Welcome to the Family History Social

TheGenealogist has just released the records of over 33,000 individuals for the Hounslow area into its property ownership and occupancy record set: The Lloyd George Domesday Survey. This is a unique online resource that includes maps and field books and gives researchers the ability to discover where an ancestor lived in the 1910-1915 period. By making use of TheGenealogist’s powerful Map Explorer™ the researcher can see how the landscape where their ancestor lived or worked changed over time.

The maps and residential data, in The Lloyd George Domesday Survey records are sourced from The National Archives and are being digitised by TheGenealogist so that it is possible to precisely locate where an ancestor lived on large scale, hand annotated maps. These plans include plots for the exact properties and are married to various georeferenced historic map overlays and modern base maps on the Map Explorer™. With this resource the researcher is able to thoroughly investigate the area in which an ancestor lived. 

• TheGenealogist’s Lloyd George Domesday records link individual properties to extremely detailed maps used in 1910-191
• Fully searchable by name, county, parish and street
• The maps will zoom down to show the individual properties as they were in the 1910s
• The transparency slider reveals a modern street map underlay
• Change the base map displayed to more clearly understand what the area looks like today

Hounslow records cover the areas of Bedfont, Chiswick, Cranford, Feltham, Hanworth, Heston, Isleworth, New Brentford and Old Brentford.

Read their article on finding the retreat of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire that became a "Lunatic Asylum" before the First World War and a Fire Station in World War 2 in these records:

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/harlow-property-records-discover-snapshot-of-owners-and-occupiers-from-edwardian-past-1290/

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

The Society of Genealogists’ Library has opened to SoG members only from Tuesday 4th August 2020 with staggered sessions opening from 11am-4pm and 11.30-4pm

The SoG has posted on thier website that to begin with the number of members in the Library will be limited to a maximum of 20 persons per day and places must be booked in advance prior to visiting. Booking for sessions can be made on their website http://www.sog.org.uk/books-courses/events-courses/category/book-to-visit-the-library/

For the time being, it is intended that the Society will open for Library use each Tuesday and one Saturday a month. Back office project volunteers only will be welcome in the Library on Mondays. ~The SoG hope to work up to opening for more days and to more people as they become more confident of providing a safe and workable experience for staff, volunteers and members and as resources allow. During the days when the Society's library is closed to visitors their staff and volunteers will continue the service provisons offered during lockdown.

Visits must be booked at least a week in advance and will be made available up to two weeks before the date of the visit on a rolling weekly basis every Saturday morning. Each booking is for one person only on a first come, first served basis – you will not be able to bring anyone with you, unless they book a visit themselves. Please be considerate of others when you book – the SoG may cancel your booking if you exceed our reasonable limit of one booking per week.

The Society of Genealogist say that they will not permit anyone to enter the building who has not pre-booked a visit, so are asking people not to travel if you have not been able to book as they will not be able to let you in.

When members come into the Library, they will notice some changes. The Society has introduced safety and social hygiene measures to ensure the safety of their staff, members and friends. The toilets and cloakroom will be open so you can wash your hands and all hygiene guidance will be adhered to. Lockers will be open for you to store your belongings and take as little into the library as possible. There will be a cleaner in the building when the SoG is open to make sure all surfaces stay clean and safe. The SoG ared asking every visitor to use the sanitisers and wipes provided around the building and to follow social distancing measures and one-way procedures as indicated by signs around the building.

Computers and Microfiche/Microfilm readers have been spaced around the building rather than just in the lower library. When you book a members’ visitor session through the website you can  reserve a reader or computer as appropriate at the same time. 

Films and fiche will be available as normal and the SoG ask that all books, microforms, CDs etc be returned to the returns trolleys and boxes provided after use so they can be cleaned and or quarantined as appropriate

Current  regulations in England require face coverings to be worn in libraries and public reading rooms from 8th August and it is recommend face coverings are worn in these settings now. The regulations strongly encourage wearing a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet. You can remove your face covering in order to eat and drink, if reasonably necessary, and in the Common Room only which is designated for food and drink. You must put a face covering back on once you  have finished eating .

The Society of Genealogist's staff will be wearing masks for visitors protection and they would appreciate it if everyone who is able would please wear a face covering in face to face situations within the library, shop and reception (such as when seeking staff assistance) and where social distancing may be limited.

A downloadable PDF of SoG  Coronavirus Visitor Guidelines can be downloaded here

For more information see this post on their website: http://www.sog.org.uk/about/coronavirus/

The National Archives reopens:

The National Archives (TNA) will welcome visitors back into its reading rooms from Tuesday 21 July. At this time it will be offering a limited service to visitors, who will be required to book their visit and order their documents in advance.

It will be open from Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 2.50pm. See https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/

_{Image: National_archives_2007_02_03.JPG:Nick Cooper at en.wikipediaderivative work: Harumphy / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5)}

TheGenealogist has added over 85,500 individuals to their Parish Records for Worcestershire to increase the coverage of this English county. 

Released in association with Malvern Family History Society this is an ongoing project where high quality transcripts of Parish Records are made available for family history researchers to find their ancestors.

• 54,948 individuals have been added to the Worcestershire baptism records
• 8,703 new individuals join the marriage records for this county
• 3,558 individuals newly released for Worcestershire banns of marriages records
• 18,293 individuals added to the burials records for Worcestershire

These new records can be used to find your ancestors’ baptisms in fully searchable records that cover parishes from this part of the English midlands. With records that reach back to the mid 16th century, this release allows family historians to find the names of ancestors, their parents’ forenames, the father’s occupation where noted, and the parish where the event took place.

Parishes in this release include Abberton, Abbots Morton, Acton Beauchamp, Alderminster, Alstone, Alvechurch, Areley Kings, Bayton, Belbroughton, Bewdley St Anne’s, Oldberrow, Shipston-on-Stour, Tidmington and Tredington.

This is an ongoing project where family history societies transcribe records for their areas to be released on both TheGenealogist and FHS-Online, the website that brings together data from various Family History Societies across the UK while providing a much needed extra source of funds for societies.

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

If your society is interested in publishing records online, please see www.fhs-online.co.uk

You can read TheGenealogist’s article: ‘Worcestershire parish records trace family events back through the centuries.’ which confirms a teenager transported to Australia on the First Fleet had Worcestershire roots. https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/worcestershire-parish-records-trace-family-events-back-through-the-centuries-1272/

NEWS

The Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine have announced that they have upgraded their website to offer fantastic family history news and features on a more up-to-date and accessible platform.

Here is what Rosemary Collins from their website writes:

The new-look website is available at the same URL, whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com.

It now loads faster and is easier to access on mobile devices.

WDYTYA? Magazine editor Sarah Williams said: “We’re delighted to be moving to a new platform that will enable us to add even more content to help family historians across the globe.

“As well as our usual news stories and tutorials we will be adding some of our popular Q&As and inspirational real life stories.

“It will also remain the premier destination for anyone interested in the TV series.”

From today, our readers will also see our new-look newsletter, delivering the latest news and features from our website to your inbox every Friday morning.

Unfortunately, as part of the transition we had to shut down our popular online family history forum.

However, a group of readers set up a new forum: Who When Were Genealogy.

Founder member Hilary Groves (active on the WDYTYA? forum as phsvm) said: “We hope that our new forum will be as popular, friendly and helpful to all those who are looking for helping breaking down the inevitable brick walls or just help finding an elusive record as the WDYTYA? Forum has been over the years.”

WDYTYA? Magazine readers are also welcome to join our Facebook group.

PDFs of the old forum are available on Google Drive.

Source: https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/news/

Press Release from TheGenealogist

This week TheGenealogist has expanded its growing International Headstone Collection with some interesting new additions that allow researchers to see details that have been carved on stone about their ancestors and commemorated in various churches and cemeteries. The headstone records released cover 71 new cemeteries from the English and Welsh counties of Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Conwy, Denbighshire, Devon, Dorset, Essex, Flintshire, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Merionethshire, Merseyside, Oxfordshire, Somerset, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Wiltshire and Worcestershire.

The International Headstone Collection is an ongoing project where every stone photographed or transcribed earns volunteers credits, which they can spend on subscriptions at TheGenealogist.co.uk or products from GenealogySupplies.com. If you would like to join, you can find out more about the scheme at: https://ukindexer.co.uk/headstone/

A simple headstone for the Earl St Maur, Eldest Son of Edward Adolphus 12th Duke of Somerset  

One of a number of headstones and plaques for the Dukes of Somerset and their family in All Saints, Church Street, Maiden Bradley, Wiltshire

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

You can read TheGenealogist’s article: Headstone Collection reveals the family history of the owners and staff of one of the most famous house and gardens in England 

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/headstone-collection-reveals-the-family-history-of-the-owners-and-staff-of-one-of-the-most-famous-house-and-gardens-in-england-1266/

Have you got your tickets yet to the Online Family History Show?

The Family History Show – Online will be live on Saturday 20 June 2020. Following closely the format of the very successful live shows, it will feature an online lecture theatre, the popular ‘Ask the expert’ area – where you can put questions forward to their specialists – as well as a whole host of stalls where you can ask for advice as well as buy genealogical products.

The organisers, having cancelled the physical show that would have taken place at York this weekend, have made it possible for people from all over the world to now "visit" the virtual stalls of more than 85 vendors ranging from Family History Societies to Genelogical Suppliers.

Through the wonders of modern technology attendees will be able to talk to some of the stallholders by text, audio or video to ask for advice and help with their family history society or business. You can also purchase from the online stalls their downloadable products that can help you in your research.

A virtual theatre will be running various talks throughout the day from the speakers who would have been at the physical event, had the pandemic not got in the way.

Put this Saturday in your diary so that you don't miss this online family history show.

Tickets to attend the online Family History Show are available for just £5.50 each. All ticket holders will also receive a digital Goody Bag worth over £10 on the day.

To find out more about The Family History Show – Online, and to buy your ticket please visit:

 https://thefamilyhistoryshow.com/online/

Newly released records covering Doctors, Midwives, Opticians and medics in British India

At this time when we are all so very conscious of the work of our medical professionals in the face of the pandemic, TheGenealogist has released a set of new records for our medical ancestors who treated others in the course of their occupations in the time before the creation of the National Health Service. 

St Mary Abbot’s Hospital, Kensington W8, ward 3

It would have been a very different world from today in which these men and women worked. Before 1948 and the founding of the NHS, medical professionals were in private practice. The poorer members of society depended on charity and being assessed for what financial contribution they could make to their treatment. 

TheGenealogist has added to its occupational records with a fascinating release that has a medical theme. From the time from before the NHS came into being, these name rich records covering Doctors, Midwives and Opticians can be searched by name and keywords. All of these practitioners would have been working at the time when the wealthy could afford the best treatment, while the poor went to hospital with the added shame that this held as these institutions were where the poor were predominantly treated.

Use these records to: 

• Add details to the lives of your medical ancestors 
• Discover Doctors etc. who served in India in The Madras Medical Register 1934
• Find Medical Ancestors in The Medical Who's Who 1912
• Seek out midwives in The Midwives Roll 1905
• See optometrists names in the Institute of Ophthalmic Opticians, Official Directory, 1927

This latest release expands TheGenealogist’s extensive Occupational records collection that includes actors, apprentices, clergy, crew lists, directors, flight, freemen, law, railway, sports, teachers and biographies as well as other medical registers. 

You can read the article, ‘Medical ancestors from before the NHS began’, here:

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/medical-ancestors-from-before-the-nhs-began-1262/

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

TheGenealogist has expanded its unique collection of searchable RAF Operations Record Books with the addition of 1.2 Million new records for aircrew operations.

Airmen - planning their next mission. Public domain

Operations Record Books (ORBs) are official air force documents chronicling an air force unit from the time of its formation. They were intended to be an accurate daily record of the operations that the squadron carried out in peace and at war. The ORBs are for squadrons primarily after the First World War, but there are a few early squadron records from 1911 to 1918. TheGenealogist uniquely has made the Operations Record Books fully searchable by name, year and keywords.

This collection also includes some record books for Dominion Air Forces (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa) as well as Allied Air Force squadrons under British Command and can be used to find the stories of brave aircrew, giving insights into the operations that they carried out. The ORBs follow a daily diary format giving summaries of events and can reveal the death of aircrews, crashes, as well as less disquieting entries such as the weather for flying, promotions and the decorations men of the squadron received. ORBs also detail the areas that the fighter planes patrolled, or the bombers targeted, as well as where the squadrons were based as the war wore on. These duties and assignments include bombing the enemy, patrolling the skies, convoy escorts, submarine hunts, attacking docks & shipping, dive bombing raids, and more.

As aircrew personnel are named in these reports, those wanting to follow where an ancestor had been posted to and what may have happened to them will find these records extremely informative. 

Use these records to: 

• Add details to an aircrewman’s story 
• Study the war movements of personnel in air force units
• Discover if a pilot, navigator, radio operator or gunner is mentioned in the action
• Note dates airman received promotions, medals, or other honours
• See the names of squadron members wounded, killed, or who did not return
• Easily search the transcribed records and images licensed from The National Archives
  

This latest release expands TheGenealogist’s extensive Military records collection and is available to all Diamond subscribers.

You can read their article about a famous fighter ace and a bomber pilot who flew more than 120 operations: 

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/air-27-operations-record-books-capture-airmen-from-fighter-and-bomber-squadrons-during-ww2-1261/

Powerful new map tool now helps trace ancestors land or property with further additions of Tithe Maps

TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™ which can help researchers find an ancestor’s property and watch the landscape change over time has now been enhanced by the addition of georeferenced black and white Tithe Maps for Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire.

• Total number of maps in this release is 927
• Total number of Tithe maps in Map Explorer™ is 3,317
• Map Explorer™ has over two million selectable records shown using Map Pins

Joining the georeferenced Lloyd George Data Layer, Headstones, War Memorials, and colour Tithe Maps for a number of counties, the new additions to the ever-expanding Map Explorer™ allow researchers to trace property from Victorian times to the modern era.

Great Coxwell Tithe Barn Oxfordshire (was Berkshire) used to store original tithe contributions of crops. 

Photo by Motacilla / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

• TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™ displays maps for historical periods up to the modern day.
• Various colour and black and white Tithe maps have now been added to this innovative tool and linked to the apportionment books, enabling researchers to locate where their ancestors lived or worked.

The addition to the Map Explorer™ of the black and white tithe maps for Berkshire, Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire linked to the apportionment books will enable researchers to find the details of the plots, their owners and their occupiers at the time that the survey was taken in Victorian times while also identifying the plots on the maps. By using the Map Explorer™ controls the researcher can then see how the landscape changes over time with the aid of the georeferenced historical and modern map layers. Tithe maps and records were drawn up from 1836 to the 1850s, with additional altered apportionments in later years when property was sold or divided. Tithes usefully record all levels of society from large estate owners to occupiers of small plots such as a homestead or a cottage. 

The Map Explorer™ now features colour tithe maps for the counties of Buckinghamshire, Cumberland, Essex, Huntingdonshire, Middlesex, Northumberland, Rutland, Surrey, Westmorland, the City of York as well as North and East Ridings of Yorkshire plus black and white maps for Berkshire, Cambridge, Leicestershire and Oxfordshire.

See our article: Tithe Maps on Map Explorer

https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/featuredarticles/2020/tithe-records-on-map-explorer-1255/

Find out more at TheGenealogist.co.uk/maps/

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections. 

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!