Below is a summary of new and updated family history record collections for England, Scotland and Wales released by the major genealogy databases since just before Christmas (for the last summary, see 21 December blogpost).
This regular summary of releases and updates relating to British collections is designed to help family historians whose Irish ancestors migrated, temporarily or permanently, to England, Scotland or Wales.
By default, it will also be useful to anyone carrying out research in those three nations, regardless of the origin of their ancestors.
The figures in parenthesis in the New Collections section are the numbers of records/images in the new record set.
Unless otherwise stated, the figures in parenthesis in the Updated Collections section reflect the number of records added to the collection in the recent update. In some instances, the supplier has not made this figure available. Where two figures are given, the first is the number of additions, the second is the new total.
Please note that I don't usually include updates of fewer than 1,000 records.
NEW COLLECTIONS
BritishNewspaperArchive (shared with FindMyPast)
- Swansea & Glamorgan Herald
- Herald of Wales
- Lancaster Standard and County Advertiser
- Irvine Express
- The Slaithwaite Guardian and Colne Valley News
- The Bromsgrove & Droitwich Messenger
- Bromsgrove Gleaner
FamilySearch
- Devon, Plymouth, Electoral Rolls, 1781-1973 (74,093)
- Devon, Plymouth, Borough Records, 1519-1905 (109,317)
- Devon, Plymouth, Tax and Valuation, 1897-1949 (249,467)
UPDATED COLLECTIONS
FamilySearch
- England, Herefordshire Bishop's Transcripts, 1583-1898 (24,301)
- England, Gloucestershire Non-Conformist, 1642-1996 (18,585)
- England, Northumberland Non-Conformist, 1613-1920(24,035)
- England, Middlesex Parish Registers, 1539-1988 (27,973)
FindMyPast
- 1939 Register (69,000+ previously redacted records have been opened)
- Northamptonshire Baptisms (36,000 additions from 40 parishes spanning 1538-1866)
- Northamptonshire Burials (51,000 additions from 80 parishes spanning 1538-1922)
- Devon Burials (19,000+ additions from Plymouth and Tavistock cemeteries, 1834-1995)
- National School Admission Registers (13,000 additions for Yorkshire schools)
- Montgomeryshire Monumental Inscriptions (40,000 records/19 parishes)
- Devon Marriages (Methodist records from 44 parishes spanning 1845-2001)
National Library of Scotland
- Ordnance Survey, Scotland, 25"/mile, 1855-82 (1,657 supp. Parish editions)
- Ordnance Survey National Grid maps published in 1970 (2,430)
NOTE: Due to the UK's current Lockdown restrictions, the National Archives in Kew is closed and some online services are not available (see details). However, the institution has confirmed that it will continue to provide free access to TNA's digitised records during this time. The free access allows registered users 100 free downloads over a rolling 30-day period.
Register for free or browse the TNA online catalogue, Discovery.
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