ISBGFH News Blog

How the British Institute Changed My Life

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 03:27:00 +0000

by Laurel T. Baty, CG^SM

In 2007 I made a choice that changed my life: I enrolled in the course “Irish Research: Sources and Methods for Research in Ireland” taught by David E. Rencher at the annual British Institute. I was looking for a class to guide me through the maze of Irish genealogy and discovered the British Institute through a Google search. As a self-taught genealogist, I was finding it hard to navigate Irish genealogy on my own. The trip to Salt Lake City in October of 2007 combined several firsts for me: my first trip to the Family History Library and my first formal course in genealogy. Education is transformative. I went into the class as a hobbyist and I left as a genealogy student with a thirst for knowledge. Last June I reached a milestone in my educational journey: I was granted certification by the Board for Certification of Genealogists.

Registration for the thirteenth annual British Institute is now open and classes are filling fast. This year there are four exciting courses to choose from:

· From Simple to Complex: Applying Genealogy’s Standard of Acceptability to British Research – Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS

· Irish Land Records and Fragmentary Evidence Correlation – David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA

· Sources for Tracing Pre-mid-nineteenth Century English Ancestors – Maggie Loughran and Paul Blake

· Using the Cloud for British Family History Research – Graham Walter, MBCS

I attended Dr. Thomas W. Jones’ class last year and it was excellent. I have taken four courses at the British Institute taught by David E. Rencher and highly recommend his classes. This year I plan to attend either the course offered by Maggie Loughran and Paul Blake or Graham Walter’s course. I am having a hard time making up my mind! Whichever class I take, I am sure to learn a great deal. The British Institute is the only Institute to offer lectures in the morning followed by afternoon research at the Family History Library and consultations with instructors. Bring your research challenges with you. Many students make exciting breakthroughs on their research during the library sessions.

Come join us this October in beautiful Salt Lake City. The weather is lovely in October and the library is usually not crowded. The small class sizes make it easy to meet new friends who share your interests and really get to know the instructors. And, who knows, maybe the British Institute will change your life too!

A Treasure Trove for British Research

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Wed, 08 May 2013 03:30:00 +0000

by Claire V. Brisson-Banks, BS, MLIS, AG®

Conducting British research has been made easier through the varied resources of FamilySearch. Today’s scope of outreach is amplified through Facebook’s England Genealogy Research page along with those who answer questions through Skype’s online outreach and FamilySearch’s Community Tools.

Add the vast numbers of Family History Centers across the globe and the Family History Library located in Salt Lake City and one has access to millions of records in combination with research experts to aid them with their ancestral research.

To top this off is the actual website, FamilySearch.org, which has millions of records online for individuals to access from the comfort of their own home. As of the time of writing this blog, there are 102 collections listed under the United Kingdom and Ireland. The categories listed are:

• Census and Lists
• Birth, Marriage and Death
• Probate and Court
• Military
• Other (School Records, Workhouse Records, some electoral records, etc.)

This is just the beginning of exploring the vast resources available, as additional records are on microfilm and microfiche, books, CDs, scanned online books and the additional databases made available through contracts with Ancestry, FindMyPast, BritishOrigins, TheGenealogist, The London Times, and the 19th Century British Library Newspapers for the focus on British research.

If one is just beginning it can be overwhelming to have so many resources available at one’s fingertips, whether online or at a microfilm reader. To aid this process, there are individuals who will provide anyone with guidance regardless of their level of expertise. From the simplest census record to a 17th century probate record in Latin, all is readily available for all who are searching for those elusive ancestors.

The FamilySearch Research Wiki is also available for those who wish to do some prep work before delving into the Family History realm. The section on England covers England as a country and burrows down to the county and parish level as well as specific subject areas pertinent to British research.

There are also some great instructional videos to help with learning about specific record sets. There are 27 videos to help with England research and 63 for the United Kingdom to date. For those just beginning, the Getting Started video is the perfect place to begin. For the seasoned researcher, there are videos to help with probate records along with a host of other difficult topics with more on the horizon. In fact two amazing videos are by Tom Jones entitled Principles for Beginning Genealogy and Inferential Genealogy.

Researching at the Family History Library is a truly amazing and unforgettable experience, from the record accessibility to the expert research assistance, however, with technology and the great organized outreach, it is now possible to locate one’s ancestors, share their stories and pictures and help connect families throughout the world.

©2013, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

British Institute courses for 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:47:00 +0000

The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History Announces Courses and Instructors for 2013 British Institute

The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History announces the courses for the 13^th annual British Institute, to be held 7–11 October in Salt Lake City at the Radisson Downtown, located two blocks from the Family History Library. Registration will open 9:00 a.m. Pacific daylight time on 8 April 2013 and class size is limited.

“The best kept secret is out for continuing education institutes!” said ISBGFH President Ann Lisa Pearson. “The British Institute is the place to be, providing students with a unique learning experience while working with their own research. Instructors will be available each afternoon to consult with students throughout the time of the Institute, applying classroom education and the opportunity to do more in-depth, on-site research in the records at the Family History Library.”

“The opportunity to be taught by the best teachers in the presence of the largest genealogy library was a dream come true!” said Paul Hawthorne, 2012 attendee.

Featuring top-notch educators and British resources

Award-winning genealogist: Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Irish research expert: David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA
From England: Maggie Loughran, Paul Blake, and Graham Walter
Personal research consultations
Access and instruction with British collections at the Family History Library
Morning educational program followed by afternoon research sessions in the library

The 2013 British Institute offers four tracks taught by expert genealogists:

From Simple to Complex: Applying Genealogy’s Standard of Acceptability to British Research – Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Through hands-on activities, lectures, and discussions, participants will learn how to use widely accepted standards to measure their genealogical work’s accuracy and to assess others’ genealogical conclusions. In the process they also will learn about genealogical research planning, its implementation, genealogical reasoning, and the preparation of credible genealogical products.

Irish Land Records and Fragmentary Evidence Correlation

David E. Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA
This course is designed to address Irish genealogical research for both the landed and landless families in Ireland. When land records are meager, there are still methods to research the landless in the land records and the associated record fragments created from land use. Assembling this meager evidence provides the clearest picture possible for an Irish family in the 17th to 20th centuries.

Sources for Tracing Pre-mid-nineteenth Century English Ancestors

Maggie Loughran and Paul Blake
Concentrating on tracing pre-1850 English ancestors, this course will interest those whose ancestors emigrated to North America before English civil registration in 1837, or those who have traced their ancestors back to the early 1800s. For each record category, examples of original documents will be used to guide you through interpretation, locating, and lastly, how to access through the Internet, the Family History Library, and other available resources.

Using the Cloud for British Family History Research – Graham Walter, MBCS
This course will provide an introduction to “The Cloud” and how to use it to one’s research advantage. Learn how to choose the right combination of computing devices to enhance any family history research trip. The Cloud allows moving data seamlessly between devices and the ability to share with family and other researchers.

Registration Information

Online registration will be available at the ISBGFH’s website, <http://www.isbgfh.org>, at 9 am PDT on Monday 8 April.

If preferred, a mail-in registration form is provided. If you have any questions, please e-mail institute_director@isbgfh.org.

Learning about new English resources from my friends

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Learning about new English resources from my friends

by Sandra M. Hewlett, CG^SM, ISBGFH board member

In August, I was fortunate to spend three weeks in England, with a chunk of time free to do a bit of genealogy research on several of my English families. This was not my first research trip to London. In 2002 I began my onsite education into the many resources available at greater-London’s record repositories, such as the Society of Genealogists, the National Archives at Kew (then the Public Record Office), the London Metropolitan Archives, and the now-closed Family Records Center, so delving into English records has become comfortable for me, but as we genealogists know, we are always learning!

One of the highlights of this recent trip was to spend quality time with several London-based genealogists who graciously discussed my research problems, offered assistance, and introduced me to websites and resources that were new or not on my to-do list.

I came home with much new information on a few ancestors so thought I would share my success with my fellow ISBGFH members, offering you a connection to websites that I found helpful, plus a few other hints I learned during my trip.

Records of London’s Livery Companies Online (ROLLCO)

Apprentices and Freeman 1400-1900

www.londonroll.org

This fully searchable database was launched in June, with the goal to index the records of four of the twelve major London trade guilds: Clothworkers, Drapers, Goldsmiths and Mercers. To date three of the four are online (however, the Goldsmiths’ records cover only 1600-1700); we’re waiting for the Mercers records to be included on the website. So far this collection includes 270,000 individual names, including 60,000 apprentices and 40,000 Freedoms of the City.

Notable information gleaned from reading the website’s introduction is their finding that during the 16^th century the majority of apprentices were the sons of gentry, yeomen and husbandmen from the country, and not the sons of Londoners, making this dataset a unique research source for most of England.

In the Drapers’ Guild records I found the Freedom of London for my 5^th great grandfather William Stacey in 1792, and the Freedom for his son, George Stacey in 1797. And I found George Stacey as a witness to a Clothworker’s record in 1835. Both Staceys were born in Braintree, Essex, confirming how valuable this database is for tracking ancestors who lived outside of London.

A complement to these records can be found on Ancestry.com: London, England, Freedom of the City Admission Papers 1681-1925. If you have access to Ancestry’s World Explorer membership, you can check their index to view digitized images of any records you find on the ROLLCO’s website. Ancestry’s database includes men who were awarded freemanship through their membership in several other guilds such as the Bakers’ and Coopers’ guilds.

Among other benefits, any man who became a guild member also obtained freeman status to the City of London, so the guild membership leads to Freeman’s records, and the Freeman’s records database on Ancestry tells you that most likely there is a guild membership to look for.

To read more detail about these databases and the history of guilds, apprenticeships and Freeman of the City, Londonroll.org offers additional information at www.londonroll.org/about. The following explanation is a partial extraction from that web page:

The Freedom

The Livery Companies of the City of London originate from medieval trade guilds, established to regulate particular crafts. Guilds supervised the training of apprentices, controlled standards of craftsmanship, and protected craftsmen from unfair competition. They also provided financial support to their members in old age and in times of poverty and bereavement. Up until the nineteenth century, Freedom of the City of London (or Citizenship) and the right to exercise one's trade there could only be obtained through membership of a Livery Company.

There were a variety of routes for someone to become a member of a Livery Company, or to be admitted to the Freedom as it is known. Chief amongst these were Servitude, by which a person gained the Freedom after serving an apprenticeship; Patrimony, by which children of Freemen qualified for membership through their parents; and Redemption whereby the Freedom was obtained through the paying of a fine (often quite substantial). Other methods of gaining the Freedom are described in the Glossary.

Over time many Companies' direct involvement with their original craft declined, but membership has continued to be important. Today, Freedom of a Livery Company confers few tangible benefits; however, members continue to take pride in the history and traditions of their Companies and many present day Company families have generations' long connections with their Company.

Apprenticeship

The institution of apprenticeship has a long history, one which has been central to the development of London as a major economic power. The earliest apprenticeships in the City date from the thirteenth century, with the practice of masters taking apprentices being regulated by the City's Courts of Aldermen and Common Council in conjunction with the Livery Companies, from the very beginning. A number of Companies (such as the Fishmongers’, Loriners’ and Cordwainers’ for example) established ordinances with the assent of the Mayor which detailed the particular rights and obligations pertaining to masters and apprentices. The City ordained that the Companies had to keep registers of their members, and although the minimum term of apprenticeship was officially seven years, it has been estimated that a quarter of apprentices served longer terms (up to over a dozen years in some cases) in the first decade of the fourteenth century.

By the sixteenth century apprenticeship had become the principal method of acquiring citizenship in London, with over 90% of admissions to the Freedom taking this route in the early 1550s, for example. Interestingly, and unlike later periods, the majority of apprentices in this period were not the sons of Londoners, but were the sons of gentry, yeomen and husbandmen from the country.

In 1516 a list drawn up by the Corporation to manage disputes in the processional precedence of the Livery Companies during civic ceremonies identifies 48 'misteries' or 'crafts', each regulating an aspect of the economic and industrial life of the City. The formation of these Companies in many cases embodied several centuries of development and definition, reflecting the merging and splintering of associated trades and craft activities. Even by the sixteenth century, though, membership of a Livery Company did not necessarily signify that an individual followed the actual trade of that Company, even for those who had served a term of apprenticeship (although these individuals were more likely to follow the trade). As the data in the Records of London's Livery Companies Online project show, many freemen in a Company pursued a business or profession entirely beyond the sphere of the activities regulated by their Company.

Finding Those Disappearing Ancestors

I should have remembered to think outside the box when I could not find two children of an English family who last appeared in the 1881 census. The last time this happened, my missing person was eventually discovered in India.

Again, while my friends were listening to my tales of frustration, it was suggested I run the names through a global search on FamilySearch.org. And they were right! These two young men obtained jobs at a bank that then sent them to Brazil where I found them in the 1895 Brazil census. This census is digitized and indexed at FamilySearch! Subsequent searches on other British websites turned up several English passenger lists at FindMyPast.co.uk, listing Horace Dobson and family as passengers sailing to and from Brazil. The name Horace Dobson was probably an easier mark than, say John Walker, but nonetheless a sweet result. Another fabulous find, in a record group that I never considered!

For interested readers, a great website for locating people who might have gone to India between 1600 and 1947 is “Families in British India Society” www.fibis.org. The FIBIS database of over one million names is free, contains a long list of record indexes, including transcripts of wills in the India Office Records [IOR] 1780-1909.

Indexes to English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Probate Records

www.dur.ac.uk/a.r.millard/genealogy/probate.php#IRL

Another great website was brought to my attention earlier this year, and since I refer to it often and used it while in England, I’m going to share it. Dr. Andrew Millard of Durham University created a detailed webpage for finding British will indexes that are online. “Recent Indexes to English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish Probate Records” has links to national will indices such as the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and the Prerogative Court of York, as well as a list of will indexes that are online for each county, plus a few peculiars. I found links for wills that I might not have ever looked for!

Two books by well-known English genealogists (and friends) were recently released. The Society of Genealogists in London, http://www.sog.org.uk, has published John Titford’s My Ancestor Settled in the British West Indies, an up-to-date guide to Caribbean records with a chapter on each island country, and British Guyana (that’s another place where one of my Dobson’s lived!) and British Honduras (Belize). Audrey Collins and David Annal have written an essential guide explaining not only British vital records but their history, plus the how and the why of recordkeeping, including nonconformists and records for those in the military. Also explained are the systems for the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. Birth Marriage and Death Records is available from the National Archives at Kew, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk.

Lastly, my good friend Roy Stockdill is now blogging for FindMyPast.co.uk. Check out his blog, and all the blogs on this site. You will find research hints, stories about identifying photographs, tales of new research offerings and hints to develop your knowledge of British military service records.

Good luck!

Lewis Rosser, Master Mariner

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 03:54:00 +0000

“I must down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by…”

John Masefield

Lewis Rosser, Master Mariner

When I was first married thirty years ago, I often heard my husband (Lewis W. Elford) and his father (Lewis A. Elford) talk about how much they loved the sea -- the smell of the ocean, the feel of the wind in their faces, the sound of a sail as it whipped in the breeze -- and I wondered about that because they were both born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, not exactly on the seacoast.

I didn’t know much about the Elford family history so I began to ask questions… and there were few details that they could provide. As is typical of many immigrant families, details about the “old world” were not passed on. The only thing that my father-in-law and his sister, Winifred Elford Tesla, knew was that their father (Lewis Rosser Elford) came from Swansea in Wales to Pittsburgh about 1881 with his eight brothers and sisters and his parents, George Elford and his wife Elizabeth Rosser.

As a family genealogist for my own family, I was thrilled to have a new challenge and a new family to research and skip my own “brick walls” for a while.

Since we were living in the D.C. area at the time, my husband and I started at the National Archives to research U.S. census records and ship records (in the days of microfilm). When we traveled to Pittsburgh on family visits we spent several extra days at the Carnegie Library to look for additional details in local histories, newspapers, and anything else we could find. The Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society (http://wpgs.library.net) is located in the Pennsylvania Department of the Carnegie Library and is an excellent resource. I then took my first trip to Salt Lake City to spend a week at the Family History Center to look at English and Welsh records while continuing my research into my own families.

Now we had lots of information and many names, but it was all difficult to sort. However, as soon as I heard that my husband was going to Europe on a business trip, I knew the answer -- he had to stop in England on his way home. He went to St. Catherine’s House on Kingsway in London and searched the huge and heavy Birth, Marriage, and Death Quarterly Indexes for Elfords and Rossers in Swansea. It took him two intensive days of searching and writing down names and dates, but he ordered quite a few Birth/Marriage/Death certificates and had them mailed to us in the States. They happened to arrive while his parents were visiting us for Thanksgiving in 1986, and we opened the package with great anticipation! And there on the 1860 marriage certificate of George and Elizabeth I found my first clue to my husband’s love of the sea…. Elizabeth’s father was Lewis Rosser, Master Mariner!

As the Internet made more and more records accessible, we continued to research both families. But we knew that we really wanted to go to Swansea and, at long last, we were able to travel there in September 2009. What a thrill!

Swansea’s waterfront and nearby neighborhoods where the Elford and Rosser families had lived were destroyed by German bombers during World War II. The whole area has been rebuilt and renamed the “Maritime Quarter” so we felt that we could still “walk in the family footsteps” even though none of their houses remains. We found The National Maritime Museum (www.museumwales.ac.uk) and the Swansea Museum (www.swanseaheritage.net/museums/swanmu.asp) very interesting to visit; both are located in the Maritime Quarter and are marvelous resources as well for anyone researching this area.

The Swansea Civic Centre on Oystermouth Road contains the Swansea Central Library and the West Glamorgan Archive Service and Family History Centre (both listed in www.swansea.gov.uk). The Library has a large collection of local newspapers on microfilm dating back to 1804, files of newspaper cuttings, and maps of Swansea and the Gower Peninsula. The West Glamorgan Archives contain parish records, court records, estate and family records, maritime records, indexes to baptisms and marriages, indexes and transcripts of gravestone inscriptions, and indexes to wills.

It was only by going to Swansea that we were able to learn that Lewis Rosser (my husband’s 2^nd great grandfather) had followed his father, grandfather and several uncles as a merchant captain. Several of Lewis Rosser’s brothers, cousins and nephews also became Master Mariners and were recorded in Lloyd’s List of Master Mariners as traveling to South America, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and even around the continent of Africa. And his twin brother, William Rosser, was the Swansea lighthouse keeper for over 50 years!

One of our favorite mementos from our trip is this announcement we found in the Bristol Mercury [England] newspaper of May 16, 1835:

MARRIED

“May 2, at Illogan [in Cornwall], Captain Lewis Rosser, master of the brig “Dasher,” of Swansea, to Kitty, youngest daughter of Mr. Joseph Mortley, chief officer of the Preventive Service [Coast Guard], on the Portreath station. Capt. Rosser acquitted himself nobly on the occasion, he not only feasted his own crew, but handsomely treated the respective crews of every vessel then lying in the harbour; the crews of the pilot, and other boats, also partook of his bounty.”

Now we know why there has been a “Lewis” in each generation since his time!

While researching maritime records in the West Glamorgan Archives, we discovered that the Rossers owned or were part owners of a variety of boats from the late 1700s to the early 1900s! In addition to the merchant ships, the Rossers and several other families had provided the port of Swansea with pilot schooners and their pilots since 1793! Until the port of Swansea was redesigned, it was wide open to the south and southeast and unprotected from strong southwestern winds that hurled the boats toward a narrow harbor entrance. The pilots had to guide ships in and out of the harbor and then they had to jump or climb into their tiny boats to return to land. According to newspaper accounts of the time, these conditions could be terrifying and resulted in many injuries and some deaths.

Not only were there excellent repositories available, but many kind and generous people went out of their way to assist us in our search. Several members of the Swansea Museum staff were responsible for gathering all the Rosser material they had in their possession and let us visit the collection where they were being held. As a result, we were able to view and photograph a number of items that belonged to the Rosser family, including the two items below.

Painted by Henry Birchall in the 1850s, this is the pilot boat “Tom Rosser” that was owned by Captain John Rosser, one of Lewis Rosser’s brothers. It was in service from 1840 to 1860. Although they were work boats, the pilot boats took part in the annual regatta held in Swansea. In 1851, the “Tom Rosser” won the Harbour Trustees’ first prize.

The “T R” plaque is the ornamental stern board and the only remaining item of the “Tom Rosser.”

Since we started our adventure of researching the Welsh roots of the Elford and Rosser families, my husband has been able to meet cousins he never knew he had. We had dinner with a Rosser cousin and her mother in Swansea, and have become part of an Elford-Rosser family on the Internet that stretches from many states in the U.S. (Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Montana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Florida) to England, Wales, and even Australia. And there’s talk of a family reunion, hopefully in Swansea!

Carol Elford

(carolbelf@msn.com)

New issue of British Connections Has Been Posted

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:50:00 +0000

The April-June 2012 issue of British Connections, the journal of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History, has been posted in the Members Area of the ISBGFH website. The lead article is "Irish Genealogy Website for Tourism: A Boon to Researchers" by David E. Rencher. ISBGFH members can download this issue by logging in to the the society website.

2012 British Institute Early Registration Deadline Extended to 8 August

noreply@blogger.com (Rollie Littlewood) — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 00:41:00 +0000

ISBGFH's Board of Directors was recently told that the very best plane reservations could be obtained two months (60 days) before the flight was to take place. After some discussion, we decided to extend the early registration for British Institute to 8 August 2012 to coincide with the two month window for making flight reservations. The courses are filling up, so don't wait too long.

The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History Announces Course Tracks and Instructors for 2012 British Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 21:39:00 +0000

WESTMINSTER, Colo., 12 March 2012—The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History today announced its course lineup for this year’s British Institute. This weeklong, intensive institute will be held from 8–12 October in Salt Lake City. This year’s host hotel is the Radisson Downtown, located two blocks from the Family History Library. Registration is now open and class size is limited.

The Institute offers four tracks taught by expert genealogists:

Records and Strategies for Beginning English Research
Judy Jones, AG, CG
Join us as we learn about the records and strategies needed to begin research in England. This class will begin by teaching a strategy for 19th and 20th century research, then study the three basic records needed to find families in that time period. From there it will expand to those records needed to find supporting information, including maps, gazetteers, probate, and reading handwriting.

From Simple to Complex: Applying Genealogy’s Standard of Proof to Your Work
Tom Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Genealogical statements and conclusions achieve credibility when they meet standards for proof. Participants will learn how to use widely accepted standards to measure their genealogical work’s accuracy and to assess the work of others.

British Military, Its Regiments and Records
John Kitzmiller, II, FSG (England); FSA (Scot); AG, Heraldist – Heraldry Society of Canada (2nd level) & Heraldry Society of London (2nd level)
Why take this course? The answer is many of the population were involved in these entities throughout time. There is a high probability that somewhere you have a military-connected ancestor. The British military course will cover a wide variety of records that will assist you in tracing your military ancestors. We will discuss the records of military personnel for the outlined time period which are centered (or held) at the regimental level. This means that one must know the regiment (pre-1881) to be able to trace an ancestor. Post-1881 is a bit different, in that there can be indices available that cover the time period as well as civil records which are critical as an additional locator record. Websites containing military records will also be discussed.

Advanced Methodology for Irish Research
David Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA
This course was first introduced in 2011 and will again focus on the methodologies needed for successful Irish research. New record sources and strategies will be introduced for 2012 with a review of best practices. Learn how to frame your tough Irish genealogical problems, develop a sound strategy and sharpen your analytical skills with these advanced methods. You’ll also enjoy the richness of the Irish collection of the Family History Library and explore some of the lesser known records of this vast resource, a must stop before leaving for Ireland.

“The Institute is in its 12th year and, as always, we design the program with the goal of helping students overcome the challenge of researching their British Isles from a distance,” said ISBGFH President Ann Wells. “We are excited to offer this panel of expert instructors and range of courses that would apply to beginner, intermediate, or advanced students.”

Registration Information

More detailed information on the institute can be found at the ISBGFH’s Web site http://www.isbgfh.org. You can register online, or print, fill out the application and mail to ISBGFH, PO Box 350459, Westminster, CO 80035-0459. If you have any questions, please e-mail admin@isbgfh.org. When registering at the Radisson Downtown Salt Lake, ask for the British Institute conference rate.

About The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

The International Society for British Genealogy and Family History has been around a long time–longer than it takes to say the full name. Many of us who have been involved for years talk about “ISB” not only for convenience, but because the nickname suggests what the organization is—small, practical and friendly.

ISB got started in 1979 due to the efforts of several people who saw the need for an organization that would help genealogists tracing the origins of their British Isle emigrant ancestors. Thus it is no surprise that the members of ISB live all over North America and overseas.

The Society continues to evolve but it retains its original purpose. ISB is here to help members overcome the challenges of researching British Isles roots from a distance. See http://www.isbgfh.org for more information.

Christmas Traditions

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 17:35:00 +0000

No matter what your faith or religion is, there is a sense of joy when we gather together to share friendship, love and family traditions for our holidays.

What are the traditions your family celebrates? Do you have Christmas Crackers as part of your celebration? These have become more and more popular in the U. S. Gathering at the dinner table you cross your hands and pull on the cracker on each side of you. Don the tissue hat, read the silly jokes and ooh and aah over the toy or puzzle.

Boxing Day is a holiday in the U.K. and it is believed to have begun when the alms boxes were opened and the coins given to those in need. Then it evolved into giving gifts or Christmas money to the household servants and others. Now, it is a day of sales, much like our “Black Friday.”

Father Christmas comes and fills the stockings, or perhaps a pillowcase, that is laid on the end of the bed. Presents are opened in the morning and Christmas dinner served, typically, at mid-day.

What traditions do you celebrate that come from your British Isles ancestors?

All the best to you and yours in this holiday season!

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

ISBGFH Surname Registry

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

One of the member benefits for 2012 will be the surname registry. We ask that you enter your surname, the county, using Chapman Codes, and the time frame. When the surname is Googled, the listing at ISBGFH will come up and contact can be made.

Your contact information will not be exposed, but the sender’s info will. Then when you respond, the original sender will see your contact info. We don’t like spam either and this will eliminate that worry.

The benefits of this registry is to connect you with others researching your line. You never know who or where that person is and with the internet , it is hopefully an easy way to make contact. Please don’t register if you have no intention of answering the query. A brief note indicating the line isn’t the same would be welcomed by the sender.

If you change e-mail addresses at some point, please advise! We want you to be contacted in the future.

Happy Hunting!

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

Renew Your ISBGFH Membership with PayPal

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +0000

It is that time of year to renew your membership in ISBGFH . We’ve contracted with PayPal to accept your membership payments this year. You can use a check or credit/debit card to make that payment, or PayPal if you have an account with them. It makes life a lot easier for you and for us. Our previous contract was very costly and in an effort to cut costs, we’ve made this move. So far, we’ve had a number of people renew and it has gone well.

If you have problems with the payment process, please make contact with PayPal. They take your payment and forward the money and information to us in due time, but we don’t have any input into the actual paying process.

And, if you prefer not to use the PayPal system, we still accept checks, money order or cashier checks - click here to access the mail-in form (opens in PDF - Adobe Reader required).
(Note: links in the message updated 6 July 2012)
©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

What are the Chapman Codes?

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 14:33:00 +0000

Do you know about the Chapman Codes? This code was derived and added to an existing code listing for each British Isles County by Dr. Colin R. Chapman. He enlarged on what had been in existence since about 1923 and by 1979, the Chapman Code as we know it today, was up and running.

This code is universal and accepted by genealogists around the world. If you use the code symbols, everyone will understand what county to which you are referring. This is not the same as a postal code, but a code to indicate the county. There are a number of sites on-line that will have the code, including ISBGFH.

The code will be used for our surname registration project as it is used for other society projects. If you’ve been doing British genealogy for any length of time, you’ve probably already come across the Chapman Codes.

Click here for the ISBGFH listing of the Chapman Codes (opens in PDF - Adobe Reader required).
(Note: links in the message updated 6 July 2012)
©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

British Institute 2011 Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:29:00 +0000

British Institute 2011 was a great success. We had a great group of people who attended, a week of heavy-duty instruction and hours of research in the Family History Library, to say nothing of great instructors, Barbara Baker and David Rencher. We had a lot of first-timers this year and many of them say they’ll be back next year.

Next year we will have four courses and they will fill up quickly. More information about instructors and course information will be forth coming. We’ll announce on our blog when registration is open, as well as on our website and Facebook.

We had an opportunity to hear what is new with FamilySearch and learned a few tricks of the trade from Diane Loosle on the Wednesday evening. We’ve done this for the last three or four years and it is always worthwhile.

The FamilySearch Library also offered some unexpected entertainment. On our first afternoon in the library we discovered that they were filming an edition of the “Genealogy in 5 Minutes” segment. There were two parts to the episode…a young man having difficulty in reading old handwriting and a young man who finds what he is looking for. Several takes were done, but each time, the young man who found what he was looking for would jump up and say “I’ve found him.” While we were warned that they were filming, it wasn’t apparent that the young man who jumped up was part of the film. Several people applauded him when he announced he’d found whoever he had been searching! One would hope they’d leave in the applause!

Happy Hunting!

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

CLOSED - British Institute - Genealogical Research in Ireland Class

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 18:41:00 +0000

The 2012 British Institute class Genealogical Research in Ireland – Advanced Methodology to be taught by David Rencher has now reached full and no more registrations may be accepted for that class.

However, there are still spaces in Finding Records of Property Ownership in England, to be taught by Barbara Baker. Our web site http://isbgfh.org has more details about Barbara's class and registration details.

Don't forget that the Early Bird Registration for the 2011 British Institute ends tonight at 11:59 pm Central!

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

Early Registration for British Institute Ends Monday, September 12, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 02:30:00 +0000

Early registration for the British Institute ends at 11:59 tomorrow evening. We decided to extend the early registration fee as we never get to publicize it at the FGS Conference because it is always so close to BI and our early registration has long passed. There are a few spaces left, so if you’ve been thinking about attending, check out our website http://www.isbgfh.org.

The 35th FGS Conference has come to an end. Now we are left with absorbing what we heard, what we learned and how to go forward with our research. It is amazing how hearing about someone else’s finds or struggles with research can be of help in our own research. The networking opportunities are just as important as the lectures. You just never know what you will learn! And, you will learn. If you’ve never been to a national conference, you really need to go! So much fun, so many new friends, so many lectures to attend, so many ideas and suggestions to help with your research. Hope to see you at a conference soon.

Dick Eastman wrote on his blog about Deceased Online adding more than 67,000 Scottish records (see http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2011/09/another-67000-scottish-records-added-to-deceased-online.html). The index is free, but you need to pay to see the actual record. There are good details on the site about obtaining the credit to allow you to see the record. Have fun!

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

Ordering Birth, Marriages and Death Records from England

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 16:21:00 +0000

Years ago, contacting the county record office was the quickest, and often the cheapest way to obtain a vital record from England. Now, with the internet you can order directly from the General Register Office, with a credit card. It has become quite easy to do so.

Recording of births, marriages and deaths in England began 1 July 1837. Most events should have been recorded, but there may be some that weren’t.

There are several indexes on-line that are available to determine when and where your ancestor’s event took place.

Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com) will give you all the information you need to apply for a record. It might be a good idea to print off the page of interest so you have registration district, volume number and page number. In addition, you can check for spouses in the marriage index by clicking on “click to see others on page.” If you don’t have a subscription to Ancestry, check out your local library or local Family History Center.

Free BMD also has an index, and they too, give you all the information you need to obtain the record of interest.

Find My Past is another option to check the index. All of these provide the information you need to order the document.

The indexes show the quarter in which the event was recorded NOT the date of the event. You will need this information as well to order.

Once you’ve determined which document to order, you can go to the General Register Office and place your order. Currently the £9.25 fee equals about $15.50. You will be given a mailing date and in about two weeks time your document will arrive.

Birth records include the date of birth, name of child, name of parents, including mother’s maiden name and where and when registered. Marriage records include date of marriage, names of parties marrying, their ages or note that they are of age, names of the fathers, how married (banns, license), occupations and when and where recorded.

Death records include date of death, name of deceased and age, cause of death, where and when died and the informant.

Researching from across the pond can be frustrating at times, but the General Register Office has made this particular process extremely easy. Just remember to have on hand all the information you need – district, volume and page number and the quarter in which the event was recorded.

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

Society of Genealogists Membership Drive - Discount Available

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 17:42:00 +0000

The Society of Genealogists in London has a summer membership drive going on. The yearly rate of £27 (about $44.00) still applies, but the joining fee of £10 ($16.30) will be waived. This is a one-time fee, so renewal will be £ 27.

If you go to the society’s website at http://www.sog.org.uk, you can check the index for your surnames and see what items they have that might be of interest. As a member you will receive their quarterly magazine, Genealogists’ Magazine published in March, June, September and December. You will also receive discounts on a number of things, including FindMyPast.

Check out SOG’s site and see what they might offer you.

Happy hunting!

©2011, copyright International Society for British Genealogy and Family History

Extended Early Bird Registration Deadline for 2011 British Institute

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:21:00 +0000

We've extended the Early Bird Registration deadline for this year's British Institute to September 12, 2011. ISBGFH members who register on or before that date can save $95!

Click here to learn more about this year's British Institute and how to register.

Follow Us on Facebook!

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:01:00 +0000

Did you know that ISBGFH now has a Facebook page? That's right, you can stay tuned to the latest ISBGFH news via the popular social media site at our new page: http://www.facebook.com/ISBGFH.

Not only will this make it convenient for our members on Facebook to keep tabs on events and British Institute developments, but we hope to bring the goodness that is ISBGFH to a larger population of genealogists and family historians via Facebook. Did you know that Facebook is now responsible for over 50% of all web traffic to websites? Our hope is to not only make the community more aware of ISBGFH but to also increase our membership and to share our educational resources.

Visit our page today by clicking the link above or the Facebook badge in the sidebar of our blog.

2011 British Institute Update

noreply@blogger.com (Thomas MacEntee) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:27:00 +0000

We’re getting ready for this year’s British Institute. There are two tracks – English and Irish. More information about them can be found on our Web site. On-going education is a huge part of genealogy and this is a terrific way to immerse yourself in a week-long experience. Classes are in the morning, with research in the Family History Library in the afternoons. The dates for this year’s Institute are 3-8 October, Salt Lake City. See the website for more information http://www.isbgfh.org .

Writing contest

noreply@blogger.com (ISBGFH) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:34:00 +0000

If you like to write, or just want to share a terrific genealogy find, or a frustrating brick wall and it relates to British genealogical research, ISBGFH invites you to participate in our annual writing contest. The winning article will be published the last issue of the British Connections in 2011. You may submit only one article that has between 2500 and 3000 words. Feel free to include photos/charts that support your article.

The deadline is 1 August 2011. For more details, send an SASE to ISBGFH, PO Box 350459, Westminster, CO 80035-0459.

British Institute

noreply@blogger.com (ISBGFH) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:40:00 +0000

ISBGFH is hosting its 11th Annual British Institute in Salt Lake City 3-7 October 2011. This year there will be three tracks with instructors Barbara Baker John Kitzmiller and David Rencher. Barbara's track deals with finding and using land ownership records. Did you know over 3,ooo,ooo British military personnel were at one time or another involved in India? And, David will be leading an advanced methodology Irish genealogy course. For more details about these courses, the instructors or to register, the society's web site has all the particulars.

Classes are held every morning with research time in the Family History Library every afternoon. The instructor is available for help and guidance in the library. The classes are small so that everyone can spend time with the instructor one-on-one.

We look forward to seeing you in October!

A2A

noreply@blogger.com (ISBGFH) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:54:00 +0000

Have you used the Web site Access to Archives or A2A? According to the site,

“A2A allows you to search and browse for information about archives in England and Wales, dating from the eighth century to the present day. These archives are cared for in local record offices and libraries, universities, museums and national and specialist institutions across England and Wales, where they are made available to the public.
“To find out whether archives are of interest to you, it is necessary to consult a catalogue or other finding aids. A2A allows you to search across detailed catalogues from around 400 repositories in England and Wales beyond The National Archives at Kew, so you may arrange to see or to obtain copies of genuine historical documents with just a few clicks of your mouse. The database is regularly updated, so revisit often for newly-included catalogues!”

One of the advantages of this site is that you don’t need to know where the material might be housed, just your ancestor’s name. While looking for one of my more elusive ancestors, I found correspondence between he and his brother in Norfolk. It would not have been on my list of places to look having no known reason to suspect someone had been in Norfolk.
Once you’ve found a document, you can easily follow through to find the record office and send off a request for a copy. Some of the repositories may offer copies of a page or two free, but most are going to charge you for the service

Within the site is a list of items recently added to the now more than 10 million records. It’s an easy way to check periodically to see what has been added to the site. Not only can you search by a person’s name, you can search by a partial name. I used the first two given names of my grandfather without his surname and the first item up was about him. You can also search by subject or place. There is a lot of information on the site to read before you actually search. I find the whole site very well laid out.

One warning however, about this site. It is extremely addicting!!

Happy hunting!

ISBGFH Announces Annual Writing Contest

noreply@blogger.com (ISBGFH) — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:26:00 +0000

The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the establishment of an Annual Writing Contest for the Society. The purpose of this writing contest is to encourage people to write articles about British research problems which they have encountered and successfully resolved.

The winning article will be published as the lead article in the third quarter issue of British Connections. The winner of the contest will receive a complimentary registration to the British Institute held in Salt Lake City in October of each year.

The detailed contest rules are listed below and you are encouraged to submit an article of interest on British genealogy.

If you have questions or comments on this contest, please contact Gordon Gray via email: ggray01@aol.com or by postal mail at ISBGFH, P.O. Box 350459, Westminster, CO 80035-0459.

Process:

The winning article will be published in the third quarter issue of British Connections, and the winner will receive a complimentary registration to the British Institute which is held in Salt Lake City in October of each year. Travel and lodging accommodations are not provided.

Each person may submit only one entry. It must be an original article, and previously unpublished. You do not have to be a member of ISBGFH in order to submit an entry.

Each entrant must include a brief bio including:

1. Name and address (address will not be published)
2. Number of years of genealogical research experience
3. Number of years of British Isles research experience
4. British related surnames not included in the article, if any
5. A photograph of the entrant is requested but not mandatory

Each entry should be between 2,500 and 3,000 words and include any appropriate descriptive pictures/charts. They can be submitted electronically via email to admin@isbgfh.org or a hard copy submitted to ISBGFH, P.O. Box 350459, Westminster, CO 80035-0459. Deadline for the entries is May 1.

The winning article will become the property of ISBGFH and cannot be published elsewhere in any format without the written approval of ISBGFH.

The article must focus on how a British research problem was resolved. Specific records and depositories will be of help to others and should be noted in the article. The sources should be cited according to the guidelines outlined in Evidence! by Elizabeth Shown Mills.

The Board members of ISBGFH will be the judges and select the winning article. Their decision will be final.

Updates and holiday greetings

noreply@blogger.com (ISBGFH) — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 18:48:00 +0000

To update the information about FindMyPast that was written about previously. You can access this site by going to http://www.findmypast.com or http://www.findmypast.net. Some people had problems with the .com so hope this information is of help to you.

Another site we came across recently is very international so may be of help in your British Isles quest. GeneaNet has different levels of membership/or registration, but it is free to use. You might want to read about the different levels of registration to see what fits for you.

Another site is Dear Myrtle. Lots of help here for you. Check this site out!

With the holidays fast approaching, you might want to add to your wish list a membership to the family history society in the county where you are researching. One of the best ways to be connected to the area you are researching is to be a member and get the quarterly journal. Very often there is information there you won't find elsewhere. And there will be ways to contact the society for support or help.

Another item you might want to add to your wish list is a trip to Salt Lake City next October to attend the British Institute. This is a week-long class, with lectures in the morning and research in the library in the afternoons. The instructors are excellent and the knowledge you gain will more than get you on your way with your British Isles research.

Happy holidays to one and all!!