Society of Genealogists News Feed

News Flash [4 July 2008]

Fri, 4 Jul 2008 18:11:15 +0100

The Society of Genealogists is extremely disappointed to hear that the General Register Office has delayed the proposed Digitization of Vital Events Project (Dove) and improved online indexes of Civil Registration known as the MAGPIE project (Multi Access to GRO Public Index of Events). Having liaised with GRO about this project over the last three years the Society had heard regular assurances that the contractors Siemens were catching up with backlogs of digitising the certificates and that GRO was preparing to improve the indexes. This clearly is no longer the case.
The Society hopes fervently that the GRO and the Identity and Passport Service will not lose the opportunity to make improved services for all who make use of civil registration records.

Information update

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:19:34 +0100

The Society's Online Library Catalogue(SOGCAT) server is being relocated to a Datacentre in London's Docklands.See details on the homepage of a change in URL.

Family History Show update

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 16:01:00 +0000

The Society of Genealogists is please to announce Familyrelatives.com as the new sponsor of the Society of Genealogists Family History Show 2008

SOGCAT Server interruption

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:57:37 +0000

The Society's On-line Library Catalogue (SOGCAT) server will undergo an application software update and routine maintenance between 03:00 UTC and 06:00 UTC on Sunday 2nd March. It may not be possible to search the Library Catalogue during this period. We are sorry for any inconvenience this might cause.

Update on the Website upgrade

Thu, 3 Jan 2008 19:56:20 +0000

The Society upgrade of the web server service provided by NetBenefit was completed on 3 January 2008. Due to stocktaking ordering via the OnlineShop will remain suspended until Tuesday 8th January

Interruption to web site service

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 14:26:32 +0000

The Society has decided to upgrade the web server service provided by NetBenefit to take advantage of better support and to prepare for additional features planned for 2008. This will mean that on 2/3 January 2008 the Society's website (www.sog.org.uk) may not operate as usual for about 24 hours. Please note that any interruption is temporary and is unlikely affect any regular users for an extended period. The Society's On-line Library Catalog (SOGCAT) will continue to be available via this link

News [12 December 2007] 1911 Irish Census Details Now Online.

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:44:57 +0000

The National Archives of Ireland, in partnership with Libraries and Archives Canada, has created an online searchable database of the 1911 census of Ireland The site currently holds records for Dublin only, but project organisers plan to add the rest of the country, as well as details of the 1901 census, next year....more

NEWS RELEASE [1 December 2007] WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? LIVE RETURNS!

Thu, 6 Dec 2007 15:41:36 +0000

After the huge success of Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE earlier this year, the show next year will be bigger and better and will take place in the stunning Grand Hall at Olympia from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th May 2008 (open 10-6 except Sunday 10-4)...more

NEWS RELEASE [29 November 2007] Civil Service Evidence of Age Index goes live at findmypast.com.

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:07:21 +0000

The Society of Genealogists today announced that its unique collection the Civil Service Evidence of Age index is launched on the UK family history website www.findmypast. This new online resource contains the dates of birth or baptism for some 64,300 people born between 1752 and 1948 many of whose births do not appear in the central birth registers for England and Wales...more

News [28 November 2007] Need some Help? Try the Society of Genealogists' Family History Advice Service - Online, Face-to-Face or by Phone!!!

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:50:38 +0000

Family History Phone In; Family History Advice Sessions and Online. Three ways to help continue your research. Click the link for details

New Publication [22 November 2007] My Ancestor was an Agricultural Labourer by Ian Waller.

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:09:52 +0000

This much anticipated latest addition to the My Ancestors series will be of interest to all genealogists and family historians ...more goto the Online.Shop to order.

The General Register Office will become part of the Identity and Passport Service from April 2008.

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 07:55:13 +0100

The Society of Genealogists welcomes news that the General Register Office (GRO) is to be part of the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) from April 2008. The Society hopes that this decision puts an end to any uncertainty about the registration service and that work on the digitisation of certificates (DOVE) and the enhanced online indexes to births, marriages and deaths (MAGPIE) will now go ahead.

The National Archives offers a three month institutional access trial to their Documentsonline Service in the Society's Library.

Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:50:18 +0100

The Society of Genealogists and The National Archives are delighted to announce the launch of a three-month trial offering institutional access to The National Archives’ DocumentsOnline service at its library at Charterhouse Buildings.

Society amalgamates stocktaking closures in 2008. .

Thu, 9 Aug 2007 15:31:28 +0100

The Society will be closed from 6pm 29th December until 10am 8th January.

Early closure of FRC(GRO) - further update

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 17:11:22 +0100

What can the genealogical community do now?

ONS fails to deliver on its services for the genealogical community

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 15:48:18 +0100

Society's response to ONS announcement today...more...

Request for help from members living outside London:

Sat, 28 Jul 2007 11:37:04 +0100

The Society of Genealogists is hoping to work with the National Trust this Summer, and in particular on 8th September when it is holding Heritage Days in selected properties throughout the UK. Click link for details.

Prince Michael of Kent Award 2007

Sun, 1 Jul 2007 12:06:43 +0100

FreeBMD becomes 4th recipient of the Society's Prince Michael of Kent Award

Dick Eastman video interviews with genealogy ‘personalities’

Fri, 8 Jun 2007 11:41:24 +0100

Dick Eastman video interviews with genealogy ‘personalities’ at Who do you think you are LIVE [Broadband required]

Society's Genealogy Officer in New Zealand for the NZGS Conference and lecture tour.

Fri, 8 Jun 2007 11:42:42 +0100

The Genealogy Officer will be speaking at the New Zealand Genealogical Society Conference at Wellington Girls College from June 2nd to 5th link to the conference programme After the conference she will be traveling around New Zealand on a lecture tour visiting many branches of the NZGS and is looking forward to meeting any New Zealand members of the SoG as well as any New Zealanders with English ancestors. For a link to the post conference tour venues and topics see Lecture Tour Reports posted for 29 may; 1June: 2 June

GRO chaos as local registrars are told to abandon computer system..

Thu, 24 May 2007 16:57:48 +0100

Genealogists will be disappointed in the report in the Times Newspapers of Thursday 3 May of problems with the new electronic registration of births, marriages and deaths faced by local registrars as they try to implement the RON (Remote online records) system for General Registration.

Home page updates

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 22:37:59 +0100

News from the Society of Genealogists

Society of Genealogists News Feed

Thu, 15 Feb 2007 17:38:19 +0000

More on News from the Society of Genealogists

Family History Show

Fri, 2 Feb 2007 11:12:26 +0000

Family History Show@Who do you think you are? LIVE - latest

Lectures, Courses & Visits

Tue, 1 May 2007 10:00:37 +0100

Held at the Society of Genealogists premises, unless otherwise stated, all events are open to members and non-members alike. Places can be booked online, by email, fax, post or phone

ONS to move from FRC

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 10:08:53 +0000

ONS intends to close its public search facility, currently located at the Family Records Centre (FRC) in Islington, and instead to make indexes available at The National Archives (TNA) in Kew.