a street inhabited by the ‘Middle class. Well to do’, while yellow the ‘Upper-middle and upper classes. Wealthy.’

Diamond subscribers to TheGenealogist are able to use the interface by clicking on the large map of England, Scotland and Wales on the main search page.


The next screen allows the researcher to enter major street names or an area so that you can browse the locality.

In the recent BBC 1 Who Do You Think You Are? episode, Oscar winning actress Kate Winslet was researching her 2x great-grandfather, a Swedish born tailor, who lived in Great Pulteney Street, Westminster. Using this example we start typing Great Pulteney into the search box. We are presented with a choice of two from which we select the one that is in the City of Westminster, Greater London. Under Map Layers we chose the ‘Historic – Middle Layer’ and here select the ‘1898-1899 Charles Booth’s London’ from the dropdown menu. This will now highlight the street on the map.

TheGenealogist’s powerful Map Explorer has been developed to view these georeferenced historic maps overlaid on top of modern background maps including those from Ordnance Survey and Bing Street maps, as well as a satellite view. With the Map Explorer you can search for an ancestor's property, discovering its site, even if the road has changed or is no longer there.

See our featured article on Kate Winslet’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are? where she makes use of the Booth Maps in her research: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2019/who-do-you-think-you-are/kate-winslet-1156/

Find out more at www.TheGenealogist.co.uk/maps/

(With thanks to Nick Thorne)

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.

Wednesday 14 August 2019

Flooding reveals graveyard bones in Fife

The BBC and STV have reported that heavy rain on Saturday has caused a wall to collapse at Largo and Newburn churchyard in Upper Largo, Fife, with several historic lairs exposed, and with some bones washed onto the adjacent street.

The head of Fife Council's bereavement services, Liz Murphy, is quoted as saying "Unfortunately, some historic graves were disturbed and exposed. In order to preserve the dignity of the deceased, where safe, the remains have been moved into the church.Any exposed ancient lairs are covered until it is safe to restore or rebury them."

You'll find the story at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-49344842 and https://stv.tv/news/east-central/1439974-human-bones-washed-onto-street-after-graveyard-floods/.

Fife News has further coverage at https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/bones-wash-out-onto-fife-road-after-church-wall-collapses-1-4981693.

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.

RootsTech London announces keynote speakers

From RootsTech:

Salt Lake City, Utah (14 August 2019), RootsTech, the world’s largest genealogy convention and hosted by FamilySearch, is coming to London, October 24–26, at the ExCeL London. The RootsTech London keynote speakers and entertainers include Donny Osmond, Nick Barratt, Dan Snow, Tre Amici, and Steve Rockwood. Boasting 150+ classes, one-on-one coaching corners, an exhibition hall filled with the latest in genealogy and technology, RootsTech London is the perfect place to discover and celebrate family stories.


Keynote Speakers

RootsTech London 2019 begins Thursday, 24 October. Classes will cover a wide variety of topics, including first steps on your genealogy journey, DNA in genealogy, preservation tools, archival research, and more. Dr. Nick Barratt, a former genealogy consultant for Who Do You Think You Are?, will host and emcee the convention.

Dan Snow, popular historian, broadcaster, and television presenter, will be the featured keynote speaker on Thursday, 24 October, at 11:00 A.M. GMT. Snow was born and raised in London. Having graduated Oxford University, he went on to present military history programs with his father, Peter Snow. Their series Battlefield Britain won a BAFTA award. He has appeared regularly on the ONE show on BBC1 and has contributed to several books, including Death or Victory; The World’s Greatest Twentieth Century Battlefieldsand The Battle of Waterloo Experience.

On Friday, 25 October, at 11:00 A.M. GMT, Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, and Nick Barratt will address the audience as featured keynote speakers. Nick Barratt is known for his work on Who Do You Think You Are?, House Detectives, Hidden House Histories, Secrets from the Attic, and Missing Millions. He has authored several books, including Lost Voices from the Titanic, The Forgotten Spy, and The Restless King.In 2016 he was made an Honorary Associate Professor of Public History at the University of Nottingham. He is a committee member for the Community Archive and Heritage Group, and President of the Federation of Family History Societies.

Friday night at 6:00 P.M. GMT, RootsTech will host the talented singing trio, Tre Amici—an international classical pop trio made up of Leroy Vickers, Michael Thomas, and Martin Jackson. Tre Amici combines a moving combination of operatic arias, contemporary ballads, and classical theater.

Donny Osmond will grace the stage on Saturday, 26 October, at 11:00 A.M. GMT. Osmond’s successful career as an entertainer has spanned 5 decades. He is known internationally for his talent as a singer, songwriter, actor, television series host, and best-selling author. Osmond has performed since the age of 5 in such productions as The Andy Williams Show, The Osmonds, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and most recently with his sister in their Vegas show Donnie and Marie. “I’m really looking forward to RootsTech London,” said Osmond. “The United Kingdom is like a second home to me.”

Classes

RootsTech London 2019 will offer 150+ classes and activities for families and individuals with a variety of interests and skills. Select classes will be broadcast online. Learn more or register for the event at RootsTech.org. Passes start at only £49.

Further information on Rootstech London at https://www.rootstech.org/london

UPDATE: I'm sharing this tweet from US genie Megan Smolenyak in response to this post, because, actually, I wholeheartedly agree:

Must do better...

(Cheers Megan!)

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.

Monday 12 August 2019

Lanarkshire Local and Family History Show 2019

The Lanarkshire Local and Family History Show will be taking place in early October:


Lanarkshire Family History Society
presents
Scotland's Largest Local & Family History Event​
9:30am - 4:30pm
Back again this year on Saturday 5th October 2019
Motherwell Concert Hall, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell, ML1 1AB
Entry £2.00 (Accompanied Children Free)
Talks cost £3 each - £10 for all 4 talks (Pay at the venue)
Enquiries - Email secretary-lanarkshirefhs@hotmail.co.uk

Further details are available at https://lfhsshow.weebly.com, including speakers at the event - I'll be amongst them speaking about an Irish house history.

Hopefully see you there!

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.

Saturday 10 August 2019

British Newspaper Archive summer sale

The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) is holding a summer sale until 18 August, with a 30% discount on offer for a 12 month subscription.


For further details visit https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/account/subscribe?PromotionCode=BNA30SUMMER

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.

Latest FamilySearch additions

Added to FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) - the number of new indexed records in each collections is stated in brackets at the end of each listing:

Australia Australia, Victoria, Inward Passenger Lists, 1839-1923 (164,023)
Austria Austria, Vienna Population Cards, 1850-1896 (22,532)
Brazil Brazil, Bahia, Passenger Lists, 1855-1964 (1,166,675)
Germany Germany, Baden, Church Book Duplicates, 1804-1877 (18,522)
South Africa South Africa, Netherdutch Reformed Church Registers (Pretoria Archive), 1838-1991 (846,630)
United States Kansas State Census, 1915 (50,854)
United States United States, Freedmen's Bureau Hospital and Medical Records, 1865-1872 (51,238)
United States Alabama, Confederate Pension Applications, ca. 1880-1930's (18,382)

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.

Forces War Records adds RAF records 1918-1975

From Forces War Records (www.forces-war-records.co.uk):

We now have added over 1.5 million NEW Royal Air Force Records from 1918 to 1975 for you to search.

Forces War Records UK based team of experts has now transcribed a nominal roll of other ranks – both male and female who served in the Royal Air Force.

Records in this collection are likely to include the following:

Surname
First Name
Service Number
Maiden Names or Aliases
‘Enlisted after’ date
Place of Enlistment
Trade
Nationality

Don’t worry if your ancestor didn’t serve in the Royal Air Force. Forces War Records has over 22 million Military records and an exclusive online Historic Library with over 2,000 publications for you to search.

* To search the new RAF records visit this link.


(With thanks to Jane Williams)

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.

Over 400 Scottish Published Family Histories added to FindmyPast

Just added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):


Scotland, Published Family Histories
Is your family from Scotland? Discover more about your Scottish families' name and history from this collection of publications. There are over 400 publications in this collection of Scottish family histories.The publications mostly date from the 19th and early 20th centuries, they include memoirs, genealogies, and clan histories. There are also publications that have been produced by emigrant families.

(Note: Click on the Browse button on this page to see a list of all publications)

Scotland, Glasgow & Lanarkshire Death & Burial Index
Over 37,000 records have been added to the Glasgow & Lanarkshire Death & Burial Index. These new additions cover Bent Cemetery in Hamilton and consist of transcripts of original documents that will reveal a combination of your ancestors' birth year, death and burial dates, age at death, burial place and mortcloth price.

United States, Passenger and Crew Lists
Over 777,000 new records from the major port city of Baltimore in Maryland have recently been added to these passenger and crew lists.

Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions
Over 5,000 additional records are now available to search. The new records cover two cemeteries in Teddington as well as the Parish of St Mary's in Sunbury.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
Historical newspapers hot off the press this week include:

Hawick Express covering the years 1892, 1903-1904, 1913-1914, 1919-1940, 1950-1952
Coatbridge Express covering the years 1885-1951
Dalkeith Advertiser covering the years 1869-1953
Barrhead News covering the years 1897-1912
Banffshire Herald covering the years 1893-1912
Banffshire Advertiser covering the years 1881-1902, 1905-1912

Plus, we've added even more coverage to these papers:

Aberdeen Press and Journal – 1991 added
Aberdeen Evening Express – 1991 added
The Queen - 1901-1904 added

Further details at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/whats-new/new-records-from-scotland-middlesex-and-baltimore

Chris

Now on sale - 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. 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.

Friday 9 August 2019

Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) now on sale

That thing where you come home and find that the postie has been! Now on sale - Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd edition), by yours truly...



Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd edition)

In this, the fully updated second edition of his bestselling guide to researching Irish history using the internet, Chris Paton shows the extraordinary variety of sources that can now be accessed online. Although Ireland has lost many records that would have been of great interest to family historians, he demonstrates that a great deal of information survived and is now easily available to the researcher.

Thanks to the pioneering efforts of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, the National Archives of Ireland, organizations such as FindmyPast Ireland, Ancestry.co.uk and RootsIreland and the volunteer genealogical community, an ever-increasing range of Ireland’s historical resources are accessible from afar.

As well as exploring the various categories of records that the family historian can turn to, Chris Paton illustrates their use with fascinating case studies. He fully explores the online records available from both the north and the south from the earliest times to the present day. Many overseas collections are also included, and he looks at social networking in an Irish context where many exciting projects are currently underway.

His book is an essential introduction and source of reference for anyone who is keen to trace their Irish roots.

Contents

Glossary

Preface

Chapter 1 – The Genealogical Landscape
 Recording information
 Gateway sites
 Irish Archives
 British archives
 Libraries
 Heritage
 Societies
 Commercial vendors
 Commercial research services
 Networking and Communication
 Languages

Chapter 2 – The Vital Records
 Civil registration
 Other civil records sources
 Adoption and children
 Records in Britain
 Overseas British records
 Surname distributions
 Parish registers
 Burials
 Wills and probate
 Biographical resources
 Newspapers
 Books and other periodicals
 DNA testing

Chapter 3 – Where They Lived
 Census records
 1901 and 1911 censuses
 1821-1851 census remnants
 British censuses
 1939 National Identity Register (UK)
 Other censuses
 Census substitutes
 Land records
 Other land listings
 Maps, gazetteers and place names
 Photographs

Chapter 4 – Occupations
 The Military
 Merchant Navy
 Law and Order
 Other professions
 The Poor

Chapter 5 – The Decade of Centenaries
 Home Rule Crisis
 Women’s Suffrage
 The Dublin Lockout
 The First World War
 The Easter Rising
 Towards Independence
 The Treaty and Civil War
 Ireland's Revolutionaries
 Legacy

Chapter 6 – Ulster
 Antrim
 Armagh
 Cavan
 Donegal
 Down
 Fermanagh
 Londonderry
 Monaghan
 Tyrone

Chapter 7 – Munster
 Clare
 Cork
 Kerry
 Limerick
 Tipperary
 Waterford

Chapter 8 – Connacht
 Galway
 Leitrim
 Mayo
 Roscommon
 Sligo

Chapter 9 – Leinster
 Carlow
 Dublin
 Kildare
 Kilkenny
 Laois
 Longford
 Louth
 Meath
 Offaly
 Westmeath
 Wexford
 Wicklow

Chapter 10 – Ireland's Diaspora
 Emigration
 United States
 Canada
 Australia
 New Zealand
 South America
 Europe
 Ireland Reaching Out
 Irish Citizenship

Further Reading

Index

To purchase a copy, visit https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483 - I hope it helps!

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.

Construction of new learning spaces at TNA

From the National Archives (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk), in Kew, England:

We will shortly begin construction of two major new learning spaces within our first floor reading rooms.

One space will be located next to the library, while the other will occupy part of the existing document reading room here at Kew.

Caroline Ottaway-Searle, Director of Public Engagement at The National Archives, said ‘This project is part of our ongoing programme to re-imagine and reconfigure our site to become a more vibrant and welcoming environment, better equipped to deliver services and events for a wider range of visitors.

‘These new spaces will provide us with improved facilities for children, young people, students and learners of all ages to engage with and learn about our collection.’

Visitors may experience some disruption over the next few weeks as we carry out preparatory works, continuing as construction begins in the autumn. We will try to keep this to a minimum, but some disturbance is inevitable. The works are due to be completed by spring 2020.

Library users may experience some disruption to services from early August while the collection is re-arranged in preparation for the construction works.

Some books, journals and resources may be temporarily relocated but will remain available upon request. Other collections, such as the National Register of Archives paper lists, will be unavailable during this period although the register remains available to search through our catalogue Discovery.

More detailed updates on the affected collections will be available on our library page throughout the project.

In the document reading room, 72 seats (nine tables) will be temporarily removed, along with some camera stands. Almost 300 seats will remain available in this area.

Several phases of the programme have already been completed, including the redevelopment of the public restaurant and the creation of a large multi-purpose events space.

(Source: http://nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/new-learning-spaces-for-the-historians-of-tomorrow/ - with thanks to Simon Fowler)

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.

Thursday 8 August 2019

Writing for genealogy magazines

During this week's #AncestryHour on Twitter (Tues, 7pm, UK time) I mentioned a blog post which was previously written on my personal blog in 2011. It's drawn a fair bit of interest, so what the hell, here it is again! Feel free to add your own up to date tips in the comments, and I hope it helps...! :)

Writing for genealogy magazines

I’ve often had people get in touch and say “I’d love to write for a genealogy magazine” or “I wish I could write an article”. I’ve had a few articles of varying lengths published in magazines over the last few years, and twelve years experience of television documentary script writing before that, so here’s a few tips which might help. (Just to add, these aren’t rules - there are no rules!)


i) Be confident

Everyone who has ever written articles always started off with a first effort. Many people worry that writing something down is an impossible task requiring great linguistic skill and dexterity, and best left to the likes of Shakespeare and Robbie Burns. Personally I find them both a bit old fashioned and boring, so here’s how I see the content of an article. It’s a conversation between you and the reader and its main purpose is to communicate and to impart knowledge. If you can talk the hind leg off a donkey when it comes to your friends and family, try doing the same with a keyboard instead. Do try to get the spelling and basic grammar right though.


ii) Who to write for

If you want to be in print, you can try writing for your local family history society publication, a local newspaper or a mainstream magazine for the shop shelf. Genealogy is a growth area – any subject that can involve a family history connection can be the basis of a great article, whether read by 1 person or 20,000. You can also self-publish, the easiest way to do so being through a blog (through sites such as Wordpress or Blogger). So ignore any snobbery about being published online or offline. The lines are blurring and each provides a valid forum with its own dedicated target audience. Writing is about delivering a target message or article to the reader, using whichever medium works best for the task at hand.


iii) What to write

Most mainstream magazines have a pool of so-called ‘experts’, a regular core of writers who can be relied on to regularly produce articles on various aspects of the family history profession, but there are slots in all magazines for others to contribute, and these are the best places to get started.

The easiest way to get an article published in one of these titles is to submit an idea for something for which you are the absolute person for the job. You may have a real interest in a particular regiment, or old fashioned occupation, or place in the country. If so, convince the editor that you need to write about it.

Alternatively, go for a case study. This is basically a story about something that has usually happened in your personal family history, for which you will be the best expert by far. Magazines are always desperate for case studies! They are also easy to write – how often have you wanted to tell someone about something you’ve found in your tree?! But bear in mind that you are writing it for your reader, not for you. Give the reader something to take away from your story – what way did you research it, what resources can you recommend, how did you overcome a particular problem?


iv) How to write

Before you start writing, pitch the idea to an editor first. You will normally find contact details for the editor inside the cover of a magazine on the first or second page, or on the magazine's website. In a simple paragraph, try to make the editor see why he or she should commission your piece. How will your piece help the reader? If the editor agrees, you will then be asked to give it a go. If it is for a commercially produced magazine, don’t forget to ask how much you are to be paid.

Some editors may then send you a formal commission document, a brief with a shopping list of things to include etc, possibly even ideas on how to structure it. Others will let you do it entirely as you see fit. If you don’t get formal guidance but feel you need it, ask! It is in the editor’s interest for your piece to work as much as it is in yours.

You will be asked to write to a particular length, and as long as you are usually within about twenty words or so on either side of that word count you should be fine. Don’t worry about over-writing it to start with – in fact, it can often be easier to write too much and to then edit it back than to be three hundred words short and to worry about how to fill the gap.

But some things to watch out for – don’t waffle, don’t repeat yourself, and keep pushing the narrative forward in a coherent way. Don’t waste a third of the piece writing an introduction, just get into the subject matter. In many cases I will actually leave the intro until the end, once I know what I want to write into.

Don’t patronise your reader. An opening line such as “As everyone of course knows…” will likely annoy your reader if he or she doesn’t actually know what the hell you’re on about. Don’t assume that you are writing a Janet or John kiddies book either (“Once upon a time there was an archive…”!). Talk to your reader as you would expect to be spoken to. And don’t use language that will make someone think that you are a self-important idiot - you will only end up looking like the fool.

Don’t be too precious about your final product once it is submitted. If lucky, you may be asked to proof read it before publication - if you get the chance, take it! The editors will use your article almost word for word, but they may need to abridge it, they may need to redefine something if they think it is unclear, or they may even postpone its publication. If changes need to be made, they may ask you to do them, they equally may not and may make the amendments themselves.


v) Images

Where possible, try to supply images which you own, or for which there is no copyright claim – ancient black and white images which you don't own the rights to are usually OK if over a hundred years old. If you don’t know the original source of an image, tell the editor. It is then up to he or she to decide whether to use it or not. In most cases, magazines have their own photo editors and access to image libraries etc, but it is always better to try to supply the images you want to see if you can.


vi) Publication

Normally with publication you will get a free copy of the magazine you've written for, but it may not come immediately. For commercially produced magazines, payment can also be delayed after publication (to suit the relevant accounting department's payment run), though make sure you have your invoice in! With the fee from your first article, buy a bottle of Champagne. Drink said Champagne, realise you have no money left, and feel inspired to try again!

The more you write, the more confident you will become at it, but listen to criticism. When I used to work in TV I hated people telling me what they loved about a programme, I always wanted to know what they didn’t, so that I could learn for the next effort. We all make mistakes, the trick is to learn from them, take it on the chin, and produce an even better article next time.

Most importantly, make sure there IS a next time!

Happy writing!

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.