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Archiver > UK-FAMILYHISTORYNEWS > 2001-04 > 0986144123


From: "Rob Thompson" <>
Subject: Family History News 48
Date: Sun, 1 Apr 2001 18:21:01 +0100


Family History News
No 48

1st April 2001

Hello everyone and welcome to this 48th Family History News, hope there is
something for everyone this week.

News of a change of telephone number for GRO Certificate Enquiries: As from
1st May 2001, a dedicated telephone number will be introduced to replace the
current number (0151-471-4816/4800).The new number will be 0870-23-7788
and it will be staffed from 8.00am-6.00pm on Monday-Thursday, 8.00am-5.00pm
on Friday and 10.00am-4.00pm on Saturday.

I Know some people will find the following controversial, but I simply had
to reproduce it. The message is from Guy Etchells, whose website I have
reviewed before and fully deserved the five out of five it got – I will also
be reviewing this website this week. But –

Guy has sent out this challenge this week to Family History Societies in the
UK:-

A quick plug for my latest website of the burial ground of St John the
Evangelist Church, Staincross, and a challenge

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~framland/stcr/stjsc1.htm

The site contains photos of the tombstones, transcripts of the inscriptions
and the complete interlinked burial register for the church. The site was
started at the end of January and I visited about one morning a week
(weather allowing) I transcribed the inscriptions in the evening from the
photos and checked the printouts of the transcripts on my next visit.

The burial register database was given to me by the vicar, The Revd Jim
Butterworth, (grateful thanks for this) which I split alphabetically and
added in links to the relevant photos. In all the site has taken about 14-20
days of work to produce. It is not perfect by any means [some days I was so
cold the camera shook :-))] but does show what can be achieved with little
effort.

Now the challenge, I challenge each and every Family History Society in the
country to produce a similar type of free site for an burial ground in your
area of interest within the next six months.

I often hear how important FHS are to the family historian but see various
degrees of proof of this, can you meet the challenge and make me eat my
words? :-))

Guy no doubt includes a bit of tongue in cheek in this – and yes I did check
the website to make sure it was not an elaborate April Fools Day Joke & even
if the challenge itself was, there is a serious point here.

Over the last year I have discovered that the vast majority of the really
good work going on putting genealogical information on the web is being done
by some really dedicated individuals. In my mind most of the Societies, and
especially the larger ones exist to promote and encourage the study of
genealogy. However most of these organisations seem to prefer to make their
information available only to those who pay, and often handsomely, for their
information.

Yes I know that Societies have overheads and expenses but it is still
genuinely surprising to me that the thrust and movement towards getting free
information online is being done by individuals. You will find if you
examine their bank statements that anyone who does something for nothing
inevitably self finances it, and rarely begrudges it!

So lets see some more movement towards free information online- the
arguments that it makes people lazy are bunk – what it actually does is
enable people who are less mobile or further from their roots a chance to
get interested. And the people who are best placed to spearhead this
revolution in Family History are the local societies. Anyway enough
controversy, I will of course be happy enough to print your opinions, on
either side of this coin, so let me know what they are, and if you know of
any good sites that give access to free records of an area in the UK let me
know!!

New Books
News this week of a new title form Oxfordshire FHS:

Are you researching in Oxfordshire ? Did your ancestors live close to the
Oxfordshire boundary ? Has "your" parish moved into or out of Oxfordshire at
some time ?Sadly, research via parish registers can be complicated by
geography. Stokenchurch was part of the historic county of Oxfordshire, but
moved to Buckinghamshire in 1974. At the same time, a large number of North
Berkshire parishes moved into Oxfordshire. Even if the parish didn't move,
your ancestors might have changed church for an unknown reason.

Could that missing Brackley baptism be in Banbury ? Could that missing
Highworth burial be in Faringdon ? Could that missing Moreton-in-Marsh
marriage be at Chipping Norton ?

If you need to know where the records for an Oxfordshire parish can be
found, you need a copy of Colin Harris's book "Oxfordshire Parish Registers
and Bishop's Transcripts".

Published by Oxfordshire Family History Society, this book lists all
parishes that are or have at any time been in Oxfordshire, and states the
years covered by their registers. It also details where the original
registers are kept, and where microfilm, microfiche and paper transcripts
can be examined and in some cases bought from. The book is highly
recommended.

And to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the formation of OFHS, we have
just decided to cut the price of the fifth edition of this book. It is now
on sale at £3.00 including UK postage and packing, or GBP4.00 including
overseas postage and packing. Sorry, we don't take credit cards. Sterling
cheques only please made payable to "Oxfordshire Family History Society".
These should be sent with your name and address and a note of your
requirements to :-
Hugh Kearsey
Windmill Place
Windmill Road
Minchinhampton
Stroud
Gloucestershire
GL6 9EEUKF

or further details, please see :-www.ofhs.org.uk

I saw this new (to me) CD on the Bucks Genealogical Site this week and
thought it worth reproducing the information about this:

MACH - BUCKS 1891 Census Index on CD-ROM - whole County

MACH (Mapping and Analysis of Census Households) is a British census search
search engine linked to national and county maps (at the civil parish
level). MACH lets you search the census data by any field, using wildcards
in any way. The CD-ROM contains all the census data for this county.

Its features include:
Complete gazetteer of the county (hundreds, probate jurisdictions,
registration districts etc)
Search the census data by any fields with any use of wild cards
Map search results to civil parish map of the county, or to a county map of
the British Isles
Print or save any map created
Configure map colour scales and colour change thresholds
Fully integrated online Help system. Simply press F1 wherever you are
Save any result set to a CSV file for import into spreadsheets or databases
All data resides on CD-ROM and is not copied to your hard disk Recreate
census enumerator's book page and print it
Scroll through from any result in 'as enumerated' view for one section.

Requirements MACH requires an IBM compatible PC running Windows 95, Windows
98 or WindowsNT4.0. It is not available for Windows 3.1. The minimum
specification is a PC with 16 MB RAM, but 32 MB or more is preferred. 5 MB
of free disk spaces required. A 256 colour SVGA monitor is needed.

Conditions of use
This CD-ROM program and database tables are © Copyright Bucks GS & Drake
Software 2000. The census data is Crown Copyright. Purchase of this CD-ROM
provides single-user licence from BGS & Drake Software for your personal
use. Information on multi-user licences is available on request. For further
information regarding this publication, email Mrs Eve McLaughlin at


Webpage reviews

http://www.ppk.freeuk.com/
Website dealing principally with the KERRY, HUTCHEON, WILSON, LUKE & KING
families in the UK. A very attractive website, nicely designed and easy on
the eye. The actual family history pages are generated by GEDpage. There is
little else on the site other than the family histories, but this is a good
example of how an easily available software package can convert your GEDCOM
files into easily readable web pages. There is a slight lack of extra detail
which would enhance the website no end, for instance a little detail on the
area which the families came from and on their occupations, but this aside
worth a visit I feel

http://www.mawer.clara.net/intro.html
Sugar Refiners and Sugarbakers database
A superb resource for anyone with ancestors involved in this trade. The main
aspect of the website is a database, arranged alphabetically with plenty of
source references. The database itself is easy to navigate and easy to
understand. Also on the site is a history of the trade, with case studies
and examples of people working in this trade. It is a fascinating website
which gives an insight into the people working in the sugar industry and the
hardships they faced.

http://polperro.org/families/
Website revolving around families in Polperro, Cornwall. Nice and easy site
to look at, although the range of information is fairly limited. The website
concentrates on a few of the areas more notable residents, often smugglers,
but seen as wealthy local families nevertheless. If you are interested in
the area, and more history and tourist information you would do well to
visit the main part of this site at http://polperro.org/

New on Genfair
One of our local history publishers, John Owen Smith is now offering two
volumes of Headley Miscellany, a series of booklets issued by The Headley
Society in N E Hampshire, whose aim is to make available to a wider audience
the interesting and valuable historical information which exists within the
parish of Headley. There is also The River Running By a history of Standford
Hill Methodist Church in Headley.

Upcoming Events
The 14th Annual British and Irish Genealogical Seminar will be held aboard
the Queen Mary on August 23, 24, and 25, 2001 in Long Beach, CA. Speakers
will be Michael Gandy from England, David Dobson from Scotland, and Trevor
Parkhill from Ireland. Other speakers will be Elaine Alexander on passenger
lists and naturalizations, Nancy Ellen Carlberg on Colonial American
research, Jan Cloud on English records and Annie Lloyd on Welsh research.
There will be four workshops: Barbara Renick on computers and how to travel
on the internet via GENUKI, Jan Cloud on English, Mary Russell on Irish and
Linda Merle on Scotch-Irish. For more information and a copy of a 12 page
brochure describing the above, in more detail, please contact Annie Lloyd at
. If you want a copy of the brochure, please send Annie your
name and postal mailing address.

A Few upcoming Family History Fairs for you:
STOCKPORT TOWN HALL Wellington Road Stockport Sunday April 8th 10-5
Admission £2 Accompanied children free This popular fair featuring The
Society of Genealogists, Guild of One Name Studies, FHS of Cheshire , North
Cheshire FHS, Manchester & South Lancs FHS,Nottinghamshire FHS plus many
other stalls

LLANTRISANT LEISURE CENTRE Southgate Park Llantrisant Pontyclun Rhondda
Cynon Taff Sunday April 22nd 10-5 Admission £2 Accompanied children free
Featuring The Society of Genealogists, Guild of One Name Studies, Dyfed
FHS,Glamorgan FHS, Nottinghamshire FHS & more

WORTHING FAMILY HISTORY FAIR Worthing Pavilion Marine Parade Sunday April
29th 10-5 Admission £2 Accompanied children free featuring E.Sussex Record
Office, Guild of One Name Studies, Sussex FHG,Eastbourne & District FHS,
East of London FHS, Folkestone & District FHS,Bucks FHS, Hampshire GS,
W.Surrey FHS,The Society of Genealogists bookstall

These are all usually great fairs – so if you are local why not go along!

Also coming up soon are:
April 7 Canterbury, Kent – A Heraldry Day School at the Institute of
Heraldic and Genealogical Studies
April 7 SoG - Research abroad: Sources for New Zealand

New on GENUKI
Links/pages added/amended to the Merionethshire pages: Llanfair; 1851 Census
of Llanfair.

Changes to the UK & Ireland section: Online Catalogues; British Library
Public Catalogue; Church Albums; Assisted Immigrants Indexes; Memories of
Life throughout the 1900s; Archaic Medical Terms; A Glossary of Old Medical
Terms; Diseases and Medical Terms for Genealogists; Old Disease Names
frequently found on Death Certificates; Medical Conditions - especially old
ones; Maritime History; www.ships.co.uk; british-forces.com; WWII Evacuees
Registry; The Evacuees!; Military Abbreviations; Newspaper Library Web
Catalogue; COALMINERS mailing list; Obsolete Occupations; British
Association of Paper Historians; Information About Paper Making and Paper
Makers; UK Schools Interests.

Links/pages added/amended in the Huntingdonshire section: Lincoln
Ecclesiastical Records; The Churches in Cambridgeshire; Quaker Records for
Huntingdonshire;Huntingdonshire (and some other counties)in 1830; Towns and
Villages in Huntingdonshire; Searchable Maps of Areas in Modern
Huntingdonshire; Poor Law Union arrangements; [Brampton] St Mary Magdalene
Website; [Buckden] St Mary; [Colne] GenWeb Colne Page; [Elton] GenWeb Elton
Page; [Everton – See Tetworth] GenWeb Everton Page; [Eynesbury] GenWeb
Eynesbury Page; [Godmanchester] Godmanchester at the start of the 21st
century; [Grafham]Map of the area; [Hartford] All Saints; [Houghton] Map of
the area; [Huntingdon] St Barnabas Website; [Huntingdon] All Saints Website;
[Huntingdon] St. Mary Website; [St Ives] St Ives Website; [Thurning] Map of
the area; [Winwick] Map of the area; [Winwick] GenWeb Winwick Page.

Mailing List Links added to details of: UK-SCHOOLS; ENG-SURNAMES;
ENG-HAMPSHIRE; docking_norfolk; ENG-SRY-WSFHS; ENG-SHEFFIELD; dalesfhs;
IRL-SURNAMES; IRL-TIPPERARY; SCT-SUTHERLAND; SCT-WIGTOWNSHIRE;

Changes to the Northamptonshire pages: Northamptonshire Association for
LocalHistory; Glinton; [Glinton] A Description and History of the Village;
[Thurning] Map of the area; [Winwick] Map of the area; [Winwick] GenWeb -
Winwick.

Quaker Records have been added to the following counties sections:
Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Dorset, Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Scotland,
Somerset, Wales

Other Changes to the Northumberland Section: R.C. Parishes, Churches and
Chapels;Trade Directory Index; Memories of Life throughout the 1900s;
Northumbrian Jacobites Homepage; [Earsdon] Maps - Links and Information;
[Newcastle upon Tyne] Fire at Cross House - 23rd December 1919; [Tynemouth]
Cullercoats Lifeboat Station Website; [Tynemouth] History of Cullercoats
Lifeboat; [Tynemouth] North Shields Library Club.

GENUKI's Home Page - http://www.genuki.org.uk/
GENUKI's Listings of:Family history Societies -
http://www.genuki.org.uk/Societies/ Genealogy Mailing Lists -
http://www.genuki.org.uk/indexes/MailingLists.html Surname Lists -
http://www.genuki.org.uk/indexes/SurnamesLists.html
GENUKI's Frequently Asked Questions File -
http://www.cs.ncl.ac.uk/genuki/faq.html

And finally…
Don’t forget that the SoG, Family Records Centre and PRO will be closed for
Easter between April 13th and 16th!

That’s all for this week, hope you enjoyed it, and found something useful or
interesting

Have a Good Week

Rob

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Thank you
Rob
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Rob Thompson

Aylesbury, Bucks, HP19 9QY

http://www.galethompson.freeserve.co.uk

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