Once you're set up, you have the freedom of the site until Sunday night.
To view and explore the records available for locations around the world, click here.
Friday, 15 May 2020
Ancestry.ca opens up free access for Victoria Day
To mark Victoria Day, a public holiday of celebration across Canada, Ancestry.ca has opened up its entire database to a weekend of free access. It runs until 11:59pm on Sunday 18 May.
If you don't already have an account with Ancestry.ca, it's easy and speedy to get yourself registered. You need to provide only your name and email address to receive a username and password. Just follow the prompts when you start searching.
Once you're set up, you have the freedom of the site until Sunday night.
To view and explore the records available for locations around the world, click here.
Once you're set up, you have the freedom of the site until Sunday night.
To view and explore the records available for locations around the world, click here.
Family Names Dictionary: thumbs down for Irish names
The press seems to have whipped up some excitement today with the news that the online version of The Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland, published in 2016, is available free for one week.
From most accounts I've read today, it's been practically impossible to get access to it, presumably due to the numbers wanting to learn what the dictionary reveals about their surname.
I can suggest a quick fix for this: if you have an Irish surname, you might make better use of your time today by not trying to gain access to the dictionary. Free it up for researchers with a non-Irish name. My blogpost, written when it was first released online, will explain why: Four Volume Dictionary of Surnames.
Genealogist and tutor Sean J Murphy also reviewed the publication: see Facebook.
Incidentally, I subsequently contacted the authors about the issues I raised in my blogpost and received a pleasant reply from one of the editors which, in a nutshell, acknowledged there had been problems with the Irish research.
When I gained access to the site first thing this morning, the issues I complained of were still in evidence.
From most accounts I've read today, it's been practically impossible to get access to it, presumably due to the numbers wanting to learn what the dictionary reveals about their surname.
I can suggest a quick fix for this: if you have an Irish surname, you might make better use of your time today by not trying to gain access to the dictionary. Free it up for researchers with a non-Irish name. My blogpost, written when it was first released online, will explain why: Four Volume Dictionary of Surnames.
Genealogist and tutor Sean J Murphy also reviewed the publication: see Facebook.
Incidentally, I subsequently contacted the authors about the issues I raised in my blogpost and received a pleasant reply from one of the editors which, in a nutshell, acknowledged there had been problems with the Irish research.
When I gained access to the site first thing this morning, the issues I complained of were still in evidence.
Wednesday, 13 May 2020
National Library starts preparing for July reopening
This morning, the National Library of Ireland had its first visitors (members of staff) since Covid-19 restrictions were introduced on 12 March. (That's two months with no dusting... must look a bit like my office at the best of times.)
Photos have been uploaded to Twitter, and probably to other social media that I don't use, to show us that the beautiful building and its gorgeous interior areas are atill looking good. A few minor repairs are being carried out in the absence of the public and all the staff, in anticipation of the doors reopening to researchers on 20 July.
That's the date when Phase 4 of Ireland's 'road map' to the lifting of public health restrictions is scheduled to be actioned, subject to the National Public Health Emergency Team agreeing that the conditions are right.
Phase 4 allows museums, galleries and other cultural outlets (the category that includes archives and similar to re-open, provided staff and visitors can move freely without coming into contact with others, social distancing can be maintained AND strict hand hygiene is enforced on entry.
It's a long way off yet; next week will mark the half-way point of the closures of the Republic of Ireland's major repositories (and a good many smaller ones, too). Northern Ireland's plans, released yesterday, don't currently include dates, but we'll get a better idea of timelines as weeks go by. However, seeing the National Library starting its preparation for a return of staff and researchers should give us all a bit of a lift.
That's the date when Phase 4 of Ireland's 'road map' to the lifting of public health restrictions is scheduled to be actioned, subject to the National Public Health Emergency Team agreeing that the conditions are right.
Phase 4 allows museums, galleries and other cultural outlets (the category that includes archives and similar to re-open, provided staff and visitors can move freely without coming into contact with others, social distancing can be maintained AND strict hand hygiene is enforced on entry.
It's a long way off yet; next week will mark the half-way point of the closures of the Republic of Ireland's major repositories (and a good many smaller ones, too). Northern Ireland's plans, released yesterday, don't currently include dates, but we'll get a better idea of timelines as weeks go by. However, seeing the National Library starting its preparation for a return of staff and researchers should give us all a bit of a lift.
Tuesday, 12 May 2020
RootsIreland adds 40,000+ non-RC Co. Armagh records
If you have non-Roman Catholic ancestors from County Armagh, you'll have to check out RootsIreland.ie's latest updates.
A bundle of more than 40,000 register records from Church of Ireland (CoI), Presbyterian and Society of Friends (Quakers), some of them dating back to the 1770s, have been added to the database. So have headstone inscriptions from 16 CoI, Prebyterian, Quaker and Methodist burial grounds, plus about 1,500 inscriptions from three Roman Catholic graveyards.
You'll find the dates for the span of baptism, marriage and burials registers, and 'earliest' dates for the memorial inscriptions on the County Armagh Online Sources menu.
A bundle of more than 40,000 register records from Church of Ireland (CoI), Presbyterian and Society of Friends (Quakers), some of them dating back to the 1770s, have been added to the database. So have headstone inscriptions from 16 CoI, Prebyterian, Quaker and Methodist burial grounds, plus about 1,500 inscriptions from three Roman Catholic graveyards. You'll find the dates for the span of baptism, marriage and burials registers, and 'earliest' dates for the memorial inscriptions on the County Armagh Online Sources menu.
Saturday, 9 May 2020
Australian Keith A Johnson elected a Fellow of the IGRS
Australian genealogist Keith A. Johnson AM, FSG, FSAG, FRAHS has been elected a Fellow of the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS).
Keith Johnson became active in history and genealogy circles in the early 1960s, joining the Royal Australian Historical Society [RAHS] and the Society of Australian Genealogists [SAG].
Since 1980 he has been involved in publishing, originally in print but more recently online. His first significant publication was the Census of New South Wales, November 1828, which he edited with Malcolm Sainty.
In partnership with Malcolm, he founded the Australian Biographical & Genealogical Record [ABGR] in 1982, an ambitious project to build a biographical database of everyone born or arriving in Australia from 1788 to 1900 (including Aboriginal people). Through the ABGR they published various muster lists for the early colonies in Australia.
In 2006 they set up the Biographical Database of Australia [BDA] a non-profit project, now online, which continues the work of the ABGR. Keith is Vice-President of the BDA Board.
Chairman of the IGRS Awards sub-committee, Paul Gorry, said: “Over a period of a quarter century, the work for which Keith Johnson (working with Malcolm Sainty) has been most widely known internationally is the editing of the annual Genealogical Research Directory. Published from 1981 to 2007, the GRD provided an opportunity for family historians to connect with others throughout the world with shared research interests. Before the internet made such contact possible in different ways, the GRD was unrivalled in genealogy.”
IGRS Chairman Steven Smyrl added: “Keith has had a long and distinguished career in genealogy and he has been to the forefront of developments in the field in Australia for decades. He is the 92nd person to have been honoured with the Fellowship of the IGRS in its 84-year history. He is the sixth Australasian (and fifth Australian) to be so elected, following Andrew Clifford (New Zealand, 1995), Rosemary Coleby (2005), Nick Reddan (2006), Lindsay Bellhouse (2009) and Terry Eakin (2012).”
Keith Johnson became active in history and genealogy circles in the early 1960s, joining the Royal Australian Historical Society [RAHS] and the Society of Australian Genealogists [SAG].
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| Keith A Johnson, the Irish Genealogical Research Society’s most recently elected Fellow. |
In partnership with Malcolm, he founded the Australian Biographical & Genealogical Record [ABGR] in 1982, an ambitious project to build a biographical database of everyone born or arriving in Australia from 1788 to 1900 (including Aboriginal people). Through the ABGR they published various muster lists for the early colonies in Australia.
In 2006 they set up the Biographical Database of Australia [BDA] a non-profit project, now online, which continues the work of the ABGR. Keith is Vice-President of the BDA Board.
Chairman of the IGRS Awards sub-committee, Paul Gorry, said: “Over a period of a quarter century, the work for which Keith Johnson (working with Malcolm Sainty) has been most widely known internationally is the editing of the annual Genealogical Research Directory. Published from 1981 to 2007, the GRD provided an opportunity for family historians to connect with others throughout the world with shared research interests. Before the internet made such contact possible in different ways, the GRD was unrivalled in genealogy.”
IGRS Chairman Steven Smyrl added: “Keith has had a long and distinguished career in genealogy and he has been to the forefront of developments in the field in Australia for decades. He is the 92nd person to have been honoured with the Fellowship of the IGRS in its 84-year history. He is the sixth Australasian (and fifth Australian) to be so elected, following Andrew Clifford (New Zealand, 1995), Rosemary Coleby (2005), Nick Reddan (2006), Lindsay Bellhouse (2009) and Terry Eakin (2012).”
British genealogy: latest updates and new releases
Below is a summary of new and updated family history record collections for England, Scotland and Wales released by major genealogy databases in the last fortnight+ (the last listing was on 21 April, see blogpost).
This regular summary of releases 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. Updates of fewer than 1,000 records have not been included.
NEW COLLECTIONS
FamilySearch
FindMyPast
UPDATED COLLECTIONS
Ancestry
DeceasedOnline
FamilySearch
FindMyPast
TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):
The National Archives, Kew
Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.
This regular summary of releases 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. Updates of fewer than 1,000 records have not been included.
NEW COLLECTIONS
FamilySearch
FindMyPast
- FindMyPast Photo collection
- World War 2 Allies Collection – As far as I can tell, this is a newly curated collection of existing British Armed Services material, rather than a set of brand-new records.
UPDATED COLLECTIONS
Ancestry
- Midlands, England, Electoral Registers, 1832-1965 (9,182,437)
- UK and Ireland, Find A Grave Index, 1300s-Current (7,569,936)
DeceasedOnline
- Pontefract and Wakefield Crematoria, W Yorks (both complete with 134,100 record)
FamilySearch
- England, Index to Register of Passport Applications, 1851-1903 (376,488)
- England, Cumbria Parish Registers, 1538-1990 (221,041)
- England, Gloucestershire Non-Conformist Church Records, 1642-1996 (44,288)
- England, Northumberland Non-Conformist Church Records, 1613-1920 (22,249)
- England, Yorkshire Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1613-1887 (16,762)
- England, Isle of Wight Parish Registers, 1538-1983 (83,750)
- England, Lincolnshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1990 (91,414)
- England, Northumberland Non-Conformist Church Records, 1613-1920 (19,223)
- England, Yorkshire Marriage Bonds and Allegations, 1613-1887 (16,597)
FindMyPast
- Kent Baptisms (490,00+ transcriptions from 71 parishes)
- Kent Marriages and Banns (360,000 records from 70 parishes)
- Kent Burials (378,000+ transcriptions from 54 parishes)
- Scotland, Edinburgh & Lothian Death + Burial Index (63,990 burials for Restalrig Churchyard and Edinburgh, St Cuthberts. Total 245,900 entries in Index.)
- Scotland, Aberdeenshire Poll Tax 1696 (43,00+ records)
- Yorkshire Monumental Inscriptions (7 Halifax grounds. New total 169,703 records.)
- Cambridgeshire Burials (Mount Pleasant Cem. Wisbech added. Total 575,676 records)
TheGenealogist (www.thegenealogist.co.uk):
- Map Explorer - Lloyd George Domesday Survey (Kingston-on-T, Hook and Malden.
- Map Explorer - Tithe maps (Berkshire/Cambridgeshire/Leicestershire/Oxfordshire)
The National Archives, Kew
- Free access to all digital records until TNA reopens to the public.
Some of the above content contains affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission if you buy via these links. This does not affect the price you pay as a consumer, but it does contribute to keeping Irish Genealogy News online. See Advertising Disclosure tab above.
Friday, 8 May 2020
Free access for launch of FindMyPast Photo Collection
Findmypast has announced the launch of a new collection in partnership with newspaper and magazine publisher Reach plc.
Digitised and published online for the first time as a complete standalone collection into mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, the FindMyPast Photo collection is made up of more than 10,000 original images from Reach’s archives.
This vast archive of press photography dates from 1904 to 2000 and is one of most significant photographic records of British history in the world. This first instalment consists of more than 8,000 original images from press photographers who documented the 1939-45 conflict at home and overseas for nine national and regional titles including the Daily Mirror, the Scottish Daily Record, and Manchester Evening News.
Many of these images have never before been published, providing new opportunities for researhers to explore how their families and communities experienced the war. Original image descriptions created by the photographers still survive and much of this information has been indexed and made fully searchable on Findmypast. Researchers can search the collection of images by keyword, date, and location as well as by category eg Armed forces, World War 2, Evacuees, Home Front, Sport, Life Events, Work or Schools.
Following today's release of wartime photos, the collection will continue to grow as Findmypast and Reach publish additional material covering a wide variety of dates, locations and themes. In time, the Findmypast Photo collection will expand in scope and scale to include millions of images covering all aspects of British life ranging from sports, education, places of work and daily life to politics, national and local events.
To celebrate the launch, the new collection will be free to access until noon (British Summer Time) on Friday 15 May. Click the link above to learn more.
Digitised and published online for the first time as a complete standalone collection into mark the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day, the FindMyPast Photo collection is made up of more than 10,000 original images from Reach’s archives.
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| Two workers in Hamilton Robb Ltd's Portadown linen weaving factory in 1929. Image © Mirrorpix/Reach |
Many of these images have never before been published, providing new opportunities for researhers to explore how their families and communities experienced the war. Original image descriptions created by the photographers still survive and much of this information has been indexed and made fully searchable on Findmypast. Researchers can search the collection of images by keyword, date, and location as well as by category eg Armed forces, World War 2, Evacuees, Home Front, Sport, Life Events, Work or Schools.
Following today's release of wartime photos, the collection will continue to grow as Findmypast and Reach publish additional material covering a wide variety of dates, locations and themes. In time, the Findmypast Photo collection will expand in scope and scale to include millions of images covering all aspects of British life ranging from sports, education, places of work and daily life to politics, national and local events.
To celebrate the launch, the new collection will be free to access until noon (British Summer Time) on Friday 15 May. Click the link above to learn more.
Wednesday, 6 May 2020
Ancestry UK marks VE Day with free access weekend
In partnership with the UK Government, Ancestry UK is offering free access to a large collection of WW2 records to tie in with the UK's commemorations for VE Day 2020. The 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, which marked the end of the war in Europe, will be this Friday, 8 May, which is a bank holiday in Northern Ireland and Britain.
The aim is to encourage the public to join together in the commemoration from the safety of their homes, by uncovering their own family's personal stories and connection to the Second World War.
The collections included in the free access offer include the 1939 Register of England and Wales, medal cards, army lists, casualties lists, absent voters rolls, and much more.
Free access to these featured record-sets will run until 11:59pm GMT on Sunday 10 May, and you'll need to register. If you don't already have a registered account with Ancestry UK, it's easy and free to set one up with just your name and email address. Ancestry then send you a username and password to access the records.
In addition to searching Ancestry's records, you'll find veteran stories, a challenge from well-known tv historian Dan Snow, and full details of tv and radio broadcasts throughout the day on the Gov.UK site.
You can even download templates to create your own bunting or personalise some posters, or print off war time recipes for lemon traybake and flapjacks.
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| Click image to start searching |
The collections included in the free access offer include the 1939 Register of England and Wales, medal cards, army lists, casualties lists, absent voters rolls, and much more.
Free access to these featured record-sets will run until 11:59pm GMT on Sunday 10 May, and you'll need to register. If you don't already have a registered account with Ancestry UK, it's easy and free to set one up with just your name and email address. Ancestry then send you a username and password to access the records.
In addition to searching Ancestry's records, you'll find veteran stories, a challenge from well-known tv historian Dan Snow, and full details of tv and radio broadcasts throughout the day on the Gov.UK site.
You can even download templates to create your own bunting or personalise some posters, or print off war time recipes for lemon traybake and flapjacks.
Monday, 4 May 2020
RootsIreland uploads 16,000 Co. Westmeath records
Westmeath Genealogy, the family history centre based at Dún na Sà Heritage Centre near Moate, has added more than 16,000 records to their database at www.rootsireland.ie/westmeath.
They include nearly 700 bmd register entries that were 'missed' in earlier transcription projects; anyone who has previously searched these databases without success would be advised to revisit the collection to see if their ancestors have been 'found'.
Here's a summary of the new additions:
Here's a summary of the new additions:
- Headstone transcriptions from seven burial grounds (nearly 4,000)
- Baptisms, St Mary’s Athlone RC (249 previously missed)
- Marriages, Mayne RC, part of Coole parish (249 previously missed)
- Deaths, Mullingar RC (190 previously missed. 1844-1866)
- Castlepollard Parish, Baptisms (9,176); Marriages (321); Deaths (2,596)
Saturday, 2 May 2020
Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives: late April updates
Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives has added records and/or photos from seven counties from all four of the island's provinces in the past two weeks.
In each case, the files have been donated by researchers for the benefit of other Irish family historians. They are free to access and use as part of your own research (but bear in mind that copyright of photos remains with the photographer).
Here are the details:
DONEGAL Genealogy Archives – Headstones
Kilmacrenan Abbey (partial)
DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Mount Jerome 251-254
DUBLIN CITY Genealogy Archives – Headstones
St. Kevin's Graveyard, Camden Street, Dublin 8
DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Mount Jerome 251-254
MEATH Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Trim, St Loman's, part 1 A-C (Text file added)
MONAGHAN & FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Clones Parish Registers, Baptisms - N. W. Division, 1821-1825
TIPPERARY Genealogy Archives - Miscellaneous
Extracts from Police Reports 1845-1846
WESTMEATH Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Nicholas CoI Graveyard, Coole (Text file added)
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| The Sale family headstone from St Kevin's graveyard, Dublin 8. Photo courtesy of Bridgid Wilson & Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives. Click to enlarge image. |
Here are the details:
DONEGAL Genealogy Archives – Headstones
Kilmacrenan Abbey (partial)
DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Mount Jerome 251-254
DUBLIN CITY Genealogy Archives – Headstones
St. Kevin's Graveyard, Camden Street, Dublin 8
DUBLIN Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Mount Jerome 251-254
MEATH Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Trim, St Loman's, part 1 A-C (Text file added)
MONAGHAN & FERMANAGH Genealogy Archives - Church Records
Clones Parish Registers, Baptisms - N. W. Division, 1821-1825
TIPPERARY Genealogy Archives - Miscellaneous
Extracts from Police Reports 1845-1846
WESTMEATH Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Nicholas CoI Graveyard, Coole (Text file added)
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