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.
Following the addition of the 'Cornwall Railway Worker' records, TheGenealogist has announced a further addition of more railway workers from other companies in England and Wales, bringing the total to nearly 1.5 million workers from one of Britain's biggest boom industries in the 1800s.
With details on their job roles, it's a useful insight into how our ancestors lived and worked.
The new records encompass all levels of railway worker from train driver, guard, signaller, office staff to labourers to station controllers, literally anyone involved in the functioning of the railway.
The records are all fully searchable and are a unique new resource. There's more details at TheGenealogist
Was your ancestor a tradesman? Or did they own a local business or were viewed as one of the pillars of local society?
Chances are they are listed in one of the Kelly's Directories or to term it correctly, the Kelly's Post Office and Harrod & Co Directory. The idea of Frederic Festus Kelly, the Directories were the Victorian equivalent of the Yellow pages of modern times and as well as businesses, they included postal addresses of local gentry, landowners, charities and other facilities in a local area.
The directories are an important source of local research and are increasingly available online to view. TheGenealogist has a sizable collection now available online to view and has recently added the following directories to its collection.
Cumberland 1929 Kelly's Directory
Lincolnshire 1933 Kelly's Directory
Dorset 1912 Kelly's Directory
Hampshire 1912 Kelly's Directory
Herefordshire 1900 Kelly's Directory
Shropshire 1934 Kelly's Directory
Somerset 1897 Kelly's Directory
Suffolk 1916 Kelly's Directory
Westmorland 1929 Kelly's Directory
Wiltshire 1912 Kelly's Directory
The directories are available to view to all Diamond and Gold subscribers of TheGenealogist. If your ancestor ran a local business it's well worth a look!
The Freke Family outside their family butcher business
This Saturday (29th June) sees the start of the Yorkshire Family History Fair at The Knavesmire Exhibition Centre, York Racecourse. It's on from 10.00-4.30pm. With over 100 exhibitors expected from all over the UK and Ireland, this is probably the largest local event of its kind in England.
Many family history societies, and family history websites such as TheGenealogist will be there as well as other family history suppliers. Lots of local history from the York area too. Entry is £4.50 for adults and children under 14 are free. There is plenty of parking and refreshments are available all day.
It's the 18th annual fair and there's more information available from their website.
The National Archives via their website are inviting aspiring filmmakers to take one of their suggested 'documents' and make a short film about it .
The competition, supported by the friends of the national archives, is aiming to encourage filmmakers to use the diverse collection of documents and pictures available from the TNA as the inspiration for an original feature .
Ten documents from the archives, ranging from the floor plan of a 19th century lunatic asylum to a West Indian view of life in post-war Britain, have been put online and entrants will need to use one or more of them as the starting point for a three-minute short film . it could be a character, a line, or the whole document - according to The National Archives website it is up to you to decide!
For more information go to The National Archives website for details on how to enter and closing dates .
Latest news from outgoing governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, is that the next redesign of the £10 note will feature the image of one of England's most famous novelists, Jane Austen.
Following the replacing of Elizabeth Fry on the forthcoming £5 note with the image of Winston Churchill, there has been an outcry over the lack of female representation (apart from the Queen) on the banknotes produced by the Bank of England.
The Austen family suffered degrees of financial hardship around the turn of the 19th century, so it is somewhat ironic she is scheduled to now appear on a banknote, but it cannot be argued she deserves her place among a series of Great Britons who have appeared on our banknotes!
Latest news from The National Archives is the appearance of their Chief Executive and Keeper, Oliver Morley, who will be on hand on three separate occasions in July to answer any questions on the future direction and management of the TNA and also to respond to any other views us family historians may have on The National Archives.
On the 2 and 18 July 2013, Oliver will be available in person to answer questions and on the 23 July will take part in a webinar on the TNA website. There's more details available including how to book on the events at the TNA website.
Latest news on the eagerly anticipated new series of Who Do You Think You Are? TV programme is the first episode in July will start off with the actress Una Stubbs.
The new series is promised to be both varied and filled with twists and turns according to the show producers.
The running order is provisionally set as follows with actress Una Stubbs on the first programme, followed by Nigel Havers, Minnie Driver, Lesley Sharp, Gary Lineker, Nick Hewer, Sarah Millican, Nitin Ganatra, Marianne Faithfull with the final episode featuring John Simpson.
Latest news and updates can be found on the Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine website
