Society of Genealogists

Census email scam

Else — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:07:28 +0000

The Society of Genealogists has received the following Statement from the Office of National Stistices (ONS) -

Statement from Director of the 2011 Census, Glen Watson, Friday 27 January 2012.

Email Scam

We are aware that an email entitled ‘Population Census: a message to everyone – act now’ is being circulated, allegedly in the name of National Statistician, Jil Matheson. This email demands individuals provide further personal information, supposedly for the Census and threatens fines for non-compliance.

This email is a scam and a hoax. It has no connection whatsoever with the National Statistician, the 2011 Census or the Office for National Statistics.

We believe the links in the email could download malware to any computer where the user clicks on the links. This could put your personal data, including financial information, at risk.

Anyone receiving this, or similar emails, should delete them, not open any links and certainly not provide any information.

For more information on how to protect yourself from this type of threat, please see www.getsafeonline.org

If you wish to, please report receipt of any such suspicious emails to www.actionfraud.org.uk

ONS takes the protection of personal census information extremely seriously. Collection of census data was completed last year and no further requests will be forthcoming from the Office for National Statistics relating to the 2011 Census.

______________________________________________________________________________

Glen Watson

Director. 2011 Census

Technorati Tags: census, genealogy

Findmypast.co.uk to publish Canterbury Cathedral Records on the Web

Else — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:30:20 +0000

Findmypast has announced its latest archive project to increase access to over a million East Kent baptism, marriage and burial records dating back to 1538. This is the first time that images of the original parish records from East Kent churches will appear online

Findmypast.co.uk has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Canterbury Cathedral Archives to publish online for the very first time historic records from the archive. The first phase of the Canterbury Collection project will see a browsable version of the parish registers of the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury go online in the coming weeks at findmypast.co.uk.

An estimated 270,000 images containing over a million entries will be published on the website, covering parish churches from a wide expanse of East Kent, including:

the city of Canterbury
the towns of Faversham, Wye and Elham
Thanet
towns along the east Kent coast stretching from Whitstable in the north round to Hythe in the south

The launch has been timed to coincide with the temporary closure of Canterbury Cathedral Archives for refurbishment, so that family historians and local historians can continue to enjoy access to these fascinating records until the Archives reopens in autumn 2012.

From the initial online launch in February, visitors to the findmypast.co.uk website will be able to browse through the scanned pages of the parish records to search for their ancestors. At the same time, findmypast.co.uk will start to transcribe the records, with a view to creating an index and making them fully searchable on the website later this year.

Canterbury Cathedral Archivist Cressida Williams, added: “Working with findmypast has provided us with a wonderful opportunity to expand access to these records to a worldwide audience. This resource will be a great asset for anyone with an interest in the history of this part of Kent.”

The Canterbury Collection will join an impressive array of UK parish records at findmypast.co.uk and available free in the Society of Genealogists’ Library, including records from Manchester Archives, Cheshire Archives, Plymouth & West Devon Record Office and Welsh Archives, in addition to over 40 million parish records from family history societies throughout the UK in partnership with the Federation of Family History Societies.

Anyone wishing to be notified when the Canterbury Collection becomes available can register online at www.findmypast.co.uk to receive a newsletter.

About Canterbury Cathedral Archives

Canterbury Cathedral Archives collects, cares for, and provides access to, records relating to Canterbury Cathedral, the City of Canterbury, parishes in the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury, and other local institutions and families. The Archives closes on 31st January for refurbishment work, due to reopen in Autumn 2012. Findmypast.co.uk is working with the Cathedral Archives on ‘the Canterbury Collection’, made up of registers of parishes in the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury.

http://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/history/archives.aspx

Technorati Tags: family history, findmypast.co.uk, genealogy, kent family history, Kent parish registers

Last chance to vote for Genealogy Rock Stars

Else — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:32:40 +0000

Voting for the Anglo-Celtic Connections Blog survey to determine genealogists of “rock star” status ends on Saturday 28 July

Many will be familiar with SoG member John Reid’s excellent blog Anglo Celtic Collections. John is a stalwart of the Canadian genealogy community and certainly keeps attuned to news and events in the British and Irish Genealogy scene.

John has devised a survey to determine rock star genealogists, women and men who give “must attend” presentations at genealogy conferences and/or write “must read” family history articles or publications.

Voting is now open. There’s more than one rock star so vote for as many as you want. it’s your opportunity to express your appreciation for the genealogists who wow you with their presentations and/or writing. Consider both style and content.

I note from John’s updates that the British community is a little under represented amongst the the voters so we should make up for that. There are some excellent genealogy communicators from the English speaking world on this list (including several SoG members) and it’s a very interesting list of people to follow. Thanks to everyone who made nominations and congratulations to all who have been nominated.

As well as asking for your votes the survey asks basic questions on country of residence, gender and age range which you may respond to with “prefer not to answer.”

As John says – Please feel free to use Twitter, Google+, Facebook, blogs, emails, telephone, posters tacked to telephone poles, smoke signals, carrier pigeons and other publicity to encouraging voting which is planned to close late on Saturday 28 January.

START HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY

Technorati Tags: family history, genealogy, genealogy rock stars

Findmypast publishes new 1881 census index for Scotland

Else — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:18:30 +0000

I’m very interested to note that Findypast have just published a new version of the 1881 Scottish census on findmypast.co.uk

The census recorded the population of Scotland at over 3.7 million in 1881 and they’ve freshly transcribed these records to ensure your ancestors’ details are accurately recorded.

The 1841-1871 Scottish censuses are already available on findmypast.co.uk. You’ll be keen to search the 1881 Scottish census for the ancestors you’ve traced in the previous censuses. If you haven’t been able to find your ancestors in the earlier Scottish censuses, now’s the time to search the 1881 census to see if they make an appearance.

The high quality transcriptions make it easy to discover the crucial details about your ancestors’ lives and will be interesting to compare this version of the index to that we have all been using for the last 10 years or so. Sadly it is not possible to view the original census images on findmypast.co.uk, due to the General Register Office for Scotland’s licensing regulations but anyone searching at the Society of Genealogists Library will be able to use our copies of the Scottish census films in conjunction with Findmypast Index. Of course Findmypast is free to use at the Society’s Library and our members receive a discount on the FMP subscription as part of their SOG membership benfits.

Technorati Tags: census, family history, findmypast.co.uk, genealogy, Scotland

Special Offer – My Ancestor was in Service

Anthony — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:03:22 +0000

The Society’s Book of the Month for January is My Ancestor was in Service, by Pamela Horn. By the end of the Victorian era, nearly a third of all women and also many men in England and Wales had been a domestic worker at some time in their lives. This book seeks to give some guidance in researching ancestors who were in service or who themselves employed domestic staff. Dr. Pamela Horn lectured in economic and social history at Oxford Polytechnic and has written a number of books on social history topics covering the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries. My Ancestor was in Service is available with an extra 20% discount in addition to your existing members’ discount during the offer period, and is available, along with many other titles, from the Society’s bookshop. We are having an extended offer this month due to the later New Year reopening, so this offer will end on 21/02/12. Offer excludes trade orders.

Tracing Female Ancestors & Women in the 1800′s – Saturday, 28 January 2012

Lori — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:13:52 +0000

28 January is Tracing Your Female Ancestors Day at the Society of Genealogists. Our first half-day course, Women in the 1800’s: Birth & Baptism with Tom Doig will take place from 10:30am-1pm.
Tom will look at how pregnancy was identified: the Monthly Nurse and Laying-in, childbirth & midwives/Godsibs, the folklore of birth, dealing with weak babies, normal and private baptisms and traditions of naming the child as well as ‘upsitting’ and the ‘churching’ of women.
Tracing Female Ancestors, will follow from 2-5pm, with Ken Divall and Else Churchill
These sessions will discuss how Family historians are often accused of interesting themselves only in the male lines of their ancestry following the history of the surname. Older pedigree compilations often ignore the daughters of a family leaving it difficult to establish the distaff line. However there are some sources that can be used to throw more light into the lives of our ancestresses and which let us hear their voices. We will look at some strong minded, vocal women; hear their voices and learn about women who fell on hard times. In the second session we will look at how the wars effected women’s lives, and changing their social status forever. Often taking over the jobs that had previously been the preserve of men, for example, bus and tram driving.

Each of these half-day courses cost £17.50/£14.00 (SoG Members) and can be booked together or separately. Spaces are limited and must be pre-booked, either online or by telephone: 020 7553 3290.Do you have a question? email the events department.

Technorati Tags: ancestor, class, family history, female, genealogy, grandmother, lecture, military, Parish Registers, pedigree, social, Society of Genealogists, talk, women

Society of Genealogists Christmas, New Year and Stocktaking Closure Dates

Else — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:22:22 +0000

The Society will be closed from 4pm on Saturday 24 December and will re-open at 10am on Wednesday 28 December. The Society will also be closed for New Year, stocktaking and closed week from 4pm on Saturday 31 December 2011 until 10am on Tuesday 10 January 2012

If you are planning a visit to the Society of Genealogists please keep an eye on the website www.sog.org.uk

May we take this opportunity to wish all SoG Members and Friends a Very Happy Christmas

and good luck with your family history research in the New Year

Technorati Tags: family history, genealogy

Win a Day with the Society of Genealogists in Start Your Family Tree Week 26 Dec -1 January

Else — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:19:23 +0000

Start Your Family Tree Week 26 Dec -1 January

The Society of Genealogists, our Centenary Sponsors findmyPast and our Show Partners Who Do You Think You Are? Live are encouraging everyone to get interested in family history this holiday.

Christmas is a great time to get the family together and climb the family tree. Top Tips, Kids pedigree charts, Information leaflets and Help & Advice on tracing your family history can be found on the SoG FREE Help and Advice Pages

Win a Day at the Society of Genealogists

Each day from Boxing Day until New Year’s Day, findmypast.co.uk, sponsors of the Society of Genealogists’ Centenary Year will be giving you a helping hand on your journey into your past. Look at their website for the Start Your Family Tree Week daily hints, tips and activities to help you research your family tree. Discover some of the great prizes the Society of Genealogists, findmypast and other partners are offering for family historians throughout the week including a free Day at the Society of Genealogists with our Genealogist Else Churchill.

Make it your New Year’s resolution to carry on researching your family history and encourageyou friends and family to join you on the genealogy adventure - imagine what you can show your family next year.

Take part in FindmyPast’s Family Tree Week competition http://www.findmypast.co.uk/content/start-your-family-tree-week/competition for a chance to spend a day tracing your family tree with SoG genealogist, Else Churchill, at the Society of Genealogists in London – using the resources of the SoG and getting an expert’s help with your family history. The prize includes return travel by train to London from within the UK and two nights’ accommodation in London for the winner and a guest.

Technorati Tags: genealogy

The Origins of Welsh Surnames: a Patrynomic Problem – Lecture 18 January 2012

Lori — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:30:11 +0000

The development of fixed surnames occurred much later in Wales than in the rest of the British Isles. Is this why you cannot find your ancestor in the records? Come and discover how Welsh names evolved, when the traditional patronymic naming system declined and some techniques for research.

A one-hour lecture with Mari Alderman on Wednesday, 18 January at 2pm, £6.00/£4.80 SoG members. This talk must be pre-booked, through our secure website, or by telephone: 020 7553 3290. Do you have a question? email the events department.

Technorati Tags: ancestor, class, family history, genealogy, patrynomic, Society of Genealogists, surnames, wales, welsh

Finding Your Ancestors in Eastern Europe – with Emphasis on Poland & Hungary, a Half-Day Course on 14 Jan.

Lori — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:53:33 +0000

In the first of these two sessions we will examine and discuss the many challenges inherent to genealogical research in this region, and the possibilities for addressing and overcoming them. The second session will focus in more detail on the process of researching ancestors in Poland and Hungary, including issues to consider when starting out; how to go about identifying which archives in which country to approach; ensuring access to available documents; limitations etc

The sessions will be ideally suited to those embarking on such research for the first time or having made a start, but left feeling daunted.

About the tutors: Madeleine Dickens is a professionally qualified genealogist (AGRA registered) with many years’ experience of research in the UK and other countries. Milla Rabjohns has been resident in the UK for many years and has a passionate interest in genealogical research, particularly in her native country - Poland.

Saturday, 14 January from 2-5pm, cost £17.50/£14.00 SoG Members. Must be pre-booked, through our secure website or by telephone: 0250 7553 3290. Do you have a question? email the events department.