Welcome to the Family History Social

The Society of Genealogists’ Library has opened to SoG members only from Tuesday 4th August 2020 with staggered sessions opening from 11am-4pm and 11.30-4pm

The SoG has posted on thier website that to begin with the number of members in the Library will be limited to a maximum of 20 persons per day and places must be booked in advance prior to visiting. Booking for sessions can be made on their website http://www.sog.org.uk/books-courses/events-courses/category/book-to-visit-the-library/

For the time being, it is intended that the Society will open for Library use each Tuesday and one Saturday a month. Back office project volunteers only will be welcome in the Library on Mondays. ~The SoG hope to work up to opening for more days and to more people as they become more confident of providing a safe and workable experience for staff, volunteers and members and as resources allow. During the days when the Society's library is closed to visitors their staff and volunteers will continue the service provisons offered during lockdown.

Visits must be booked at least a week in advance and will be made available up to two weeks before the date of the visit on a rolling weekly basis every Saturday morning. Each booking is for one person only on a first come, first served basis – you will not be able to bring anyone with you, unless they book a visit themselves. Please be considerate of others when you book – the SoG may cancel your booking if you exceed our reasonable limit of one booking per week.

The Society of Genealogist say that they will not permit anyone to enter the building who has not pre-booked a visit, so are asking people not to travel if you have not been able to book as they will not be able to let you in.

When members come into the Library, they will notice some changes. The Society has introduced safety and social hygiene measures to ensure the safety of their staff, members and friends. The toilets and cloakroom will be open so you can wash your hands and all hygiene guidance will be adhered to. Lockers will be open for you to store your belongings and take as little into the library as possible. There will be a cleaner in the building when the SoG is open to make sure all surfaces stay clean and safe. The SoG ared asking every visitor to use the sanitisers and wipes provided around the building and to follow social distancing measures and one-way procedures as indicated by signs around the building.

Computers and Microfiche/Microfilm readers have been spaced around the building rather than just in the lower library. When you book a members’ visitor session through the website you can  reserve a reader or computer as appropriate at the same time. 

Films and fiche will be available as normal and the SoG ask that all books, microforms, CDs etc be returned to the returns trolleys and boxes provided after use so they can be cleaned and or quarantined as appropriate

Current  regulations in England require face coverings to be worn in libraries and public reading rooms from 8th August and it is recommend face coverings are worn in these settings now. The regulations strongly encourage wearing a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet. You can remove your face covering in order to eat and drink, if reasonably necessary, and in the Common Room only which is designated for food and drink. You must put a face covering back on once you  have finished eating .

The Society of Genealogist's staff will be wearing masks for visitors protection and they would appreciate it if everyone who is able would please wear a face covering in face to face situations within the library, shop and reception (such as when seeking staff assistance) and where social distancing may be limited.

A downloadable PDF of SoG  Coronavirus Visitor Guidelines can be downloaded here

For more information see this post on their website: http://www.sog.org.uk/about/coronavirus/

TheGenealogist has added to its Australian records a set of new resources which can be used to find ancestors who lived in this country in the past. These name rich resources are sourced from a diverse range of historic books and directories which can be useful for finding out information such as where ancestors lived and what their occupation was.

Use these records to: 

• Add details to the lives of your Australian ancestors 
• Locate ancestors homes and business addresses in street directories
• Discover lists of Doctors, Chemists, Dentists, Lawyers and Teachers
• Find Municipality officials, Magistrates, Clergy, Secretaries of Clubs and Societies
• Search for Australian Military personnel (Army & Navy)
• See advertisements for traders, hoteliers and ship owners, etc.

This latest release expands TheGenealogist’s International records collection and includes the following useful resources:

South Australian Directories 1882-3, 1904, 1910, 1920 and 1936; Australasian Handbook 1906; The Victorian Municipal Directory and Gazetteer 1886; Horse Cattle and Sheep Brands Directory for South Australia 1879; Our Early Possessions & Pioneers of Settlement South Australia; Return of the Names of Official Chaplains (Self Governing Dominions); Johns’s Notable Australians and Who is Who in Australasia 1908; Walch’s Tasmanian Almanac 1889; Red Cross and Order of St John Australian Branch Enquiry List August 1 1917 Wounded and Missing; New South Wales Army and Navy Lists 1898; and Commonwealth of Australia Navy Lists April 1919, January 1921, July 1922, October 1919 & October 1922.

You can also read TheGenealogist’s article, ‘Learning more about our Australian cousins and their lives down under’: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/australian-records-online-to-find-your-ancestors-1284/

Many people would like to find out more about the history of their house and if this sounds like you then there is a great book that is both compact and filled with practical information.  The book is equally of interest to those who live in a manor house or a small cottage cottage, a tied house, a two up and two down Victorian terrace, a twentieth-century council house or even a converted warehouse

In Tracing Your House History the author, Gill Blanchard, shows the reader how to trace the history of their home be it a house or a flat. All this is done in a series of concise, information-filled chapters that will help you understand the lives of the people who lived in your home before you as well as understanding how to fit what you discover into the wider history of your city, town or village.

Gill Blanchard explores what can be found in a wealth of historical evidence that is available to researchers in libraries, archives and record offices as well as in books and in online resources. The book looks at these resources in detail and explains their significance before pointing the researcher towards finding the most relevant, and revealing, aspects of them. Gill has made the research process understandable, accessible and fun in this book, and she manages to demystify the sometimes obscure language and layout of the documents that people doing their house history will come up against.

• The ideal introduction for anyone researching the history of their house and home
• Identifies the key local and national sources that researchers can use
• Shows you how you can discover who lived in your property in the past
• Describes how buildings are adapted as times change
• Explains the development of regional architectural styles
  
  Paperback available from S&N Genealogy Supplies 
  

   

  ISBN: 9-781848-842540

  No. of Pages: 212

  Order your copy: https://genealogysupplies.com/product/Books-on-Genealogy/Tracing-Your-House-History-A-Guide-for-Family-Historians-by-Gill-Blanchard/

To mark the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain (10 July 1940 - 31 October 1940)  TheGenealogist is releasing over 2 million new RAF records. These records not only cover this important fight for Britain’s survival, but also encompass all of the Second World War period for a number of squadrons. This release brings the total ORBs records to 3.7 million and are part of TheGenealogist’s extensive Military records collection.

The ORBs are fully searchable by name, aircraft, location and many other fields, making it easy for researchers to find their aviation ancestors. These ORBs are the latest release to join TheGenealogist’s large military records collection which is always being expanded.

Hawker Hurricane I R4118 of No 605 Squadron,  Image: Arpingstone / Public domain

The fascinating pages from these diary-like documents tell the stories of brave aircrew, including those at the time of the Battle of Britain, 10 July 1940 - 31 October 1940. Recording patrols flown, the daily journal records give insights into the everyday lives of the personnel on bases. Researchers can use the collection to follow an airman’s war time experiences from these fully searchable Air Ministry Operations Record Books which cover various Royal Air Force, dominion and Allied Air Force squadrons that came under British Command. Sourced from The National Archives the AIR 27 records allow the family history researcher an interesting insight into relatives who had served in air force units under wartime conditions. 

The ORBs provide a summary of daily events. Some are ordinary entries, such as the names of new pilots posted to the squadron, entertainment on the base, or even noting the fact that an officer has become engaged. Sadly, these ORBs also record the death of pilots, crashes, or names of airmen that were missing in action. As names of personnel are recorded in these reports, for a family history researcher wanting to follow where an ancestor was posted to and what may have happened to them in the war, ORBs are often very enlightening documents. 

Use these records to: 

• Read the war movements of personnel in air force units
• Discover if a pilot, navigator, radio operator or gunner is mentioned in the action
• Find if an airman is listed for receiving an Honour or an Award
• Add colour to an aircrewman’s story 
• Note the names of squadron members wounded, killed, or did not return
• Easily search these National Archives records and images
  
  
  

Read TheGenealogist’s article: Ace in a day

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/ace-in-a-day-1278/

These records and many more are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist.co.uk

The National Archives reopens:

The National Archives (TNA) will welcome visitors back into its reading rooms from Tuesday 21 July. At this time it will be offering a limited service to visitors, who will be required to book their visit and order their documents in advance.

It will be open from Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 2.50pm. See https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/

_{Image: National_archives_2007_02_03.JPG:Nick Cooper at en.wikipediaderivative work: Harumphy / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)}

TheGenealogist has added over 85,500 individuals to their Parish Records for Worcestershire to increase the coverage of this English county. 

Released in association with Malvern Family History Society this is an ongoing project where high quality transcripts of Parish Records are made available for family history researchers to find their ancestors.

• 54,948 individuals have been added to the Worcestershire baptism records
• 8,703 new individuals join the marriage records for this county
• 3,558 individuals newly released for Worcestershire banns of marriages records
• 18,293 individuals added to the burials records for Worcestershire

These new records can be used to find your ancestors’ baptisms in fully searchable records that cover parishes from this part of the English midlands. With records that reach back to the mid 16th century, this release allows family historians to find the names of ancestors, their parents’ forenames, the father’s occupation where noted, and the parish where the event took place.

Parishes in this release include Abberton, Abbots Morton, Acton Beauchamp, Alderminster, Alstone, Alvechurch, Areley Kings, Bayton, Belbroughton, Bewdley St Anne’s, Oldberrow, Shipston-on-Stour, Tidmington and Tredington.

This is an ongoing project where family history societies transcribe records for their areas to be released on both TheGenealogist and FHS-Online, the website that brings together data from various Family History Societies across the UK while providing a much needed extra source of funds for societies.

These new records are available as part of the Diamond Subscription at TheGenealogist. 

If your society is interested in publishing records online, please see www.fhs-online.co.uk

You can read TheGenealogist’s article: ‘Worcestershire parish records trace family events back through the centuries.’ which confirms a teenager transported to Australia on the First Fleet had Worcestershire roots. https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/worcestershire-parish-records-trace-family-events-back-through-the-centuries-1272/

NEWS

The Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine have announced that they have upgraded their website to offer fantastic family history news and features on a more up-to-date and accessible platform.

Here is what Rosemary Collins from their website writes:

The new-look website is available at the same URL, whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com.

It now loads faster and is easier to access on mobile devices.

WDYTYA? Magazine editor Sarah Williams said: “We’re delighted to be moving to a new platform that will enable us to add even more content to help family historians across the globe.

“As well as our usual news stories and tutorials we will be adding some of our popular Q&As and inspirational real life stories.

“It will also remain the premier destination for anyone interested in the TV series.”

From today, our readers will also see our new-look newsletter, delivering the latest news and features from our website to your inbox every Friday morning.

Unfortunately, as part of the transition we had to shut down our popular online family history forum.

However, a group of readers set up a new forum: Who When Were Genealogy.

Founder member Hilary Groves (active on the WDYTYA? forum as phsvm) said: “We hope that our new forum will be as popular, friendly and helpful to all those who are looking for helping breaking down the inevitable brick walls or just help finding an elusive record as the WDYTYA? Forum has been over the years.”

WDYTYA? Magazine readers are also welcome to join our Facebook group.

PDFs of the old forum are available on Google Drive.

Source: https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/news/

Press Release from TheGenealogist

This week TheGenealogist has expanded its growing International Headstone Collection with some interesting new additions that allow researchers to see details that have been carved on stone about their ancestors and commemorated in various churches and cemeteries. The headstone records released cover 71 new cemeteries from the English and Welsh counties of Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Conwy, Denbighshire, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Flintshire, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Merionethshire, Merseyside, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

The International Headstone Collection is an ongoing project where every stone photographed or transcribed earns volunteers credits, which they can spend on subscriptions at TheGenealogist.co.uk or products from GenealogySupplies.com. If you would like to join, you can find out more about the scheme at: https://ukindexer.co.uk/headstone/

A simple headstone for the Earl St Maur, Eldest Son of Edward Adolphus 12th Duke of Somerset  

One of a number of headstones and plaques for the Dukes of Somerset and their family in All Saints, Church Street, Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire

These new records are all available as part of the Diamond Subscription at TheGenealogist.

You can read TheGenealogist’s article: Headstone Collection reveals the family history of the owners and staff of one of the most famous house and gardens in England 

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/headstone-collection-reveals-the-family-history-of-the-owners-and-staff-of-one-of-the-most-famous-house-and-gardens-in-england-1266/

Have you got your tickets yet to the Online Family History Show?

The Family History Show – Online will be live on Saturday 20 June 2020. Following closely the format of the very successful live shows, it will feature an online lecture theatre, the popular ‘Ask the expert’ area – where you can put questions forward to their specialists – as well as a whole host of stalls where you can ask for advice as well as buy genealogical products.

The organisers, having cancelled the physical show that would have taken place at York this weekend, have made it possible for people from all over the world to now "visit" the virtual stalls of more than 85 vendors ranging from Family History Societies to Genelogical Suppliers.

Through the wonders of modern technology attendees will be able to talk to some of the stallholders by text, audio or video to ask for advice and help with their family history society or business. You can also purchase from the online stalls their downloadable products that can help you in your research.

A virtual theatre will be running various talks throughout the day from the speakers who would have been at the physical event, had the pandemic not got in the way.

Put this Saturday in your diary so that you don't miss this online family history show.

Tickets to attend the online Family History Show are available for just £5.50 each. All ticket holders will also receive a digital Goody Bag worth over £10 on the day.

To find out more about The Family History Show – Online, and to buy your ticket please visit:

 https://thefamilyhistoryshow.com/online/

Press Release: Pharos Tutors under new ownership

Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd has been purchased by Dr Karen Cummings DipGen, with the change in ownership effective immediately.

Helen Osborn, co-founder and owner of the business since its inception in 2005, has sold the business to allow her to focus on other interests.

Karen Cummings, who has been the Course Director for Pharos since October last year, is an established genealogist, tutor and speaker. She is one of our longstanding tutors and has taught and written a number of Pharos courses over the last 6 years. Students who have been on Karen’s courses will testify to her enthusiasm about Pharos courses and the subjects she teaches.

Karen Cummings, new owner (right), with Helen Osborn

Helen says “Pharos has been a large part of my life for 15 years and it now needs new vision and fresh enthusiasm to take it forwards. Karen shares my love of imparting the best genealogy tutoring and inspiration to all genealogists no matter where they are in their educational journey. She brings many skills to Pharos so I am really thrilled that she is stepping into my place. I know the company will not only be in safe hands, but will build on current successes and go from strength to strength.”

Karen says “When Helen told me she was thinking of selling Pharos I jumped at the opportunity to buy the company. I’ve been a student, a tutor and then the Course Director for Pharos and, as we were moving things forward, I was constantly reminded of that 1980s marketing campaign “I liked it so much I bought the company”. We have the most amazing group of Tutors here at Pharos, I am in exceptionally good company. Like the other tutors, I am passionate about delivering high quality courses to students, providing them with tools to become better genealogists, and giving them the opportunity to ask questions along the way. We have over forty different courses currently running and more in development, and I am very excited about taking Pharos forward into the future”.