New Dundee and Angus records on FindmyPast

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

Explore historical Dundee and Angus in vivid detail

Findmypast is proud to announce a new online collection spanning nearly five centuries of Dundee and Angus history. Published in association with Leisure and Culture Dundee, University of St Andrews Library and DC Thomson, this vast archive of historical documents and original photographs provides researchers worldwide with the opportunity to discover their connections to the City of Discovery in unprecedented detail, for the first time online.

Findmypast has scanned in full colour from paper originals where possible, and created a full name index. This new release brings together millions of complementary records from multiple institutions, which, when placed alongside existing Findmypast Scottish collections, forms one of the most comprehensive collections of genealogical records from any area of the UK online.

These records give names, dates, residences, occupations and document life events of the people of Dundee and Angus, also including photographic records of streets and people, a goldmine for social and family historians alike. They contain some of the oldest photographs in existence, taken in the 1840s and showing parts of the city long since lost to redevelopment.

A particular highlight is a set of 50 images of ‘Dundee Old & New’ commissioned by the Dundee Police after the Improvement Act of 1871. This photographic album illustrates the changing landscape of a Victorian burgh in the firm grip of the Industrial Revolution through a unique ‘then and now’ perspective even at that time. When used alongside tenancy and electoral records of the people who lived in these streets released at the same time and going back to as early as 1823, a detailed picture of the people of Dundee can be seen, rich and fertile ground for tracing ancestors who stood on those cobblestones.

These exciting new records include:

● Fully indexed images of more than 23,600 Obituaries from local Dundee newspapers ranging from 1869-2018, added to a national Scottish collection of over 600,000

● Almost 4 million Dundee & Forfarshire (Angus) Electoral Registers 1857-1939

● Hundreds of thousands of indexed records of baptism, marriage & burial from across Dundee & Angus 1562-1855

● Over 5,000 comprehensively indexed original photographs of Dundee & Angus dating 1844-2010

By improving access to these rich documents and making them searchable for the first time, Findmypast provides family historians from around the world with even more opportunities to discover their Dundee & Angus ancestors. Researchers can now uncover details of their families past and add new generations to their family tree with greater ease than ever before.

With today’s release building on existing records from The National Archives, Scottish Catholic Archives, British Library, Tay Valley Family History Society, and more from the area, together with the publication of almost 10 million records from Scotland since January, (many exclusive and nowhere else online), Findmypast is cementing their reputation as the home of British & Irish family history, creating one of the most useful genealogical resources online for Scottish research.

(Source: https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/over-6-million-new-scottish-records-available-to-search)

COMMENT:  Relevant collection titles

• Scotland, Newspaper Death Reports & Obituaries
• Scotland, Dundee & Forfarshire (Angus) Electoral Registers 1857-1939
• Scotland, Dundee & Forfarshire (Angus) Births & Baptisms 1562-1855
• Scotland, Dundee & Forfarshire (Angus) Marriages 1562-1855
• Scotland, Dundee & Forfarshire (Angus) Deaths & Burials 1562-1855
• Scotland, Dundee & Forfarshire (Angus) Photographic Collection

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. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

PRONI uploads digitised NI tithe books and school grant aid records

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) has initiated a major evolution with its online catalogue, with the release of two important digitised record collections for the six northern counties now constituted as Northern Ireland (Antrim, Down, Armagh, Fermanagh, Tyrone, Londonderry). The collections are the Northern Ireland Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1837 (FIN/5/A), and the National Education Commisioners Grant Aid Applications (ED/1).

Tithe Applotment Books

The tithe applotment books can now be downloaded for each parish.

i) From the home page at https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni, click on eCatalogue.
ii) Click on Search PRONI's eCatalogue
iii) Scroll down and click on the green Search the eCatalogue button.
iv) On the top right of the catalogue search screen, click Browse.
v) Type in FIN/5/A and click on Search.
vi) On the results page, which states the following, go to the second option:

vii) If you click on the word More in the Title/Description column, you will gtet a short summary describing what the tithe records are.
viii) If you instead click on the blue PRONI reference FIN/5/A link in the first column, you will now be taken to a more detailed listing for each parish in alphabetical order.

ix) The View link at the end column allows you to download a hefty PDF file for the relevant parish. When you click on it you will first be asked to agree to a copyright statement:

Then you will be asked if you wish to save the relevant PDF file or to open it. Upon completion, this is the sort of thing you will then see:

COMMENT: Some of the files are quite large, but the quality of the digitisation is superb. Note that the records cannot be keyword searched - you'll have to go into them the good oul' fashioned way!

I have downloaded a couple of parishes, but one parish of interest, Islandmagee (simply noted as Island in the list) is showing as a damaged file which 'cannot be repaired'! I have notified PRONI, suspect it is just a minor teething issue.

Tithe records for the Republic of Ireland are already freely available at http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie.


National Education Commissioners Grant Aid Applications

The search technique for these is similar to the above, with the results portrayed in county order over a series of files covering different periods from 1832-1899. For example, County Antrim is presented across ED/1/1 to ED/1/10, each of which subdivides further to individual schools - the ED/1/1 link, for example, leads to individual PDFs for 163 separate school applications (ED/1/1/1A to ED/1/1/164). Note that the applications are for named schools, so don't be going in looking for parish names in these.

Again, the presentation is superb, and the files with these are considerably smaller, so will open much quicker.

Have fun with the records!

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. and Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Irish Newspaper Archives sale

From the Irish Newspaper Archives (www.irishnewsarchive.com):

BLACK FRIDAY SALE VALID UNTIL 01.Dec.2019

Gold Membership: Access Irish Newspaper Archives & Radical Newspaper Archives
Standard rate: £169.00 50% SALE = £84.50

Silver Membership: Access Irish Newspaper Archives:
Standard rate: £149.00 50% SALE = £74.50

Radical Membership: Access Radical Newspaper Archives:
Standard rate: £30.00 50% SALE = £15.00

VALID UNTIL 01.December.2019

Further details at https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/subscribe

(With thanks to Andrew Martin)

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.

Bureau of Military History content back up online

The Bureau of Military History website content from Ireland's Military Archives (www.militaryarchives.ie) is now back up and running at http://militaryarchives.ie/collections/online-collections/bureau-of-military-history-1913-1921/, having been unavailable for much of the last week.

From the site:

The Bureau of Military History Collection, 1913-1921 (BMH) is a collection of 1,773 witness statements; 334 sets of contemporary documents; 42 sets of photographs and 13 voice recordings that were collected by the State between 1947 and 1957, in order to gather primary source material for the revolutionary period in Ireland from 1913 to 1921. The Bureau’s official brief was ‘to assemble and co-ordinate material to form the basis for the compilation of the history of the movement for Independence from the formation of the Irish Volunteers on 25th November 1913, to the 11th July 1921’ (report of the Director, 1957).

Enjoy!

(With thanks to @dfarchives)

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.

Bedfordshire colour tithe maps added to TheGenealogist

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

Bedfordshire Colour Tithe Maps added to TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist has just released a collection of Colour Tithe Maps for Bedfordshire to join the previously published greyscale maps in their National Tithe Records collection. This release of attractive colour digitised maps will provide the family historian with highly detailed plans sourced from The National Archives (TNA). TheGenealogist has linked these to the appropriate apportionment books that provide researchers with the details of the plots, their owners and their occupiers at the time that the survey was taken in Victorian times. These make the maps easier to understand as the streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, houses and trees are often highlighted in different colours.

Subscribers to TheGenealogist’s Diamond membership can now select to view the latest colour or grayscale maps when using the Tithe & Landowner records for this county of England.

The new release covers:

• Bedfordshire colour tithe maps showing plots of land
• The years 1837 to 1855 with some much later plans for any altered apportionments
• Owners and Occupiers recorded means that all levels of society were surveyed

These tagged colour maps join the previously released apportionment record books, national greyscale maps and colour maps for Warwickshire, Rutland, Huntingdonshire, Buckinghamshire, City of York, Middlesex, Northumberland, Surrey, Westmorland, and the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire. The National Tithe Records collection gives the family history researcher the ability to search by name and keyword (for example parish or county) to look for property holdings from large estate owners to occupiers of small plots such as a homestead, or a cottage.

Read the article, Bedfordshire Tithe Records pinpoint ancestors’ homes large and small at:
https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2019/bedfordshire-tithe-records-pinpoint-ancestors-homes-1206/

(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 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.

RootsIreland annual subscription offer

From RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie):

Special offer running now - 25% off an annual subscription!

Get a 12-month subscription to Roots Ireland at 25% off from 22nd November to 9th December.

To obtain this offer just go to the following link and login using your existing RootsIreland login details: http://www.rootsireland.ie. If you currently have a subscription, click My Account, My Subscription and Start a New Subscription. The special deal subscription will then begin once your current subscription runs out.

Why take out a subscription with RootsIreland?

RootsIreland have the most complete and most accurate set of Roman Catholic church records online. Our index is easily searchable and has features such as standardised surname and forename searches which make your searches even more user-friendly.

We hold over 22 million records which is being added to continually. In 2019, we have added to our database almost 220,000 records, including 74,000 records from County Clare, as well as other records from Laois, Offaly, East Galway, Wexford, Armagh, Derry and Waterford, including the parish of New Ross, Wexford, where President John F. Kennedy's family came from.

Together, our 34 genealogy centres have an unparalleled amount of local knowledge which can be invaluable to those tracing their ancestors, a service which no other website or company can provide to such a high standard. By taking out a subscription with RootsIreland, you are helping these centres to continue to provide a world-class service and securing many Irish jobs.

If you have any questions please check our Help section and if this does not provide an answer, then you may contact us or one of the county centres.

*Offer applies from 22nd November 2019 to 12 midnight Irish time on 9th December 2019 only. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

(With thanks to RootsIreland via email)

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.

British Newspaper Archive passes 35 million pages

The British Newspaper Archive (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) has passed another milestone, wth more than 35 million pages now available of the target 40 million.

The following titles have been added over the last month:

Elgin Courant, and Morayshire Advertiser
1863-1905

Sporting Gazette
1862-1900

Hyde & Glossop Weekly News, and North Cheshire Herald
1876-1882

Bristol Times and Mirror
1871-1896, 1898-1899, 1908-1910

Tablet
1852-1854

Reading Evening Post
1987

Wells Journal
1868, 1870-1871, 1873-1876, 1878-1881, 1883, 1885-1888, 1899, 1901-1904, 1951-1966, 1970-1979

Banffshire Reporter
1869-1920

Port-Glasgow Express
1894-1959

Thanet Times
1987

North British Daily Mail
1849-1851, 1855-1856, 1862, 1864, 1866, 1868-1869, 1880-1881, 1884, 1886-1887, 1890, 1894

Sandwell Evening Mail
1992-1993

Newcastle Daily Chronicle
1888-1890, 1915

Hammersmith & Shepherds Bush Gazette
1955-1961, 1975-1981, 1987, 1990, 1997

Express and Echo
1869-1871, 1873-1876, 1878, 1880

Irvine Times
1879-1891

Harrow Leader
1986

Newbury Weekly News and General Advertiser
1867-1869, 1873-1875, 1877-1889, 1891-1906

Wishaw Press
1939-1955, 1973-1979, 1981-1984

National Register (London)
1810

Bray People
1998, 2003

Drogheda Argus and Leinster Journal
1987

Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
1897

Enniscorthy Guardian
2003

Staines & Ashford News
1999

Amersham Advertiser
1999

Perthshire Advertiser
1947

Staffordshire Sentinel
1990

Perthshire Constitutional & Journal
1871, 1876, 1879-1881, 1883-1892

Fifeshire Journal
1833-1893

Highland News
1885-1886, 1888-1899, 1903-1912

Irvine Herald
1879, 1891

Huntly Express
1866, 1869, 1873, 1880

Eskdale and Liddesdale Advertiser
1879-1881, 1884, 1890-1891

Musselburgh News
1889-1941

Aberdeen Evening Express
1999

Aberdeen Press and Journal
1998-1999

Coatbridge Leader
1905-1956

Strathearn Herald
1893, 1895-1896

Arbroath Guide
1846, 1883, 1885, 1926

Blairgowrie Advertiser
1879-1880, 1885

Birmingham Daily Gazette
1919

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.

Family Tree magazine presents the Family History Handbook 2020

From Family Tree magazine:

Family History Handbook 2020 – the pocket guide to genealogy that packs a punch!

Family Tree magazine’s new pocket guide to genealogy answers 50 key questions every family historian needs to know about their favourite hobby and is packed with more than 500 must-search websites.

Published in association with Ancestry, the 100-page Family History Handbook 2020 is bursting with valuable advice from Family Tree, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this November, and comes complete with the Christmas 2019 print issue while stocks last.

Readers will be able to discover the hidden treasures at Ancestry with a special masterclass to help you get the most from the world’s biggest family history website (including DNA tips from the experts) and explore more than 500 websites in the exclusive family history website directory.

Now in its third year, the annual guide punches way above its weight in terms of genealogy know-how, and is the must-have guide for family historians of all levels of experience. Whether curious about your roots but with no idea how to begin, or keen to uncover the stories in your genes by taking a DNA test, the Family History Handbook has the answers to many frequently asked questions – and to those you never knew you needed to know!

With 11 chapter topics covering everything from Getting Started and Visiting Archives to Making the Most of your DNA and Putting Your Family Tree on the Web, the Family History Handbook has all aspects of the pastime covered.

Family Tree Editor Helen Tovey said: ’Turn back time as you turn the pages of the Family History Handbook 2020. Packed with our carefully curated selection of 500 must-search family history websites, plus the answers to 50 family history FAQs, AND a masterclass guide on how to unlock further search secrets at Ancestry – you’ll be astonished at all that’s packed inside.

‘The Family History Handbook 2020 is a mini must-have family history user guide for the whole year, not just for Christmas. Happy searching!’

• The Family History Handbook 2020* is available with the Christmas 2019 print issue of Family Tree, which also celebrates the popular title’s 35th anniversary. UK stockists include WH Smiths and other newsagents, major supermarkets or order it from the Family Tree web store at https://familytr.ee/xmas2019

*The Handbook is also available as a digital issue on iTunes, Google PlayStore and PocketMags at https://familytr.ee/handbook priced £5.99.

(With thanks to Karen Clare)

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.

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records - out now!

I'm delighted to announce that my latest book from Pen and Sword, Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry Through Church and State Records has now been published and is available to buy via https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Scottish-Ancestry-through-Church-and-State-Records-Paperback/p/16848 and other retailers.

Here is the blurb and the contents list:

Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry through Church and State Records: A Guide for Family Historians

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 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.

Contents

Glossary

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Research Resources
- National Records of Scotland
- ScotlandsPeople Centre
- Court of the Lord Lyon
- National Library of Scotland
- Historic Environment Scotland
- Registers of Scotland
- Scottish Council on Archives
- Scottish Archive Network
- National Register of Archives for Scotland
- FamilySearch Family History Centres
- Scottish Association of Family History Societies
- Commercial websites
- Handwriting
- Languages

Chapter 2 – Civil registration
- Establishment of Civil Registration
- Registration of Births
- Illegitimacy
- Locating Birth Records
- Minor Records of Births
- Stillbirths
- Adoption
- Vaccination
- Locating Vaccination Records
- Marriage
- Registration of Regular Marriages
- Irregular and Civil Marriages
- Locating Marriage Records
- Minor Records of Marriage
- Divorce
- Registration of Deaths
- Locating Death Records
- Minor Records of Death
- Register of Corrected Entries

Chapter 3 – Church of Scotland records
- Background
- Old Parish Registers (OPRs)
- Baptisms
- Naming patterns
- Foundlings
- Stillbirths in parish records
- Missing baptisms
- Marriages
- Marriage customs
- Irregular marriages
- Deaths and Burials
- Finding the records
- Kirk Session records
- Locating Kirk Session Records
- Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly
- Heritors

Chapter 4 – Other churches
- Switching churches
- Finding dissenter records
- Other Church Denominations
- Scottish Episcopal Church
- Locating Episcopal church records
- Roman Catholicism
- Locating the CPRs
- Smaller denominations

Chapter 5 - Where were they?
- Census records
- National Identity Register
- Electoral Registers
- Valuation Rolls
- Burgh assessment rolls
- Poor law records
- Tax records
- Inland Revenue Field Books
- Forfeited estates
- Maps
- The Statistical Accounts of Scotland
- Other gazetteers

Chapter 6 – Land tenure
- Scotland
- Feudalism
- Royal burghs
- Charters
- Instruments of Sasine
- The Registers of Sasines
- Liferents and Trusts
- Registers of Scotland
- Registers of Deeds
- Estate papers
- Tacksmen
- The end of feudalism
- Udal tenure
- Other forms of tenure

Chapter 7 – Inheritance
- Moveable estate
- Testaments
- Calendars of Confirmations and Inventories
- Heritable estate
- The Services of Heirs
- Precepts of Clare Constat
- Trust dispositions and settlements
- Types of Heir
- Ultimus haeres records

Chapter 8 – Law and Order
- Scots Law
- Sheriff Courts
- Privy Council
- Criminal prosecution
- Case Study: The Mount Stewart Murder
- Fatal Accident Enquiries
- Court of Session
- Debt
- Case Study: Matthew Campbell of Waterhaughs
- Bankruptcy
- Case study: John Brownlie MacFarlane
- Commissary Courts
- Franchise and burgh courts
- Trade incorporations
- Justices of the Peace
- Admiralty Court
- Court of the Lord Lyon
- Police and prison records
- Transportation
- Capital punishment

Bibliography / Further Reading

Index


Enjoy!

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.

Back soon folks!

Apologies for the ongoing lack of posting. Having now moved to Irvine, my new internet package does not kick in until next week, so I am saving my phone data for more important things just now, such as my next Pharos course chat session at the weekend.

In the meantime though, amongst all the box unpacking, I have managed to start getting back into some work. Last week I gave a talk to Central Scotland FHS (www.csfhs.org.uk) on tracing Scottish resources prior to 1800, on the night beforte the great migration, which was well received. I then visited Ayrshire Archives (www.ayrshirearchives.org.uk) at the Townhouse in Irvine a couple of days ago to get a sense of local holdings, and yesterday had the pleasure to speak at my former university, the University of Strathclyde, to discuss with the postgraduate students there on the genealogy courses how I make a living as a family historian, emphasising that there are many ways to do so. Following this we had a great meal in Glasgow last night (below) – thanks to Tahitia, Ali, Graham, Linda, Judith and all the students who put up with me!

For more on the genie courses at Strathclyde, visit www.strath.ac.uk/studywithus/centreforlifelonglearning/genealogy.

Blogging services will resume soon!

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.

APG digitises 40 years of Journal content

From the Association of Professional Genealogists (www.apgen.org):

APG Digitizes All 40 Years of Its Journal
Association of Professional Genealogists Digitizes All 40 Years of Its Journal

Members May Now Access More Than 5,000 Pages of Professional Genealogy Content

WHEAT RIDGE, Colo., 11 November 2019 - In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of its founding, the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) announced it has digitized all 40 years of its member publications. Beginning in 1979 with typed and photocopied newsletters, the professional publication for its members has evolved to its present Association of Professional Genealogists Quarterly (APGQ). Comprising more than 5,000 pages, the archive of APG publications spans topics of interest to genealogists, from running a business to attracting clients.

"The APGQ is the longest-running publication dedicated to the genealogy profession, said Mary Penner, CG, managing editor. "Its fascinating to see how the profession has evolved over the past 40 years and to see how many of the articles are just as relevant today as they were when they were written. This digital archive is an unparalleled resource for our members as they strive to make their businesses successful and serve the genealogy community. It also helps preserve the history of APG."

The future of the profession has long been a topic of discussion, as evidenced by early articles such as, "What is a Professional Genealogist?" and "Is there a Future in Professional Genealogy?" For APG's 10th anniversary in 1989, the APGQ reprinted an earlier article from Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA, "Genealogical Quality is Not a Professional Concern Only."

"What a wonderful way to celebrate our fortieth anniversary!" said APG President Billie Stone Fogarty. By preserving and sharing the wisdom of our members through the years concerning this wonderful field of professional genealogy, we can see how our field has evolved and we can also focus on the core elements that combine to make genealogy both art and science. Our heartfelt thanks to Mary Penner for her hard work which made this gift a reality."

A comprehensive index of all APG publications is freely available on the APG website.

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.

Review: Ant and Dec's DNA Journey

That was properly painful viewing...

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.

Hackney records added to Lloyd George Domesday Survey

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

Hackney Area Lloyd George Domesday records added to TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™

TheGenealogist has just released the Hackney maps and field books into its property ownership and occupancy record set, The Lloyd George Domesday Survey. Family historians can use this unique online resource to see where an ancestor lived in the 1910-1915 period for a number of areas and will extend out across the country in time.

These records make use of TheGenealogist’s powerful new Map Explorer™ to access the maps and residential data, so that those who want to discover where their ancestors lived in the period before the First World War are able to see the district as it was in that period. Because these large scale maps include plots for the exact properties and are married to various georeferenced historic map overlays and modern base maps on the Map Explorer™,by using the opacity controls researchers can see how the land has changed. The Lloyd George Domesday Survey records are sourced from The National Archives and are being digitised by TheGenealogist.

This release includes the following areas: Clapton, Dalston, Hackney, Homerton, Hornsey South, Hoxton, Kingsland, Moorfields, South Hackney, Stamford Hill, Stoke Newington and West Hackney.

• TheGenealogist’s Lloyd George Domesday Survey records zoom down to show individual properties on extremely detailed maps used in 1910-1915
• Fully searchable by name, county, parish and street
• The transparency slider reveals a modern street map underlay
• Change the base map displayed to more clearly understand what the area looks like today

Read about how the Hackney Landowner and Occupier records detail the last days of a Highwayman’s Inn
https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2019/hackney-landowner-and-occupier-records-and-the-highwaymans-inn-1204/


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.

Latest additions to FindmyPast

Added this week to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Britain, The Great War, I Was There
Learn about the Great War from those who experienced it first-hand. The Great War: I Was There is a magazine that was first published in 1938. Edited by Sir John Hammerton, its 51 editions ran from 29 September 1938 to 19 September 1939 and are available to view in PDF format. The magazine was a weekly periodical, available on Thursdays, which aimed to capture the undying memories of the 1914-1918 war. It contained excerpts from other sources but mainly consisted first-hand accounts and previously unpublished images.

Burma Star Association Membership Forms
Did your military ancestor serve in the Burma campaign of World War 2? Search over 53,000 membership forms of the Burma Star Association, to become a full member of the Association, an ex-Serviceman, ex-Servicewoman or Nurse must have been awarded the Burma Campaign Star for service in Burma during World War 2 for the necessary qualifying period or the Pacific Star with Burma Clasp. The Association is Tri-Service and for members of The Merchant Navy who hold the Burma Star with permanent representatives from the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Royal British Legion on the National Council.

Dekho, Burma Star Association
Search over 4,000 records to find out if your World War 2 became a member of the Burma Star Association. Dekho! Is the journal of the Burma Star Association, it is published three times a year. It informs members of the Association who are unable to get out and meet their comrades with information about events that are going on in the Burma Star Association. These editions run from 1951 to 2018.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added over 115,000 new pages and five new titles; the Musselburgh News, Coatbridge Leader, Fifeshire Journal, Port-Glasgow Express and Blairgowrie Advertiser. We have updated twelve of our existing Scottish titles this week, with highlights including the 26,378 pages we have added to the North British Daily Mail, spanning the years 1849 to 1894. Other significant updates include those to the Wishaw Press, with 17,552 pages covering the later half of the twentieth century.

Further info and details at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/learn-about-the-great-war-from-those-who-experienced

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.

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.

Ant & Dec's DNA Journey starts Sunday

From ITV:

ITV has commissioned a two-part special which will see the UK’s best loved duo embark on a surprisingly emotional journey of discovery in Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey.

A Voltage TV and Mitre Television co-production, viewers will see Ant and Dec navigate a tougher terrain than the Australian jungle. Guided by expert genealogists and historians, the pair will follow their maternal and paternal blood lines using their DNA to search their ancestral history.

As their travels take them to Ireland and the US, including The United Nations Headquarters, the pair will not only delve into their past but will also meet relatives they had no clue even existed, unveiling some truly shocking revelations that only their DNA could unlock.

Whose great grandfather is a celebrated war hero and whose DNA cousin is a former US female wrestling promoter? Whose ancestors’ bones were deemed ‘of historical importance’ and who discovers that they are a descendant from Royalty?

As Ant & Dec embark on their journey, viewers will be treated to a rare and personal glimpse into this truly remarkable friendship with their warmth and infectious humour that has not only captured the nation over the years, but has seen them achieve huge success resulting in a multitude of awards and accolades.

Ant said:

“I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to historical events, so to get the chance to research our family history using our DNA was too good an opportunity to pass up. What we find out is mind-blowing and nothing either of us could ever have imagined. It’s something that will stay with us both forever. "

Dec said:

“A huge part of this was to find out my heritage, especially on my dad’s side. I always thought I knew a fair bit about where I came from but it turns out I was wrong! Whilst it was incredible to find out about the past, what was hugely overwhelming was to meet relatives neither of us knew we had. It was a truly amazing experience."

Siobhan Greene, who commissioned the show when she was ITV’s Head of Entertainment Commissioned said:

“This documentary captured Ant and Dec at an intersection in their lives. I feel sure the ITV viewers will be on the edge of their seats watching twists and turns of their DNA journey unfold, and their honesty and openness, will leave a lasting heart print.”

Kathleen Larkin, Executive Produce from Voltage TV said:

“It’s been a privilege working with such talent as Ant & Dec. This is a film that celebrates friendship, showing two brilliantly funny best mates making a unique trip of a lifetime to find out about their heritage past and present. It’s been a passion for all involved and we’ve loved working with the fantastic team at ITV to make something we all believe in.”

Ant & Dec’s DNA Journey is a Voltage TV and Mitre Television co-production for ITV. It was commissioned by Siobhan Greene when she was ITV’s Head of Entertainment Commissioning and Louise Major Assistant Commissioner, Entertainment, ITV. The Executive Producers are Kathleen Larkin and Sanjay Singhal and the Director is Iain Thompson, Voltage TV.

(Source: ITV Press Centre - https://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/ant-decs-dna-journey) 

COMMENT: The two-part show will start on ITV, STV and UTV on Sunday 10 November, from at 9pm-10.30pm.

From the Radio Times:

Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly may think they know who they are, but in this two-part documentary, the popular presenters uncover their surprising and emotional family histories, using a combination of DNA and genealogy. The shock revelations include military men in both of their families - one a medal-winning war hero, the other a deserter. And as well as delving into the past, Ant and Dec also get to meet DNA relatives they never knew existed.

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.

Free access to Ancestry's British military records

From Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Find out how your ancestors played their part in the war

From serving in the military to looking after our land, there were so many ways our ancestors served in wartime Britain. Discover your family’s contributions this Remembrance Day with free access to wartime records until Monday.*

*Access to the records in the featured collections will be free until 11 Nov 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. We will then send you a username and password to access the records. 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 please click here.

You can also access the records at https://www.ancestry.co.uk/cs/free-access

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.

Moving house shortly

After seventeen years based in the Ayrshire town of Largs, I will be leaving and moving half an hour down the road to the wonderful town of Irvine on November 14th, still within North Ayrshire (just!).

From a work point of view, this means I will be much closer to the Burns Monument Centre in Kilmarnock (which hosts the ScotlandsPeople computer system), and the various branches of Ayrshire Archives in Irvine, Auchincruive and Kilmarnock, as well as other major libraries in Kilmarnock and Ayr.

I will update all my contact details on this blog and my research site in due course, but as I am sure you can appreciate, I have a hell of a lot of packing to do, so posting may be a little infrequent over the next week or so!

Below are a few pictures from Largs - it's well worth a visit, and we'll be back regularly (my son will still be attending school here!).

Onwards and upwards!

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.

RootsIreland adds County Clare records

From RootsIreland (www.rootsireland.ie):

We are delighted to announce that Clare Heritage and Genealogical Centre have added 74,152 records to their database at http://clare.rootsireland.ie/ These records are as follows:

Roman Catholic baptisms and marriages:

Ballyvaughan (marriages 1862-1900), Broadford (marriages 1840-1883), Carron (baptisms, 1853-1900; marriages 1856-1898), Clonlara (baptisms, 1851-1900; marriages 1851-1900), Flagmount (marriages 1842-1900), Inagh (marriages 1850-1900), Killadysart (baptisms, 1829-1900; marriages 1867-1877), Killimer (baptisms 1859-1900), Kilmaley (marriages 1829-1900), Kilshanny (baptisms, 1869-1900), Liscannor (marriages 1866-1884), O’Callaghans Mills (marriages 1835-1900), Lisdoonvarna (baptisms, 1854-1900; marriages 1854-1899), New Quay (marriages 1848-1899), Sixmilebridge (marriages 1829-1868), Tubber (baptisms, 1833-1900; marriages 1864-1899).

Civil Births:
Cooleycasey (1894-1920), Crusheen (1885-1920), Ennis (1884-1920), Kilkishen (1896-1920), Scarriff (1886-1920).

Civil Deaths:
Bridgetown (1864-1970), Cooleycasey (1864-1970), Crusheen (1864-1970), Killaloe (1864-1970), Newmarket (1864-1970), Tulla (1864-1970), Ballyvaughan (1864-1970).

Gravestone Inscriptions:
Blakemount Tubber, Kilkeedy, Moore, Corrovorran, Coad, Kiltackey, Friary Abbey Ennis, Killilagh, Kilmoon, Killeny, Doolin.

Clare Journal 1778-1917
Marriages (1779-1917)
Deaths (1778-1917)

For a full list of records for Clare, and to search these records, go to www.clare.rootsireland.ie/

(Original announcement at http://www.rootsireland.ie/2019/11/new-clare-records/)

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 adds WWII Royal Artillery Tracer Cards 1939-1948

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added the following Second World War collection:

UK, WWII Royal Artillery Tracer Cards, 1939-1948
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/royalartillerycards/
Source: Royal Artillery Tracer cards, Royal Artillery Museum, Larkhill, Wiltshire, England.

From the collection page:

About UK, WWII Royal Artillery Tracer Cards, 1939-1948

Historical Context

Since its inception in 1716, the Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as 'The Gunners', has served as the artillery arm of the British Army, supplying it's firepower. At its peak during the Second World War, there were over one million men serving in 960 gunner regiments and at the end of the War, the RA was larger than the Royal Navy.

This Collection

This collection comprises cards created to track the movements of soldiers between units within the Royal Artillery during WWII. The role of the Tracer card was to answer the question 'where is that man right now?', saving the burden of administration and searching through many files. Only 'Other Ranks', or in other words those who were not commissioned officers, are included. Please be aware that some cards will include dates outside of 1939-1948.

The following information can be found, where available:

Name
Inferred date of birth
Place and date of death
Place and date of enlistment
Date of discharge
Inferred gender
Regiment and unit
Service rank
Service number

Please Note: In this first release, we have included all records for servicemen with surnames starting A-P. We will be adding all remaining cards in a future update. Please also be aware that not every member of the RA will have a corresponding Tracer Card but this collection will include all surviving cards.

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.

The Genealogy Show announces speakers for 2020 event

The Genealogy Show has announced its speakers for the next show in 2020.

Giving the keynote talks will be

Celia Heritage
Fiona Fitzsimons
Maureen Taylor
Roberta Estes

Additional speakers include:

Daniel Smith Ramos
Dave Annal
Doreen Hopwood
Jacqui Kirk
Janet Few
Jean-Marc Bazzoni
Jenni Phillips
Jill Ball
John Boeren
Kai Michael Poppe
Karen Cummings
Les Mitchinson
Lynn Palermo
Mags Gaulden
Maya Hirschman
Michelle Leonard
Nathan Dylan Goodwin
Robert Bristow
Robert Parker
Ruth Blair
Steven Jackson

The event will be held on Friday 26th & Saturday 27th June at The National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England.

Further details are available at https://thegenealogyshow.uk - details of the talks programme itself will be made available soon.

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.

Forces War Records adds Long Service Good Conduct Medal collection

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

Title: Was your ancestor's conduct recognised in this new collection from Forces War Records

RELEASE DATE: Today

An exciting ‘new’ collection of records has been added to the Forces War Records database that may contain your ancestor. A collection of over 500,000 records for the recipients of the Army Long Service Good Conduct Medal and its later incarnation the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) across various regiments of the military are now available to view online.

These military records could hold the information you are looking for. Search for a record in this new collection today.

Also included in this unique collection are records from the Volunteer Force Long Service Medal, The Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, Territorial Efficiency Medal and the Efficiency Medal (Territorial) and variations

For more information visit https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/was-your-ancestors-conduct-recognised-in-this-new-collection

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.

Resources added to MyHeritage Education

From MyHeritage (www.myheritage.com):

As you know, we recently launched MyHeritage Education, our new online resource center.

Available in English, German, Dutch, French, Swedish, and Norwegian, MyHeritage Education offers a wealth of material to help you learn about every facet of MyHeritage. The content includes articles, how-to videos, and webinars covering a wide variety of topics, as well as plenty of tips for everyone, from beginner family history enthusiasts to seasoned genealogists.

I’m pleased to share our first monthly update from MyHeritage Education! I hope that you’ll find it useful and enjoy receiving updates on all of the new material we publish each month.

Below you’ll find a summary of the new items that we’ve added to the site since its launch in September.

Webinars
We’ve published 23 videos of the sessions from MyHeritage LIVE 2019 in Amsterdam, plus:

On the Go: Using Your Mobile Device for Genealogy
Genealogy for Advanced Users: Grow Your Family Tree Online
Unlocking English & Welsh Civil Registration Records

Articles

5 Tips for Hosting a Fantastic Family Reunion
5 Tips for an Adoption-Related Search
Explaining Ethnic Regions
MyHeritage Discoveries Pages
DNA Results and Filtering Your DNA Matches
How to Use Chromosome Browsers for Genealogy

Videos

How to Invite People to Your Family Tree
How to Use the Consistency Checker

What can you do with this information? Stay up to date on new features, expand your knowledge of MyHeritage, and help us promote the new content on your social channels.

Please let us know if you have any feedback about the site or ideas for new content.

To acces the content visit https://education.myheritage.com/

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.

Book launch: Tracing Your Ancestors Using DNA

From the University of Strathclyde:

DNA research is one of the most important and rapidly advancing areas in modern science and the practical use of DNA testing in genealogy is one of its most exciting applications. Yet there is no recent British publication in this field. That is why this accessible, wide-ranging introduction is so valuable. It offers a clear and practical way into the subject, explaining the scientific discoveries and techniques and illustrating with case studies how it can be used by genealogists to gain an insight into their ancestry.

The subject is complex and perhaps difficult for traditional genealogists to understand but, with the aid of this book, novices who are keen to take advantage of it will be able to interpret test results and use them to help answer genealogical questions which cannot be answered by documentary evidence alone. It will also appeal to those with some experience in the field because it places the practical application of genetic genealogy within a wider context, highlighting its role as a genealogical tool and suggesting how it can be made more effective.

BOOK LAUNCH:

THURSDAY 14 NOVEMBER, 19.00 - 21.00
ROOM 748,
CENTRE FOR LIFE LONG LEARNING,
UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE,
GRAHAM HILLS BUILDING,
40 GEORGE STREET,
GLASGOW,
G1 1QE.

COMMENT: It's a great book! You can read my review at https://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2019/07/review-tracing-your-ancestors-using-dna.html

(With thanks to Linda Kerr, via the Scottish Genealogy Network)

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.

Commonwealth Virtual Institute in March 2020

From the ISBGFH:

THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR BRITISH GENEALOGY AND FAMILY HISTORY
PRESENTS COMMONWEALTH VIRTUAL INSTITUTE

The ISBGFH is pleased to announce their Virtual Institute which will run from March 16-19, 2020. The theme for this Institute is Researching in Commonwealth Countries. Each day of the Institute will feature 4 presentations on a particular Commonwealth Country:

Monday March 16 – Canadian Research presented by Kathryn Lake Hogan, UE, PLCGS. Kathryn is a Canadian professional genealogist who revels in teaching people how to find their ancestors in Canada. She is the founder and owner of the Canadian-based genealogy business, Looking4Ancestors.

Tuesday March 17 – South African Research presented by Sue McNelly. Sue is a professional genealogist based in Phoenix, Arizona, with over 16 years of experience. Born in South Africa to her English father and South African mother, Sue’s roots are predominantly English with a little Scottish, Irish and of course South African, to add to the mix. Sue is the owner of KindredPast, a genealogy company focusing on research in South Africa, England, and the Isle of Man.

Wednesday March 18 – British India Research presented by Emma Jolly. Emma Jolly MA is a professional genealogist and writer. Based in London, Emma writes regularly for family history publications and is the author of four books. Emma's media work includes radio and television appearances, as well as research for British and Swedish television channels, independent production companies, and national newspapers. She also edits the monthly newsletter of the Society of Genealogists. Emma specializes in genealogy problem-solving, tracing living relatives (alongside DNA test analysis), London history, social history, women's history and the British in India.

Thursday March 19 – Australian Research presented by Kerry Farmer. Kerry Farmer is a researcher, presenter and teacher in genealogical studies. She is on the Board of the Society of Australian Genealogists and convener of their Education Committee. She is Director of Australian Studies for the National Institute for Genealogical Studies, developing their Australian Records courses.
**Please note that this will be a late afternoon/evening series given the time zone differences**

$70usd per day. $249usd for all 4 days.
Registration allows you access to recordings of the presentations until April 30th
To register: https://isbgfh.wildapricot.org/

(With thanks to Christine Woodcock)

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.

AncestryDNA test kit offer

From Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Get AncestryDNA® for just £59

Get gifting done early and give a loved one AncestryDNA® this Christmas, so they can explore their heritage and discover the communities that shaped them. At just £59* + shipping for a limited time, now’s the time to get AncestryDNA®.

ONLY £59* (normally £79) + shipping

*Price excludes shipping costs. Offer ends 24 Nov 2019 at 23:59 GMT. Terms apply.

Obtain via https://www.ancestry.co.uk/order/express/O-24932#/expresscart/

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.

Irvine Burgh Archive Collection now available to consult

From North Ayrshire Council:

An additional 2000 records of historical importance have now been made available to the public for the first time at Irvine’s Townhouse after Ayrshire Archives launched the Irvine Burgh Archive Collection on Tuesday, October 24.

North Ayrshire Provost Ian Clarkson and Elected Members were among guests at the celebration event, where they heard more about one of the oldest and most complete Burgh archive collections in Scotland.

They also enjoyed an exhibition of archives dating from 1322 to 1975 from the collection, which included a rare opportunity to view the Irvine Charter of King Robert the Bruce, dated 1322, the Irvine Charter of King Robert II, dated 1372, and a Charter granted by Mary, Queen of Scots, from 1545.

Ayrshire Archives was established in 1996 to provide the archive service for North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire councils. Collections are located across Ayrshire, including at the Burns Monument Centre in Kilmarnock and Ayrshire Archives HQ at Auchincruive.

The archive service looks after and provides access to irreplaceable records of historical importance belonging to all three authorities and their predecessors, as well as private records that relate to the historical development of Ayrshire and Arran.

The collection can be used for research, learning and legal purposes, offering an insight into the history and development of families and individuals, communities, buildings and the physical environment, social and economic landscape and politics of the past.

Provost Ian Clarkson said: “What a truly fascinating collection of records we have at Irvine Townhouse. It was a treat to see these important Irvine Charter documents dating back to the 14th century.

“The Irvine Burgh Archive is a real treasure trove for anyone researching specific aspects of the town’s history, with trained staff able to help you along the way.

“Along with our Family History Service, which is also based at the venue, this is an extremely valuable resource for the people of North Ayrshire.”

For more information on how to trace your ancestors using North Ayrshire Council’s Family History service, click here.

Appointments to view the Irvine Burgh Archives are available at Irvine Townhouse on Thursdays between 9.30am and 1pm, then from 2pm to 4pm. To book, or for more information on Ayrshire Archives and collections relating to North Ayrshire, click here. You can also follow Ayrshire Archives on Facebook and Twitter

(Source: https://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/news/Irvine-Burgh-Archive-Collection-is-launched-at-Townhouse.aspx)

COMMENT: for more on Ayrshire Archives's burgh records holdings visit https://ayrshirearchives.wordpress.com/the-catalogues/burgh-records/.

And very soon, I just might be able to do some look-ups for you -  all being well, I am moving to Irvine in a fortnight's time!

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.