Forces War Records subscription offers

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

Military genealogy website membership discount
26th to end of 29th December:

Forces War Records is offering a 50% discount on membership – less than £25 for the year, or less than £5 for a month (use code XMAS50), plus a free download ‘Getting Started’, a unique set of tutorials and information to help with genealogy tree building.

Forces War Records’ military specialists will be on tap over the Christmas period to help with commonly asked questions such as:
"Why can't I find WW2 records?"
"Was my ancestor injured and if so which hospital would he have been in?"
"Which medals might my ancestor have been awarded?"
"I know which regiment he was in but where did he serve?"
"I'd like to find where my ancestor is buried, can you help me?"


Ex-forces forum site membership discount
27th to end of 30th December:

Forces Reunited is the sister site of Forces War Records, is offering 1 year’s membership for just £5 (use code 9900). The largest online community of ex-forces with over 1 million members, has also reached a milestone of 15 years.

(With thanks to Jennifer Holmes)

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.

ScotlandsPeople update for 2017

I've just been notified by the team behind the ScotlandsPeople website (www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk) that the annual update of records for 2017, to add images of statutory birth records for 1916, marriage records for 1941 and death records for 1966, will be carried out on Thursday 5 January 2017, rather than the usual January 1st date previously adhered to.

I have been advised that this is "to ensure that staff are available to deal with any follow-up queries customers may have".

(With thanks to Richard Holligan)

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.

CWGC launches new interns programme for 2017

From the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.cwgc.org):

COMMONWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION LAUNCHES NEW CWGC CENTENARY INTERNS PROGRAMME FOR 2017

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) is seeking applications from the brightest and the best young people aged 18 to 25 to join a new CWGC Centenary Interns programme in 2017.

The CWGC Centenary Interns will join the Commission for four months, based in France and Belgium, to welcome visitors to some of the CWGC’s most well-known sites. These will include the CWGC Tyne Cot Cemetery near Ieper (Ypres), which will be the focus of the UK Government commemorations of the Centenary of Passchendaele: Third Battle of Ypres in July 2017.

The CWGC Centenary Interns will welcome visitors to, and guide them around, CWGC cemeteries and memorials. They will also undertake research and help offer context and a clearer understanding of both the CWGC and the First World War, from the perspective of people the same age as many of the war dead.

UK Government funding for the new programme was announced by former Chancellor George Osborne on the Centenary of the Battle of the Somme in July 2016, and it will launch early in the New Year. Over the next two years the CWGC expects to bring more than 40 interns to the Western Front, funded by a £600,000 LIBOR grant.

CWGC Director General Mrs Victoria Wallace, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people interested in the First World War to help others gain a real insight into the workings of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which has done such wonderful work in commemorating the fallen of the two World Wars for 100 years. The CWGC Centenary Interns will be able to welcome and help visitors, and share with them the stories of so many of those we commemorate. It is a chance to be right at the heart of the UK and Commonwealth commemorations in France and Belgium in 2017 and 2018. Please tell any enthusiastic young people you know to consider this great role, playing a part in marking such histori
c anniversaries.”

Dr Andrew Murrison MP, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for the Centenary Commemorations of the Great War, added: "Centenary Internships are an exciting, high quality opportunity for young people and an appropriate and enduring way to remember and reflect on the Great War.

"I anticipate a great deal of competition for the places announced today and that participation will have a lasting impact on successful applicants.”

Those wishing to apply can find full details on the CWGC Blog at blog.cwgc.org/interns2017 or register their interest via interns@cwgc.org

(With thanks to Peter Francis)

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.

TNA podcast - The life and death of King John

The latest podcast from the National Archives in England (www.nationalarchives.co.uk) will be of interest to those with ancestors in early medieval England. Entitled The life and death of King John, the 42 minute long talk by Professor David Carpenter, Professor Stephen Church, and Dr Marc Morris deals with the following:

King John’s acts of misgovernment prompted his barons to demand reform, setting the kingdom on the road to civil war and leading to John’s grant of Magna Carta. Why was he seen as such a terrible king and how did Magna Carta come about?

Professor David Carpenter, Professor Stephen Church and Dr Marc Morris discuss the life and reign of King John, 800 years after his death in October 1216.

To access the podcast visit http://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/life-death-king-john/ or download for free from iTunes.

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.

Searchable York archbishops registers online

A searchable database of archbishops registers from York is now available online at https://archbishopsregisters.york.ac.uk/. Here's the description of the site's contents from its front page:

York's Archbishops Registers Revealed provides free access to over 20,000 images of Registers produced by the Archbishops of York, 1225-1650, in addition to a growing searchable index of names, subjects, places and organisations. The registers are a valuable, and in many cases, unexploited source for ecclesiastical, political, social, local and family history - covering periods of war, famine, political strife and religious reformation in the Archdiocese of York and the wider Northern Province.

You can browse images using the options below, or search the 3109 indexed entries via the search interface. Further information, guidance and supporting material relating to the registers will be added to the site as time goes on.

Pilot imaging and development, as well as the indexing of the register of Archbishop Neville (1374-1388) was funded by the Andrew W. Mellon foundation. The conservation, imaging and technical development phases of the wider York project were also generously funded in 2014-2015 by the Andrew W Mellon Foundation, along with the indexing of the Sede Vacante register, 1304-1306. Indexing of the registers 1570-1650 has been funded by the Marc Fitch Fund, and will be complete by October 2016.

Further detail on the collections is available at https://archbishopsregisters.york.ac.uk/about

(With thanks to the Guild of One-Name Studies via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/guildonename/posts/1395335833830468)

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.

New Australian and British collections on FindmyPast

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com) has released the following collections:

British Army discharges, 60th Foot 1854-1880
Containing over 10,000 records, British Army discharges, 60th Foot 1854-1880, will allow you to find out if your ancestor served in the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

Middlesex War Memorials
Middlesex War Memorials contains over 21,000 transcripts taken from War memorials in over 40 parishes in the English county of Middlesex. The collection contains names of soldiers who died while on active service between 1845 and 1998 and covers 13 conflicts.

Queensland Passports Index 1915-1925
The Queensland Passports Index 1915-1925 is an index of passport registers containing over 13,000 names. The original registers were compiled by the Collector of Customs, Brisbane, and are currently held by the National Archives of Australia. Each record includes a transcript that will reveal the year your ancestor's address, the date they applied for or renewed a passport and where they intended to travel to.

New South Wales 1841 Census
This new collection consists of the only surviving records from the 1841 census of New South Wales. Containing just under 11,000 names, the collection includes both fully searchable transcripts and scanned images of the original household returns, affidavit forms, and abstracts of returns that will allow you to discover where your ancestors were living in 1841.

Britain, Histories & Reference Guides
Over 13,000 records have been added to our collection of British Histories and Reference Guides. The collection consists of 65 volumes on genealogy, heraldry, palaeography, geography, and more.

For further informatiuon and links to the collections, visit https://blog.findmypast.com/findmypast-friday-december-2149496102.html.

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.

Commonwealth War Graves Commission appeal

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.cwgc.org) has issued an appeal to contact relatives of the following First World War casualties:

BARR, HENRY KEITH d. 25/10/1916
38TH King George’s Own Central India Horse
Major
HOLCOMBE ROGUS (ALL SAINTS) CHURCHYARD

BROWN, JOHN NIXON d. 05/08/1914
Cameron Highlanders
Private
GLASGOW (LAMBHILL) CEMETERY

CAMPBELL, WILLIAM d. 01/03/1916
Highland Light Infantry
Private
LANARK CEMETERY

COWAN, GEORGE d. 10/12/1917
King’s Own Scottish Borderers
Private
DUMFRIES (ST. MICHAEL’S) CEMETERY

SAPWELL, ARTHUR FREDERICK CHARLES d. 15/06/1919
Royal Munster Fusiliers
Private
NEW BRADWELL (ST JAMES) CHURCHYARD

SAPWELL, CHRISTOPHER LORTON d. 16/08/1918
Army Veterinary Corps
Private
GREAT LINFORD (ST ANDREW) CHURCHYARD

WYSE, ROBERT d. 09/02/1918
Royal Scots
Private
ABBOTSHALL PARISH CHURCHYARD

Further details, including services numbers, lair numbers etc, are available at http://www.cwgc.org/news-events/news/2016/12/appeal-for-relatives-dec-2016.aspx. Relatives are asked to get in touch with the UKNA technical team, contactable at enquiries@cwgc.org

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.

Further US marriage records on Ancestry

Some more American marriages collections are now available on Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk):

Illinois, County Marriages, 1800-1940
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61370

Alabama, County Marriages, 1805-1967
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61365

Kansas, County Marriages, 1811-1911
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61371

Ohio, County Marriages, 1774-1993
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61378

For further details on the sources, please click on the links.

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.

Proposed 2018 Unlock the Past cruise to Alaska

Calling all genealogy cruisers - it looks like I might be heading back out with Unlock the Past again!

Unlock the Past is hoping to run a genealogy cruise of Alaska in the third quarter of 2018, and I've provisionally agreed to take part as one of the speakers, which I am very much looking forward to (subject to the final cruise date being acceptable, which will be confirmed early next year, and my own personal circumstances in 2018 permitting).

This will be my fourth cruise with Unlock the Past, having previously spoken on cruises from New Zealand to Australia, around Australia again, and a third voyage around the Baltic last year, all of which were great experiences. Genealogy cruises are exceptional fun - you get the holiday experience of a cruise combined with the benefits of a genealogy conference whilst at sea. On top of that, you get some experienced genealogists, trapped on a boat, with nowehere to run or hide - the chances of breaking down your research brick walls don't get much better...!

Here is the proposed provisional itinerary for how it is hoped the Alaskan cruise might work:

• Fri – Seattle, USA depart 4pm
• Sat – at sea
• Sun – Inside Passage, Canada (cruising) – see the rugged beauty of the islands and mainland coast of southern Alaska. The views include glaciers, fjords, soaring cliffs and misty northern rainforest.
• MGSun – Juneau, USA 12noon to 9pm – surrounded by fjords, forest and snow-capped mountains, Juneau is one gorgeous state capital. Its historic city centre harkens back to its gold-rush origins and you can still pan for gold. But nature is the priceless treasure.
• Mon – Skagway, USA 7am to 8:30pm – the great Klondike Rush lives on in Skagway’s charming city centre of restored 19th-century buildings and its historic railway. From the vintage train, admire the mountains and see the 1898 trail that fortune seekers travelled on foot.
• Tue – Tracy Arm, USA 7am to 12noon – just south of Juneau lies the magnificent Tracy Arm Fjord, carved by glacier activity. Among the sights to admire from the icy waters are waterfalls cascading down 900-m (3,000-ft)-high granite walls.
• Wed – at sea
• Thu – Victoria, Canada 9am to 6pm – the capital of British Columbia is filled with blooming gardens, heritage architecture and historic charm. The heart of Victoria is its scenic harbour and Old Town, compact areas that are made for strolling and easily explored on foot.
• Fri – Seattle, USA arrive 6am

For further details, and/or to register interest, please visit the Unlock the Past Cruises page at http://www.unlockthepastcruises.com/provisional-2018-cruise-alaska/#

I wonder if I should also mention that I might be heading down under again to New Zealand and Australia before this?! Perhaps I might just hold onto that thought for a while longer...! :)

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.

My 200th article for Your Family History magazine

I've reached a bit of a milestone today in my genealogy career, in that I have just sent through my 200th article for Your Family History magazine (previously known as Your Family Tree)! The article will be published in the Feb 2017 edition.

My first ever article for the magazine was a case study for issue 40 (August 2006, see pics) about my grandfather's plight being trapped as a child in occupied Brussels throughout the First World War, where his father died whilst hiding from the Germans to prevent internment.

Although this was not my first ever published article, it was certainly my first ever published family history themed article, and led me to subsequently write for other titles, and to set up this blog.

When I started Garrick Webster was the editor in charge, and since then I have worked for various other editors, including Russell James, Tom Watson, and now Nell Darby and Andrew Chapman, as well as various sub-editors and designers. I have been delighted to see the magazine continue to go from strength to strength - I still can't believe I have been writing for it for ten years now!

For details of the current issue, please visit http://subscribe.yourfamilyhistorymag.co.uk/latest-issue/ - don't forget that you will find various freebies with each edition that can be downloaded from th website, so well worth bookmarking!

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.