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Did you see Ruth Jones on Who Do You Think You Are?

 

The episode of the popular family history programme, Who Do You Think You Are? that was shown last night in the U.K. on BBC One went down really well with a lot of people if you look at the comments on social media.

It was a real lesson in using records to trace ancestors and ranged from the family bible (written in Welsh of course) to census, parish records, shipping lists and newspaper reports to name just a few.

Ruth goes to New Quay where she is able to meet local historian Sue Passmore to find out about her ancestors that became ships' captains. Then it was the turn of Maritime expert Dr Elin Jones to help Ruth in the programme research into her mariner ancestors. This showed clearly what a fascinating subject area this is when we find seafarers in our family tree. If you have ancestors of your own that sailed the seas some of the records that we like are the Merchant Navy Apprenticeship records and Ship Crew Lists.

We particularly enjoyed seeing, in Ruth Jones' story, the photograph of the siblings set against a harbour wall. The techniques that Jayne Shrimpton, the fashion and photo dating expert, used to identify what period the photo was taken was very interesting to see... and what a simple, but great tip, she gave us to check for the photographer in two censuses to discover a time for when he had been operating.

Ruth hears in the show that one of her great uncles drowned at sea with a funeral service held in a nonconformist chapel. If you too have nonconformist ancestors, have you tried searching the official records from The National Archives? They are available online here https://www.thegenealogist.com/non-conformist-records/

But the family plot was not at the Chapel but at the Parish Church in Llanarth. Now that all the Anglican Parish Records for Wales have gone online we at Family History Social couldn't resist looking for Ruth's ancestors ourselves and were fascinated to see just how young some of them were when they were buried. You can check for your own Welsh ancestors at this website: http://thegenealogist.co.uk/welsh-parish-records

The parental line examined the life of her grandfather who had been a leading figure in the Medical Aid Societies in Wales before the birth of the NHS. We saw how from being a chemist's assistant, through wartime service as a Sick Berth Attendant in the Navy, he rose to be Secretary of the Alliance of South Wales & Monmouthshire Medical Aid Societies and attempted to persuade Aneurin Bevan that they should have a part in the new National Health Service. Sadly the societies were kept at arms length by the government and there was no place for Ruth's grandfather in the new NHS. Moving to Porthcawl he helped to run a convalescent home as his last job – proving that his entire life had been in the service of his fellow men and women.

If you missed the episode then for a short while it will be available on the BBC iPlayer or you can read a resume of what was in the programme here

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Parish Records for all of Wales Launched by TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist are launching the complete set of all Anglican records for Wales held by the consortium of Welsh archives on 23rd October. This release contains 8 million Parish Records, listing over 14.5 million individuals, with images of the original registers. 

 

Mark Bayley, Head of Online Content at TheGenealogist said:

 

“We are very excited to be releasing parish records for all 13 historic Welsh counties.” He went on to say:

 

“We’re thankful for the input of Welsh records experts from the archives, to make sure that we have accurate parish and place names. This will make it much easier for researchers to find records that they may have experienced difficulties with trying to find elsewhere. 

 

“TheGenealogist’s keyword search makes it surprisingly easy to find the record you’re after and SmartSearch allows you to find families in the registers.

 

“These records compliment our nonconformist records for Wales which include Methodists,  Quakers and more, giving researchers the ultimate resource for finding their Welsh ancestors’ vital events.”

 

St Michael’s Church, Betws-Y-Coed as featured in the records

 

This release includes all historic Welsh counties:-

Anglesey, Brecknockshire, Caernarfonshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Merionethshire, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire, Pembrokeshire and Radnorshire.

 

Kim Collis, West Glamorgan County Archivist, says on behalf of all the Welsh archives contributing their parish records:

 

We are delighted that TheGenealogist is releasing these records to a wider audience. Being able to access them from the comfort of your own home, especially during the current situation, is of great benefit.

 

“For this release, we’ve painstakingly gone through the metadata, improving all the place names in this record set, recording chapels of ease, parent parishes of modern parishes, and variant spellings in the English and Welsh languages. This will mean that searches for your ancestor in the parish records, which previously might have turned up no results, will have a much greater chance of finding them for you.

 

“If you’ve previously struggled to find your ancestors’ Welsh Parish Records, I’d really encourage you to search these records.”

 

To find out more about Welsh Parish Records and this release, visit https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/welsh-parish-records/

 

This release has been made possible by the participation of the following archives:-

Anglesey Archives, Carmarthenshire Archive Service, Ceredigion Archives, Conwy Archive Services, Denbighshire Archives, Flintshire Record Office, Glamorgan Archives, Gwent Archives, Gwynedd Archives Service, Pembrokeshire Archives and Local Studies, Powys Archives and West Glamorgan Archive Service.

 

 

 

Ruth Jones will be searching for her Welsh roots in
Who Do You Think You Are? airing on Monday 26th October on BBC One. TheGenealogist has found her ancestors in this new collection. Read about it here (WARNING: Contains spoilers) https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/who-do-you-think-you-are/ruth-jones-1338/ 

 

 

 

 

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David Walliams - Who Do You Think You Are?

 

David Walliams - Who Do You Think You Are?

Last Monday night on BBC One many of us were glued to the screen to see what family history story was going to be revealed in David Walliams' episode of Who Do You Think You Are?

In many people's opinion he came across as a genuine person and while the war experiences of his paternal great grandfather was perhaps a bit harrowing for some (John George Boorman, joined the Grenidier Guards to serve in WW1 and suffered "shell shock" as a result) the story was fascinating.

In the second part of the programme David was introduced to his tenacious maternal great-great grandfather, William Haines who became a succesful showman despite being blind.

 

There is a review of the programme here: David Walliams – Who Do You Think You Are?

Or for a short period watch on BBC iPlayer https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b007t575/who-do-you-think-you-are

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Recorded Talks on the Society of Genealogists website

Some excellent help can be had in tracing family history by listening to some of the recorded talks published on the Society of Genealogists website.

If you've missed the opportunity to attend one of the various live online talks that the SoG have been running, some recordings are now available to rent through their Vimeo account. You will need to register for a free Vimeo account, the cost of each recording is £7.50. 

Some of those that are now online include:

Finding your 17th-Century English Ancestors with Else Churchill

Probate Records in England and Wales with Else Churchill

Follow the Money: Further Probate Records in England and Wales with Else Churchill

Sources for India in the Society of Genealogists Library with Else Churchill

DNA for Beginners Part 1: Before Taking a DNA Test with Amelia Bennett

and many more. For full information take a look at their website:

http://www.sog.org.uk/books-courses/recorded-talks/

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New release: 1.54 million individuals in Norfolk Parish Records with images

New online release of Norfolk Parish Records with images 

 

St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham

 

TheGenealogist has added over 1.54 million individuals to their Norfolk Parish Record Collection and so increasing the coverage of this Eastern English county for family researchers to find their ancestors' baptisms, marriages and burial records. 

 

These records are released in association with the Norfolk Record Office and have the benefit of high quality images to complement the transcripts, making them a valuable resource for those with ancestors from this area.

 

This new addition to the ever growing Parish Records collections on TheGenealogist are for fully searchable records of church registers from parishes in Norfolk. With records that reach back to the mid 16th century, this release allows family historians to find the names of forebears, their parents’ forenames, the father’s occupation (where noted), and the parish that the event took place in. Parish Records are one of the most important records for family historians to use when researching our ancestors, as they cover vital events before the introduction of civil registration for England and Wales in 1837.

 

This latest addition brings the total number of individuals in the parish records for Norfolk on TheGenealogist to over 11.5 million.

 

Example from the Parish of Sandringham in Norfolk

As an example we can find the one time owner of the Sandringham estate, many years before it became the royal residence that it is today. In the Elizabethan era a manor was built on what is the site of the present house. By the 18th century, it had come into the possession of the Hoste Henley family who were descendants of Dutch refugees. In 1771 Henry Cornish Henley cleared the site to build a Georgian mansion, Sandringham Hall. 

 

Using the Parish Records on TheGenealogist we are able to find the burial record for this gentleman and see that it was in 1773. It would seem that Henley died before the House was completed and so then it passed to his son, who would eventually sell it to a neighbour.

 

Burial transcript for Henry Cornish Henley November 1773 at St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham

 

Entry in the Parish Burial Register at Sandringham for Henry Cornish Henley, November 1773


These new parish records are available as part of the Diamond Subscription at TheGenealogist.



This new release covers the following parishes: 

 

Acle, Alby, Aldborough, Aldeby, Alderford, Antingham, Ashwellthorpe, Ashwicken with Leziate, Aslacton, Aylmerton, Aylsham, Babingley, Bacton, Banham, Banningham, Barford, Barney, Barton Bendish St Andrew and St Mary with All Saints, Bebingley, Beechamwell (alias Beachamwell), Beeston Regis, Belaugh, Billingford, Bixley, Blakeney, Blickling, Blofield, Bodney, Booton, Boughton, Bracon Ash, Bradfield, Brampton, Brancaster, Braydeston, Breckles, Briston, Brooke, Brundall, Buckenham, Bunwell, Burgh St Margaret and Billockby, Burgh St Peter, Burlingham St Edmund, Burnham Deepdale, Caister next Yarmouth, Caistor St Edmund with Markshall, Calthorpe, Carleton Rode, Castle Acre, Castle Rising, Castleacre, Caston, Chedgrave, Clippesby, Cockley Cley, Cockthorpe, Colkirk and Colkirk with Oxwick, Colney, Coltishall, Corpusty, Costessy, Cromer, Crownthorpe, Croxton, Denver, Dersingham, Dickleburgh with Langmere, Didlington, Diss, Docking, Downham Market, Drayton, Dunston, Earlham St Anne with St Elizabeth, Earlham St Mary and Earlham with Bowthorpe, East Carleton, East Dereham, East Tuddenham, Eaton St Andrew and Christchurch, Eccles, Edgefield, Edingthorpe, Erpingham, Fakenham, Felthorpe, Fersfield, Field Dalling, Filby, Flitcham, Flordon, Fordham, Foulsham, Framingham Earl, Freethorpe, Fundenhall, Gately, Gayton, Gayton Thorpe, Gaywood with Bawsey and Mintlyn, Geyton Thorpe, Gimingham, Gissing, Glandford, Great Ellingham, Great Hautbois, Great Hockham with Little Hockham, Great Massingham, Great Melton, Great Moulton St Michael with Little Moulton, Great Plumstead, Great Snoring, Great Witchingham with Little Witchingham, Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmouth St Andrews, Great Yarmouth St Nicholas, Great Yarmouth St Peter, Gresham, Grimston, Griston, Guestwick, Hackford, Hackford with Whitwell, Haddiscoe, Hales, Hampstone, Hapton, Hardley, Hargham, Hassingham, Haveringland, Heacham, Heckingham, Heigham Holy Trinity, Heigham St Barnabas with St Bartholomew, Heigham St Philip, Heigham St Thomas, Hellesdon, Hempnall, Hempstead by Holt, Hempton, Hevingham, Hickling, Hillington, Hingham, Hockering, Hockwold cum Wilton, Holme Hale, Holme next the Sea, Holt, Honingham, Horning, Horsford, Horsham St Faith and Newton St Faith, Howe, Howe with Little Poringland, Hunstanton St Edmund, Ickborough, Illington, Ingworth, Itteringham, Kelling, Kempston, Ketteringham, Kilverstone, King’s Lynn St John the Evangelist, King’s Lynn St Margaret with St Nicholas, Kirby Bedon, Kirstead with Langhale, Knapton, Lakenham (old) St John, Lakenham St Alban, Lammas with Little Hautbois, Langley, Limpenhoe, Lingwood, Little Barningham, Little Cressingham, Little Ellingham, Little Massingham, Little Plumstead, Little Snoring, Little Walsingham, Little Witchingham, Ludham, Martham, Mattishall, Mautby, Merton, Mile Cross St Catherine, Morley St Botolph with St Peter, Morningthorpe, Morton, Morton On The Hill, Moulton St Mary, Mulbarton, Mundesley, Narborough, Needham, New Buckenham, New Catton Christ Church, New Catton St Luke, New Lakenham St Mark, Newton Flotman, North Creake, North Elmham, North Lopham, North Tuddenham, North Walsham, North Wootton, Northwold, Norton Subcourse, Norwich St Andrew, Norwich St Augustine, Norwich St Benedict, Norwich St Catherine Mile Cross, Norwich St Clement with St Edmund, Norwich St Etheldreda, Norwich St George Colegate, Norwich St Giles, Norwich St Helen, Norwich St James with Pockthorpe, Norwich St John de Sepulchre, Norwich St John Timberhill with All Saints and St Michael at Thorn, Norwich St Julian, Norwich St Martin at Oak, Norwich St Martin at Palace, Norwich St Mary Coslany, Norwich St Mary in the Marsh, Norwich St Mary Magdalene with St James the Great with Pockthorpe, Norwich St Michael Coslany, Norwich St Paul, Norwich St Peter Mancroft, Norwich St Peter Parmentergate, Norwich St Saviour, Norwich St Stephen, Oby, Old Buckenham, Old Catton, Old Lakenham (St John with All Saints), Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby, Oulton, Overstrand, Oxwick All Saints, Paston, Poringland, Postwick, Pulham St Mary Magdalene Alias Pulham Market, Quidenham, Rackheath, Raveningham, Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwell, Reepham with Kerdiston, Ridlington, Ringstead St Andrew, Ringstead St Peter, Rollesby, Roughton, Roydon, Runcton Holme with South Runcton and Wallington, Runton, Saham Toney, Sandringham, Saxthorpe, Scottow, Scoulton, Sea Palling, Sedgeford, Seething, Shelfanger, Sheringham, Shimpling, Shingham, Shipdham, Shouldham, Shropham, Sidestrand, Snetterton, Snettisham, South Lynn All Saints, Southrepps, Spixworth, Sporle with Palgrave, Sprowston and Beeston St Andrew, Stalham, Stanhoe with Barwick, Stiffkey, Stoke Holy Cross, Stow Bedon, Stradsett, Strumpshaw, Suffield, Sutton, Swaffham, Swafield, Swainsthorpe, Swannington, Swanton Abbot, Tacolneston, Talconeston, Tharston, Thetford St Cuthbert, Thetford St Mary, Thetford St Peter, Thompson, Thorpe Abbotts, Thorpe Episcopi, Thorpe Hamlet, Thorpe Market, Thorpe next Haddiscoe, Threxton, Thurlton, Thurne with Ashby and Oby, Thwaite All Saints, Titchwell, Tivetshall St Mary and St Margaret, Toft Monks, Toftrees, Tottenhill, Tottington, Trowse, Trunch, Watlington, Watton, Weeting, Wells next the Sea, Wendling, Wereham, West Lexham, West Lynn, West Newton with Appleton, West Tofts, Westacre, Weston Longville, Weybourne, Wheatacre, Wickmere with Wolterton, Wilby, Winfarthing, Winterton with East Somerton, Witton (near Blofield), Witton (near North Walsham), Wolferton, Wood Dalling, Wood Norton, Woodton, Wormegay, Worthing, Wreningham, Wymondham.

 

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