Ancestry releases Pembrokeshire and Bristol records

Ancestry has added several new collections for Pembrokeshire and Bristol.

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

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

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

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

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

Have fun!

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

Chris

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

North Lanarkshire records added to Ancestry

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

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

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


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

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

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

Applications and General Registers will normally include:

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

Have fun!

Chris

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

FindmyPast adds merchant seamen crew lists

The latest records added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) this week:

England & Wales Merchant Navy Crew Lists 1861-1913
Over 135,000 new Portsmouth records have been added to our collection of Merchant Navy Crew Lists. The records document the role and employment of each member of the crew. Individuals would 'sign on' when they began their employment, either at the start of the voyage, or when they joined the ship at one of its ports of call. They 'signed off' at the end of the voyage or, if they chose not to finish, at a port of call.

Greater London Burial Index
Over 28,000 miscellaneous records have been added to the Greater London Burial Index. Covering the years between 1399 and 1992, this vast index is an excellent resource for all those with ancestors in the greater London area. Records may reveal your relative's name, age, occupation, address, religious denomination, death year, burial date, and burial location.

New Jersey Marriage Index, 1901-2016 Image Browse
Browse through over 300 volumes of the New Jersey marriage index from 1901 to 2016. Containing well over 200,000 individual records, this collection will enable you to discover who your ancestors married, when they married them and where.

UK Electoral Registers & Companies House Directors 2002-2019
Over 1.6 million new additions are now available. Within this collection you can search registers of UK directors whose companies are registered with Companies House along with the UK's electoral registers beginning from 2002.

International Records Update – Sweden
Celebrate the National Day of Sweden by unearthing your Swedish roots. Over 12 million Swedish baptisms, marriages and burials are now dating back to 1611 are now available to search on Findmypast. These records will also generate hints against your Findmypast family tree. Our Swedish collection consist of the following indexes:

Sweden Baptism Index 1611-1920
Sweden Burial Index 1649-1920
Sweden Marriage Index 1630-1920

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 86,414 new pages to our collection this week, with updates to six of our existing titles. We have updates to two of our new titles – specialist countryman's newspaper Field and West Midlands title the Sandwell Evening Mail – as well as updates to four of our other titles. We have added a long run of late nineteenth century pages to the Acton Gazette, and there are also updates to the Reading Evening Post, the Tottenham & Edmonton Weekly Herald, and finally the Mansfield & Sutton Recorder.

Full details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2638717527.html

Chris

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

192.com adds first portion of 2019 UK Open Electoral Register

From 192.com (www.192.com):

The First Electoral Roll Update for 2019

The first portion of the 2019 Open Register has been added to the site this week.

Included in this update are millions of names and addresses from across the UK that have been changed, validated or even added for the first time.

Now is a great time to start a search on 192.com as your chances of finding all the people you're looking for have just improved! 

Searches are available via https://www.192.com/people/electoral-roll/

Chris

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

PRONI adds Armagh and Derry absent voters lists

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) has added surving Absent Voters Lists for Counties Armagh and Derry to its website. From PRONI:

What are Absent Voters Lists?

The 1918 Representation of the People Act made special provision so that people engaged on War Service could vote. This included members of the armed forces, the Merchant Navy and those serving with the Red Cross and similar organisations. Men and women who were qualified to vote could be registered as Naval and Military voters and vote either by post or via a proxy. As well as being included in the main Register of Electors for each consistency, the Naval and Military voters were also placed in a separate Absent Voters List. These lists included details of the voter's rank and service unit, and will be of interest to people researching the War service of individuals and those studying participation in the War in particular localities.

What Absent Voters Lists exist?

PRONI holds specific Absent Voters Lists for counties Armagh and Derry~Londonderry. These lists have now been digitised and are available online, alongside a name index for each county. Reference is made to absent voters within the 1918 Electoral Registers for other counties, however, only Armagh and Derry~Londonderry have absent voters clearly identified on a separate list which includes service information.

What information is recorded in the Absent Voters Lists?

The lists generally include Surname and Forename of each absent voter, along with information on the Polling District, Registration Unit and address (i.e. Street or Townland). In the case of Naval and Military voters, information on service number, rank and unit is included. In some cases, additional information has been added at a later date which corrects or updates the original entry. As different procedures were followed in each County when compiling the lists, the format of the records varies.

To access the lists, which are presented as downloadable Excel files, visit https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/absent-voters-lists-0.

Chris

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

Additional English/Welsh electoral registers added to FindmyPast

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Chris

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

New Cambridgeshire collections on Ancestry

New Cambridgeshire collections on Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Cambridgeshire, England, Juror Books, 1828-1883
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61430
Source: Cambridgeshire Juror Books 1828-1883, Cambridgeshire Archive Service, Cambridge, England.

Historical Context

This collection comprises records of those qualified to serve as a juror in the county of Cambridgeshire between the years 1828 and 1883. Qualifications were based on ownership of land or property and therefore excluded the majority of residents. Those who owned land or property over a certain value threshold may have been called upon to serve on the jury in quarter sessions, assizes or various other courts. The lists of qualifying residents were collected by churchwardens or parish constables and included details of the property that allowed the owner to be included.

This collection includes residents of Cambridgeshire as well as those living in the historic county of Huntingdonshire and historic region of the Isle of Ely, both of which now fall under the administration of Cambridgeshire.

What can I find in these records?

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

Name
Gender
Property Address
Occupation
Year of Residence


Cambridgeshire, England, Electoral Registers, Burgess Rolls and Poll Books, 1722-1966
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61429

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

Chris

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

More poll books join TheGenealogist

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

New Poll Books Added

TheGenealogist has just released 116,218 records into its ever growing Poll Book Database. This useful resource for family historians can be used to find ancestors' residences from the period before the census collection. The newly released Poll Books range from 1705 to the 1830s, joining records covering periods between census years.

The database allows researchers to:

* Discover ancestors who had the vote
* Find where they were registered to cast their ballot
* Discover the nature of their qualification to vote, such as possessing a Corn Warehouse, a Workshop, a House, or owning a Brewhouse
* These Poll Books range from 1705 to the 1830s.

The records cover 18 different registers of people who were entitled to vote in between 1705 and the 1830s and cover constituencies situated in Abingdon, Bristol, Hampshire, Somerset, Suffolk, Maidstone, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire and York.

These records have been transcribed by volunteers on the UKindexer.co.uk website, which brings benefits to the volunteers as well as the wider family history community. They join the millions of electoral resources on TheGenealogist, which include Electoral registers, Voters lists and Absentee Voters.

These records are available as part of the site's Diamond Subscription.

Chris

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

Ancestry adds Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1832-1976

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added the following Scottish electoral registers collections:

Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1832-1976
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61479
Source: Aberdeenshire Electoral Registers, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives, Aberdeen, Scotland.

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

Historical Background
Electoral registers are lists of individuals who are eligible to vote during the time the register is in force (usually one year). Registration for voters in Scotland has been required since 1832, and registers were typically published annually. Restrictive property requirements denied the vote to much of the population for years, though these were eased somewhat in 1867 and 1884 through the Second and Third Reform Acts. There were also requirements when it came to local elections that varied from borough to borough (e.g. residence), and voters had to petition to be added to the electoral registers.

Property restrictions were finally removed for men in 1918, when most males age 21 and older were allowed to vote. The franchise was extended to some women over age 30 in 1918, but it was not until 1928 that the voting age was made 21 for both men and women. Thus, the number of names listed in the registers increases with the expansion of suffrage.

Searching the Registers
Electoral registers typically provide a name and place of abode, and older registers may include a description of property and qualifications to vote. Registers were compiled at a local level, with names appearing alphabetically within wards/districts. Many of the registers in this database have been indexed electronically, which allows you to search them by name, but if you’re searching for a somewhat common name it will be helpful to know the area in which your ancestor lived to narrow your results. The street address can be searched in the Location field.

Please find below a guide to the codes used in the registers:

R Residence qualification
BP Business premises qualification
O Occupational qualification (occupation in this case is occupation of a property, not employment)
HO Qualification through husband's occupation
NM Naval or military voter

From 1928, with the advent of women's suffrage, the following codes can be found:

R Residence qualification (man)
Rw Residence qualification (woman)
B Business premises qualification (man)
Bw Business premises qualification (woman)
O Occupational qualification (man)
Ow Occupational qualification (woman)
D Qualification through wife's occupation
Dw Qualification through husband's occupation
NM Naval or military voter

The following extra codes can also sometimes be seen

J Eligible to serve as juror
SJ Eligible to serve as special juror
a Absent voter
BP Business premises register
CI Civilian residence register
SE Service register
RR Ratepayers register

Please note that no registers were produced during the war years 1916, 1917 and 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944.

Note: This index was created using text recognition software, records were not transcribed. We have created indexes of the electoral registers for every fifth year.

Chris

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

Exhibition: Voices and Votes - Suffrage and the Representation of the People, 1832-1928

A new major exhibition coming to PRONI (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) in Belfast:

Voices and Votes: Suffrage and the Representation of the People, 1832-1928

The exhibition explores the history of suffrage from a local perspective, particularly the struggle for women’s representation, and includes unique archival material which highlights some of the people who championed change.

A range of educational resources will also be launched on the day, including an interactive resource featuring archival material relating to the suffrage movement, a graphic novel exploring the lives of Countess Constance Markievicz and Edith, Lady Londonderry, and a 2.5D animation charting the history of the suffrage movement.

The event will also see the first public performance of a new drama production from Kabosh Theatre Company, featuring a fictional meeting between Edith, Lady Londonderry and Countess Constance Markievicz.

Dr Margaret Ward, Queen’s University Belfast, will deliver a keynote lecture, ‘Winning the Vote: Suffrage in Ulster’.

Additional information

PRONI opening hours and getting here
DATE: Monday 2 July, 10.00am-1.00pm
LOCATION: PRONI, Titanic Quarter, Belfast
Admission is FREE, however booking is essential. Register for this event at Eventbrite
LUNCH SERVED from 12.30pm
For further details, please visit the PRONI website

(With thanks to PRONI)

Chris

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

June's PRONI stakeholder forum meeting in Belfast

On Friday 1 June 2018 I attended the latest Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni) user forum meeting in Belfast. Upon arrival I was greeted by Stephen Scarth, who handed me a copy of the new Plantations of Ulster, 1640-41: A Collection of Documents guide, which has been reprinted and updated, and which I will review separately – suffice to say, the smile on Stephen's face and on everyone else who received a copy was well warranted!

The meeting started with a demonstration of PRONI's contribution to the Conflict Archive on the Internet (CAIN) web platform. This is a platform which has been up and running for a few years now, and which is essentially an official record of The Troubles, with documents from governments north and south, and in England, concerning the last 40 years. Access to PRONI's contributed records is available through the CAIN archive's website at http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/proni/index.html. On 10 MAY 2018, some 500 document records from 1988-89 and earlier were added, some 2200 pages of content, following the latest 20 year release of government papers, covering politics, security, the economy, Harland and Wolfe, the Irish language, education, social issues, health, and much more, including the talks at the time about ending the conflict. The archive presents the records in thematic areas or by annual listings (though not chronologically within a year), and contains a fascinating insight into our Troubled society at the time. There was some very Sir Humphrey type language in parts, with phrases such as 'spotting icebergs' used in one document to mean unexpected items coming their way, etc!

Another topic discussed was one that might be of interest to Northern Irish folk who experienced life in the Troubles, the possible establishment of an oral history archive, as posited in the 2014 Stormont agreement. Such an archive will need to be established by legislation, and so a consultation is currently under way, which closes on 10 SEP 2018. The consultation is online at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/addressing-the-legacy-of-northern-irelands-past.

We then had an update on recent acquisitions. These include papers relating to PACE (Protestant and Catholic Endeavour) from 1992-2018, a single volume from 1919 containing an inventory of household goods belonging to Robert Young (of Young and Mackenzie architects), and 121 diaries of a Major Henry John Furnace Potter covering 1941-2000 – though sadly, most of us who were in the room will never likely see them, as they have a 50 year closure on them, as requested by the family.

On cataloguing, the Londonderry Papers have had more work on them including records relating to the Women's Legion from the 1930s and 1940s, and Mount Stewart estate papers from 1933-35. PRONI's efforts to digitise recently borrowed Anglican and Methodist records has now been completed for this year – for more on this, and a summary of all digitised records that can be accessed on site at PRONI (including those added last year), see http://britishgenes.blogspot.com/2018/06/new-digitised-northern-irish-church.html. The records will be available through PRONI's on site catalogue from autumn.

On the exhibitions front, Northern Lights: A Century of Design by Young and Mackenzie Architects kicks off on 7 June, with a lecture on site at 1pm by Paul Harron, and after finishing a stint in PRONI the exhibition will then travel across Northern Ireland. There will also be a Spanish Flu conference at PRONI at 2pm on 14 June 2018.

The big event for this year will be the Voices and Votes: Suffrage and Representation of the People 1832-1928 exhibition, commemorating the 1918 Representation of the People Act centenary which extended the vote to women for the first time. We had a sneak peak at parts of the exhibition, which launches on 2 July 2018, and which will look at the legislation, who championed the change, the early experience of women, suffragists and suffragettes, women, class and war, reform, equality, and much more. The exhibition panels will also include QR (Quick Response) codes for attendees to engage with on their mobile devices, lining to other websites and more. In addition, an exciting addition to the Spatial NI website will see an interactive map with links to documents and stories at various locations across Northern Ireland linked to the fight for the vote. There will also be a graphic novel launched to illustrate the stories of Lady Edith Londonderry and Countess Markiewicz, which will tie in to the key stage 3 of the Northern Irish schools curriculum. There will be a few other events and releases tied into the exhibition, so keep an eye on the PRONI website for more details!

A further exhibition in the works is one on prisons in Northern Ireland, from bridewells to the present day, mostly dealing with the late 19th and early 20th century.

On publications, as well as the new Plantations of Ulster, 1640-41: A Collection of Documents reproduction, PRONI is currently working on a re-invention of its former Steps to Partition facsimile pack, for release in September. The exact format of this is still being worked on, but there may be two versions, one for school use, and one in more depth for a more general release.

Finally from the meeting, PRONI is still working on being Northern Ireland's first accredited archive, and made its submission in March, with assessors visiting the archive in May. Good luck to the archive, the best in the UK as far as I'm concerned!

After finishing the meeting, I made my way to the search room, and kept bumping into folk, including Michael Rooney from Ancestor Network, and a couple called Alex and Nancy who heard me give a talk in Toronto three years ago, and who are active members of the Toronto branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society. Requisite selfies were duly acquired...!

Chris

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

1920 English and Welsh electoral register joins FindmyPast

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

England & Wales, Electoral Registers 1920
Over 6.7 million records – discover where your ancestors were living in a 1920 census substitute created from out exclusive collection of England & Wales electoral records. These newly indexed records can be searched by name, year, constituency, polling district and keyword.

Canadian Headstones Index
Over 1.8 million records – Search this index of Canadian headstones to discover when and where your ancestor died. This collection has been obtained through CanadianHeadstones.com, presented by the Ontario Genealogical Society. Additional information about these records can be found on the source's website.

Sussex Registers & Records
Explore two fascinating publications – Parish Registers of Hove & Preston (1538-1812) and Parochial History of Chiddingly (1407-1847), to uncover baptisms, marriages, burials, memorial inscriptions, local histories and biographies of early figures from the county's history.

Warwickshire Registers & Records
Explore two fascinating publications – Historical Warwickshire, Its Legendary Lore, Traditionary Stories, and Romantic Episodes (published 1876) and History of Coventry (published 1870), and learn more about the history, legends and lore of William Shakespeare's birth county.

Surrey Registers & Records
Explore five publications – covering Beddington, Chipstead & Titsey, Gatton & Sanderstead, Richmond and Wimbledon. These compilations of parish registers date back to the mid 1500s and contain baptisms, marriages and burials from a variety of parishes across the county.

Suffolk Registers & Records
Explore seven publications – covering Bury St Edmunds, West Stow & Wordwell, Rushbrook, Ickworth, Denham and Chillesford. The collection includes Wills & Inventories, Hearth Tax returns and Parish records dating back to 1539.

New South Wales, Railway Employment Records
Over 700 records – Explore a register of salaried officers working for the New South Wales Government Railways and Tramways (1856-1890) and a personnel register for Darling Harbour (1909-1932) to uncover details of your ancestor's career on Australia's railroads.

Cardiganshire Burials
Over 1,514 Llanwenog monumental inscriptions 1768-1996 have been added to our collection of Cardiganshire Burials. The records will reveal a combination of your ancestors birth year, death date, burial date, burial location, residence, death place and relatives' names .

Further details at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2556894621.html

Chris

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

Ancestry adds Edinburgh and Liverpool electoral registers

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added electoral registers for Edinburgh and Liverpool to its site:

Edinburgh, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1832-1966
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61486
Source: Poll Books for Councillors for the City of Edinburgh/List of Burgh Voters for the City of Edinburgh/Register of Voters for the City of Edinburgh and the Burgh of Leith. Edinburgh City Archives, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Liverpool, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1970
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61319
Source: Liverpool Electoral registers, Burgess rolls and Voters Lists, Liverpool Record Office, Liverpool, England.

For both collections, note that no registers were produced during the war years 1916, 1917 and 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944.

Ancestry has also added Anglican church records for the English county of Worcestershire:

Worcestershire, England, Extracted Church of England Parish Records, 1541-1812
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61551
Source: "Electronic databases created from various publications of parish and probate records."

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.
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192.com adds electoral roll data for 2018

From 192.com (www.192.com):

Another major update to our live search data!

More than 300 UK councils have now supplied their records to us from the 2018 open Electoral Register (a.k.a. the edited Electoral Roll).

That brings the total number of new names and addresses added or updated this year to more than 16 million!

If you're looking for someone, even if you didn't manage to find them last time, get to 192.com and start searching now!

COMMENT: Note that historic data from 192.com for the years from 2002-2014 is available on FindmyPast via the UK Electoral Registers 2002-2014 collection at https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/uk-electoral-registers-2002-2014.

Chris

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

National Archives launches Suffrage 100 portal

The National Archives in England (www.nationalarchives.gov.uk) has launched a new platform to commemorate the securing of the right to vote for some women a century ago. From the site:

100 years of women’s suffrage

2018 marks 100 years since some women were given the vote in parliamentary elections and 90 years since women got to vote on equal terms to men. The National Archives has a world-renowned collection of documents relating to the 20th century women’s suffrage movement. The wealth of records come from a range of government departments and illustrate the huge impact suffrage campaigns had across government.

Suffrage 100 is part of the nationwide Vote 100 campaign

To view the new platform visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/suffrage-100

Chris

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

Fife criminal and electoral records added to Ancestry

Two collections concerning the county of Fife have been added to Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Fife, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1914-1966
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61432
Source: Fife Electoral Registers, Fife Library and Archives Service, Fife, Scotland

About Fife, Scotland, Electoral Registers, 1914-1966

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

Please note that coverage for these burghs is incomplete:

Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester Burgh, 1939 and from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of Burntisland 1934 and from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of Crail, 1939 and from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of Culross, 1934-1937 and from 1950 onwards
City and Royal Burgh of Dunfermline from 1958 onwards
Royal Burgh of Inverkeithing from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of Kinghorn from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of Kirkcaldy from 1956 onwards
Burgh of Lochgelly 1914 and from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of Pittenweem- 1939, and from 1950 onwards
Royal Burgh of St Andrews 1918,1932-1939, and from 1950 onwards


Fife, Scotland, Criminal Registers, 1910-1931
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61426
Source: Fife Criminal Registers, Fife Library and Archives Services, Fife, Scotland.

For each individual found within the report, you may be able to find (where available):

Name
Age at time of incarceration
Birth Place
The Nature of the Crime
Conviction Date
Conviction Place
Sentence
A photograph of the individual and/or a Physical Description


Also released are student records from London, England:

UK, University of London Student Records, 1836-1945
https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61488
Source: The University of London Archive

Further information on the collection is available via the stated link. Note that "During the 19th and early 20th centuries, students who attended other institutions took University of London examinations as external students. Included in these lists, therefore, are students who attended the predecessor institutions of universities such as Birmingham, Bristol, Durham, Dundee, Heriot-Watt, Southampton, Exeter, Newcastle, Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, Bangor, Aberystwyth, Surrey, Queen’s University Belfast, and University College Dublin."

Chris

My next 5 week long Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course commences Nov 6th 2017 - details at https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Ancestry releases Anglesey electoral registers

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has released electoral registers for the Welsh island of Anglesey, covering the period from 1832-1977. The collection has been sourced from Archifau Ynys Môn / Anglesey Archives, Anglesey, Wales, and can be accessed at http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61449.

The collection does not include records for the war years 1916, 1917, and 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943 and 1944.

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course commences Sept 11th 2017 - details at https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102.
For details on my Scottish & Irish genealogy guide books, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.
For my genealogy research service, please visit http://www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk.

Archives and elections

As someone who recently stood (and failed!) for election to my local government authority, I have certainly been made much more aware of a lot of activities to do with the electoral process and the rules of the Electoral Commission. One thing that never occurred to me however, was the role of local archives in the carrying out of elections, in particular within their immediate aftermath.

I've just received the latest newsletter from Highland Archive (https://www.highlifehighland.com/archives-service/), and in this there is a fascinating insight into its role on this front.

Most of the documentation from polling stations requires to be kept for a year in accordance with Electoral Commission regulations. This documentation includes the marked register used by the clerk at the polling station when they score off your name when you go to cast your vote, as well as the actual ballot paper you put your cross on in the polling booth. This year, as well as being on duty at the recent local elections, we will also be present at the forthcoming surprise General Election on 8th June to take custody of the documents. The work usually involves being present at the count overnight. We turn up about an hour before the polls close and we are there well after the count ends, because we have to pack all the counted ballot papers when the count staff leave and transport them to the Highland Archive Centre for safe keeping. In the event of a dispute regarding the election, these papers need to be available for scrutiny, so Records Management has an extremely important role to play.

For more on the archive's involvement, and to read the full newsletter, visit http://mailchi.mp/highlifehighland/highland-archive-service-newsletter-may-2017?e=36f4314bac.

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course commences Sept 11th 2017 - details at https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102.
For details on my Scottish & Irish genealogy guide books, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.
For my genealogy research service, please visit http://www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk.

Recent English collections added to Ancestry

Some recent English records additions to Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Bedfordshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1986
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61264
Original data: Electoral rolls for Bedfordshire 1832-1986, Bedfordshire Archives, Bedford, Bedfordshire, England.

London, England, Metropolitan Police Pension Registers, 1852-1932http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61310
Original data: Metropolitan Police Pension Registers MEPO 21. The National Archives of the UK, Kew, Surrey, England.

Dorset, England, Poor Law Settlement and Removal Records, 1682-1862
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=60673
Original data: Dorset Poor Law Records, Dorset History Centre, Dorchester, Dorset, England.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy, A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Records added to and updated on Ancestry

New additions to Ancestry in Britain (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Norfolk, England, Register of Electors, 1813-1952
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=9860
Source: England, Norfolk Register of Electors, 1844-1952. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

Further information on the collection is available at https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/England,_Norfolk_Register_of_Electors_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)


Web: UK, Burial and Cremation Index, 1838-2014
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=70845
Source: The central database for UK burials and cremations. Deceased Online.

This is a third party index to the Deceased Online collections available at www.deceasedonline.com with records for the following areas:

Blackburn & Darwen
Aberdeenshire
Nottingham City
Lincoln City
Royal Borough of Greenwich
Eltham Crematorium
Wiltshire County Council


Other new and recently updated collections which might be of interest for those who emigrated from Britain and Ireland:

Tasmania, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1834-1837, 1841-1887
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=60754
Source: Port Officers' Reports of Ships arrivals in Hobart 1834-1837. Series CSO92.Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office, LINC Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
Cargo, passenger and crew lists – relating to ships clearances 1841-1887. Series CUS36.Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office, LINC Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.

California, Private Land Claim Dockets, 1852-1858
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61191
Source: California Private Land Claims Dockets. NARA microform publication T910. 117 Rolls. NAI: 6857840. Records of the Bureau of Land Management, 1685-2006, Record Group 49. The National Archives at Washington, D.C.

Argentina, National Census, 1869 (Argentina, censo nacional, 1869)
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=9769
Source: Argentina National Census, 1869. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.
Furtherinformation on this collection is available at https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/Argentina_National_Census,_1869_(FamilySearch_Historical_Records)
(NB: There'a a few Jones, MacDonald and Murphy entries!)


Finally, some recently updated collections from the United States:

• North Carolina, Deaths, 1906-1930
• Massachusetts, Marriage Index, 1901-1955 and 1966-1970
• Washington, County Marriages, 1855-2008
• Arizona, Naturalization Records, 1909-1991
• U.S., Select Military Registers, 1862-1985
• Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1964
• Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938, 1943-1944, and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947
• U.S., Civil War and Later Wars Index to Remarried Widow Pension Applications, 1848-1934

Details on these can be accessed via http://www.ancestry.co.uk/cs/recent-collections

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy, A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.