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Proposals to change the next UK Census

A formal proposal to change the traditional paper census form to an online version only has been put to Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office Minister,  by the Office of National Statistics with a view to saving the government a large amount of money. After almost 200 hundred years of using a paper format census, the new proposals are controversial but the argument is with the advances of new technology, there is a chance to save hundreds of millions of pounds by going down the online route. Elderly people or those unable to use get access to the internet will be given special assistance but officials hope the plans will slash the potential cost of the next census in 2021. What do you think, should the paper version be kept or is it best to move to an online only format?
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New TreeView Mobile app now available

A recent new development in the world of family history research has been the introduction of a new family history tree builder app, compatible with all iOS and Android devices. The new 'TreeView' app, launched by TheGenealogist, allows the highly regarded TreeView online family tree builder to be viewed, updated and taken to family gatherings on a phone and tablet too. With the new app, you can access your family tree and your saved details on your mobile device, even when you don't have connection to the internet. TreeView is a very useful powerful tool, one I've used and would recommend. The app now gives you the ability to add, modify and view your family history via any mobile device. With the option of a variety of tree styles, you have everything available at your fingertips on the move! For more details and more information, please go to TheGenealogist website

TreeView mobile app

New TreeView mobile app now available

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Interesting events to attend at The National Archives

There's a number of both free and ticketed events scheduled at The National Archives  this week. On Thursday the 27th March, there's a free talk entitled 'We may lie and die in a land of plenty..'- the Victorian poor in their own words. This talk looks at pauper letters, statements and petitions highlighting the concerns, thoughts and feelings of the poor in their own words. On the Friday, television broadcaster Jeremy Paxman explores what life was like for the British during the First World War, from politicians to newspapermen, Tommies, factory-workers, nurses, wives and children. Cost for this talk is £5. For more details and to see the other talks and workshops available, go to The National Archives website.

The National Archives

Latest events at The National Archives

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New Tithe Records on TheGenealogist provide some surprising discoveries..

With the launch of over 11 million new Tithe Records now available on TheGenealogist, it's now possible to discover more details on our ancestors before the census record years. Available online for the first time, TheGenealogist, in partnership with The National Archives, has released these unique records, which show life in England and Wales from the 1830s. Amongst the new discoveries,  the ancestors of Monty Python legends, John Cleese and Eric Idle are found in the Tithe records, as can the shared ancestor of Prince Harry and his girlfriend, Cressida Bonas. Both are related to Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe (1st Earl Howe). Earl Howe owned a substantial amount  of land in both Suffolk and Buckinghamshire (the family ancestral home). Here is a copy of Earl Howe and his details in the Tithe Apportionment record now available to view online.

Earl Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe

Earl Richard William Penn Curzon-Howe, ancestor of both Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas

The shared family tree of Harry and Cressida can be found on TreeView. The great great Grandfather of John Cleese was a grocer, and is discovered in the Tithe Records living in a cottage in Westbury-upon-Trym. The father of John Cleese, Reginald, changed the family name from Cheese to Cleese before he joined the army in World War One. The Cheese/Cleese family tree is listed here.  Fellow Python Eric Idle's ancestors hail from Lower Soothill in Yorkshire. Eric's three times great Grandfather was a blanket maker by profession and lived with his family in a cottage and shop with gardens as found in the tithe records. The Idle family tree can also be found here on TreeView. Other discoveries in the Tithe records include the ancestors of Lord Seb Coe, former athlete, whose relative, Robert Coe, a school headmaster, is  found on the Tithe records in Durham. See the family history of Lord Coe onTreeView . The Tithe Maps are to be added to TheGenealogist later in 2014. The Maps were the graphical representation of who owned or occupied the land and property in England and Wales. The second phase of the project will link images of microfilm maps with the plot references. Launch is due Spring 2014. The third phase will digitise the large original maps in colour for each county at high resolution to enhance this unique resource. Launch due for this is 2015. Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist concludes: “This has been an exciting, major project for us. The records touch upon the lives of every family so they really are a must–have for every family historian!”

Tithe Map

Example of a Tithe Map shortly to be live on TheGenealogist

The Tithe Records now available on TheGenealogist have been mentioned in a number of British newspapers including The Sunday Times, The Daily Express and The Telegraph.  
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Family History Fair this Saturday

This Saturday (15th March), sees the Dorset (Family History Society) Family History Day.  It's being held at Parkstone Grammar School, Sopers Lane, Poole from 10am to 4pm. This family history fair has free admission and free parking and a number of exhibitors, including TheGenealogist and S&N Genealogy Supplies will be present.  There's also a seleciotn of quality talks including one from Peter Hart of the Imperial War Museum, who will be presenting a talk on "Life in the Trenches on the Western Front". It promises to be a great event. Will you be going? There's more details on the Dorset Family History Society website.

Dorset Family History Fair

Exploring the family history fair

 
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Over 1.5 million new Parish Records added to TheGenealogist

Latest news from TheGenealogist is the release of over 1.5 million parish records, covering the counties of Essex, Worcestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset. Combined with the new record releases is a new look search layout making it easy to use on all devices. The records cover the period from the mid 1500s to the early 1900s. The parish record collection can be searched by name, spouse's name, father's name, mother's name, birth date, baptism date, marriage date, burial date and by parish using the SmartSearch features available on TheGenealogist. For more details please go to TheGenealogist website.

New parish records on TheGenealogist

New parish records on TheGenealogist

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