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1939 England & Wales Register

Towards the end of this year, FindmyPast are to make the 1939 register for Engalnd and Wales available online. The 1939 register was taken on 29 September 1939 by the British Government and recorded personal details of individuals in order to issue identity cards and ration books. It later formed the basis of the NationalContinueContinue reading “1939 England & Wales Register”

London Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930

Ancestry has recently updated its collection of London Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930. Many of our ancestors received help through Poor Laws. These included the elderly, orphaned, unemployed and sick. It wasn’t just money they were given – they also received other daily necessities such as food, clothing and work. Children from poor familiesContinueContinue reading “London Workhouse Admission and Discharge Records, 1659-1930”

Apprentices Indentured in UK Merchant Navy, 1824-1910

Ancestry has just released a new collection of lists of young men who were indentured to merchant navy ships between the years 1824 and 1910. They include details such as name, age and date at registration or indenture, vessel, port of registry, and birth year and place. Historical Background The National Archives describes the legislationContinueContinue reading “Apprentices Indentured in UK Merchant Navy, 1824-1910”

Prisoners Of War 1939-1945

This Friday marks the release by Findmypast of over one million records of service men, women and civilians who were taken captive during World War II. Released in partnership with the National Archives to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the War’s end, the records cover some of the most infamous POW camps in history,ContinueContinue reading “Prisoners Of War 1939-1945”

New database of US Wills and Probate Records

More than 100 million people are mentioned in Ancestry’s newest database of U.S. wills and probate records, an exclusive collection spanning 1668-2005. Ancestry has launched a new online records collection with more than 170 million pages from 50 states of wills and probate records in the United States. Up until now the U.S. has hadContinueContinue reading “New database of US Wills and Probate Records”

Using the England and Wales census

Censuses began in England and Wales in 1801, but these ten-yearly headcounts don’t come into their own as a source for family history until 1841, when the first census to ask for biographical details about the populace took place. Except in 1941, when war made it impossible, this process has been repeated every ten yearsContinueContinue reading “Using the England and Wales census”

Using Belgian archives online

One of the first places to start with your Belgian research is the web page of the Belgian archives which contains a wealth of information. Although some of the pages are in English, it will be helpful to have some phrases in either French or Flemish which can be translated using google translate. The pagesContinueContinue reading “Using Belgian archives online”

Huguenot ancestry in England

I found the WDYTYA with Derek Jacobi very interesting even though as usual it brought up more questions than it answered. There are a number of resources available if you have Huguenot ancestry in England. The origin of the name Huguenot is obscure but it is generally held to be a generic term used toContinueContinue reading “Huguenot ancestry in England”

Using Directories for Family History

http://www.historicaldirectories.org Historical directories are among the most important sources for research into family history. They often focus upon a particular town, city or county and include the names, addresses and occupations of the local inhabitants. Look out for the following in trade directories: lists of trades and professions names arranged street by street lists arrangedContinueContinue reading “Using Directories for Family History”

Church Of Ireland Parish Records available on FindmyPast

For those born before the introduction of civil registration in Ireland, proving they were old enough for the pension could be difficult. Proof was accepted from entries in parish records and census returns held in the Public Records Office. These searches are of the Church of Ireland registers for births, deaths and marriages and alsoContinueContinue reading “Church Of Ireland Parish Records available on FindmyPast”