Membership

We’re excited to announce that we’re updating our membership systems, moving from existing suppliers to new suppliers, Oomi. Our first set of updates will take place at the end of May. Most of these will be to the back-end admin areas, allowing us to streamline our processes and improve customer service. However, further changes will be rolled out incrementally across the rest of the year. Members, look forward to a new and improved membership area and online communities! Please keep an eye on your inbox, as we’ll be providing regular updates on this new project throughout May and beyond.

SoG Explore

There are now over 1 million images on SoG Explore for Members to use - 300,000 more than on our old system (Data Online). Search by name or browse collections in our A to Z, accessible via SoG Explore.

A massive thank you to Alan Pursell and his volunteer team for reaching an incredible milestone! The team have also added more name indexes, bringing the total to 17 million, which is 2.4 million more than Data Online. Their work isn’t finished yet, and more records will be added. The latest update now includes Teachers’ Registrations, giving researchers even more to explore.

Share your thoughts!

The provision of information for genealogical research is one of the core functions of the Society and has been since its inception. However, the nature of genealogical research has changed enormously over the last 25 years, and future change (if only through increasing use of AI) are assured. 

In this environment it is important to understand what sort of information future genealogical researchers will be seeking, how will they wish to access it and, in light of that, the direction of travel the Society should take to ensure that it can continue to best deliver for its members and the genealogical community.

Please use this questionnaire to help us determine the future direction of our library and archive services, our collections and the way we present information about collections to our members and visitors.

Tips from inside the SoG

Our Beginners’ Palaeography course with Caroline Adams has been packed with tips, here are the top 3 we’ve selected from those kindly sent in by course attendees:

1. Number lines of text as they can frequently converge or slope alarmingly.
2. Be aware of tricky letters. "e" is probably the most mistranscribed letter with "h", "c" and "r" following on.
3. Look at letters first rather than the complete word. It’ll help you to avoid just guessing!

Want to brush up your palaeography skills? SoG Members can come to the monthly Palaeography Club sessions. The next one is on Tuesday 8 April 7.30-8.30pm. You can even share words you are struggling to decipher with the SoG community in our exclusive member forums. Not a member yet? Join here today.

Genealogy Tech Weekend – Unlock the Power of Technology for Your Research!

Whether you're a tech novice or a tech embracer, Genealogy Tech Weekend has something to help everyone! Join us for a weekend of genealogy geekiness, where we’ll share practical tips, explore cutting-edge programs and discover creative solutions to enhance your family history research.

Date for your diary – Monday 8th – Friday 12th September

Victorian London Getaway in London

Join us at the Society of Genealogists for a Family History Getaway Week. The Society is hosting this five-day programme in its Resource Hub in London. You can attend talks and workshops to find out how London Victorian families lived and how London’s social issues and local history affected their lives. Then, as part of the programme, explore the books, documents and records in our library, plus optional extra workshops, walks and visits. Twelve workshops and talks, as well as help using our library and sandwich lunches, are included in the cost.

Researching in Oxfordshire?

If you have any ancestors in Oxfordshire, this is your month. Online on 14th April and in person on 23rd April, we’ll be hearing about records for family history at:

• Oxfordshire History Centre
• Oxfordshire Family History Society
• Oxfordshire Record Society
• Victoria County History
• A Vision of Britain through Time
• Historic Towns Trust
• Society of Genealogists

One of our previous county events was on the Northeast of England and we received this message from the London Branch of Northumberland and Durham Family History Society

“I’d like to thank you for the Northeast Ancestors sessions you ran on Zoom and at the SoG.
Thank you, especially for including our contact details on the Surname Interests board. This was much appreciated. As a direct result, we welcomed two new attendees to our meeting on 8 March, and we know that the publicity reached a wider audience.”

Family History Skills Course Stage 2 – last call for Saturday mornings!

If you have ever thought about expanding your knowledge with one of our longer courses, our Family History Skills Courses may be for you. Stage 2 begins on Saturday 26 April 10.30am-12.30pm and over twelve weeks will deepen your understanding of maps for family history, 18th century records, military ancestors, apprentices, criminals, education, occupations and much more! There is no need to have done Stage 1, as long as you have a grasp of basic genealogical records. These courses will be on a weekday evening next year. Full details here.

April’s Book of the Month is:

My Ancestor was a Coalminer by David Tonks (3rd ed., 2014).

Fifty years ago Britain was reliant on coal for its energy needs. Across the country, over a million people worked as miners, risking injury and often their lives to extract ‘black gold’ from the earth. These robust people were admired by many for their courage and physical durability, and though feared by some for their political strength, they helped shape the national identity for generations.

David Tonks grew up in an East Durham colliery village. His book aims to help you discover the world in which your mining ancestors lived - a world that, perhaps, is more complex and fascinating than you might imagine. David details the social history of miners and establishes the records that are available.

Explore the Life of Alyce Chaucer – A Weekend Festival in Ewelme

Join the fun in Ewelme, Oxfordshire from 16–18 May 2025 for the Alyce Chaucer Festival: Her Life and Times, a celebration of medieval genealogy and the remarkable story of Alyce Chaucer. Granddaughter of Geoffrey Chaucer, Alyce rose from commoner to Duchess, leaving a lasting legacy in Ewelme, where she is buried in a stunning alabaster tomb. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to explore the historic almshouses, school, and church she helped establish with her husband, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk. Full details at www.alycechaucer.uk.

MyHeritage has announced the release of a new genealogy feature: Cousin Finder™, which identifies other MyHeritage members with whom you share common ancestors — your cousins — based on family tree data. No DNA test required.

To hear a recap of what MyHeritage’s time at RootsTech, see this webinar with Geoff at FamilyTreeWebinars.com.