News

25/09/202025/09/2020

RAF Air Force Lists and thousands of extra names on War Memorials released

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NEWS: Press Release from TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist has released 71 new Air Force Lists with over 2 million names, as well as 385 extra War Memorials listing over 31,000 names.

Commonwealth_Air_Aces_of_the_Second_World_War_CH3757 via wikipedia commons — Wing Commander Brendan Eamonn Fergus Finucane, DSO, DFC & Two Bars. Public Domain

Air Force Lists

The launch of this major resource gives access to 71 new Air Force Lists from 1919 to 1945 with over 2 million searchable names.

Air Force Lists are useful for family history researchers to see when an officer joined the RAF. They can also tell you what the airman’s rank was in different years and, by looking at the letters written after his name in the list, they can tell you what medals your ancestor had been awarded. These join a large run of similar Army and Navy Lists and other military records on TheGenealogist.

Use these records to:

- - Find ancestors who became officers in the Royal Air Force
  - Discover their ranks, service numbers and medals awarded
  - See which branch they served in and their dates of posting

War Memorials

With 3,400 new photos in this release, these new records include a number of schools and colleges including the Sevenoaks School where WW1 former pupils who served are recorded as well as casualties and medals awarded to them. Other schools and colleges included in this release are: The University College School, Hampstead; Merthyr Tydfil County School; Lord Weymouth Grammar School in Warminster, Wiltshire; Leeds, St Anne’s RC School; and West Leeds High School.

War Memorials for workplaces and sporting organisations can help flesh out an ancestor’s life in revealing their occupation or recreational pursuits. Examples include the Gloucester Rugby Club; Gloucestershire County Hall staff for WW1 WW2; the Travellers Club in Pall Mall; Leeds Council employees WW1; Leeds, Kirkstall Brewery; Leeds Stock Exchange members and clerks; London; Army & Navy Stores WW1 – memorials for two of their department stores; and London, Union Discount Co.

Rolls of Service

Included in this week’s release are also a number of Rolls of Service for the Boer War, WW1 and WW2, as well as some for civilian casualties in the Second World War such as Salcombe in Devon and Portsmouth.

This release brings the total number of War Memorials on TheGenealogist to over 597,000.

Use these records to:

- - Find ancestors who fought for their country in various conflicts
  - Discover workplaces or organisations that some ancestors were associated with

This release expands TheGenealogist’s extensive Military records collection and when used with connected resources, such as the RAF Operations Record Books (ORBs), Aircraft Identification book from 1939, Military Death records, War Memorials and others on TheGenealogist, it can be possible to really build an ancestors story.

To see an example of this, read TheGenealogist’s article: Paddy Finucane the Spitfire Ace

These records and many more are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist.co.uk

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist is an award-winning online family history website, who put a wealth of information at the fingertips of family historians. Their approach is to bring hard to use physical records to life online with easy to use interfaces such as their Tithe and newly released Lloyd George Domesday collections.

TheGenealogist’s innovative SmartSearch technology links records together to help you find your ancestors more easily. TheGenealogist is one of the leading providers of online family history records. Along with the standard Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records, they also have significant collections of Parish and Nonconformist records, PCC Will Records, Irish Records, Military records, Occupations, Newspaper record collections amongst many others.

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

These records and many more are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist.co.uk

*Disclosure: Please note this post contains affiliate links. This does not mean that you pay more just that I make a percentage on the sales from my links. The payments help me pay for the cost of running the site. You may like to read this explanation here:

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15/09/202014/09/2020

The Family History Show, Online returns 26th September 2020

NEWS:

Press Release from The Family History Show, Online

The Family History Show, Online, run by Discover Your Ancestors, returns on Saturday 26th September 2020 in place of the London Family History Show for this year. Building on the huge success of the first online Family History Show in June, where over a thousand attendees enjoyed a great day, the next one is on track to be even better!

Online access means that we are all able to safely enjoy many of the usual features of the physical show from wherever we are in the world, as well as making it possible for those that have disabilities to easily attend.

Family History Show Online

The Family History Show, Online will, mirroring the format of the very successful live shows, feature an online lecture theatre, the popular ‘Ask the expert’ area – where you can put questions forward to their specialists – as well as over 100 stalls where you can ask for advice as well as buy genealogical products.

Q&A Expert Session

Attendees are invited to submit questions via the website and a selection will be put forward to the panel in a multi-user Zoom session that is streamed on a linked video channel for the show.

Visit stalls and chat

To make this online experience as useful to family historians as attending the physical show would have been, you can “visit” a stall in the virtual exhibition hall. With over 100 present there will be a wide variety of societies and companies.

Built into the website is the ability to talk to some of the stallholders by text, audio or video from the comfort of your own home. With this facility, you can ask them for advice regarding their family history society or discuss their organisation and also purchase from their online stall various downloadable and physical products to help you with your research.

Lectures

Chris Baker talks at the Family History Show Online

In the virtual lecture theatre there will be the chance to watch new talks from the same expert lecturers who would have been at the physical event and are on the ‘Ask the Expert’ panel. These presentations will cover a wide variety of family history topics from DNA to how to find family information in military records. All of these videos are subtitled.

Feedback from the last Family History Show, Online:

“The Exhibitor Hall, with the video chat and Question Feed, and details and links to their products, etc. Your show is a very close, and in some ways better, reproduction of the live event, and I’m looking forward to attending next year’s event.” Scott Barker

“I know the actual shows are great, but for us not able to get there, these online days are ideal. I put aside time to listen and it felt like a ‘day away’ from the usual routine. Well done and thank you.” Ruth Owen

“I understand there must have been a lot of planning for the event under such tricky circumstances and it was absolutely superb in the end. Thank you very much for a really good day, your experts were helpful and I thoroughly enjoyed hearing their advice and information.” Sue Farley

Thank you so much for a great show. Learnt a lot and the experts were very interesting to listen to. Special thanks to Amelia Bennett. Looking forward to September. Keep safe” Irene Baldock

Tickets to attend the next online Family History Show on 26th September 2020 are available now for just £6.00 each (£8.00 on the day). All ticket holders will also receive a digital Goody Bag worth over £10 on the day.

To find out more about The Family History Show, Online and buy your ticket visit https://thefamilyhistoryshow.com/online/

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05/09/202004/09/2020

TheGenealogist Doubles the number of Tithe Maps on Map Explorer™

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NEWS:

See Ancestors’ land or property recorded on georeferenced Tithe Maps

TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™ which can help researchers find an ancestor’s land and view how the landscape changed over time has been augmented by the addition of georeferenced Tithe Maps for Cheshire, Dorset, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Staffordshire and Yorkshire West Riding.

- - Total number of maps in this release is 3,655
  - Total number of Tithe maps in Map Explorer™ is now 6,972
  - Map Explorer™ has over four million viewable records indicated by Map Pins
  - TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™ displays maps for historical periods up to the modern day.

Corfe Castle mapped over the years

Map Explorer™ now features various colour and black and white Tithe maps as well as modern map base layers and historical maps which are all georeferenced to allow the user the ability to see how places change over the years. Map Explorer™ is a useful tool for browsing an ancestor’s area to find other plots that they owned or occupied, while TheGenealogist’s Master Search can be used to look for ancestors’ plots across the tithe records and then view them on Map Explorer™.

The addition to Map Explorer™ this week of the black and white tithe maps for Cheshire, Dorset, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Staffordshire and Yorkshire West Riding linked to the apportionment books will enable researchers to discover ancestors who both owned or occupied property between 1837 and the 1850s, with some additional altered apportionments in later years when property was sold or divided. The records allow TheGenealogist’s Diamond subscribers to find details of the plots, the owners of the land, as well as the occupiers at the time of the survey while also identifying the actual plots on the maps. Tithes usefully record all levels of society from large estate owners to occupiers of small plots such as a homestead or a cottage.

Map Explorer™ now features colour tithe maps for the counties of Buckinghamshire, Cumberland, Essex, Huntingdonshire, Middlesex, Northumberland, Rutland, Surrey, Westmorland, the City of York as well as North and East Ridings of Yorkshire plus black and white maps for Berkshire, Cambridge, Cheshire, Dorset, Hertfordshire, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire West Riding.

See TheGenealogist’s article: Tithe Maps on Map Explorer reveal more about the place ancestors lived and worked

Find out more at TheGenealogist.co.uk/maps/

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

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22/08/202021/08/2020

TheGenealogist releases 260,000 individuals in a new selection of Poll Book records

TheGenealogist has just released 260,000 records into its ever growing Poll Book Record Collection. This useful resource for family historians can be used to find the address of an ancestor’s residence from the period before and after the census records. The newly released Poll Books range from 1747 to 1930 and join records that also cover periods between the census years.

Poll and electoral records on TheGenealogist

The Sphere Issue No 987 December 21 1918

The release allows researchers to:

- - Find ancestors who had the vote
  - Discover where ancestors were registered to cast their ballot
  - See the nature of their qualification to vote, such as owning rateable property
  - Search Poll Books that range from 1747 to the 1930s

The records cover 36 different registers of people who were entitled to vote and covers constituencies situated in Bath, Devon, Hampshire, Hertford, Kent, Lincolnshire, London, Monmouthshire, Northumberland, Rutland, Scotland, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Surrey.

They join the millions of electoral resources on TheGenealogist which include Electoral registers, Voters Lists and Absentee Voters.

Read TheGenealogist’s article: Electoral Rolls Used to Locate Ancestors’ address

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15/08/202014/08/2020

The National Archives is open and soon will be offering greater access to collections

NEWS:

The National Archives (TNA) have announced that they are increasing the access to the site at Kew. After welcoming back visitors into their reading rooms in July they are now able to expand their services and increase capacity, so that they can accommodate more visitors and give them greater access to TNA’s collections.

From Tuesday 25 August The National Archives will be opening up their second floor map and large document reading room, as well as increasing the number of seats available in the first floor document reading room. Visitors will also be able to order more documents each day (nine instead of six), and TNA will also have a small number of two-day appointments available for visitors wishing to research bulk document orders (between 20 and 40).

All visitors are still required to book their visit and order their documents in advance.

The National Archives report that their building and services will look very different to regular visitors, as they’ve been busy introducing a number of measures to ensure the safety of their visitors and staff. These include:

- - New booking system to help them manage visitor numbers – all visits have to be pre-booked without exception, with a limit of one visit per week, and all documents ordered in advance
  - New document delivery processes to protect visitors and staff, and to ensure that documents are quarantined appropriately
  - One-way systems and capacity controls in frequently used areas
  - Floor markers and temporary signage to help with social distancing
  - Rigorous cleaning during and at the end of each day
  - Easier access to sinks for hand washing and provision of hand sanitiser.
  - Due to a change in the law, all visitors will be required to wear face coverings during their visit.

In order to visit TNA they are asking everyone booking a visit to agree to a new coronavirus visitor charter, aimed at encouraging all visitors to do their bit to help them ensure everyone’s safety. TNA will not permit anyone to enter the building who has not pre-booked, so please do not travel if you have not been able to book as they will not be able to let you in. The National Archives are open from Tuesday to Friday, between 10:00 and 14:50.

While they are currently able to provide access to their first floor document reading room and second floor map and large document reading room only – their other facilities will remain closed, including the reference library, exhibition spaces, shop, and the cafés. TNA say they will also be unable to provide many of their other usual reading room services, including, access to microfilm and microfiche, research advice, record copying and access to the computers.

In the current times TNA say that they will continue to provide free downloads of digital records on their website for the time being, as they are initially only able to re-open for a very limited number of researchers. This, ofcourse, and all of TNA opening arrangements are under constant review.

Read the full post on The National Archives’ website: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/

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08/08/202007/08/2020

Hounslow Lloyd George Domesday records added to TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™

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Latest News:

TheGenealogist has just released the records of over 33,000 individuals for the Hounslow area into its property ownership and occupancy record set: The Lloyd George Domesday Survey. This is a unique online resource that includes maps and field books and gives researchers the ability to discover where an ancestor lived in the 1910-1915 period. By making use of TheGenealogist’s powerful Map Explorer™ the researcher can see how the landscape where their ancestor lived or worked changed over time.

The maps and residential data, in The Lloyd George Domesday Survey records are sourced from The National Archives and are being digitised by TheGenealogist so that it is possible to precisely locate where an ancestor lived on large scale, hand annotated maps. These plans include plots for the exact properties and are married to various georeferenced historical map overlays and modern base maps on the Map Explorer™. With this resource the researcher is able to thoroughly investigate the area in which an ancestor lived.

- - TheGenealogist’s Lloyd George Domesday records link individual properties to extremely detailed maps used in 1910-1915
  - Fully searchable by name, county, parish and street
  - The maps will zoom down to show the individual properties as they were in the 1910s
  - The transparency slider reveals a modern street map underlay
  - Change the base map displayed to more clearly understand what the area looks like today

Hounslow records cover the areas of Bedfont, Chiswick, Cranford, Feltham, Hanworth, Heston, Isleworth, New Brentford and Old Brentford.

Read their article on finding the retreat of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire that became a “Lunatic Asylum” before the First World War and a Fire Station in World War 2 in these records:

About TheGenealogist

TheGenealogist uses the latest technology to help you bring your family history to life. Use TheGenealogist to find your ancestors today!

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02/08/202001/08/2020

The Society of Genealogists are reopening 4 August 2020

NEWS:

Society of Genealogists

The Society of Genealogists have announced that they will be reopening their premises in London on 4 August 2020.

Here is what they said on their website this week:

“We are pleased to announce that the Society of Genealogists’ Library is opening to SoG members only on Tuesday 4th August with staggered sessions opening from 11am-4pm and 11.30-4pm

To begin with the number of members in the Library will be limited to a maximum of 20 persons per day and places must be booked in advance prior to visiting. Booking for sessions can be made on our website here

For the time being, it is intended that the Society will open for Library use each Tuesday and one Saturday a month. Back office project volunteers only will be welcome in the Library on Mondays. We hope to work up to opening for more days and to more people as we become more confident of providing a safe and workable experience for staff, volunteers and members and as resources allow.

During the days when the Society’s library is closed to visitors our staff and volunteers will continue the service provisions offered during lockdown. Please see the website for details

Visits must be booked at least a week in advance and will be made available up two weeks before the date of the visit on a rolling weekly basis every Saturday morning. Each booking is for one person only on a first come, first served basis – you will not be able to bring anyone with you, unless they book a visit themselves. Please be considerate of others when you book – we may cancel your booking if you exceed our reasonable limit of one booking per week.

We will not permit anyone to enter the building who has not pre-booked a visit, so please do not travel if you have not been able to book as we will not be able to let you in.

When members come into the Library, they will notice some changes. The Society has introduced safety and social hygiene measures to ensure the safety of our staff, members and friends. The toilets and cloakroom will be open so you can wash your hands and all hygiene guidance will be adhered to. Lockers will be open for you to store your belongings and take as little into the library as possible. There will be a cleaner in the building when we are open to make sure all surfaces stay clean and safe. We would ask every visitor to use the sanitisers and wipes provided around the building and to follow social distancing measures and one-way procedures as indicated by signs around the building.

Computers and Microfiche /Microfilm readers have been spaced around the building rather than just in the lower library. You can reserve a computer or reader at the same time as you reserve your seat

Films and fiche will be available as normal and we would ask that all books, microforms, CDs etc be returned to the returns trolleys and boxes provided after use so they can be cleaned and or quarantined as appropriate

Our maintenance team is erecting safety screens at reception and enquiry desks. We have marked out the common room safely, but we may have to ask people not to rush in all at once. Unfortunately, we won’t be making the fridge, microwave, vending machine, cups or kettles available so remember to bring a flask or water with you. (But still only in the common room!) The delis and sandwich bars in Goswell Road are open.

Current law in England requires face coverings to be worn in shops and as the SoG reception area is a shop environment we would ask all visitors to abide by the Government regulations and wear face coverings in the reception and locker room area. The regulations strongly encourage wearing a face covering in other enclosed public spaces where social distancing may be difficult and where you come into contact with people you do not normally meet.

Our staff will be wearing masks for your protection and we would appreciate it if everyone who is able would please consider wearing a face covering in face to face situations within the library (such as when seeking staff assistance) and where social distancing may be limited.

We will ask everyone booking a visit to agree to a new Society of Genealogists’ visitor guidelines below, aimed at encouraging all visitors to do their bit to help us ensure everyone’s safety.”

See the full post from else Churchill on the SoG website here:

http://www.sog.org.uk/news/article/welcome-back.-we-missed-you

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25/07/202024/07/2020

New records help find your Australian cousins from TheGenealogist

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Latest News:

TheGenealogist has added to its Australian records a set of new resources which can be used to find ancestors who lived in this country in the past. These name rich resources are sourced from a diverse range of historical books and directories which can be useful for finding out information such as where ancestors lived and what their occupation was.

Australia map for TheGenealogist's Australian Records

Use these records to:

- - Add details to the lives of your Australian ancestors
  - Locate ancestors homes and business addresses in street directories
  - Discover lists of Doctors, Chemists, Dentists, Lawyers and Teachers
  - Find Municipality officials, Magistrates, Clergy, Secretaries of Clubs and Societies
  - Search for Australian Military personnel (Army & Navy)
  - See advertisements for traders, hoteliers and ship owners, etc.

This latest release expands TheGenealogist’s International records collection and includes the following useful resources:

South Australian Directories 1882-3, 1904, 1910, 1920 and 1936; Australasian Handbook 1906; The Victorian Municipal Directory and Gazetteer 1886; Horse Cattle and Sheep Brands Directory for South Australia 1879; Our Early Possessions & Pioneers of Settlement South Australia; Return of the Names of Official Chaplains (Self Governing Dominions); Johns’s Notable Australians and Who is Who in Australasia 1908; Walch’s Tasmanian Almanac 1889; Red Cross and Order of St John Australian Branch Enquiry List August 1 1917 Wounded and Missing; New South Wales Army and Navy Lists 1898; and Commonwealth of Australia Navy Lists April 1919, January 1921, July 1922, October 1919 & October 1922.

You can also read TheGenealogist’s article, ‘Learning more about our Australian cousins and their lives down under’

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19/07/2020

The National Archives (Kew, England) reopens this week

The National Archives reopens:

The National Archives (TNA) will welcome visitors back into its reading rooms from Tuesday 21 July 2020 in the UK. At this time it will be offering a limited service to visitors, who will be required to book their visit and order their documents in advance. This is the start of the new normal for researchers while the country eases out of lockdown from the pandemic.

TNA at Kew will be open from Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 2.50pm. To read more see their post here: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/news/coronavirus-update/

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10/07/202010/07/2020

Battle of Britain RAF Operations Record Books (ORBs) released on TheGenealogist

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NEWS: Press Release from TheGenealogist

To mark the 80th anniversary of the start of the Battle of Britain (10 July 1940 – 31 October 1940) TheGenealogist is releasing over 2 million new RAF records. These records not only cover this important fight for Britain’s survival, but also encompass all of the Second World War period for a number of squadrons. This release brings the total ORBs records to 3.7 million and are part of TheGenealogist’s extensive Military records collection.

The ORBs are fully searchable by name, aircraft, location and many other fields, making it easy for researchers to find their aviation ancestors. These ORBs are the latest release to join TheGenealogist’s large military records collection which is always being expanded.

Image of a Hawker Hurricane I R4118 of No 605 Squadron. Image: Arpingstone / Public domain — Hawker Hurricane I R4118 of No 605 Squadron. Image: Arpingstone / Public domain

The fascinating pages from these diary-like documents tell the stories of brave aircrew, including those at the time of the Battle of Britain, 10 July 1940 – 31 October 1940. Recording patrols flown, the daily journal records give insights into the everyday lives of the personnel on bases. Researchers can use the collection to follow an airman’s war time experiences from these fully searchable Air Ministry Operations Record Books which cover various Royal Air Force, dominion and Allied Air Force squadrons that came under British Command. Sourced from The National Archives the AIR 27 records allow the family history researcher an interesting insight into relatives who had served in air force units under wartime conditions.

The ORBs provide a summary of daily events. Some are ordinary entries, such as the names of new pilots posted to the squadron, entertainment on the base, or even noting the fact that an officer has become engaged. Sadly, these ORBs also record the death of pilots, crashes, or names of airmen that were missing in action. As names of personnel are recorded in these reports, for a family history researcher wanting to follow where an ancestor was posted to and what may have happened to them in the war, ORBs are often very enlightening documents.

Use these records to:

- - Read the war movements of personnel in air force units
  - Discover if a pilot, navigator, radio operator or gunner is mentioned in the action
  - Find if an airman is listed for receiving an Honour or an Award
  - Add colour to an aircrewman’s story
  - Note the names of squadron members wounded, killed, or did not return
  - Easily search these National Archives records and images

Read my article written for TheGenealogist: Ace in a day

These records and many more are available to Diamond subscribers of TheGenealogist.co.uk

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Category: News

RAF Air Force Lists and thousands of extra names on War Memorials released

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The Family History Show, Online returns 26th September 2020

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TheGenealogist Doubles the number of Tithe Maps on Map Explorer™

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TheGenealogist releases 260,000 individuals in a new selection of Poll Book records

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The National Archives is open and soon will be offering greater access to collections

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Hounslow Lloyd George Domesday records added to TheGenealogist’s Map Explorer™

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The Society of Genealogists are reopening 4 August 2020

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New records help find your Australian cousins from TheGenealogist

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The National Archives (Kew, England) reopens this week

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Battle of Britain RAF Operations Record Books (ORBs) released on TheGenealogist

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