New English & Welsh GRO birth and death indexes

The General Register Office for England and Wales has launched a new searchable index system for births (1837-1915) and deaths (1837-1957).

After registering and signing in at https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp you will be taken to the following home screen:

By selecting the Search GRO indexes link, you will be offered the following choices between Births and Deaths:

Clicking on the Birth option takes you to a search screen that allows for searches on the following options:

Surname at birth *
First forename
Second forename
Gender *
Mother's maiden name
Years (up to 2 years +/-) *
Quarters
District of birth (a link to a PDF document of registration districts is available)
Volume number
Page number

(* must be selected)

Name options can be searched exactly, phonetically similar, or similar sounding.

Once you click on search, results will appear below, with an option to order the document:

For Death searches, the following fields are available

Surname at death *
First forename
Second forename
Gender *
Age at death (enter 0 for less than 1)
Years (up to 2 years +/-) *
Quarters
District of death (a link to a PDF document of registration districts is available)
Volume number
Page number

(* must be selected)

For marriages, and other birth and death events, including overseas events, you need to use the second option on the original home screen marked Place an Order, which will take you to a separate application page. As before, certificates cost £9.25 each.

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.

Peter Bailey stands down from FIBIS Chair

With thanks to FIBIS (www.fibis.org) for the following announcement:

In August, Peter Bailey, the long-standing Chairman of the Families in British India Society, announced his intention of standing down. This, along with the appointment of Pat Scully as our new Chairman, were minuted at the September Trustee meeting, as was the proposal that a new position, that of Life President should be created for Peter. Both decisions were ratified at our AGM on Saturday, October 29th.

Peter will still be playing a large part in FIBIS, continuing to transcribe records, give talks and no doubt much more, but, we hope, will have more free time to enjoy with his family.

The members who attended the AGM gave him a good send-off with gifts, a card signed by all present, a slideshow of notable FIBIS moments and a farewell video made by our Australian team, Mary-Anne Gourley and Sylvia Murphy.

COMMENT: Congratulations to Peter Bailey on his achievements as Chair of one of the most professional and lively family history societies on this planet - and to him for his new appointment as Life President!

UPDATE: Peter has expressed his own thank you at http://www.fibis.org/a-few-words-of-thank-you-from-peter-bailey/

(With thanks to Valmay Young via http://www.fibis.org/fibis-chairman-peter-bailey-stands/)

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.

November events at PRONI in Belfast

The following events will be taking place at PRONI (www.nidirect.gov.uk) in Belfast in November. For further details click on the following links:

Western Front Association 2016 monthly program and Conference ‘The Year of The Somme: 1916 in perspective’
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/western-front-association-201617-program

The history of Mew Island Lighthouse optic & it's restoration
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/history-mew-island-lighthouse-optic-its-restoration

Launch of Presbyterian Children’s Society exhibition
https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/launch-presbyterian-childrens-society-exhibition

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.

Your Family History issue 175 on sale

The latest issue of Your Family History (Nov 2016, issue 175) has a few contributions from yours truly. The main articleis this month's cover feature, Researching Family Crises, looking at situations surrounding our ancestors' most basic vital events, when the chips were down, and additional records that may be available as a consequence. In addition, I also have an article looking at the new Irish BMD records offerings on www.irishgenealogy.ie, and a Q&A response later in the magazine.

Other features in this month's magazine include a piece from Andrew Chapman on a London cholera outbreak, a research guide to Pembrokeshire, the social history of fever, the occupation of sea captain, the treatment of mental illness at Bedlam, Sue Wilkes' piece on the secrecy of some Catholic services, regular case features, news, reviews, and much more.

For further details visit http://subscribe.yourfamilyhistorymag.co.uk/latest-issue/, whilst the magazine itself is now available to buy in all good newsagents.

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.

Forces War Records Dedication Wall launched

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

Forces War Records Dedication Wall goes live today

Forces War Records, the specialist military genealogy website, has created a wall of remembrance, which goes live today, in time for November 11th. Unlike other dedication walls, posts can be shared via social sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus, directly from their submission. Visitors are also able to search for their ancestor's military record direct from the post.

Here’s how it works:

Upload a photograph
Write a short dedication
Share via social pages
Search the site for relevant records

Take a look at https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/dedication-wall

A free commemorative download will also be given to Forces War Records’ 1.5 million members during remembrance week, which you can access at https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/premium

(With thanks to Neil White)

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.

Irish Family History Centre talks podcasts

Two podcasts have been made available by the Irish Family History Centre in Dublin, as part of the Summer Talks in the National Library of Ireland 2016 programme:

Dan Bradley: Ancient DNA and Irish Origins
https://soundcloud.com/eneclann/dan-bradley-ancient-dna-and-irish-origins

Instead of extrapolating the past from modern genetic variation, it is now possible to directly analyse whole genomes from the past using ancient DNA analysis of archaeological bones. Work on ancient Irish genomes in Trinity College is giving new information on from where and when our ancestors came to this island thousands of years ago and also tells us something about their genetic character and how it compares to that of our modern peoples.


Joe Buggy: Ten free websites for U.S. genealogy research
https://irishfamilyhistorycentre.com/article/summer-talks-in-the-national-library-of-ireland-2016-joe-buggy-ten-free-websites-for-us-genealogy-research

Every genealogist loves free access to records and genealogy information. Most people begin with Familysearch and Cyndi's List when doing research in the Unites States. But where can you turn to after using those sites? This talk outlines ten free websites that professional genealogist Joe Buggy regularly uses. These websites will help you locate digitised newspapers, death and burial information, useful maps and a wide variety of other records and sources.

(With thanks to the Irish Family History Centre)

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 next Scotland 1750-1850 course commences Nov 9th

The next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the Old Parish Registers course from Pharos Tutors (www.pharostutors.com), taught by yours truly, starts on November 9th. The five week course goes beyond the basics of Scottish family history research to take a look at records and legal sets ups beyond the territory covered on websites such as ScotlandsPeople - I cover a vast amount from kirk session registers, burgh and occupational records, to land records and the various records and processes surrounding inheritance.

The following is a short video introduction describing what you can expect from the five week programme, inclusing how the course itself is structured:

(The video is also available at https://youtu.be/1vX6GZtwZJ0)

For further information about the course, including how to sign up, please visit http://pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. The price is £49.99

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.

Ancestry releases details of Scottish witches

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has released a special Scottish collection just in time for Hallowe'en.

Scotland, Names of Witches, 1658
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61099
Source: Names of Witches in Scotland. Wellcome Library, London, England.

About Scotland, Names of Witches, 1658

The passing of the Scottish Witchcraft Act in 1563 made witchcraft, or consulting with witches, capital crimes in Scotland. It is estimated that between three and five thousand women were publicly accused of being witches in 16th and 17th century Scotland, a much higher number than neighbouring England. Some men were also accused of witchcraft during this period, however, the number of women persecuted was far larger.

The outbreak of witch-hunting in the years 1658-1662, the period in which this list of names was created, is generally agreed to represent the high water mark of Scottish persecution.

Within this collection, you will be able to find details of the accused's name and resident town.

There is a bit more on the book's release on Scottish Legal news at http://www.scottishlegal.com/2016/10/27/book-listing-those-accused-of-witchcraft-in-17th-century-scotland-digitised/

And if that isn't enough on the Scottish witchcraft front for you, don't forget to check out the University of Edinburgh's Survey of Scottish Witchcraft website at http://www.shca.ed.ac.uk/Research/witches/. This site is a database resource for the history of witchcraft and witch-hunting in Scotland, with the names of some 4000 accused witches, and references to case notes in kirk sesison records and other sources.

UPDATE: I've just discovered there were two witches from Largs, North Ayrshire (where I now live), listed in the book - a Margaret Jamieson and a Janet Holmes.

Happy Hallowe'en...!

UPDATE: A wider list of Largs women accused of being witches, and years tried:

Clerk, Agnes (1662)
Crauford, Jonet (1662)
Dumbar, Jean (1662)
Erskine, Sarah (1650)
Holmes, Jonnet (1658)
Jamesonne, Margaret (1658)
Knox, Maig (1622)
Losk, Jonet (1683)
Maillshead, Isobel (1650)
Montgomerie, Maal (1650)
Scott, Marjory (1662)
Sheddon, John (1650)
Small, Cristian (1662)
Small, Maal (1650)
Whyte, Jonet (1662)

(Source: Survey of Scottish Witchcraft http://webdb.ucs.ed.ac.uk/witches/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.main)

Original records on Margaret Jameson and Janet Holmes' trials are held at the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh. Must take a look next time I am up!

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.

Forces War Records Remembrance Special ezine

Forces War Records has released a special 'Remembrance Special' themed ezine, downloadable as a PDF document. 

The magazine is 18 pages long with features on the First and Second World Wars, including items on the 'unknown warrior' as commemorated around the world, and photos depicting acts of commemoration and more. It also includes a page detailing relevant collections on the Forces War Records website

To download the free magazine, visit on its website at https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/premium.

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.