Society of Genealogists | Aug 1, 2024, 11:00 AM
The Genealogy Gazette: Aug 24
Discover the latest SoG news and family history tips here. Along with community news on the latest record releases, conferences, and more.
OUR NEWS
Burnett Family from SoG's sheet pedigree collections and on TreeSearch™
Treasure of the Month
Our August Treasure of the Month is Topographical Collections - catch up on the latest episode here on YouTube.
Join us on Tuesday 6 August, 14:00-14:30, to catch the next Treasures session in real time! Book your FREE ticket to attend the Zoom. Discover our collections of local sources in the Topographical Document Collections and how they might help you with your genealogy research.
Tips from inside the SoG
We asked some of our event attendees what tips they found useful in our recent talks:
- Brian enjoyed Linda Hammond’s talk and her tip: "Most French documentation follows a similar format, so once you understand one, the remainder should become a bit easier to follow.”
- Maria was “reminded of how helpful it can be to look at a real example of a type of record to understand what a typical experience might be even if the actual people you are researching didn't leave such a record” during Nathan Dylan Goodwin’s talk Fact in Fiction.
- If you have questions Moira recommends “ask an expert or others on the forum because what others might offer up could be just the thing to make sense of another little piece of information, already known.” Once a month Graham Bandy answers Gold members’ military questions in our Armed Forces Advice Hour. Tap into other experts in our Gold Ask The Experts Forum.
All the talks and sessions mentioned in our tips sections are available in our Gold Members library. Join today and you’ll have access to the whole back catalogue of over 100 recordings. Find out more here.
Can you help?
We have a speaker for All About That Place who is learning English and is asking if anyone can provide translation services in Ukrainian. Please contact ruth.willmore@sog.org.uk if you can help.
Sharing our SoG ‘tea break’ discussions. This month, we held our first AGM at Wharf Road and it was wonderful to meet members in person. Do you have a genealogy best-friend? How did you meet them, and what makes them a great research buddy?
Reply to our Facebook Post or tag us in a tweet with your comments!
AUGUST EVENTS
Don't know your Y-DNA from your X chromosome? You need our Introduction to DNA short course. Ready to dive into autosomal DNA testing, grouping and other analysis techniques? You need our week-long DNA Summer School. Taken a test and had a surprise result? Sign up for our Unexpected DNA Results course to work out your next research steps! Members receive a 20% discount on all these courses.
Do you remember “show and tell” at school? Would you like to “show and tell” your genealogy? Our member-only SoG Virtual Café is the perfect place to tell interesting stories and share your discoveries with other people with similar interests. Open to all members the café opens at 10:30am on 26 July 2024 and 4:30pm on 23 August 2024.
Enjoy a free talk on researching Country Bumpkins before settling in for a full-day's course dedicated to those not-so-boring Agricultural Labourers (20% discount for members). Plus we’re discovering how not to be daunted by manorial records and why 50,000 people were detained indefinitely in Britain.
Our Researching 17th Century Ancestors Summer School was enjoyed by over 60 people and the feedback was glowing! If you haven't taken a SoG course yet, come browse the catalogue of events here.
“The whole course was useful not only for myself but for helping others.” - Susan
“I enjoyed the breadth of coverage, from commonly used to less appreciated sources. Making course resources available to participants enabled me to concentrate on what was being said.” - Michael
“Because it is recorded, I know I can go back and watch it all properly. The course content and detailed handouts are excellent and very much appreciated. I am so glad I did the course and cannot wait to get started again with my fascinating 17th-century Londoners.” - Nickie
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LIBRARY AND VOLUNTEERING NEWS
For the latest news about the new library see our July Library Update https://www.sog.org.uk/library#update including the latest news on microfiche resources, our current Featured Collection, and our new Archives Assistant, plus other news.
Meet our Volunteers – Gill
“I’ve been volunteering for SoG for about eight years, during that time I’ve been an at-home volunteer but really enjoy my time working from our new location on Wharf Road. Having a background as a trained librarian (and, of course, a 30 year interest in family history), I enjoy cataloguing with the attention to detail and accuracy required.
The primary discovery for me when I started volunteering at SoG was the size and breadth of the collection. I had no idea beforehand of the treasures that are held here.
I enjoy the work itself, and the experience of working with others as a team; it’s very rewarding as everything we do helps to make the collection more accessible to users and their genealogical research.”
Would you like to be a volunteer? Why not visit our website for more information or get in touch with our volunteer team for a chat?
BOOK OF THE MONTH
August’s Book of the Month: My Ancestor Was an Agricultural Labourer by Ian Waller (2nd ed., 2019)
A comprehensive guide to researching ancestors who were ‘Ag Labs,’ Ian Waller has given us an impressive work of social history that is incredibly fascinating.
When Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1837, over half her subjects relied on agriculture for their livelihoods. It is not surprising that most of us have an Ag Lab somewhere in our family tree. Ian explains what life was like for this impoverished section of society. He gives details of all the skills they needed and describes the country calendar of events, including ploughing, sowing, and harvesting.
Chapters cover quarter sessions, tithe schedules, manorial and estate records, wills, and migration records. Also covered is the range of jobs: casual labourers, dairy maids, child labour, thatchers, and gamekeepers’ riots. There is a useful bibliography and a list of Parliamentary Bills that affected the lives of agricultural labourers.
The usual cost of My Ancestor was an Agricultural Labourer is £9.99 and is currently available to SoG members at the discounted price of £8.00 (£9.00 to non-members). A £2.75 postal charge applies within the UK, check our website for postal rates outside the UK.
This book plus the full range of titles published by the Society is available from our bookshop through our website. Offer valid until 31 August 2024.
Competition
Win a copy of August 2024’s discounted book, My Ancestor was an Agricultural Labourer!
To enter, please answer the following question:
What is the popular name for the six agricultural labourers from Dorset, who were convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers in 1834?
Please email your answer to competition@sog.org.uk by midnight GMT on 10 August 2024 with the heading ‘Genealogy Gazette Competition’. Please provide your full name, postal address, and telephone number. Only one entry per person. The winner will be notified by email.
The winner of last month’s discounted book was David Wharton. The answer to ‘What is the name of the electronic record of English masonic periodicals published between 1790 and 1906?’ was Masonic Periodicals Online.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Changes at London Metropolitan Archives
As part of the City of London Corporation, London Metropolitan Archives is the second largest archive service in the UK, recording the history of the capital from 1067, preserving and sharing the stories of Londoners, businesses, charities, hospitals, schools, community groups and many others.
On 5 August, the name will change from 'London Metropolitan Archives' to 'The London Archives'.
They are developing a new website, a new digital home for The London Archives, which will provide clear information about our services, exhibitions, and events, and share a range of engaging content about the collections, to inspire experienced and new researchers alike.
Their schools' program will relaunch in September alongside a new events program offering a wide range of opportunities to engage with the archives, including lunchtime and evening sessions.
National Museum of the Royal Navy Collections Catalogue
The National Museum of the Royal Navy has recently put its Collections Catalogue online. The Museum tells the story of the four fighting forces of the British Royal Navy; the Royal Marines, the Fleet Air Arm, the Submarine Service, and the Surface Fleet.
Enquiries about accessing the collections should be sent to collections.research@nmrn.org.uk.
Request for Contributions: Camden's Black History
Camden Local Studies and Archives Centre, in collaboration with Emily Momoh, founder of the Camden Black British History Community Hub, seeks to expand its documentation of Camden's Black history. A nice example of an archive collected by Emily and transferred to us is this lovely wedding day photograph of 1959 taken outside St Luke’s Church in Kentish Town of Dorien and Sheila Hayes, originally from Barbados. They invite you to contribute archives or volunteer to index Black history stories from local newspapers. Contact Emily at emily.momoh@camdenbbh.org.
© CLSAC
Legacy Family Tree 10 Release
Legacy Family Tree 10, a popular genealogy software for PC, has just released its latest version, now available for free. This upgrade includes all features, tools, and reports previously exclusive to the Deluxe Edition. New features such as the FAN Club Report, Mapping, and DNA Center enhance the user experience by providing insights into ancestor relationships and locations and tracking family DNA tests. Users have reported a seamless upgrade process and high functionality. Download Legacy Family Tree 10 to explore these updates.
Historic England: National Blue Plaque Scheme
The national blue plaque scheme is now accepting public nominations to honour individuals who have made exceptional impacts in their field, community, or society at large. Nominations are sought from across England (excluding Greater London, where English Heritage manages the scheme). Candidates do not need to be famous or currently well-known but must align with the scheme's criteria, including significant contributions to human welfare or happiness, and recognition of at least one surviving building associated with them visible from a public highway. Nominations from all historical periods and walks of life are encouraged to highlight deserving individuals whose achievements deserve greater recognition. To nominate someone, review the eligibility criteria and guidance notes, then complete the online form before the deadline of 23:59 on Sunday 28 July 2024. Nominations meeting the criteria will undergo historical research and review by the national blue plaques panel for consideration. Community groups interested in researching candidates can apply for a Community Research Grant to prepare for future nominations.
Searching for Romani Gypsy Heritage Film
John Henry has created a new short film about the heritage of Romany Gypsies. The film can be watched for free on YouTube.
Archives Revealed
Heritage Fund has awarded £5m to Archives Revealed, a long-running partnership between The National Archives, the Pilgrim Trust, and the Wolfson Foundation. Archives Revealed help make significant archival collections that represent the lives and perspectives of people across the UK more accessible to the public. It also shares skills and knowledge, fosters relationships, and builds organisational resilience across the archives sector.
Welsh Women’s Peace Petition
The Welsh Women's Peace Petition project, which celebrates a 100-year-old petition containing almost 400,000 signatures of people claiming world peace, has reached another milestone. Following a period of cataloguing the petitions, the detailed work of digitising each page has been completed, and the entire petition is now on the National Library of Wales website.
Welsh Women’s Peace Delegation to America - The National Library of Wales
Limerick’s Life
The site added a list of licensed pilots in Limerick Harbour in 1889.
Bengali Photo Archive
The project is now online. Led by Four Corners in partnership with Tower Hamlets Local History Library & Archives and Swadhinata Trust, the project worked with residents, volunteers, and photographers to collect photos of the east-end Bengali community past and present.
The National Archives (TNA) releases Cabinet Office files online
TNA released 182 files online including records from the Prime Minister’s Office, 1999-2003, covering Tony Blair’s Labour administration (PREM 49). There are also files relating to the papers of former prime ministers, including of Sir Winston Churchill, and records of the Denning Inquiry 1963 (CAB 103). In addition, there are some files from the Civil Service Department relating to the Census Office and civil servants’ duties, from 1984 and 1986. The files cover issues including national security, devolution and relations with other countries.
THE LATEST DIGITAL COLLECTION NEWS
Ancestry has added:
- Gwent, Wales, Workhouse Registers, 1833-1957
- UK, General Map of Great Britain, 1935-1937
- Lancashire, England, Catholic Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1762-1913
- Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Burial Registers, 1769-1983
- Buckinghamshire, England, Napoleonic Register: Posse Comitatus, 1798
- United Kingdom, Military Roll of Honour, 1945-2022
Findmypast has added
- Home Children Burial Index
- Home Children Enlistments and Military Deaths
- Home Children Hazelbrae Barnardo Home Index, 1883-1923
- Women’s Land Army Service Cards, 1939-1950
- Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania Application Papers
- New York Roman Catholic Parish Baptisms and Marriages
- National School Admission Registers & Log-Books, 1870-1914 from the Latymer Upper School in Middlesex (1870 to 1914)
New newspaper titles:
- Shoreham Herald, 1986-1990
- Boston Independent and Lincolnshire Advertiser, 1879-1891, 1899-1908
- Lancing Herald, 1987-1991, 1997, 1999
- Bicester Review, 1988-1992, 1996-1998
- Warwick Courier, 1992-1995, 1998
- Glossop Times, 1877, 1889-1891, 1894
- Milton Keynes Citizen, 1989, 1993, 1995
TheGenealogist has released a comprehensive collection of 1930-35 directories.
Lyndhurst High Street can be found in Kelly's Directory of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 1931
Directories included in this release are:
Lyndhurst High Street can be found in Kelly's Directory of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 1931
- Kelly's Directory of Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire, 1931
- Kelly's Directory of Bournemouth, Poole, Parkstone, Christchurch &c., 1932
- Kelly's Directory of Brighton and Hove, 1932
- Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire, 1933
- Kelly's Directory of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, 1932
- Kelly's Directory of Devonshire and Cornwall, 1930
- Kelly's Directory of Dorsetshire, 1931
- Kelly's Directory of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 1931
- Kelly's Directory of Hertfordshire, 1933
- Kelly's Directory of Ipswich and Neighbourhood, 1930
- Kelly's Directory of Kent, 1930
- Kelly's Directory of Kent, 1934
- Kelly's Directory of Kilburn Willesden, 1933
- Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire & Rutland, 1932
- Kelly's Directory of Norfolk and Suffolk, 1933
- Kelly's Directory of Putney & Roehampton, 1930
- Kelly's Directory of Somersetshire, Gloucestershire & the City of Bristol, 1931
- Kelly's Directory of Suffolk, 1933
- Kelly's Directory of Sussex, Chichester, Selsey and Neighbourhood, 1934
- Kelly's Directory of the Channel Islands, 1931
- Kelly's Directory of Warwick, Leamington Spa, Stratford-On-Avon and Kenilworth, 1932
- Kelly's Directory of Warwickshire, 1932
- Kelly's Directory of Westmorland, 1934
- Kelly's Directory of Wiltshire, 1931
- Malta Telephone Directory, 1933
- New Zealand Post Office Directory, 1934
- Nottingham, Leicester and Derby Telephone Directory, 1934
- Nottingham, Lincoln, Peterborough and Districts Telephone Directory, 1933
- Ward's Directory of Whitley Bay, Tynemouth, North and South Shields, Jarrow, Wallsend, Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Adjacent Villages, 1934
To celebrate this latest release, TheGenealogist is offering its 12 months Diamond Package for just £99.95 – that’s over £40 off! To find out more and claim the offer, visit: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBDIR724. Expires on 26 October 2024.
This offer includes a lifetime discount! Your subscription will renew at with £20 off every year you stay with us. This includes a Subscription to Discover Your Ancestors Online Magazine (Worth £24.99).
MyHeritage has announced the launch of a new collaboration between MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA. This will enable FamilyTreeDNA customers to transfer their family trees to MyHeritage and to continue building them on MyHeritage. FamilyTreeDNA users can now easily transfer their family trees to MyHeritage for free, after providing consent on both FamilyTreeDNA and MyHeritage.
This collaboration expands the two companies’ longstanding partnership and will provide FamilyTreeDNA customers with access to MyHeritage’s robust suite of genealogy tools and features, many of which are not available on FamilyTreeDNA.
To facilitate this collaboration, MyHeritage and FamilyTreeDNA have developed a technical integration that now enables FamilyTreeDNA users to seamlessly transfer their family tree data to MyHeritage. This process is voluntary; however, transferring the tree data to MyHeritage is encouraged, as FamilyTreeDNA will officially sunset their family tree builder on September 9, 2024. At that point, all family trees on FamilyTreeDNA will become read-only. For more details, read the blog post.
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Our Courses and Talks
New Courses, Talks & Walks
Discover new courses, talks, walks and visits each month. Delivered by experts in genealogy or history our educational opportunities cover a vast array of topics. From techy tools to history to genealogical research tips. Check out this month's offering (and beyond) here.
Calendar View
Know you have a quieter month ahead and want to plan in some learning time? Scroll through our calendar to discover our vast array of courses, talks, walks and visits. From 12 week evening courses, to lunchtime chats. There's something for everyone.
Free Events for Members
We regularly hold events focusing on our collections, alongside members' social sessions, and updates. Discover upcoming 'free for members' events, and find your genealogy community!
Join us
As a member, you can make the most of our resources, access our experts, and find a welcoming community of people interested in family history and genealogy.
We all have roots. Let’s find them together.
