British & Irish Genealogy: Genealogy News

Thursday 24th January has been designated 'Irish Family History Day' by FindMyPast - and the organisation is offering free access to some 21 million BMD records to celebrate. Irish expert Claire Santry does a great job of explaining the position here and here.

More Irish news concerning North Tipperary.

Blog post re. the Kent and Sussex Crematorium.

Here's a short post on the subject of 'Scottish Police'.

Interested in Offaly history?

Oxfordshire researchers beware.

And here is some important information for Devon researchers, via the FFHS news service:

Devon Heritage Services have informed us that Devon record offices in Barnstaple and Exeter will be closed for stocktaking from Monday 4th to Friday 15th February 2013 inclusive. The majority of the West Country Studies Library's holdings have been relocated to the Devon Record Office in Sowton, Exeter.
Devon Family History Society's Tree House is now the Exeter Service Point and has the Parish Register Fiche and IR Wills. Tree House is open 10.30 to 4pm Monday, Tuesday & Thursday. There are also other Service Points around the county, and the Plymouth & West Devon Record Office is open during this time - see
http://www.devon.gov.uk/index/councildemocracy/record_office/dro-service-points-2.htm

(thanks to Maureen Selley / Beryl Evans)

The usual round-up of interesting history links by the Two Nerdy History Girls.

If you've got a spare hour or two, you could do worse than investigate this handy resource as flagged by the FFHS.

Here's an interesting discussion of research methodology by Kirsty Wilkinson.

And several sources have made reference to Geoff Swinfield's recent summary of a lecture by geneticist Professor Steve Jones.

Forthcoming events:

Sunday 27th January - Bracknell Family History Fair;
Sunday 27th January - Stratford-on-Avon Book Fair;
20th-21st February - 'Digital Past 2013', Monmouth;
Some events past & future at TNA - and a related listing here;
Upcoming Postcard Fairs (please check with organisers before travelling a long way);
The BBC's 'Things To Do' page.

And here's a history crossword for you to have a stab at.

More news items at the BI-Gen Twitter feed.

Oh, and I missed it, but the second anniversary of this blog passed us by on 17th January - thanks for reminding me John! (and a couple of other folk - cheers). Seems like a good opportunity for me to thank you all for sticking with me for so long - so, er, thanks!