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New TV series: 24 Hours in the Past

29th April, 2015 Latest News, New TV Programmes 24 Hours In The Past , BBC , Victorian Britain , Working Poor
There is a new series on Tuesday night on BBC TV  and on the iPlayer that gives all of us a great insight into a bit of social history. These types of programmes can give us family historians a better understanding of our ancestor's times and so make more sense of their lives. 24 Hours in the Past is a living reality documentary in which six celebrities travel back in time to the 19th century, spending four full days experiencing the relentless graft of the working poor in Victorian Britain. Impressionist Alistair McGowan, former minister Ann Widdecombe, actress Zoe Lucker, world champion hurdler Colin Jackson, actor Tyger Drew-Honey and presenter Miquita Oliver are the volunteers, whose first 24 hours lands them in the dustyard, where they have to sift through mountains of dirt, rotting veg and old bones. Presented by Fi Glover, with historian Ruth Goodman.
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Godhelmians have their own ancestor website

27th April, 2015 Death Records, Family History Societies, Family Surnames, Latest News, Who Do You Think You Are? Live Exploring Surrey's Past , Godalming Ancestry , Godalming Museum , Surrey History Centre , West Surrey Family History Society , Www.godalmingancestry.co.uk
At last week's Who Do You Think You Are? Live in among the talks, family history societies, genealogy suppliers and data providers were a delegation from a town council from Surrey that obviously values its history and genealogy. It would seem that the town of Godalming has launched its own ancestry website at www.godalmingancestry.co.uk and representatives of the town spoke to our writer and handed us a leaflet that interested us so much that we have decided to mention it here. Perhaps other towns may like to take a leaf from their book and do something similar?

Godalming Ancestry

Godalming Ancestry Website at www.godalmingancestry.co.uk

 
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23rd April, 2015 Events, Family History Fairs, Family History Videos, Family Tree, Latest News, TheGenealogist, Who Do You Think You Are? Live Military Medals , Parish Records , Tithe Maps
  This video has just gone up online after the fantastic Who Do You Think You Are? Live show last week at the NEC. It gives a great flavour of the event from vendors of genealogy supplies, the talks that took place, new records from data sites and includes Mark Bayley, from TheGenealogist, talking about the new releases that his research site had launched for the event. For more see www.TheGenealogist.co.uk/News [embed]https://youtu.be/c6dxZ0YbA68[/embed]
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Who Do You Think You Are? Live show 2015

18th April, 2015 Latest News, Midlands Family History Fair, Who Do You Think You Are?, Who Do You Think You Are? Live National Exhibition Centre , NEC
Three days of brilliant family history talks, expert advice, new records and resources to explore have just finished for this year's Who Do You Think You Are? Live. Held at the new venue for the show at the NEC, Birmingham  there was so much more space with wider aisles and the airiness of a more modern venue compared to its old home of Olympia in London.

Birmingham_National_Exhibition_Centre

Many of the visitors to the show seemed happy with the mixture of Genealogical Supplies vendors and Family History Societies on hand, though a few were disappointed to find some FHS from the south-east and also Scotland hadn't managed to make it to the show this year.

Who Do You Think You Are? Live

The main data subscription sites, however, were there to showcase their various online offerings as was the National Archives, GRO and many more. Feedback from those visiting seemed to be very positive overall and next year's dates have now been announced as April 7th-9th 2016 back at the NEC.
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Free Sample Article from Discover Your Ancestors Periodical

31st March, 2015 Discover Your Ancestors, Genealogy Magazines, Handy Tips Break Down Your Brick Walls , Discover Your Ancestors Periodical , Free Family History Article , Online Magazine
If you want to unearth those difficult to find ancestors and break down your brick walls, then one way to become more skilled is to read around the subject and learn where to look for your past family and how to use the records that they may be hidden within. A growing number of in-the-know family historians are turning to the online magazine: Discover Your Ancestors Periodical and this month there is so much packed inside its digital pages: Horatio’s last words: Explore Nelson’s last will and testament The Welsh at Work: Emma Jolly follows occupational migrations in and out of Wales in the 18th and 19th centuries Ancient roots: New DNA research sheds light on our origins Lost in the war, found in the records: WW1 case study The jester vs Jerry: How cartoonist Heath Robinson helped with the propaganda war against Germany in WW1 Message to the masses: Jill Morris follows the many journeys of John Wesley as he took Methodism to the people History in the details: Jayne Shrimpton on umbrellas Toughs in cuffs: Angela Buckley reveals how you can track down your criminal ancestors – assuming they were caught Regulars: news + events / Books / Place in focus: Bristol / Classifieds Even the most "respectable" families may have skeletons in the closet. Finding criminals in your family tree can be exciting and certainly add some colour so if you would like to read a full length Free Sample Article "Toughs in cuffs" taken from this month's Discover Your Ancestors Periodical head over to their website here: http://www.discoveryourancestors.co.uk/toughs-in-cuffs/

Discover your Ancestors Periodical 24

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Discover Your Ancestors Magazine Issue 4 - Free UK Postage

25th March, 2015 Genealogy Magazines, Handy Tips, Latest News, S&N Genealogy Supplies Discover Your Ancestors , Discover Your Ancestors Bookazine , Discover Your Ancestors Magazine , DYA Magazine
Discover Your Ancestors Magazine Issue 4 - Free UK Postage
The "print edition" magazine from the Discover Your Ancestors stable is out and there is so much packed between the pages that I'm still reading it! This is a really high quality 196 page bookazine that contains many new in-depth articles, research advice, social history, 'how to' features, case studies, places in focus, and much more. In my view it really is ideal for both experienced researchers and those just starting out. Here is what you get:  
  • 35 fascinating features about life in the past
  • 50+ types of records explored
  • The Georgians & beyond: Explore your family history back to medieval times
  • Celebrities: Daniel Craig's French forebear
  • and much more!
Also included is a FREE Cover DVD with over £130 worth of resources! Including:
  • 3 Month Gold Subscription to TheGenealogist (worth £24.95!)
  • 3 Month Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Periodical
  • Gazetteer of Great Britain & Ireland 1893
  • Bartholomew's Atlas of England & Wales 1898
  • Topographical Dictionary of England 1849
  • Topographical Dictionary of Ireland 1839
  • RootsMagic Essentials family tree software
  • Printable A4 Charts

    Discover-Your-Ancestors-Magazine-Issue-4

To get your copy check out your local newsagent, or go now to: http://www.genealogysupplies.com/image/large/Discover-Your-Ancestors-Magazine-Issue-4.jpg I would also recommend to you the digital-only periodical that comes out monthly. There is one due very soon indeed, so do keep a look out for that as well!
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19th March, 2015 DNA, Latest News Ancestral DNA , DNA , Genetics , Nature , Oxford University , Wellcome Trust Centre For Human Genetics In Oxford
In a new study from Oxford University and published in Nature, researchers have found genetic signatures among  people from Britain that give away their historical roots in particular areas of the UK. It has enabled them to create the finest-scale map of genetic variation yet. The analysis gives us a snapshot of clusters of genetic variation in the late 1800s, when people were less likely to migrate far from their region of birth and so they believe this reflects  the historical waves of migration by different populations into the island that is Britain. “The patterns we see are extraordinary,” says Peter Donnelly, director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics in Oxford, UK, who co-led the study published 18 March in Nature. “The genetic effects we’re looking at are the result of, probably, thousands of years of history.” Few people from the British Isles would today have ancestors from just one region of the country, but the researchers were able to find 2,039 Britons of European ancestry who lived in rural areas and also knew that their four grandparents were all born within a short distance of each other. Their findings are that
  • Modern Britain can be divided into 17 distinct genetic groupings
  • The English genomes are 40 percent French, about 26 per cent shared with the Germans, 11 per cent with the Danes and in the region of nine per cent with the Belgians
  • The Northern Welsh have the most DNA from the the original settlers of Briton and differ from the Southern Welsh
  • A clear genetic division between the people of Cornwall and Devon that still persists along the county boundary of the River Tamar which shows for the first time what had been thought for a long time
  • Notwithstanding the long held belief that the Vikings raped as they conquered they have left very little of their DNA behind
Leslie, S. et al. Nature http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature14230 (18 March 2015).

DNA_Double_Helix

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The Real "Banished" Character found in TheGenealogist Records

16th March, 2015 Colonial Records, Criminal Records, New TV Programmes, TheGenealogist, Transportation Records Banished , BBC TV , Convicts To Australia
I was intrigued to read on TheGenelaogist's website, that their researchers have discovered the real story of James Freeman, as played by Russell Tovey in the BBC TV series Banished. As they say in their article "Freeman's real story is fascinating, if a bit gruesome." I won't  spoil it for you, as you can read it all by heading over to their featured articles on their website here: http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2015/hang-or-be-hanged-the-finisher-of-the-law-237/ What I can tell you is that the Transportation records to be found on TheGenealogist website is a fabulous resource for discovering convict ancestors that this country wanted to send away "to parts beyond the seas".

Programme Name: Banished - TX: n/a - Episode: n/a (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: James Freeman (RUSSELL TOVEY) - (C) RSJ Films - Photographer: Matt Squire

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Getting the Most out of RootsMagic - Seventh Edition - by Bruce Buzbee

11th March, 2015 Books, New Books, RootsMagic Family Software, S&N Genealogy Supplies Getting The Most Out Of RootsMagic 7 , RootsMagic Version 7
Just found this New book to help you get the most out of RootsMagic at online genealogy shop: S&N Genealogy Supplies. RootsMagic is the easiest genealogy software available, yet many people will barely touch the tip of the iceberg of RootsMagic's features. If you are one of these people, then this book is for you. You start with basic data entry and continue by learning advanced techniques such as custom reports, citing sources, GEDCOM, creating user-defined facts, scanning images, and merging. Mix that with time-saving short-cuts, and you soon will have a complete understanding of RootsMagic and its hidden powers. Written by the author of RootsMagic, Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic will teach you how to:  
  • Create a detailed family history
  • Explore the advanced concepts and techniques
  • Properly document your entire family history for future generations
  • Publish your family history
  • Add photos to bring your family history to life
  • Use short-cuts to speed-up data entry
  • Create customised wall charts
  • Organise your unfinished research using RootsMagic
  • Share your family history on the World Wide Web  No. of Pages: 383

Getting-the-Most-out-of-RootsMagic-Seventh-Edition

  Available from S&N Genealogy Supplies.    
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Nelson's Words

06th March, 2015 Death Records, New TV Programmes BBC , Codicil , Image Of Wills , Lord Horatio Nelson , Naval Hero , Nelson's Last Will , TheGenealogist , Will And Testament , Wills
The BBC 2 TV programme: Nelson in His Own Words is on our screens today, or can be seen on the iPlayer for 30 days. Horatio Nelson was Britain's greatest naval hero and this programme shows us how he  was also a prolific letter writer. The correspondence reveals that Nelson was a very different and more complex man than the hero that Britain created after his death. Using Nelson's letters this drama documentary exposes Nelson's skilful and manipulative use of PR to advance his career, and shows how he was careful in his praise of his rivals - in case they threatened his own prospects. And the letters reveal how his passionate love affair with Lady Emma Hamilton changed his life forever.  The programme stars the highly regarded RSC actor Jonathan Slinger as Nelson. In a twist, TheGenealogist have a fascinating article on their website that reveals more of Nelsons words but this time as featured in his last will and testament that can be found using their resources. Of particular interest is the codicil that Nelson wrote just before the Battle of Trafalgar "in sight of the combined fleets of France and Spain" that asked the King and Government to provide for his mistress, Lady Emma Hamilton. With the great victory that Nelson delivered, but losing his life in the process, the authorities heaped money and titles on his family while ignoring his very last wishes in the codicil he had written on the day of his death!

2 - The Death of Nelson

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