Welcome to the Family History Social

 

Tomorrow, Thursday, 22 February 2024 at 14:00 

The Society of Genealogist's are presenting an online talk:

 

Implications of Hardwicke's Marriage Act in Genealogical Research with John Wintrip (1-hour talk)

This talk is about marriage (in England and Wales) from a genealogical perspective in the period from the Restoration (1660) to the introduction of Civil Registration (1837), with particular reference to the implications of Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753. Topics to be discussed include: Anglican canon law in relation to marriage; why an Act of Parliament was thought necessary; marriage registers before and after the Act (which did not require the introduction of printed registers as is commonly supposed); the content of marriage entries before and after the Act, including variations in what was recorded; the recording of consent in relation to marriages of minors; how did the newly married bride sign the register in the period from 1754 to 1837?; where were marriages supposed to take place and where did they take place in practice?; changes resulting from George Rose's Act of 1812.

 

Zoom talk by John Wintrip, expert in initiatives for the improvement of parish registers.

Book your place now: https://members.sog.org.uk/events/64873549b5c4c50008caab4a/description?ticket=64873549b5c4c50008caab4c

 

The Society of Genealogists is presenting a course aimed at taking your research back into the 1600s. Away from the pressures of life for a weekend, you can focus on how to find your earlier ancestors and flesh out your family’s history. If you sign up for this online course you will spend time with other people in the class that share your interests and are as keen as you are to learn new skills. Most of us enjoy meeting and learning from expert genealogists and we find others’ ancestry almost as fascinating as our own.

The SoG 2-day intensive course covers:

 

The Commonwealth Gap

Civil Wars

Migration to the Americas

Parish Registers and Records

Heraldic Visitations

Grammar Schools and Universities

London Guilds and Livery Companies

Taxation

Old Poor Law

Sources for English Civil War soldiers

Court records and Quarter Sessions

Nonconformity

17th Century Probate

 

Using case studies, document workshops and small group discussions alongside lectures you will learn about England in the 17th Century the sources available to research your ancestors in this period, and what their life would have been like. 

 

On Saturday afternoon guest speaker Tim Healey presents "Sex, Drink and Death in the 17th Century" a romp through the pleasures and perils of life in this turbulent era, featuring bawdy frolics, alehouse revels, highway robberies, Civil War, fire and plague. Hugely entertaining, the talk also gives insight into evolving customs - of courtship, celebration, faith and burial. 

 

Time: 

From 10:30am to 5 pm on Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th September on Zoom. 

 

Students will then have access to the recording of each talk for two weeks. 

 

Bookings are open until 9am 16 September 2023. 

https://members.sog.org.uk/events/6406270ba8ecf00007e50953/description?ticket=6406270ba8ecf00007e50955

 

 

This Saturday 1st July 2023 !

The new home of the Society of Genealogists will be Unit 2, 40 Wharf Road, London, N1 7GS. Plans are currently underway for its refurbishment as a wonderful library, archive and social venue for genealogists, and local and family historians.

The Society building is expected to re-open in Summer 2023. The SoG's newsletter editor, Emma Jolly, will be sharing with us the fascinating history of the area close to the Regent’s Canal which is steeped in industrial waterside history in this online event.

About this event:

    1-hour talk by Emma Jolly

    Cost: £5 / £3.25 for SoG members

    Recorded and available for 2 weeks

    Aimed at anyone with an interest in SoG and the history of our new building

 

    On Zoom

https://members.sog.org.uk/events

 

 

From the news:

 

This month, The Society of Genealogists have launched an interim database of  their Memorial Card Collection, donated by Phillip Jones. You are now able to search the full Memorial Card Collection of 4,500 and 8,500 digital images. Mourners sent the cards after the loss of a loved one to distant family members, friends and neighbours announcing the death and giving details of the funeral. Cards like these can be used to build a family tree.

For more information see: https://www.sog.org.uk/our-collections/featured/memorial-cards

 

To celebrate Women's History Month the Society of Genealogists (SoG) is holding a talk on Saturday 12 March, 10.30AM

Mummy, what did you do in the Great War? My Ancestor was a Woman at War

Join Emma Jolly at the SoG to find out more about the jobs women did in the First World War. In this talk, Emma explores the range of women’s roles and where to look for the surviving records (including online sources), which family historians can use to explore the lives of their ancestors and others.

Emma covers women who worked:

• in the auxiliary services
• in medical organisations and transport
• in police forces
• on the land
• in voluntary organisations

 

As Emma intends to open the talk up for discussion, please bring your own stories along.

 

A one-hour talk with Emma Jolly, cost £10.00/£6.50 SoG members. 

https://www.sog.org.uk/events

Many genealogists and family history researchers will be heading to Bristol for The Family History Show, South West in just a weeks' time!

The show takes place on Saturday 8th February at UWE Exhibition Centre, with two Large Lecture Theatres with Free Talks, Free Ask the Experts Area, Societies, Local Archives and Ministry of Defence stands, Free Goody Bag worth over £8 on entry, Free Parking and Free minibus from Station.

 

Don't miss their Early Bird Offer, Two Tickets for £8, saving £4 on the door price, which you can claim here.

Not in the South West? Don't worry, they are also coming to York in June and London in September.

Public Servants: Excise Officers, Customs Officers and Postmen - A One-hour Lecture on 10 October

The Society of Genealogists (SoG) has announced a one-hour lecture for those of us that have ancestors who were civil servants. If you are in the London area and want to know how to trace the likes of Excise Officers, Customs Officers and Postmen or central government officials then this event could be of use to you. The SoG say in thier publicity that sometimes you can find details of your public servants' families as well.

In this talk, Alan Ruston will be describing:

- The nature of the records;

- The unique and original staff records held at the Society of Genealogists on Customs and Excise staff for the 19th and 20th centuries.

This one-hour talk is on Wednesday, 10 October (2pm) with Alan Ruston.

Cost £8.00/£6.40 SoG members. Places should be pre-booked, through the SoG website or by telephone: 020 7553 3290 (Tue-Thu & Sat). 

The Society of Genealogists (SoG) has welcomed the announcement that the Government has accepted an amendment to the Deregulation Bill, currently going before the House of Lords, that allows for the publication of information from Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates in England and Wales to be issued otherwise than in the form of a certified copy. This is something the SoG has long campaigned for and it has said on its website that it is grateful to Baroness Scott of Needham Market, herself an enthusiastic genealogist, who suggested to Government that this deregulation is possible.

If you're keen to combine your research with an energetic walk, the Society of Genealogists has organised a walk around Finchley to visit an ancient road which links two ancient villages. The walk will take in lands once owned by the Knights Templar and a former manor house  which is haunted by a suspected lover of Anne Boleyn. The walk also takes in two famous murders and two uncrowned kings connected to the area.

The walk is on Saturday, 17 May from 11:00-12:30, with Paul Baker. The cost is £10.00/£8.00 SoG members. You must pre-book to attend and more details can be found on the Society of Genealogists website.