The first episode starts this Wednesday on BBC1 of Who Do You Think You Are? and it's eagerly anticipated by family historians throughout the UK. The first celebrity, Una Stubbs has an emotional journey, that features both estranged families and a look at a visionary ancestor who was instrumental in designing some of the England's new towns of the early 1900s.
TheGenealogist has a feature on Una Stubbs in their 'Featured Articles' section and you can view it here.
Una Stubbs and father Clarence pictured around 1938
Latest news from The National Archives is that eleven items have been selected from the UK's libraries, archives and museums to represent our outstanding heritage in the UK Memory of the World Register. From Domesday Book to Hitchcock's silent films, these valuable works span nearly 900 years, come from across the country and embody pivotal moments in the history of the UK.
This is the third group of inscriptions to the UNESCO UK Memory of the World Register, an online catalogue promoting some of the UK's exceptional documentary riches across the world.
The 11 items and collections being inscribed to the UK Memory of the World Register are:
Latest details from TheGenealogist is the release of over 320,000 new Parish Records. Available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist, the records cover Lancashire, Worcestershire and Suffolk.
Covering births, marriages and deaths, the new records span the years 1533 to 1884 so if you have ancestors from any of these three counties, it may well be worth checking out the new records on TheGenealogist!
There's more details available from TheGenealogist website.
The new genealogy comedy series 'Family Tree' starts tomorrow (Tuesday 16 July) on BBC2 at 10pm. Starring Chris O'Dowd and Nina Conti, it follows one man on his search to discover his roots and the unintentionally hilarious consequences of his search.
Genealogy is new territory for comedy so it will be interesting to see how good the series is. Much of the script is improvised which also adds to the unique nature of the programme.
The series has already started in the U.S. and reviews so far have been positive. For those that choose to watch the programme tomorrow, we'd be interested in your views!
It's good to keep up to date with latest family history developments and here at Family History Social we find the fortnightly Email News from S&N a good, informative read.
The latest email features special special offers, new record releases enabling you to trace your railway ancestors, Jewish ancestry and also major parish records additions. There’s also details on the forthcoming new series of Who Do You Think You Are? and the new comedy programme ‘Family Tree’. It’s all available at http://www.genealogysupplies.com/email_news.htm
The South West Area Group of Family History Societies will be holding their bi-ennial fair at the Winter Gardens, Weston-super-Mare on Saturday 13th July 2013.
The event will be open from 10.00am until 4.00pm and the venue details are:
Weston-super-Mare Winter Gardens, Royal Parade, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1AJ.
Entrance fee is £2.50 and there is pay and display car parking nearby.
The fair promises to be another good event for family historians. There will be a number of family history societies present and suppliers of family history products and services and there will be some useful talks including Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist who will present his very popular talk on 'Breaking down brick walls'.
The date for the first episode of series 10 of Who Do You Think You Are? has now been formally released by the BBC. It's scheduled for Wednesday 24 July and will feature famous actress Una Stubbs.
Welwyn Garden City, in Hertfordshire, is central to her story, particularly as it's the new town that was originally founded by her great grandfather, Sir Ebenezer Howard, who also founded Letchworth Garden City as part of his plans for more comfortable and pleasant town living.
It should be the start of a great series, will you be watching?
First celebrity on Who Do You Think You Are? series 10
Latest news from the Commonweath War Graves Commission website is details of the UK and French governments working together to commemorate the centenary of the start of the First World War.
The UK's Minister for International Security Strategy, Andrew Murisson and the French Minister for Veteran's Affairs, Kader Arif recently signed a letter of intent, establishing cooperation in organising events to mark the centenary of the First World War and beyond.
The UK and French governments will work together in areas of common interest, such as commemorative events, like the Battle of the Somme in 2016, and in areas of tourism, education and in the field of cultural and scientific projects.
Co-operation between the UK and French governments as the centenary of The Great War approaches
Our surnames and how they have developed in Britain is a subject that interests many genealogists. At Family History Social we came across this useful guide to English surnames on About.com
If you've always wanted to know a bit more about your surname, this is a handy article. The article covers English surnames as we know them today, passed down through generations, which began in England as early as the 11th century. There's more on the article available here.
This Sunday, 7th July 2013, sees the first 'Jewish Family History Fair' in Elstree, Hertfordshire, hosted by The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain.
You can learn more about Jewish history and genealogy from expert speakers, including Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist.co.uk
There's also an 'Ask the Expert' session and there will be exhibitors of leading software and recording materials for keen genealogists to browse.
The Fair is open from 10am to 6pm at the De Vere Village Urban Resort Hotel and there's more details from their website.
