FindmyPast restricts TNA ref numbers access on 1939 previews

What the left hand giveth...

This one is just bizarre. It seems that FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has apparently now restricted access to National Archives reference numbers on preview screens for its 1939 National Identity Register collection searches for England and Wales - but seemingly only on the British version of the site.

Until a short time ago, when carrying out a search, a list of search results would arrive allowing you to see a preview of an individual's specific entry. This preview screen popped up with a name, birth year, an idea of how many others may have been in the household, and the TNA reference number in which the record was held. This same reference number could then be used to identify to an extent which other members might be present in the house, and indeed, on the same street, which could help inform the user as to whether they had indeed found the right household.

Now when you do the search on the UK site, this is what you get:

Yet on the US version of the site, to which I subscribe, this is what you get:

Both the Australasian and Irish versions of the site are still also displaying the TNA reference numbers.

Quite why FindmyPast seems to be playing silly buggers on this is a mystery. But it may well be the case that the international versions of the site soon implement the same restrictions, so if you have searches to carry out, I would humbly suggest you do them sooner rather than later. If you have one of the international versions of the site open at the same time when you are using the UK site, you can cross reference any possible finds by carrying out the same search on the overseas site, and getting the relevant reference from there - you do not need to be registered or logged in to these overseas versions, the 1939 search will provide these basic preview details for free.

The overseas sites are as follows:

www.findmypast.ie
www.findmypast.com.au
www.findmypast.com

Why FindmyPast is doing this is beyond me - but one has to wonder in which chapter of the customer relations book that they seem to be using was this considered a good idea.

(With thanks to the Guild of One Named Studies and to Rosemary Morgan for raising this issue)

UPDATE: Thanks to reader Martin James for the following comment via Twitter (@heritagefamily). He has queried this directly with FMP, and received the following response on Twitter: "We're carrying out some work on this section of the search, it will be back as soon as possible".

12 NOV 2015: This post has been subsequently amended to remove further updates - see http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/1939-national-identity-register-terms.html. It should also be noted that the information is now restricted on all FMP sites.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.

FindmyPast - Scottish censuses

Something I've just noticed on the new version of the FindmyPast site (www.findmypast.co.uk), and it is not about the site functionality (plenty of other threads going on on that front!). No, this is about the census source information that is given for the Scottish censuses.

Prior to this relaunch, the source information displayed for Scottish censuses differed horrendously between the US site and the UK site. Occasionally the UK site fouled up on how it recorded source info - e.g. with references such as a registration district number such as 644/1 occasionally being rendered as 6441, and with irritating gaffes such as using English and Welsh terminology (as catalogued by the National Archives at Kew) to describe the Scottish returns. Although there were issues with the UK FMP site, the US site by comparison was a complete basket case in its citation.

Here is an example, using my 2 x great grandfather William H Paton in 1871, located at Blackford, Perthshire. The source for his entry, as variously recorded online:

i) According to Ancestry: "Registration Number 333, ED 2, page 16, line 1" - The correct description is almost given here, except 'Registration number' should be 'Registration District'.

ii) Previously according to FMP.co.uk (UK): "Piece 333, Folio 2, page 16" - Scottish censuses don't use folio numbers and pieces for their citation. It's actually Registration District 333, Enumeration District 2. Right numbers, wrong language.

iii) According to FMP.com (US): "Archive Reference RG10, enumeration district 2". Say what?

Now, however, FMP UK has decided that Scottish census source info will also display the US featured RG numbers - which is useless. And something now shared by all the worldwide FindmyPast platforms.

Simply put - not fit for purpose. I've left a note on their feedback thread.

Chris

Time to find your inner Irish...! All the best online Irish genealogy resources can be found through my book Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet - in print and ebook formats. "Very useful, makes me wish I was Irish!" - Saint Patrick, patron saint.

FindmyPast answers critics

Who Do You Think You Are magazine has published an exclusive interview by Jon Bauckham with FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) on its website - the subject, of course, is the disastrous replacement of the company's records platform with a new system, which err, doesn't seem to work very well - not just my judgement, but that of hundreds of complaints I've been reading online in the last few days. The answers to the magazine's questions have been 'put together by staff across the findmypast team'. Discussed are the reasons for the new site, various problems now occurring, how it was tested, how it was rolled out, the new look (including the seriously irritating display of results for pages that take ages to scroll through), and more.

I thought this statement stood out:

Our new site is not unfit for purpose. A number of features may now look very different and may not be instantly recognisable to all our users, but all of the essential functions of the old search are still there. We acknowledge that there have been some technical issues that have affected some areas of the search and we apologise for any inconvenience these may have caused, although the ability to search for records has remained functional throughout.

The company has promised to make many changes, but is not budging on calls for it to reinstate the old site (at least temporarily). You can read the full interview at http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/news/exclusive-findmypast-responds-website-redesign-criticism.

If you have been experiencing problems with FindmyPast it is worth noting that the company has been offering two month subscription extensions to many who have been complaining. It's feedback thread is at http://feedback.findmypast.co.uk/forums/222583-ideas-and-improvements/suggestions/5649598-improve-features-to-bring-in-line-with-the-old-sit. That's not to guarantee that you will get the same though...!

As a PR disaster though, I think this may well be the one of the worst that I have seen in many years from a genealogy vendor. Here's hoping it gets itself sorted very soon.

What do you think of the company's response?

(With thanks to Who Do You Think You Are magazine)

Chris

Time to find your inner Irish...! All the best online Irish genealogy resources can be found through my book Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet - in print and ebook formats. "Very useful, makes me wish I was Irish!" - Saint Patrick, patron saint.

FindmyPast to add and enhance PERSI database

The PERriodical Source Index, aka PERSI, will soon be moving to a new online home on FindmyPast.com (as well as FindmyPast UK, FindmyPast Ireland and FindmyPast Oz), having previously been accessible on Ancestry.co.uk. In addition to the index, FindmyPast will also be adding digitised images to the database of many of the journals themselves, thanks to a  new partnership with the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) Genealogy Center.

The project will take several months - the full story is at http://blog.findmypast.com/2013/07/19/persi-finds-new-home-on-findmypast/

(With thanks to FindmyPast.com)

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. My Scottish land and church records ebooks are available at http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html, whilst my next Pharos Scottish course, Scottish Research Online, starts Sep 4th - see http://pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Time to smash a few brick walls...!

New South Wales wills books to join FindmyPast Oz

From the down under version of FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com.au):

Historical will books from New South Wales to be published for the first time by findmypast.com.au
Findmypast.com.au secures government contract to display NSW will books online

12 June 2013 – Leading family history site, findmypast.com.au, has secured the rights to publish all of the registered wills from New South Wales from 1800 to 1952. As the only genealogy site displaying this information, the tender win is a major coup for findmypast.com.au as it consolidates its strong presence in the Australian market.

The collection of will books will be available later this year and will include handwritten copies of the original wills, from about 1800 to 1924, and typed copies of wills from 1924 to 1952.

The will books are an excellent resource for family history enthusiasts tracing the financial history of their ancestors. Findmypast.com.au users will be able to track exactly where their ancestors’ wealth, estates and belongings were allocated, helping them uncover the past relationships and loyalties their family held.

Findmypast.com.au was awarded the contract by the State Records Authority of New South Wales following a competitive tender process, as findmypast.com.au proved a reliable and credible source to display this critical information.

Findmypast.com.au General Manager Vicki Dawson stated “Successfully securing the contract to display the NSW will books has been a significant milestone for findmypast.com.au. The will books are an invaluable resource to genealogists and only strengthens the already solid offering available from findmypast.com.au. We are continually growing our pool of resources and this win is another prime example of our efforts to become the market leader amongst genealogy websites.”

Jenni Stapleton, Acting Director, at State Records stated, ‘’The will books are one of the most vital sets of records held by State Records and provide a unique insight into the past lives of people in New South Wales. This agreement with findmypast.com.au is an example of increasing access to such valuable resources through new access channels and technologies.”’

For further information on findmypast.com.au or to uncover your family history please visit:
www.findmypast.com.au.

(With thanks to Mick Gibb)

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. My Scottish land and church records ebooks are available at http://www.gen-ebooks.com/unlock-the-past.html, whilst my next Pharos Scottish course, Scottish Research Online, starts Sep 4th - see http://pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. Time to smash a few brick walls...!

Free access to Oz & Kiwi military records for ANZAC Day

From the Ozzie version of FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com.au)

Access 3.6 million military records and uncover your heroic ancestors for free in honour of ANZAC Day

Free access available on findmypast.com.au in lead up to Anzac Day, 22-26 April

April 2013 – As thousands of Australians and New Zealanders prepare to descend on Gallipoli this Anzac Day, leading family history site, findmypast.com.au, prepares for its own influx as it announces free access to its entire military archives between Monday 22 April and Friday 26 April, 2013.

The comprehensive collection, which includes 3.6 million records from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Britain and the United States, has been provided free of charge as part of ongoing efforts by findmypast.com.au to venerate the Anzacs for their service. The access also makes it easier than ever before for Australians and New Zealanders to investigate their family’s past and learn more about their achievements and efforts during Australia’s and New Zealand’s international conflicts.

Users will have the opportunity to browse findmypast.com.au’s inaugural Anzac Memory Bank, containing heroic stories, exclusive photos, and diary entries relating to Australian and New Zealand involvement in all wars. Almost 200 users have submitted their personal and family stories to the Anzac Memory Bank, providing valuable insight into what it was like to live through these times of turmoil.

In addition to the free access to all military records and the Anzac Memory Bank, findmypast.com.au and Inside History are thrilled to announce a collaboration to produce an exclusive free digital magazine in support of this Anzac campaign. The digital magazine will showcase new international historical records as well as providing intriguing case studies from around Australia. The free digital magazine is available on iPad by visiting the Anzac Memory Bank on findmypast.com.au.

(With thanks to Emma Kelly)

Chris

My new book, Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet, is now available from Pen and Sword. For my other genealogy books, please visit  http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html; whilst for my online Scottish based genealogy courses please visit the Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd site.

FindmyPast releases Kilmainham discharge papers

At long last, FindmyPast has released its Kilmainham discharge papers, for soldiers discharged from the British Army in Ireland. Also released are more Chelsea pension papers. This is the first release of records to all FindmyPast sites worldwide www.findmypast.co.uk - www.findmypast.ie - www.findmypast.com - www.findmypast.com.au (probably explaining the US bias):

THE GREEN REDCOATS

• Military record found of “Green Redcoat” Hugh Burke shot in the Battle of New Orleans (1815)
• Part of a collection of almost 20,000 new soldiers’ records published on family history website
• First major coordinated release across the findmypast family of international sites

Records of an Irish soldier, Private Hugh Burke, one of the so-called “Green Redcoats”, have been published online today for the first time by leading family history site findmypast. These records are part of a major collection of newly-digitised records of those pensioned from the British army by the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

The records, including those from the Royal Hospital Chelsea and those of Imperial Yeomanry from the War Office, represent the first major coordinated release across the findmypast family of international sites after it launched its world collection in August.

These records contain the names and discharge documents of almost 20,000 soldiers held at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham from 1783-1822. The task of cataloguing the records took a team of 14 people from the Friends of The National Archives volunteer group just over 3 years and includes the records of 19,109 soldiers. The Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the building that now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art, was established in 1681 to house sick and veteran troops from the British Army.

The records show details of soldiers, including their height, weight, colour of hair and eyes and any distinguishing features such as a tattoo or scar, as well as where they served and their regiment.

Among them is Private Hugh Burke from Wicklow, who was pensioned from the army on the 26 June 1816 after four years’ service. He was deemed unfit for further service after receiving “a gunshot wound to the left shoulder received in action near New Orleans in America on the 8th of January 1815.”

The Battle of New Orleans is famous because it was the last major battle between the British and American forces in the War of 1812 and was fought after a peace treaty had already been signed. The Treaty of Ghent, which signalled the end of the war, came into effect at the start of February 1815 but due to slow communications the news did not reach New Orleans until two weeks later. Unfortunately for Private Hugh Burke this left him with “a mark on each side of his left shoulder” - entry and exit wounds from the bullet.

Brian Donovan, a family historian from findmypast said: “The number of Irish men who fought in the British army was extensive and these records allow us to glimpse the lives and careers of these soldiers. What makes the Kilmainham series so exciting is how far in time they stretch back. There is detailed information about rank and file soldiers born before 1750, about the regiments they served with, where they travelled, and injuries received. Scanned in colour, indexed and published online for the first time, these records are a fantastic addition to the findmypast collection.”

William Spencer, military expert at the National Archives added: “Many soldiers born in Ireland served in the British Army from the 18th-20th centuries yet the careers of these brave men have been hidden amongst some fragile and complex records. The digitisation of the Kilmainham papers in WO 119, will at last provide access to the brave men of Ireland.”

The Royal Hospital Kilmainham pension records are part of a larger collection of military discharge documents today released by findmypast including:

• Royal Hospital, Kilmainham: pensioners’ discharge documents 1771-1821 (known as WO 119 at the National Archives)
• Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents 1760-1887 (WO 121)
• Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents, foreign regiments 1816-1817 (WO 122)
• War Office: Imperial Yeomanry, soldiers’ documents, South African War 1899-1902 (WO 128)
• Royal Hospital, Chelsea: documents of soldiers awarded deferred pensions 1838-1896 (WO 131)

(With thanks to Myko Clelland)

Chris

Having a Christmas present crisis?! Check out my range of genealogy books at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html - perfect for the family historian's Christmas stocking...! Also now out - new Kindle edition of Tracing Your Family History on the Internet, from http://tinyurl.com/d3vqtz5

New records added to FindmyPast Oz

This is a press release form the Australasian branch of FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com.au), but its records are now accessible on world subs through FindmyPast UK and Ireland, so may be of interest:

Grow your family tree with millions of new records to search

• Over 56 million new Australian & New Zealand records
• 24 million passenger list records available to Australia/New Zealand subscription holders
• New World Collection brings the total records to over 1.5 billion
• PayAsYouGo credits for added flexibility

Findmypast.com.au is has just launched 56 million new records covering Australia and New Zealand. Members can now also access ship passenger list records as part of their Australia/New Zealand subscription. This brings the total to over 135 million records for people searching their Australian and New Zealand family history.

Many of the records just released are invaluable resources to those researching their family history. One of these is electoral rolls which are an alternative to census records, providing important information about ancestors. Many other significant records have also been released such as police and government gazettes, directories and even some unique records such as numerous runs of Radio Call.

Vicki Dawson, General Manager of findmypast.com.au commented: “This is just the start of many new and exciting developments in the future for findmypast.com.au. We are committed to delivering a great service and continually adding new records to the site. It’s all about enhancing the experience for our members and making the family history search even more rewarding.”

This follows the recent launch of the new World Collection which gives members access to over 1.5 billion records from Australia, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the United States. The British Collection includes England, Wales and Scotland census records from 1841 to 1911, the most comprehensive online index of birth, marriage and death records in England and Wales as well as many more invaluable records.

The Irish Collection contains the Irish Prison Registers 1790-1924, Griffiths Land Valuation 1847-1864 and many more great records. The United States Collection includes all US censuses 1790-1930, World War I Draft Cards and the 1940 states will be added as they become indexed.

The collection of records on findmypast.com.au is continually growing. Coming soon are millions of new records for Australia and New Zealand, and many more international records. The British Newspaper Collection will be available in the near future giving members’ access to over five million British newspapers and growing each day.

Findmypast.com.au offers a PayAs YouGo credit option for new members wanting to trial the website. This unique way to view records offers more flexibility for members. There are also new subscription options available.

Stay tuned on our website, blog and social media to stay up to date with the latest information.

Blog - blog.findmypast.com.au
Facebook - www.facebook.com/findmypastAustralia
Twitter - www.twitter.com/findmypastAU
Google+ - findmypast australasia

(With thanks to Emma Kelly of FMP Oz)

Chris

Scottish Research Online - 5 weeks online Pharos course, £45.99, taught by Chris Paton from 26 SEP 2012 - see www.pharostutors.com
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

FindmyPast Ireland goes worldwide

In the footsteps of the US based FindmyPast.com and the Australasian based FindmyPast.com.au, FindmyPast Ireland at www.findmypast.ie has now upgraded its site to provide joint worldwide subscriptions to the four separate FindmyPast sites around the world (the UK site being the fourth). The site is offering two worldwide subscriptions - 12 months access at €161.96 EUR or 6 months at €101.66 EUR, with both subscriptions including a 10% discount (until 14th Sep 2012). There is also a joint British and Irish sites access subscription set - €134.96 EUR for 12 months and €85.46 EUR for six months; and the normal Irish site only subscription at €53.96 EUR for 12 months and €34.16 EUR for six months. In addition there are also PayAsYouGo options.

As with the Australasian site, the Irish site world subscription prices are currently higher than the US based site's equivalent which is offering an introductory 'pioneer subscription' for approximately £38 Sterling for 12 months access, though this is a temporary offer. Unlike the US site, which specifically allows professional genealogists access to the records via the regular subscriptions, the Irish site seems to be following the British site's example, stating "You can only use the website for your own personal non-commercial use e.g. to research your own family history", as well as stating that "If you persistently offer lookups to other people and provide them with records, or use a personal subscription for professional purposes, we also reserve the right to stop your access. In all these cases you will have no right to a refund." The Irish site also states "Buy credits to carry out research for others: If you wish to carry out research for other people (even for free), you must purchase PayAsYouGo credits to view records."  I am unclear from the site though whether regular PayAsYouGo credits are acceptable for this, or whether you need a Corporate Package of credits (as with the UK site). If you require access for professional research, the US site is the only one facilitating this through a regular subscription - and it is cheaper (see http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/us-findmypast-site-allows-professional.html).

It is frankly bewildering to see such a variation across the sites when it comes to the Terms and Conditions for professional use depending on the portal you use to access those records. Nevertheless, it's great to see worldwide access being offered via another FindmyPast platform. The UK site can't be too far behind now...

(With thanks to Aidan Byrne @8thRDF)

UPDATE: Thanks to FMP Ireland for getting back to me and confirming that professionals can make use of the regular PayAsYouGo credits for research on the Irish site - there is no corporate credit system for this. This is significant as the UK site's corporate credit system is much more expensive for a minimum credits package for professional use, whereas FMP.ie has much smaller packages if you only wish to make occasional use of the resources.

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

US FindmyPast site allows professional use

If you have been worried about not being able to use the UK's FindmyPast website for professional genealogy research, there is a solution - forget about it and switch to the US site.

The UK FindmyPast site at www.findmypast.co.uk specifies the following in its terms and conditions:

You can only use the website for your own personal non-commercial use, e.g., to research your own family history. We are also happy for you to help out other people with their family history by telling them about records available on the website and how and where they can be found, including showing them anything within our free search results. However, you must not provide them with copies of any of the records (either an original image of the record or the information on the results page), even if you provide them for free.

Compare this with the equivalent from Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

You may access the Website only personally with an individual browser (bots, crawlers, spiders, scraping and other automatic access tools are prohibited), use graphics, information, data, editorial and any other content displayed on or accessible through the Website (“Content”) only for personal or professional family history research, and download Content only as search results relevant to that research.

(NB: I've highlighted the part for genealogists)

Well now the new FindmyPast baby in the US, www.FindmyPast.com, has changed its terms and conditions to state the following:

You can use the website for your own personal or professional use, e.g., to research your own family history or as a professional genealogist to perform research for you or others. This is subject to our rights to cancel your account for misuse to be determined at our sole discretion. For the purposes of these terms and conditions, a professional genealogist is defined as a sole proprietorship conducting research for clients. We reserve the right to determine if you are a professional genealogist.

Quite how the US site intends to determine how its international users are professional genealogists is perhaps another story - but if you do work as a professional genealogist, it is worth noting that the US site is still offering its new Pioneer subscription, with access to records from all four FindmyPast sites in the US, the UK, Ireland and Australasia, for approximately £37 a year's subscription - a 75% discount on the intended rate once the promotion has ended.

It's worth pointing out that FindmyPast's UK based sister company, ScotlandsPeople (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk), also allows professional use, as shown in its terms and conditions:

You acknowledge and agree that the material and content contained within the Website is made available for either your personal use or use for genealogical research for commercial purposes and that you may (if necessary to make a Purchase) download such material and content on to only one computer hard drive for such purpose.

Down under, FindmyPast.com.au still offers similar terms and conditions to the UK site, so there's no professional use. The same is also currently true of the Irish site at FindmyPast.ie.

Will the other FindmyPast sites continue to prevent professional genealogists from using their sites - or follow the lead of the new kid on the block?

Watch this space!

(With thanks to Caroline Gurney on the UK Professional Researchers in Genealogy, Family & Local History forum on LinkedIn)


UPDATE 9.50am 2nd Aug: The UK FindmyPast has made the following comment in response to a tweet on this story via @findmypast:

Prof genealogists are welcome to use our site using corporate discount credit packages - http://www.findmypast.co.uk/content/work-with-us/companies-and-libraries

That's not quite what the terms and conditions say, so there are definitely mixed messages on this front from FMP in the UK. If all content from the UK, Ireland and Australasia is being made available on the US site, then any conditions of access to that material in the UK, e.g. if there are copyright or licensing issues etc, which somehow apply to professional genealogists rather than amateur genealogists, must surely be the same as if it is accessed in the US? It's the same material.


UPDATE: 10.40 2nd Aug:  The UK based FindmyPast site (www.findmypast.co.uk) has now clarified its terms and conditions, by confirming that professional genealogists can use the UK site via corporate credits packages. The following is the new clause:

Use a Corporate package to carry out research for others: If you use your subscription to carry out research for other people (even for free), we reserve the option to stop you using the website and charge you retrospectively at £0.12 per credit for the records you have viewed. If you want to use the website for commercial purposes, you must buy a Corporate package.

What they are saying is that you cannot use a personal subscription for professional genealogical use, but must instead purchase credits through a Corporate Package, available at www.findmypast.co.uk/content/work-with-us/companies-and-libraries. Although there is no specific mention of professional genealogists as such, see FindmyPast's earlier tweet above.

The UK site still says the following in the preceding clause however:  You can only use the website for your own personal non-commercial use e.g., to research your own family history.

Clearly FindmyPast is wanting professionals to use the site, but I'd humbly suggest they have a good look through all their T&Cs to prevent conflicts such as this. If they are offering professional access through credits purchases, then it looks to me as if what they really mean is  You can only use a personal subscription for your own personal non-commercial use... etc.

UPDATE: 11am 2nd Aug:  It is clear that FMP UK is happy for people to use the site for professional purposes. Both the US and UK sites are both essentially offering the same deal now - though there is still one big difference...! The PayAsYouGo credit packages from the US site have a low end purchase tier of $13.95 for 100 credits. The UK corporate credits packages have a low end purchase tier of £120 for 1500 credits!

UPDATE: 11.05 2nd Aug - and one final change from FMP UK: They have now reworded the paragraph I picked up on earlier to say "You can only use the website for your own personal non-commercial use e.g., to research your own family history."

The full revised terms and conditions on the UK site are available at www.findmypast.co.uk/content/using-the-site/terms-and-conditions


(With thanks to FindmyPast)

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

US FindmyPast Pioneer sub offer

I've now had confirmation from several readers in both the UK and Australia that it is possible to purchase the American based FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com) Pioneer subscription from outside of the US, though this offer is for a limited period only.

The offer is for a 75% discount on the normal price - meaning access is just $4.95 a month. In proper money that means an annual subscription will cost just approximately £37.85 for a year's access to the holdings of FindmyPast US, FindmyPast UK, FindmyPast Ireland and FindmyPast Australasia.

I would suggest readers may wish to consider adopting the get-in-like-Flynn strategy...! (Note the small print on the site: This offer can be discontinued at our sole discretion at any time. Please check the web site to see if the offer still stands.)

For more on the new site visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/all-new-findmypast-in-beta.html and http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/findmypast-uk-world-subscription-update.html

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

More on all new FindmyPast

A few days ago I blogged about the overseas FindmyPast websites in both the United States and Australasia having now implemented a single global subscription allowing access to the different sites in the US, the UK, Ireland, and Australia & New Zealand. A UK based reader, Cathy, has since posted comments following the blog post at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/all-new-findmypast-in-beta.html, in which she claims to have been able to sign up to the American site's new Pioneer subscription from here in the UK - meaning that she now has an annual subscription to the worldwide based records of FindmyPast for less than £40 a year.

Might be worth having a look into if you're interested! The US based site is at www.findmypast.com

NB: The Australasian site at www.findmypast.com.au is not offering the Pioneer subscription, just a 10% discount.

UPDATE: Because the Search filters are very different on the UK site compared to the US site, it is difficult to do a comparison with searches between the two. However, on the US site, I just did a search for a William Paton between 1880 and 1900 and obtained 68 results under "Births & Baptism" and using the "United Kingdom" filter. The interesting thing is that although most of entries in the list are from the English and Welsh national GRO registers, a small handful, including the first, are in fact from a collection called Derbyshire Registrar's Birth index. The index reference give is GB/G01/037, not a year and quarter as with national records. I was not aware that this collection was on the UK site?

UPDATE: Just worked it out. They are on the UK site - but included in the Parish Registers Collection: Details at  http://www.findmypast.co.uk/records/parish-records/details/B/392079348?fY=1896&tY=1900&sn=PATON&iFnsV=false&fns=WILLIAM&rC=1&route=X&locale=en

Derbyshire Registrar's Birth Index
Coverage
These records comprise information for 218,850 births registered in eighteen locations between 1837 and 1911.
Sub District No. of entries Year range
ALFRETON 7114 1837-1894
ASHOVER 4032 1837-1851
BELPER 21610 1837-1900
BLACKWELL 1507 1837-1850
BOLSOVER 1000 1837-1852
BUXTON 13975 1838-1906
CARBURTON & CLOWNE 1469 1837-1848
CHAPEL-EN-LE-FRITH 20967 1837-1905
CHESTERFIELD 6998 1837-1850
DRONFIELD 1487 1837-1850
DUFFIELD 12054 1837-1903
ECKINGTON 3522 1837-1848
GLOSSOP 48412 1837-1911
HAYFIELD 23485 1837-1901
HORSLEY 7059 1837-1870
ILKESTON 32120 1837-1886
PLEASLEY 1015 1837-1851
RIPLEY 11024 1837-1866

Total (18) 218850 1837-1911

I don't think I'd have found these on the current UK site if it hadn't been for the new version of the site in the US!

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

All new FindmyPast in beta

At the end of last year I blogged about the fact that FindmyPast was going to create a new all singing all dancing integrated website that would incorporate the holdings of FindmyPast UK, FindmyPast Ireland and FindmyPast Australasia (see http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/findmypast-to-widen-access-to.html). The plan was originally to try to add bolt-on packages, as with Genes Reunited, but following that announcement things changed a bit, with FindmyPast instead opting to go down the Ancestry.com type route, of a single portal that would offer worldwide subscriptions.

It seems that dream is drawing ever nearer. American blogger Dick Eastman has just announced at http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2012/07/findmypastcom-launches-an-international-records-web-site.html that the new American based website FindmyPast.com site (www.findmypast.com) is now up and running in beta format (meaning it's still a bit rough and ready, but now being tested with the public). This site appears to be geared towards the American market, with a new limited "Pioneer offer" of access to all the collections from the three established sites, plus the American 1940 US federal census, for just $4.95 a month if you choose an annual subscription (no overseas currency equivalents are listed). The British Newspaper Archive will be added in due course. If you instead wish to go for a six month or a single month based subscription, there is a temporary 20% discount on offer also.

On first glimpse, I have to say the interface looks fairly horrendous compared to the simplicity of the UK and Irish sites - it's really going to take some getting used to (each search category displays results before you have even commenced a search!). Accessing records is done by performing a search at the top of the page, selecting a category from the main menu, choosing the country of interest and then using filters to narrow down results to the desired entry. It seems to be a clunkier way of getting to what you want.

As with the original sites, there is an online tree building package, though several features have yet to be added (including the ability to import a tree), and there is a blog, written from the American end. There is no Knowledge Base there yet actually providing information on the record sets, with the exception of the 1940 census and some generic how to guides.

It is a beta site, and it is early days, but this is the way that the site is heading. How soon changes are applied at this end, or in Ireland or down under, is not yet known, but according to Dick Eastman further details will be announced about the US based portal within the next week or so.

(With thanks to Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter)

UPDATE: the update to a world based platform has now also been extended to the Australasian site at www.findmypast.com.au - no Pioneer subscription, however, simply a 10% discount for 6 month and 12 month subscriptions.

UPDATE: See comments below - UK readers of this blog are happily purchasing subs from the American site for under £40 annually! Bargain!

Chris

Check out my Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk
New book: It's Perthshire 1866 - there's been a murder... www.thehistorypress.co.uk/products/The-Mount-Stewart-Murder.aspx (from June 12th 2012)

FindmyPast down under

The Australian and New Zealand version of FindmyPast has had a revamp at www.findmypast.com.au. The site now has a new blog, new subscription options, and will be adding more content soon.

In the near future the different FindmyPast sites will be offering joint subscriptions, similar to the Ancestry model, and which will include access to the British Newspaper Archive.

(With thanks to @findmypastAU on Twitter)

Chris

British GENES on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES and Twitter @chrismpaton

Scotland's Greatest Story research service www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk and www.facebook.com/ScottishGenealogyResearch