Libraries on a Roll!

NEWS

After similar news from Somerset early this month (see here), the courts have now stepped in to force Surrey Council to rethink their plans over library closures/restructuring. It now seems as if the recent negative trend has been well and truly brought to a halt!

The National Archives are all set to launch their new online catalogue, Discovery, at the end of the month - so if you're a regular user then you'd better examine the fine detail, here.

Chris Paton brings us news of the Northern Scotland journal, here - with a free sample issue up for grabs.

The latest newsletter of the Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) Project is now available. And the website itself is here.

The British Library have some stunning images up for sale at their 'Prints' section.

WEBSITES

Follow blogger John Reid to some newly-available records/documents from the British Army.

ARTICLES

Kirsty Wilkinson has a little piece on Scottish naming habits.

There's an article on the History of Ellis Island at The History Channel website.

And the usual excellent weekly listing of history articles is now available at the Two Nerdy History Girls blog.

TWITTER BITS

• Radio programme on our industrial past (from @EnglishHeritage);
• New exhibition at Bolton Museum (from @THP_Local);
• Lunchtime talks in Sunderland (from @TWArchives);
• 100 years in same house (from @genesreunited).

1881 Scottish Census at FMP

NEWS

A freshly-transcribed version of the 1881 Census for Scotland is now available at Find My Past. For full details and the relevant link see here. And, as far as I'm aware, you can still get 10% off the membership rates for FMP by using the promotion code NEWYEAR12 - or if that doesn't work try STFTW12 (until 31st January - try the site out here).

FMP have also released additional records for the county of Cheshire - see here.

DeceasedOnline have come forward with more releases - this time from the Scottish Highlands.

The February issue of Family History Monthly is now available.

Pen & Sword Books have issued another 'offers' bulletin.

And finally, news-wise, I will give you the next announcement (via the FFHS's Roger Lewry) in full...

The following announcement has been received from the Ancestral Tourism Partnership:

Dr Nick Barratt will be among speakers at the Archives, Digitization and Heritage Tourism Workshop taking place at The Centre for the Historical Record, Kingston University, London 2.30 - 5.30pm on Wednesday, 22 February 2012. This innovative workshop aims to facilitate discussion and dissemination of information about the latest digital developments in the field of archives and heritage that are designed to increase public use and awareness of historic records and to encourage more people to visit local repositories and sites of historic interest. It will be of particular interest to archive, museum and heritage professionals, local councils keen to promote heritage and tourism in their area, and anyone interested in public history, local history and family history.  Everyone is welcome and entrance is free but places are limited so please reserve your seat online (http://number8glass.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=dd1d56a1060255e3c02857d1b&id=2ae699084b&e=b2cded504a).  This link will also provide more information about the scope of the workshop. For more information please contact Dr Nicola Phillips, The Centre for the Historical Record at:  n.philllips@kingston.ac.uk or 020 8417 2895.

WEBSITES

The 3rd anniversary of GeneaBloggers has just passed - which gives me an excuse to direct you to a neat little post on the worthy set-up, here.

Fell across the MemoryBistro website on Twitter, and thought it was worth a mention. Doesn't appear to have launched yet, but looks like an interesting concept.

ARTICLES

The Family Recorder blog has two recent articles of interest. Firstly, there's a piece on Free Online Genealogy Tools; then there's an item on an unusual, and often ridiculed, occupation - the 'monthly nurse'.

MEDIA NEWS

What looks like a great week ahead for history on TV & radio can be scrutinised here.

TWITTER BITS

• 'Napoleonland' theme park (from @74guns via @2nerdyhistgirls);
• 1984-85 Miners' Strike (from @heritagehistory);
• Dublin City Book Fair on 22nd (from @findmypastIE);
• Early Photography (from @Amateur_Casual);
• Wolverhampton events (from @WolvesArchives);
• 1960s London footage (from @peter_watts);
• Pram fashions - fantastic! (from @BritishPathe).

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English & Irish News, Mainly...

NEWS

A little bit of everything today - mainly from various spots in England and Ireland ...

We'll kick off with the Freemen of Dublin City records 1774-1824 from Find My Past Ireland - which I think is self-explanatory, containing around 6,000 names of tradesmen and the like from the time and place in question.

Also from Ireland, we have the latest issue of Ireland's Genealogical Gazette from the Genealogical Society of Ireland - essential viewing for Irish researchers, I'd say, so why not dip your toes.

London researchers may wish to peruse the 'Archives for London's' programme of events - lots of good stuff there. (See also 'Websites' below).

There's been a notable addition to the records at British Origins pertaining to Middlesex/London baptisms (1538-1751) - see here.

Some important news for Oxfordshire family and local historians with the following announcement (thanks to Paul Gaskell of the Oxford FHS):

The annual stocktaking closure of the Oxfordshire History Centre takes place shortly, and there has been a modification to the closure dates that were originally publicised last Autumn. The Oxfordshire History Centre will close at 5.00pm on Saturday 21 January 2012 and will re-open at 9.00am on Saturday 4 February 2012. A change of plan means that the centre will be closed on the "middle" Saturday - so the centre will be *closed* on Saturday 28 January 2012. That differs from stocktaking closures in previous years, and from the dates for the 2012 closure that were originally announced last Autumn. Further details can be found at :-

www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/oxfordshire-history-centre 

The WDYTYA? magazine website brings us a little snippet concerning a project relating to York City Archives. This, though, is old-ish news - it first broke back in early December (see here). No more information seems to be available online concerning the venture, as far as I can tell.

There's also a little bit of something from Scotland, with an update to the National Library of Scotland's events listing.

Finally, there's a competition to win an annual subscription to the British Newspaper Archive, here. 

WEBSITES

More for Londoners with the impressive 'London Lives' website. It's fabulous search facility even gave me some results (no known London ancestry).

TWITTER BITS

• A Lady's Etiquette;
• Five generations in one photo! (from @MyHeritage).

Two Handy Newsletters + TNA Stuff

NEWS

The most informative and entertaining genealogy e-newsletters are probably those issued by Lost Cousins and S&N Genealogy Supplies. The first is very much an 'independent' affair, with lots of news and views from across the whole sector, whereas the latter concentrates on events at S&N/TheGenealogist. In the last couple of days both have published another effort, thus:

• Lost Cousins Newsletter - lots of debate concerning the GRO (England/Wales and Scotland), plenty of interest for East Anglian researchers, + GenesReunited news, the British Newspaper Archive, various other bits 'n' pieces ... and plenty of offers;
• S&N Email News - Cornwall, Worcs & Devon added to their 1911 Census datasets, FH Fairs news, many new directories and PRs.

The National Archives have issued an announcement regarding the disposal of some of their old reels of microfilm - stock which they no longer need due to digitisation. If you're interested in laying your hands on some of the freely-available material click here.

And TNA have also unleashed their new 'Archives Media Player' - fabulous!

ARTICLES

Muhammad Ali turned 70 yesterday, of course, and I'm sure many of you enjoyed the TV specials and the like which were aired in his honour last night. MyHeritage also has a look at the great man's ancestry - see here. More classic Ali here.

MEDIA NEWS

Episode 3 of Nick Barratt & Laura Berry's 'Family History Show' is now available. In the latest instalment the experts give their 'Top Ten Tips' on the Census Returns, there are some case histories, plus there's a visit to the Institution of Civil Engineers Archive.

TWITTER BITS

• Warfare Magazine News out (from @WarfareMagazine);
• First Oscar-winning movie (from @casematepub);
• Hitler's birthday celebrations (from @HISTORYmag);
• Irish online research tool (from @ancestrystudent);
• Women at sea (from @2nerdyhistgirls).

Need family history stuff? Try...

Of Scott and Scots

ARTICLES

One hundred years ago today the brilliantly named Captain Robert Falcon Scott reached the South Pole on his ill-fated British Antarctic Expedition - and was a wee bit disappointed to find that he'd been beaten to it by some Scandinavian bloke. The Internet is awash with the anniversary news - but you may not have seen this entry on the Europeana website (see also 'Twitter Bits').

A few sources have mentioned the recent story regarding the appeal for descendants of, or information about, the victims of Scotland's Tay Bridge Disaster of 1879 - no doubt as a result of the recent Find My Past TV show about the event. As good a place as any to 'read all about it' is here.

NEWS

Remaining in Scotland, Chris Paton brings us news of the opening of the new resource centre of the FHS of Buchan. 


The recent release of those London Electoral Registers by Ancestry has prompted a fair bit of debate. Blogger John Reid offers his views here (where there is also reference to Audrey Collins' recent article on the topic).

The Manx Museum Reading Room will be closed during 23rd-28th January - details here.

There's a Podcast from TNA - it's another presentation from the Census conference back in October.

And here are a few events of interest in the next few days...

• Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd January - Oxford Book Fair;
• Talk (27th) and Advice Session (4th Feb) at North Yorkshire CRO - see here;
• Postcard Fairs at Twickenham (20th & 21st), Sittingbourne (21st), Chester (21st), Bloomsbury (22nd) and Digbeth (25th) - see here (please check with organisers).

TWITTER BITS

• Archive Pace Setter Scheme (from @Bradfordww1);
• Founder of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home info appeal (from @findmypast);
• Muhammad Ali 70 today (from @LondonHistorian);
• More Captain Scott stuff (from @heritagehistory);
• Grade II listed 'no entry' sign! & here (from @EnglishHeritage).

Need a Genea book or software? Try...

BI-Gen Store

A Few Articles for You

ARTICLES

It's a quiet start on the news front this week, so we’ll entertain ourselves with a few articles.

The eternal question of which of the major genealogical subscription websites to sign up to perplexes many a new-starter in this hobby of ours. The Family Recorder blog has a stab at providing a bit of guidance on the subject, here.

I’ve been quite taken by the Two Nerdy History Girls blog since discovering it a few days ago. Once a week they provide us with a neat listing of recently-spotted articles - mainly stuff picked up on Twitter. The 'Nerdy' pair themselves are US-based, but the content of the blog has lashings of British material. The latest weekly instalment of article links can be found here. And I'm sure you'll find the piece on 'The Fine Art of Walking' entertaining, too.

'Malthus and the Seven Billion' provides an interesting angle on population studies, and leaves the reader wanting to learn more about the chap in question. 

And it is always worth checking out the GenealogyInTime feature 'Newest Genealogy Records on the Internet' from time to time.

NEWS

Claire Santry brings us another update to the Ireland Genealogy Project Archives.

And those within striking distance of London may wish to consider what the British Library has on offer over the coming weeks, here.

WEBSITES

A new-ish website for researchers in the East of England has popped up in the shape of the 'East Anglian Film Archive'. Follow the link from Chris Paton's helpful blog post, here.

Scottish Bits, Ancestry + Podcasts

NEWS

Details of the timetable for the SAFHS 2012 Conference on Saturday 21st April in Dundee has been spotted by Chris Paton - see his post here and follow the link.

In what is a very busy year for anniversaries, the National Library of Scotland is commemorating the ill-fated Captain Scott expedition to the South Pole - see here.

And there's another news item of interest to historically-minded Scots with a piece on TNA's website about the loan and display, in Scotland, of a 700-year-old William Wallace letter.

Two new history Podcasts are available:

• BBC HistoryExtra (early modern Germany, and Victorian notions of Ancient Egypt);
• TNA Podcast (Henry III Fine Rolls)

Ancestry have released Electoral Registers pertaining to Dorset covering 1839-1922 - see their updates page.

And Ancestry have also released a free update to Family Tree Maker for Mac2.

Oh, and the February issue of HistoryToday is now available.

ARTICLES

The week's 'History Headlines' from the BBC can be viewed here.

OTHER STUFF

A history crossword for you to tackle (darn tricky).

OTHER BITS FROM TWITTER

• BookShelfPorn - pics of bookshelves! (from @EHChalus);
• SoG's Book of the Month (from @SoGGenealogist);
• Don't forget free WWI stuff today! (from @AncestryUK);
• Family Tree Mag competition (from @familytreemaguk);
• Emilia Fox at WDYTYA? Live (from @wdytyamagazine);
• Irish TV history programme (from @findmypastIE).

And you can 'follow me' at Twitter by clicking on the relevant button at the top right of this page.

Need a Genea book or software? Try...

BI-Gen Store

And what about a Kindle?

Libraries Bite Back!

NEWS

Tucked away on the BBC website is a story to warm the hearts of library lovers, historians and genealogists across the land concerning the decision taken by Somerset County Council to scrap their plan to close several of the county's libraries. Fact is, they have had their hand forced by the High Court, no less - and it looks like it will lead to a bit of a cash injection for the institutions, too. Wow! One would assume that a precedent has now been set...

The Parish Chest has issued its latest newsletter, which includes details of the release of many, many new genealogical products.

As this year sees the passing of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, I guess we'll be hearing rather a lot from the guy in the near future. Londoners can kick off with this offering from the Museum of London.


I had a look at Claire Santry's Irish Genealogy News blog this morning, and realised that I'd fell behind a bit with the same! Claire has been busy catching up with various bits and pieces concerning Irish research - so I'd urge you to go there now and bring yourself up to speed on items such as ... oh, there's too much, so just take a look for yourself!

It seems that legendary blogger, Dick Eastman, is over the worst of his health scare.

And Pen & Sword Books have more offers up for grabs, here.

MEDIA NEWS


TV & radio guides for the next few days can be found here and here.

ARTICLES

Another story out of Somerset, with the unearthing of an alleged 'Jack the Ripper' manuscript.

And if, like me, you're just getting into Twitter (or are thinking about it), then check out these two online articles on the same which I found most helpful:

• GenesReunited item on 'Social Media';
• New to Twitter? piece for genealogists.

Thanks to the many of you who have already decided to 'follow me' (see http://twitter.com/HistoryMick ) - which means that I shall have to at least try to entertain you as best I can with regular instalments!

OTHER BITS FROM TWITTER

In the meantime, I realise that many (most?) of you don't bother with Twitter, so the blog shall very much remain the main medium through which I work. And here are a few more little stories from the, er, Twittersphere, as I believe they call it...

• Footage from Ireland in 1962 (from @thejournal_ie);
• Canadian Emigration Papers release from FMPIreland (from @findmypastIE);
• 'What a clever girl' story from Ireland (from @the_irish_times);
• Online Palaeography lesson from TNA (from @familytreemaguk);
• History in schools discussed in House of Commons (from @HistoryExtra);
• History of Leinster House (from @findmypastIE).

TNA Stuff & a Good Deal of Reading

NEWS

A couple of announcements from The National Archives first:

• BT Archives to be digitised;
• Closure of 'Your Archives'.

And there is also a new TNA Podcast to take in - Anxiety, Dread & Disease: British Ports 1834-1870.

The Scottish Genealogy Society is offering free advice sessions for newbie genealogists - see their homepage. (thanks to Chris Paton/Chris Halliday).

And followers of US blogger, Dick Eastman, will no doubt already know about his recent illness.

ARTICLES

And with a good few articles to get through, we'll start, in fact, with the aforementioned Mr Eastman, and a strange tale about genealogy and crime detection. 

The Passionate Genealogist blog's post from a couple of days ago makes mention of two very interesting articles. Firstly, there's a lengthy piece on War and Famine in Ireland, 1580-1700; and then there's a light-hearted piece about how NOT to conduct your FH research. Access both here.

And the eternal question of the location of the geographical centre of Great Britain is tackled on the OS blog.

MEDIA NEWS

Several blogs and websites are reporting the beginning of a new series of BBC Radio Scotland's Digging Up Your Roots. It began on Sunday - access it on the BBC iPlayer, here. It's only online until 15th - but is also available as a download from iTunes.

OTHER BITS FROM TWITTER

As I've just signed up to Twitter (@HistoryMick), I will, in due course, be working out ways of bringing you extra snippets of news from this area of the Internet - just as soon as I've got used to the darn thing. For the moment, though, I'll tag a few bits on at the end of my daily posts for you to take or leave as you wish...

• TNA looking for help with their new guidance notes (from @UkNatArchives);
• TNA Chief to speak in London (from @KathrynHannan);
• @findmypast recommends this TV programme;
• New book on dieting in history (from @genesreunited);
• Predictions for the future from 1900 (from @findmypast);
• 1940s POW twitter diary (from @genesreunited).

If you want to 'follow me' then please do (@HistoryMick). Once I'm up to speed with the set-up, I shall no doubt contribute as best I can!

Check out the TEXTBOOK SALE at...

News from ALL Five Nations!

NEWS

Unusually, today we have news from all five major 'nations' of the British Isles...

The biggest announcement of the day is probably Ancestry's release of 130-year's worth of London electoral registers, 1835-1965 - a whopping great resource by the sounds of it, though I've not yet investigated it myself. Have a look at the story here.

Ancestry has also released a new batch of records for Kent, namely, the Tyler Index to Wills, 1460-1882 - see Ancestry's updates page.

And, lastly from England, there's this news story about the threat to the future of the Wedgwood Museum & Archive in Staffordshire.

News of a forthcoming Open Day at the National Library of Wales can be found here. Note that some sources are giving the date as 29th January - but surely the library's website itself can be trusted with the correct date, namely, Saturday 28th January. Not sure if the talks have to be booked.

Electric Scotland has issued another update - follow the relevant link from here.

There are genealogy courses available on both sides of the border in Ireland - see Claire Santry's blog entry on the topic.

We're off to the US now for a useful video presentation by FamilySearch regarding search methods which may be employed when using their website. A neat lesson in lateral thinking which could come in handy when using other databases and websites.

ARTICLES

We return to Ireland for an article from the Irish Echo (via the CIGO website) about the campaign for the early release of the 1926 Irish Census - with plenty of background info, too.

And FindMyPast Ireland has a piece on Irish Marriage License Bonds.


On a slightly grander scale, we have another media rumour about Henry VIII and the identity of who should have been the 'real Queen Elizabeth I'.

MEDIA NEWS

The WDYTYA? Magazine website has a media update, including a chance for you to appear on TV.

Click here>>>  BI-Gen Store   <<<Click here

Genea Offers & Newsletters

NEWS

All the furore over the release of the new Hollywood blockbuster, War Horse, has triggered this offer at Ancestry. Basically, they're offering free access to their WWI Service records, Pension Records and Medal Index Cards every Saturday throughout January. Look out, too, for the 'Competition' tab.

The British Library has a sale on - see here.

The popular genealogy website, MyHeritage, is offering those who have a free account the chance to upgrade to a fee-paying affair at a 44% discount on the usual rates. From your 'Family Home Page' you should see the offer on the left-hand side (or simply try to upgrade, and you'll see the offer flash up). Runs until 25th January.

The National Archives' latest newsletter can be perused here.

And The National Library of Ireland's 'News & Events for Jan-April' newsletter (a substantial affair!) can be accessed via this page. Within the same can be found details of a couple of new UCD courses on offer (see also here).

Ancestry has issued an update to the 'London Freemen of the City Admission Papers 1681-1925'. Access the link at their updates page, here.

Lambeth Archives will be closed to the public for stocktaking from Monday 23rd January ... and will re-open on Monday 6th February. Keep an eye on developments at their website.

And in case you're wondering, I have not been able to find ANY events of interest occurring this coming weekend! No FH fairs, no book fairs and no postcard fairs ... unless anyone knows any different?

ARTICLES

A couple of 'famous family trees' have popped up on the MyHeritage website - namely, those of Kate Middleton and Steven Tyler.

OTHER STUFF

The self-publishing website Lulu.com has, it seems, TWO special offers on at the moment. By simply visiting their homepage at www.lulu.com you can see that they're offering a 'buy one, get another at 50% off' deal (until 15th January). And there's also a 25% off code (max saving £50) LULUBOOKUK305 - expires 31st January, and only works with GBP, USD and Euros. I shouldn't think you'll be able to use both codes at once, though. Should you be tempted, my Lulu Storefront is at www.lulu.com/spotlight/historymick. I heartily recommend Lulu.com - it's great.

Ancestry's New Approach

NEWS

Thanks to Alan Stewart's blog for an interesting new approach offered by Ancestry when it comes to searching their records. I must confess that I hadn't noticed this, and am not sure how long it's been up and running - see Alan's post here (where you will find a link to the new 'Parish Pages' in question - direct link here).

The GOONS is running an Army Records Seminar in Ash, Surrey, on Saturday 18th February - see full details here.

The HistoryToday Podcast for January is now available (Treaty of Versailles, and Sir Gawain & the Green Knight).

Now seems a good time to remind folk of the ongoing PRONI lecture series, with the next instalment due on 26th January. Chances are I'll not be mentioning the series again, so do make a note of the dates, etc., if you're interested in any of 'em.

WEBSITES

Here's a website worth keeping tabs on. It's called Two Nerdy History Girls, and provides plenty of interesting material pertaining to social history. And I'll start you off with their weekly round-up of links to history articles, etc., here.

ARTICLES

Chris Paton offers his thoughts on what might happen to Scottish genealogical research should the nation decide to vote 'yes' to independence from the UK.

OTHER STUFF

Ontario-based Christine Woodcock has unveiled plans for her next organised 'Genealogy Research Trip to Scotland' - see here.

Oh, and you may wish to check out a new feature of the blog, namely, the BI-Gen Store. By following the link you will be taken to an Amazon Store dedicated to genealogy (primarily, a 'books' section and a 'software' section). So if you need any family history goods, then you can earn BI-Gen a tiny bit of commission by ordering via my store. Just use the 'Shopping Cart' icon like you normally would. If you have any problems using the Store, let me know.

Click here>>>  BI-Gen Store   <<<Click here

FamilySearch Bonanza

NEWS

FamilySearch have announced massive additions to their datasets over the holiday period - over 100 million new records from 33 countries. Included are developments relating to the 1871 Census for England & Wales, Norfolk PRs, and Welsh Probate Abstracts.


There's more information about the release of additional detail from the 1911 Census for England & Wales at FindMyPast. Important that you read this, too, as there's a special offer on regarding purchasing credits for viewing the 1911 Census.

Manchester researchers will want to keep an eye on the Manchester Histories Festival website. This year the programme runs from 24th February to 4th March.

Southampton City Archives are due to re-open soon. However, the occasion has been put back from Tuesday 10th January to Tuesday 17th January - keep an eye on the situation here.

And there's a new history Podcast from the BBC, here.

ARTICLES

Following on from yesterday's effort, there's another twins story, here.

There's the week's 'History Headlines' from the Beeb.

And there's a 'taster' article from the Jersey Evening Post about governmental record releases. Though the article doesn't give much away, I think you get the gist - especially when you read the comments underneath! One of the comments actually makes an interesting (and valid, I think) point about confidentiality regardless of any 100-year-rule... (thanks to James).

MEDIA NEWS

I see the US is preparing itself for another series of WDYTYA?

Slow Start

A slow start to the year, news-wise - but I'll give you what I've got...


NEWS

Claire Santry's Irish Genealogy News blog is back on the road after the festive period, with an update to the Ireland Genealogy Project Archives, and a helpful events listing for January. I hope you will excuse the slight lull on Claire's blog of late, which is due to her being otherwise engaged.

The first Lost Cousins newsletter of 2012 can be found here - which in itself gives you plenty of reading to make up for today's paltry blog effort!

A handful of events are coming up this weekend...

• Saturday 7th January - York Book Fair;
• Postcard fairs at Powick (7th) and Glasgow (8th) - see here. Please check with organisers before travelling.

ARTICLES

Scottish researchers with an interest in WWI are sure to want to have a look at a guest post on the British GENES blog by Tunji Lees. It concerns the Scottish WWI Pensions Appeal Tribunals records held at the National Records of Scotland.

And thanks to this post at The Family Recorder for a rather odd but interesting analysis, here, of the place-names of the UK.

OTHER STUFF

Came across this interesting new product this morning. Seems like a neat idea, namely, Blank Family Tree Sticker Charts from My History. Click on the link below to be taken straight to the relevant page...

Scottish News & TNA Releases

NEWS

Chris Paton's British GENES blog brings us a selection of news announcements from the National Library of Scotland - see his post here. It includes news of the NLS 'Roadshow' in March.

The turn of the year sees the usual release of a new batch of public records by TNA (30-year rule, and all that) - see the announcement concerning the unveiling of the 1981 files here. Look out for the link to a related Podcast concerning the same, too, near the bottom of the item.

There's more information on FMP Ireland's release of 'Thom's Irish Who's Who 1923' (which I mentioned yesterday) to be found here.

Looking forward to 2012, I see that North Yorkshire County Record Office has organised a special 'Next Steps in Family History Day' on 4th February. It's a full-day course, bookable in advance - so get in ASAP to secure your place.

MEDIA NEWS

The British Library is carrying an interesting piece about their role in a forthcoming BBC Radio 4 programme entitled In Our Time: The Written World.  Fascinating stuff.  The press announcement is here - and be sure to click on the link after the second paragraph, too.

ARTICLES


The Ordnance Survey blog is carrying a 'best of' post which includes some interesting reading. Those of you who are a bit unsure of how to read maps (grid references, etc.) will want to take in the relevant articles.

OTHER STUFF

We began with a Chris Paton blog post, so we will end with one. Here's a bit of humour from the Inverness kirk session minutes.

Day 5 of 'Start Your Family Tree Week'...

Having a Quiet One

NEWS

To be expected, I suppose, but this week is a bit on the quiet side. Many of the commercial companies and a fair old chunk of the bloggers are out of action until the New Year, leaving the few of us who are left struggling to entertain the readership. There are lots of festive ramblings on the blogs - many of them very entertaining - but I guess you don't need me to add to the nostalgic quagmire!

Can I interest you in a Podcast? The latest offering from TNA stems from the major Census conference at the organisation back in October and can be found here (Preparing the 1911 Census for Digitisation).

FindMyPast Ireland has ended a quiet month for them with the release of one last record set, namely, 'Thom's Irish Who's Who 1923', which is self-explanatory. Read all about it here.

I don't usually mention each and every individual talk held at the SoG (they are all listed here), but the one lined up for 28th January looks particularly interesting and will appeal to, well, almost everyone, I should think. It's entitled Tracing Female Ancestors & Women in the 1800s, and runs for a half-day.

I suppose the genealogy big-boys will be vying for our attention as keenly as ever in 2012. Here's what Ancestry have to say about the near future in their '12 Things You Can Count on in 2012'.

And finally, the guys who run the specialist genealogical search engine, Mocavo, have posted a couple of new items on their blog concerning recent developments for users of their site.

Day 4 of 'Start Your Family Tree Week'...

Lost Cousins' Xmas Special

NEWS

Peter Calver, the guy behind Lost Cousins, has released his latest newsletter. See the result here - mainly Census debate, info and opinion, plus a bit on the recent GRO controversy. All very interesting - and of course there's plenty of other stuff in there as regards special offers and opportunities to save a few quid by various ways and means.

Irish researchers may wish to dip their feet in the Eneclann Winter Sale, where most of the goods seem to be on offer at 50% off! The best place to start would appear to be here, and then start browsing... (runs until 8th January).

If you're regularly on the phone to the GRO, then you will want to make a note of their new telephone number. From 5th January 2012 the existing number (0845 6037788) will be replaced by 0300 1231837.  Apparently, 0300 numbers are non-geographic and are specially designated for use by public bodies and not-for-profit organisations - but they are not free and should not be confused with 0800 numbers (or so the GRO say). Note that this number should be used (from 5th Jan) for enquiries about, or ordering, BMD certificates for England/Wales).


Electric Scotland has, I think, issued TWO newsletters/updates since I last mentioned them. Check out this link to access their list of weekly efforts (I should imagine another one will be due at the back end of this week, too).


A couple of news items from Chris Paton's 'British GENES' blog now. Many of you will be delighted to learn of the return of the Lost Edinburgh Facebook page - see this blog entry; and then there's a competition to win a copy of Chris's book (it's a 'rare' one, so have a look!).


And, finally, what about forthcoming events? Well, just a couple of book fairs - so do get along to them if you can...

• Friday 30th December - Market Harborough Book Fair;
• Saturday 31st December - Sherborne Book Fair.

And of course you'll not forget to have a look at today's instalment of 'Start Your Family Tree Week'...

Genealogical Festive Offers and News

NEWS


FindMyPast are offering 10% of all subscriptions from (as far as I can tell) now until the end of January. Reports vary as to the length of this offer and even when it officially starts, but I'll be carrying a link on my blog entries for a few days to remind you of the same - at least until we get through the 'Start Your Family Tree Week' during 26th Dec - 1st Jan....



Pen & Sword Books are (again) in discount mood, too - check out their latest bulletin, here.

Ancestry have made a couple of 'techie' announcements: the first concerns their new 'Android App', and the second relates to updates to their 'Image Viewer'.

Off to the Society of Genealogists now, and a reminder of their holiday opening hours on their main page; and they have also began pushing their January lectures.

There's bad news concerning the future of Carmarthenshire County Museum, with various blogs and websites reporting on the source of the news story, here.

And BBC History Magazine has posted another Podcast, here (Exeter's underground tunnels and the perils of water in Tudor times).

ARTICLES

The BBC also has a raft of special 'Festive Features' on offer. And of course there is the usual batch of 'History Headlines' for the week.

MEDIA NEWS

... Oh, and don't forget the next week's worth of TV & radio highlights.

OTHER STUFF

The HistoryToday website has posted its latest prize crossword.

And if you're a follower of Nick's Barratt's new-ish Family History Show website, then you may wish to offer a bit of feedback, here.

GRO Debate Continues

ARTICLES

Blogger Audrey Collins has joined the 'GRO certificates' debate with an interesting analysis of her own on The Family Recorder blog. It's a funny old situation and it now needs to be carefully looked at by the folk in charge. It seems hard to believe that a system cannot be devised to modestly cash in on the sizeable demands of us family historians.

I see that Claire Santry has begun a series of guest blogs on the 'Certificate of Irish Heritage' website, with an article entitled 'In Search of the Townland'.

A short reminder of our early days of research is provided by the Genes Reunited website with their Top 20 Family History Tips as compiled by their members. Always useful to be reminded of such simple matters every now and again!

NEWS

Due to relocation in early 2012, Ceredigion Archives have revised their opening times for January and February - see here. It does, however, seem that they will specially open up for you if travelling from 'another continent', as they put it!

TheGenealogist has issued an update for it's Diamond subscribers - see here (mainly English stuff).

The National Library of Scotland has issued a fresh 'Events' listing covering January-March.

A listing of 'Black and Asian British History Seminars 2012' has popped up on The Historical Association's website.

MyHeritage have released a new version of their popular (and free) software program, Family Tree Builder - see the lengthy feature on the same here.

Check out some unusual discoveries made in The National Archives' holdings.

And I haven't mentioned the ReadIreland Book Database for a while - so check it out here (then click on 'Read Ireland Book News').

MEDIA NEWS

Here are a few TV/radio programmes which may interest you over the next week or so.

More Scottish Census News

NEWS

Further to last month's news about the 1861 Scottish Census, FindMyPast have now released transcriptions of the 1871 Scottish Census - meaning that the website now has 1841-71 covered for the nation. Due to licensing regulations it is not possible for any of the commercial companies to offer the original images of the documents, but FMP are claiming a high degree of accuracy with their efforts. Go to FMP's Main Page, and the story is under 'Family History News'. 


Oh, and whilst you're visiting the site, look out for FMP's take on the forthcoming 'Start Your Family Tree Week' (top right of home page). There's also a competition to enter in relation to the same.


Staying in Scotland, the British GENES blog has a piece about the final stages of the re-location of Edinburgh City Archives.


As you probably know, MyHeritage have recently brought WorldVitalRecords.com under their umbrella, and this blog post reveals the organisation's early attempts at integrating the said records into their existent data sets.


Ancestry have added some new Kent records to their website. This page is as good a way into them as any (and then click on the relevant link).


The deadline for the FFHS's long-running competition is fast approaching. See the note on the main page of the Federation's website, here.


A couple of events - both postcard fairs - are coming up soon, at Digbeth (Birmingham) and Cheltenham on 28th & 29th December, respectively. See here for further details - and please check with the organisers before travelling, if possible.


WEBSITES


Blogger Dick Eastman has flagged a website which will keep map enthusiasts busy for a while. See his post regarding the Worldology site, here.