The National Archives have recently announced their new website is now live and fully operational. With a significant change in design, according to their publicity, The National Archives have styled their new website to cater for the increase in visitors accessing their site from mobile devices. 20% of their visitor traffic in particular is now using the website from mobile devices.
The National Archives official statement is "The new design represents a shift in our thinking and a shift in the changing needs of our audience."
Latest news from 'Unlock the Past' Cruises is that they are now taking bookings for their new cruise holiday- 'British Isles Discovery' in July next year.
It's a 10 night cruise around the British Isles on the Marco Polo cruise ship. Presenters for this family history cruise are to be announced shortly but if you want to get your booking in early you can from their website at http://www.unlockthepastcruises.com/cruises/5th-unlock-the-past-cruise-british-isles-discovery/
The Oxfordshire Family History Society 2013 Open Day is this forthcoming Saturday, 5th October and is to be held at The Marlborough School just outside Woodstock.
The Open Day will feature an assortment of visiting Family History Societies, publishers, dealers in second hand books and postcards, and more.
Opening times are 10am to 4pm and there is ample car parking available. Admission to the Open Day is free, as is the on-site car park.
There's more information available at http://www.ofhs.org.uk/OpenDay.html
English or Welsh family tree brick walls? Why not get some help?
There's a well received beginners level course, delivered weekly to your computer to study when you want, which offers information packed, step-by-step tutorials. Provided by Nick Thorne (a.k.a. The Nosey Genealogist), it's great for those people new to family history who would like some expert guidance on how to find their way around those potential difficulties and pitfalls that we all stumble across when researching our family history.
Also of great benefit to those who are a bit more advanced, this course quickly takes the student on to look at the many different record sets and archives that you may not have thought to look. Places that your ancestors may be hiding in full sight.
Nick Thorne is a leading family historian (with a number of years of researching family histories behind him) and in the course there are also some contributions from Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content from TheGenealogist.co.uk
Topics covered in the 12 months include:
The census collections; The Parish records; The Parish Chest; Dade Registers; County Record offices; Nonconformist; Religious records; Clandestine marriages; City and Town Directories; Census substitutes; Apprentices; Professionals; Army ancestors; Royal Navy ancestors; RAF forebears; Merchant Navy ancestors; Illegitimacy; The Workhouse; Poor Law; Death records; Burial; Wills; Rural ancestors; Bankrupts; Black sheep; Genetics and DNA; Occupations; Maps and Charts; The National Archives; Family Search Centres; Passports; Manorial records; Old Newspapers and much more!
It costs £9.95 a month but there's currently a special trial offer available. It's well worth checking out at http://familyhistoryresearcher.com/trialoffer/
New online family history training course
Here are some of the things people are saying about this course:
"You communicate in an understandable way! Thank you for the modules that I have had so far." P. Martin."I have enjoyed the time as a FHR member and thank you for your helping hand in trying to solve a problem printing out the guides." T. M. U.K."I would like to thank you for the resources, which I have received weekly, they are very interesting and informative, also a big thank you for thebrilliant customer service." P. Beilby."I am finding the course very useful, even though I have been doing family history for many years." Kind Regards, H. Stephens.
For those family historians who like to keep up with developments in family history research, the new online periodical 'Discover Your Ancestors' is certainly worth taking a look at. Packed with interesting articles and handy hints and tips, it's a great new resource for all genealogists.
TheGenealogist.co.uk is currently running a great competition on facebook, offering the chance to win one of 100 free online subscriptions to 'Discover Your Ancestors'. The prize is the first 12 issues of the online periodical. All you have to do is go to TheGenealogist Facebook page, like the page and correctly identify the place in the picture and you'll be entered into the prize draw!
Good luck! Here is the link https://www.facebook.com/thegenealogist
Win a Discover Your Ancestors periodical subscription
The final episode of the Who Do You Think You Are? series concluded last night and it was a good episode full of dramatic events and surprises. Although focusing on just a few members of John Simpson's family, it highlighted the surprises and difficulties in family history research.
The programme helped John Simpson discover more about his great grandmother leaving her husband to run off with American wildwest showman and aviation pioneer, Samuel Cody and the fabrication of details they used to disguise the fact they weren't legally married. The 1911 census document illustrated in great detail that our ancestors did not always tell the truth!
The episode had its fair share of tragedies including the death of Cody and the poisoning of his great great grandfather and also highlighted the often complicated nature of family life. As the finale of the series, it certainly had its share of twists and turns. What did you think of the programme?
John Simpson's episode on Who Do You Think You Are? was full of drama with a family history that often made the newspapers!
The latest range of courses have been announced by the Society of Genealogists. There is a good range of courses available for both the amateur and experienced family historian. A selection of the courses include:
Wed 2 Oct 14:00 Tracing French Ancestry
Sat 5 Oct 14:00-17:00 Heraldry: Its Language, Grants and Inheritance of Arms
Wed 9 Oct 14:00 Charities and their Records at The National Archives for Family Historians
Sat 12 Oct 10:30-17:00 Family Historian Software for Beginners and Refreshers
Wed 16 Oct 14:00 My Ancestor Was a Hatmaker
Sat 19 Oct 10:30-13:00 Marriage and Courtship in the 1800's
The full course itinerary can be found at http://www.sog.org.uk/books-courses/events-courses/
If you would like more information, please contact the events department at the Society of Genealogists on 020 7553 3290 or by email: [email protected]
This Wednesday sees the final episode of series 10 of 'Who Do You Think You Are?' on BBC1. It's the turn of BBC Foreign Affairs Editor, John Simpson or John Cody Fidler-Simpson to give him his full name. Born in Lancashire in 1944, John has spent all his working career at the BBC.
The final episode of the Who Do You Think You Are? series is usually the one with the most twist and turns and surprises and this one promises to be no exception. John discovers a poisoning in the 1800s and also investigates the truth behind his supposed family link to the pioneering aviator and wild west showman, Samuel Cody. There's also the family rift he experiences as a small child that damaged his relationship with his mother. The episode looks to feature as much drama in his own family history as there is on one of his usual BBC news reports!
TheGenealogist has an article on John Simpson looking at his eventful family history. It can be found at http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/wdytya2013_simpson.phpThe John Simpson programme airs on BBC1 this Wednesday 25th September at 9pm.
John Simpson in the final episode of the series of Who Do You Think You Are?
Latest news from the genealogy cruise specialists 'Unlock the Past' is the addition of another cruise holiday for family historians. The latest cruise announcement is called the 'British Isles Discovery' and is scheduled for 19th -29th July 2014 for ten days.
Speakers and talk subjects have yet to be announced but the cruise will travel around Britain, Ireland, the Channel Islands and part of Northern France.
For more information please keep an eye on the website at http://www.unlockthepastcruises.com/cruises/5th-unlock-the-past-cruise-british-isles-discovery/
For those family historians who like to keep up with the latest updates and developments in family tree software, there will be some interest and no doubt anticipation with the forthcoming release of Family Tree Maker 2014.
The new Family Tree Maker apparently makes it easier than ever to discover your family story, preserve your legacy and share your unique heritage.
The new features includes a new 'Family View', improved TreeSync, new and improved charts and reports, a new tree branch export and more. It certainly looks like some good improvements and should please those users who currently use Family Tree Maker as their preferred choice of software.
You can 'pre-order' a new copy or an upgrade at S&N Genealogy Supplies at http://www.genealogysupplies.com/family-tree-maker-2014/
Let us know what you think when you start using the new software.
