Ancestry has released a trio of indexes to military pension collections. One relates to Dublin's Royal Hospital Kilmainham, the others to London's Royal Hospital in Chelsea. In each case, the records on Ancestry are indexes to records transcribed from original documents; images of the documents are held on Fold3, so if you want to see them, you'll need an Ancestry All Access subscription*.
Royal Hospital Kilmainham Pensioner Discharge Documents, 1724-1924:
This collection of nearly 105,000 records is made up of certificates of pensioners of the Royal Kilmainham Hospital in Dublin. The Hospital dates back to 1680 and when built housed just 20 retired soldiers. It continued to be a veterans' home for more than two and a half centuries.
For each record, details provided generally include name, age, calculated year of birth, rank, regiment, date and place of admission to pension and/or date of discharge. In some cases a place of birth is provided. Here are a few of examples of entries I found in my travels through this collection:
– Martin Tobin, a private with the 62nd Foot Regiment – Pension Admission on 30 August 1858, aged 41, in Dublin.
– Owen Tierney, born Dungannon, Co Tyrone, a private with the 3rd Regiment of Royal Veterans – Discharged on 1 June 1821, aged 38, in Dublin.
– Thomas Lonergan, born Mollough, Co Tipperary, a dragoon with the 7th or Princess Royal's Regiment of Dragoons Guards – discharged on 10 June 1792 in Dublin, aged 44.
UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Admissions and Discharges, 1715-1925:
This collection of some 920,000 records is made up of registers of the award of 'out-pensions' of the Royal Hospital Chelsea to soldiers discharged from the Regular Army or the Militia on account of disability. Some British Army pensioners chose to surrender their pension in order to take up residence at the Royal Hospital. Those who preferred to receive their pension allowance and live elsewhere were called 'out pensioners'.
Inevitably, there are a lot of Irishmen in this collection. Those noting birthplaces in Ireland number about 40,000, but I'm sure there are many more. Here are a few representative entries of Irishmen going through the pension process in the 18th and early-19th centuries:
– Jas Doyle, born about 1722 in Charleville, County Cork, a Sargeant with the 47th Regiment of Foot – Examination or Pension Admission Date, 4 December 1759.
– Henry Sullivan, born about 1750 in Drogheda, Co Louth, a private with the 26th Regiment of Foot – Discharged 7 June 1811.
– Dominick Gallagher, born about 1736 in Sligo, served in Major Bowen's Company – Examination or Pension Admission Date, 1 February 1802.
UK, Royal Hospital Chelsea Pensioner Soldier Service Records, 1760-1920
This collection comprises service documents of soldiers (but not officers) who either became in- or out-pensioners of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. By 1815, there were more than 36,000 out-pensioners. Documents after 1883 usually contain fuller particulars, such as next of kin and details of marriage and children. The attestation and discharge documents constitute the most detailed record of a soldier's service. These records usually give particulars of age, birthplace, service (including any decorations), information about physical description, previous occupation on enlistment and the reason given for discharge to pension. After 1883, most soldiers will appear in these records if they survived their service. In total, more than one million records are in this collection; the number of Irish-born soldiers is 46,578.
Here's an example of a search result (I've yet to unravel it):
Geremiah Santry
Age: 23
Birth Date: abt 1843
Birth Place: Tremalagne, Cork
Service Start Year: 1866
Regiment: 62 Regiment Of Foot
Obviously the name should be Jeremiah, but I've no idea where Tremalagne is (google just suggested 'travel agent cork'!!). Could be Timoleague, I suppose. That would make sense.
*Hmmm. I don't think much of that. Seems the 'Explore comprehensive military, immigration & Irish records' promised by my Premium subscription is rather less comprehensive and rather more selective.
UPDATE, 11 November: Fold 3 is offering free access to these three new collections (and more) until 13 November. See blogpost.
Wednesday, 9 November 2016
Tuesday, 8 November 2016
Genetic Genealogy Ireland 2016: six videos online
Six lectures presented at the Genetic Genealogy Ireland (GGI) conference last month have joined the online library of lecture videos from the two previous conferences and are now freely available to view on the GGI's YouTube channel. They are:
I'll let you know when another instalment of the recent lectures is uploaded.
- The DNA of clan O’Brien, with Dennis O’Brien
- Testing Ancestral Remains: the Barrymore Project, with René Gapert and Jim Barry
- ISOGG Ireland Update, with Gerard Corcoran
- The DNA of the Dál gCais & subclades discovered with Big-Y, with Dennis Wright
- Adding DNA to your Family History Society, with Maggie Little and Ann Marie Coughlan
- Five Tips to Make Sense of your DNA Testing, with Diahan Southard. This video will be available only until 17 November.
I'll let you know when another instalment of the recent lectures is uploaded.
Monday, 7 November 2016
National Library of Ireland launches public call for ‘Remembering 1916, Recording 2016’ web archive
The National Library of Ireland (NLI) has issued a call to members of the public to nominate websites which they believe best record Irish life in 2016 and remember the events of 1916.
‘Remembering 1916, Recording 2016’ is the NLI’s largest web archiving project to date and is part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme.
Announcing the public call today, Dr Sandra Collins, Director of the NLI said: “With this public call we are asking everyone to think about the best Irish websites of 2016, because websites are an increasingly important source of information today. We want everyone to vote so that we can archive these modern Irish memories for now and for future generations to share."
The NLI asks that people nominate websites by answering the following questions:
Members of the public can nominate websites here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8CCV93P.
The top five websites chosen in each category for ‘Remembering 1916, Recording 2016’ will be selected, in accordance with the terms and conditions.
Nominations will be accepted for a period of three weeks, closing on Monday 28 November. An independent assessor will verify the decision making, and an awards ceremony will take place in December to announce the ten websites.
You can find out more at www.nli.ie.
‘Remembering 1916, Recording 2016’ is the NLI’s largest web archiving project to date and is part of the Ireland 2016 Centenary Programme. Announcing the public call today, Dr Sandra Collins, Director of the NLI said: “With this public call we are asking everyone to think about the best Irish websites of 2016, because websites are an increasingly important source of information today. We want everyone to vote so that we can archive these modern Irish memories for now and for future generations to share."
The NLI asks that people nominate websites by answering the following questions:
- What website do you feel best remembers the events of 1916?
- What website do you feel best records Irish life in 2016?
Members of the public can nominate websites here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8CCV93P.
The top five websites chosen in each category for ‘Remembering 1916, Recording 2016’ will be selected, in accordance with the terms and conditions.
Nominations will be accepted for a period of three weeks, closing on Monday 28 November. An independent assessor will verify the decision making, and an awards ceremony will take place in December to announce the ten websites.
You can find out more at www.nli.ie.
Registry of Deeds Index Project: latest update
The Registry of Deeds Index Project has been updated. The index, which is created entirely by volunteers, now holds 218,880 entries from 24,868 memorial of deeds. It is free to access, and there's no need to register.
GRO England & Wales launches free enhanced indexes
The General Register Office for England and Wales has released free indexes to its historic birth and death registrations, which start from 1837.
They have been created following a project to digitise the registration records and include a number of enhancements on the index sets currently available on many commercial and not-for-profit databases. For example, where possible a mother's name appears in the new index for births registered before 1911, and the age of death is noted for deaths prior to 1865. These details could previously be seen only by buying the full-blown paper certificate, which can be a bankrupting exercise for those with a common name.
Births registered more than 100 years ago (1837–1915) and deaths 1837–1957 are included in the new indexes, which can be freely accessed (you need only to register) and links to the online ordering website.
There is also news of a trial service which sees uncertified digital certificates (births 1837–1934 and deaths 1837–1957 only) being made available for just £6 (the standard price for a paper cert is £9.25); it's a first-come first-served trial that will expire after 45,000 of these digital certificates have been issued and it will start on Wednesday. It's likely to be heavily subscribed.
Peter Calver, who runs the excellent Lost Cousins website, has been beta-testing the new index prior to its launch and has produced an in-depth introduction to it in a special newsletter here. If your Irish research takes you to England and Wales, you'd be well advised to check it out.
They have been created following a project to digitise the registration records and include a number of enhancements on the index sets currently available on many commercial and not-for-profit databases. For example, where possible a mother's name appears in the new index for births registered before 1911, and the age of death is noted for deaths prior to 1865. These details could previously be seen only by buying the full-blown paper certificate, which can be a bankrupting exercise for those with a common name.
Births registered more than 100 years ago (1837–1915) and deaths 1837–1957 are included in the new indexes, which can be freely accessed (you need only to register) and links to the online ordering website.
There is also news of a trial service which sees uncertified digital certificates (births 1837–1934 and deaths 1837–1957 only) being made available for just £6 (the standard price for a paper cert is £9.25); it's a first-come first-served trial that will expire after 45,000 of these digital certificates have been issued and it will start on Wednesday. It's likely to be heavily subscribed.
Peter Calver, who runs the excellent Lost Cousins website, has been beta-testing the new index prior to its launch and has produced an in-depth introduction to it in a special newsletter here. If your Irish research takes you to England and Wales, you'd be well advised to check it out.
Irish genealogy and history events: 7–20 November
Until 25 November: 150 years of the Presbyterian Children’s Society – an exhibition. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. Open during normal PRONI hours. Free. Details.
Monday 7 November: How to Start your Family Tree, with Gillian Hunt, Ulster Historical Foundation. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Killyleagh Branch. Venue: Killyleagh Masonic Hall, 50 High Street, Killyleagh, Co Down BT30 9QF. 8pm. All welcome.
Monday 7 November: Derry - The First Million Years: a geological and historical story, with Sean McMahon. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Foyle Branch. Venue: Derry Central Library, 35 Foyle Street, Londonderry, BT48 6AL. 7pm. All welcome.
Tuesday 8 November: 'All changed, changed utterly...'? Ireland 1916-1918, a History Ireland Hedge School. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Free. 7pm. No booking required. Details.
Tuesday 8 November: Nurses, Medics and Volunteers of World War I, with Dr Johanne Devlin Trew. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: Bridge Community Centre, 50 Railway Street, Lisburn, BT28 1XP. 7:30pm. All welcome.
Tuesday 8 November: Tracing Irish Police Ancestors, with Jim Herlihy. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute, Cumberland Street, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Donation €3. All welcome. 8pm.
Wednesday 9 November Steelboys, Oakboys and Bad Boys: the troubled County of Armagh, 1750 to 1800, with Dr Eoin Magennis. Part of the County Armagh Lecture Series. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free. Booking recommended - email proni@communities-ni.gov.uk to secure your place. (Lecture rearranged from 12 October.)
Thursday 10 November: WWI Ireland: Exploring the Irish Experience, an exhibition tour. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, 2/3 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Booking is not required. All welcome. 2pm.
Thursday 10 November: From revival to rebellion, with Roddy Hegarty. Host: Libraries NI. Venue: Lisburn City Library, Linenhall St, Lisburn BT28 1FJ. 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Free. All welcome. Booking recommended: 028 9266 9345 or lisburncity.library@librariesni.org.uk.
Thursday 10 November: Dungannon in WW1, with Robert Butler. Host: Western Front Association. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 6:30pm. £4 donation requested. All welcome. No booking.
Thursday 10 November: Starting Irish family history, with Maureen Doyle and Beryl O'Gorman. Host and venue: Genealogical Society of Victoria, Level B1 257 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia 3000. 10am to 12Noon. Members $30/non-members $60/affiliated groups $45. Need to register. Details.
Thursday 10 November: Forgotten Soldiers: The Irishmen Shot at Dawn, with Stephen Walker. Host: Carrickfergus Museum. Venue: Carrickfergus Town Hall, Joymount, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, BT37 7DN. 7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. Free, but you need to book a seat. Email: carrickfergusmuseums@midandeastantrim.gov.uk. Tel: 02893 358241.
Friday 11 November: Reading Room and free Genealogy Advisory Service closed until 2pm. National Archives of Ireland, Bishop Street, Dublin 8.
Saturday 12 November: A Tale of Two Cemeteries – a poignant story of two forgotten girls, with Harman Scott. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Tyrone Branch. Venue: Omagh Library, Dublin Road, Omagh, BT78 1HL. 10am. All welcome.
Saturday 12 November: The Irish Way of Death. Host: The Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas. Venue: South Woulfe Alumni Hall, Anderson Student Center, St Paul campus, Minnesota 55105, USA. 1pm–5:30pm. Free and open to the public. Details.
Saturday 12 November: The National Library's History & Heritage, an introduction to the Library's rich architectural history and the Signatories exhibition, plus a guided tour of the Reading Room. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Admission free. All welcome. 1pm. No need to book.
Tuesday 15 November: Attempting to heal on the hinterlands of Hell: The Great War endeavours of four Tipperary nurses, with Alice McDermott. Tipperary People and Places Lecture series. Host: Tipperary Studies. Venue: The Gallery of the Source Library, Cathedral St, Thurles, Co Tipperary. 7:30pm. Free. All welcome.
Tuesday 15 November: The Records of the Erasmus Trust Archive, with Alan Phelan. Host: Irish Genealogical Research Society. Venue: Helen Roe Theatre, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 63 Merrion Square South, Dublin 2. 18:45pm. Free. All welcome. Details
Tuesday 15 November: Irish Medical Heritage, a seminar to launch the National Archives of Ireland's Survey of Hospital Records in Ireland. Host and venue: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Free. 9am - 1pm. Details.
Wednesday 16 November: Freemasonry in Carlow, with Arthur Keppel. Host: Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society. Venue: Masonic Hall, Athy Road, Carlow Town. 8pm. Free. All welcome.
Wednesday 16 November: Making Sense of the Census, with Roddy Hegarty. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, North Armagh Branch. Venue: Bleary Community Centre, 1 Deans Road, Bleary, Craigavon, Co Armagh, BT66 8TD. 7:30pm. All welcome.
Thursday 17 November: The fortress prison - the archaeology of Victorial Spike Island, Cork, with Dr Barra O'Donnabhain. Host and Venue: National Museum of Ireland Archaeology. Ceramics Room, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1pm to 1:45pm. All welcome. Free but need to book by email to educationarch@museum.ie or telephone to (0)1 648 6334.
Thursday 17 November: 1916 Galway & the Battle of the Somme – Conference. Host: Galway County Council and Loughrea Memorial Group. Venue: Loughrea Hotel & Spa, Old Galway Road, St Laurencesfields, Loughrea, Co Galway. 9:30am to 5pm. Free. Includes refreshments and lunch. Booking essential. Details.
Thursday 17 November: Local Clocks & Clocktowers, with Ian Orr. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, North Down and Ards Branch. Venue: 1st Bangor Presbyterian Church Hall, Main Street, Bangor BT20 4AG. 7:30pm. All welcome.
Saturday 19 November: Intermediate Genealogy, with Toni McKeen. Host: Irish Family History Forum. Venue: Bethpage Library. Meeting starts 10am. 47 Powell Ave., Bethpage, New York, USA. Details.
Monday 7 November: How to Start your Family Tree, with Gillian Hunt, Ulster Historical Foundation. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Killyleagh Branch. Venue: Killyleagh Masonic Hall, 50 High Street, Killyleagh, Co Down BT30 9QF. 8pm. All welcome.
Monday 7 November: Derry - The First Million Years: a geological and historical story, with Sean McMahon. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Foyle Branch. Venue: Derry Central Library, 35 Foyle Street, Londonderry, BT48 6AL. 7pm. All welcome.
Tuesday 8 November: 'All changed, changed utterly...'? Ireland 1916-1918, a History Ireland Hedge School. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Free. 7pm. No booking required. Details.
Tuesday 8 November: Nurses, Medics and Volunteers of World War I, with Dr Johanne Devlin Trew. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Lisburn Branch. Venue: Bridge Community Centre, 50 Railway Street, Lisburn, BT28 1XP. 7:30pm. All welcome.
Tuesday 8 November: Tracing Irish Police Ancestors, with Jim Herlihy. Host: Genealogical Society of Ireland. Venue: Dún Laoghaire Further Education Institute, Cumberland Street, Dún Laoghaire, Co. Dublin. Donation €3. All welcome. 8pm.
Wednesday 9 November Steelboys, Oakboys and Bad Boys: the troubled County of Armagh, 1750 to 1800, with Dr Eoin Magennis. Part of the County Armagh Lecture Series. Host and venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 1pm. Free. Booking recommended - email proni@communities-ni.gov.uk to secure your place. (Lecture rearranged from 12 October.)
Thursday 10 November: WWI Ireland: Exploring the Irish Experience, an exhibition tour. Host and venue: National Library of Ireland, 2/3 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Booking is not required. All welcome. 2pm.
Thursday 10 November: From revival to rebellion, with Roddy Hegarty. Host: Libraries NI. Venue: Lisburn City Library, Linenhall St, Lisburn BT28 1FJ. 6:30pm to 7:30pm. Free. All welcome. Booking recommended: 028 9266 9345 or lisburncity.library@librariesni.org.uk.
Thursday 10 November: Dungannon in WW1, with Robert Butler. Host: Western Front Association. Venue: PRONI, Titanic Boulevard, Belfast. 6:30pm. £4 donation requested. All welcome. No booking.
Thursday 10 November: Starting Irish family history, with Maureen Doyle and Beryl O'Gorman. Host and venue: Genealogical Society of Victoria, Level B1 257 Collins Street, Melbourne, Australia 3000. 10am to 12Noon. Members $30/non-members $60/affiliated groups $45. Need to register. Details.
Thursday 10 November: Forgotten Soldiers: The Irishmen Shot at Dawn, with Stephen Walker. Host: Carrickfergus Museum. Venue: Carrickfergus Town Hall, Joymount, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, BT37 7DN. 7:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. Free, but you need to book a seat. Email: carrickfergusmuseums@midandeastantrim.gov.uk. Tel: 02893 358241.
Friday 11 November: Reading Room and free Genealogy Advisory Service closed until 2pm. National Archives of Ireland, Bishop Street, Dublin 8.
Saturday 12 November: A Tale of Two Cemeteries – a poignant story of two forgotten girls, with Harman Scott. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, Tyrone Branch. Venue: Omagh Library, Dublin Road, Omagh, BT78 1HL. 10am. All welcome.
Saturday 12 November: The Irish Way of Death. Host: The Center for Irish Studies at the University of St. Thomas. Venue: South Woulfe Alumni Hall, Anderson Student Center, St Paul campus, Minnesota 55105, USA. 1pm–5:30pm. Free and open to the public. Details.
Saturday 12 November: The National Library's History & Heritage, an introduction to the Library's rich architectural history and the Signatories exhibition, plus a guided tour of the Reading Room. Venue: National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Admission free. All welcome. 1pm. No need to book.
Tuesday 15 November: Attempting to heal on the hinterlands of Hell: The Great War endeavours of four Tipperary nurses, with Alice McDermott. Tipperary People and Places Lecture series. Host: Tipperary Studies. Venue: The Gallery of the Source Library, Cathedral St, Thurles, Co Tipperary. 7:30pm. Free. All welcome.
Tuesday 15 November: The Records of the Erasmus Trust Archive, with Alan Phelan. Host: Irish Genealogical Research Society. Venue: Helen Roe Theatre, Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, 63 Merrion Square South, Dublin 2. 18:45pm. Free. All welcome. Details
Tuesday 15 November: Irish Medical Heritage, a seminar to launch the National Archives of Ireland's Survey of Hospital Records in Ireland. Host and venue: Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, 6 Kildare Street, Dublin 2. Free. 9am - 1pm. Details.
Wednesday 16 November: Freemasonry in Carlow, with Arthur Keppel. Host: Carlow Historical and Archaeological Society. Venue: Masonic Hall, Athy Road, Carlow Town. 8pm. Free. All welcome.
Wednesday 16 November: Making Sense of the Census, with Roddy Hegarty. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, North Armagh Branch. Venue: Bleary Community Centre, 1 Deans Road, Bleary, Craigavon, Co Armagh, BT66 8TD. 7:30pm. All welcome.
Thursday 17 November: The fortress prison - the archaeology of Victorial Spike Island, Cork, with Dr Barra O'Donnabhain. Host and Venue: National Museum of Ireland Archaeology. Ceramics Room, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. 1pm to 1:45pm. All welcome. Free but need to book by email to educationarch@museum.ie or telephone to (0)1 648 6334.
Thursday 17 November: 1916 Galway & the Battle of the Somme – Conference. Host: Galway County Council and Loughrea Memorial Group. Venue: Loughrea Hotel & Spa, Old Galway Road, St Laurencesfields, Loughrea, Co Galway. 9:30am to 5pm. Free. Includes refreshments and lunch. Booking essential. Details.
Thursday 17 November: Local Clocks & Clocktowers, with Ian Orr. Host: North of Ireland Family History Society, North Down and Ards Branch. Venue: 1st Bangor Presbyterian Church Hall, Main Street, Bangor BT20 4AG. 7:30pm. All welcome.
Saturday 19 November: Intermediate Genealogy, with Toni McKeen. Host: Irish Family History Forum. Venue: Bethpage Library. Meeting starts 10am. 47 Powell Ave., Bethpage, New York, USA. Details.
Thursday, 3 November 2016
British Newspaper Archive hits 16m pages milestone
In total there are 693 titles ready to access in the archive. Of these, 34 are from Northern Ireland (117,933 editions) and 93 are from the Republic of Ireland (238,901 editions).
They span 1708 to 1999, but by far the bulk date from the middle to late 19th-century.
One month (£12.95) and annual (£79.95) subscriptions are available from British Newspaper Archive. So, too, is a 40-page Pay As You Go option, and a free trial option. You can find out more here.
Alteratively, if you are actively involved in family history research, you'll want to check out the World subscription option from FindMyPast. In addition to its huge collection of genealogical records, the World (Premium in USA) option gives you access to the entire British Newspaper Archive database. Click your preferred currency and flag below to find out more about this option.
(There is also a dedicated Ireland subscription (€9.95/month €114.50/year) which provides access to all the Irish record collections and Irish newspapers. Just click the Ireland flag and make your choice of subscription.)
Wednesday, 2 November 2016
Killoughter Vestry Minute Book 1813–1916 released
The Representative Church Body Library (RCBL) has published a colourful online presentation of the Killoughter Vestry Minute Book, 1813–1916 as November's Archive of the Month slot on the Church of Ireland website.
Alongside parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials, vestry books form an important and significant component of the records of the Church of Ireland as they record the civil and religious activities of the parish, the administrative decisions of the vestry, and details of those responsible for taking those decisions.
The earliest vestry minute book for the parish of Killoughter (located in north Cavan, close to the village of Redhills) provides a unique record of the origins, development and concerns of this rural parish in the diocese of Kilmore, from its establishment in 1813 up to 1916.
The records of the vestry meetings include the names of those who held the principal vestry offices and were usually signed by the clergy, who traditionally chaired the meetings, and in some instances by the churchwardens or other members of the vestry who had attended the meeting. Frequently the addresses of these individuals are included in the records, providing valuable detail for family historians.
Wider issues relevant to the Church and of social and economic concern to the rural Cavan community are raised in the volume, for example the parish cess – the tax levied on the occupants of the parish, regardless of their religious denomination – which was particularly unpopular with local Roman Catholics and Presbyterians who gained no benefits in paying it. The May 1841 even records the names of individuals nominated to collect the tax in each townland.
The online exhibition has been researched and written by Dr Jonathan Cherry, an historical geographer and lecturer at Dublin City University (DCU). "Peppered with the names of people and places, the importance of the vestry book to genealogists cannot be over-estimated," he says. "However, having had the opportunity to read through and write a short commentary on the vestry book, I was struck by the rich incidental information contained in the manuscript, and in particular the detail that allowed insights to be formed into the landscape of rural Cavan in the early 19th century and the social conditions prevailing at that time."
The entire Killoughter vestry minute book has been digitised and is available to view, free, from the Archive of the Month presentation page (click the link above).
Alongside parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials, vestry books form an important and significant component of the records of the Church of Ireland as they record the civil and religious activities of the parish, the administrative decisions of the vestry, and details of those responsible for taking those decisions.
The earliest vestry minute book for the parish of Killoughter (located in north Cavan, close to the village of Redhills) provides a unique record of the origins, development and concerns of this rural parish in the diocese of Kilmore, from its establishment in 1813 up to 1916.
The records of the vestry meetings include the names of those who held the principal vestry offices and were usually signed by the clergy, who traditionally chaired the meetings, and in some instances by the churchwardens or other members of the vestry who had attended the meeting. Frequently the addresses of these individuals are included in the records, providing valuable detail for family historians.
Wider issues relevant to the Church and of social and economic concern to the rural Cavan community are raised in the volume, for example the parish cess – the tax levied on the occupants of the parish, regardless of their religious denomination – which was particularly unpopular with local Roman Catholics and Presbyterians who gained no benefits in paying it. The May 1841 even records the names of individuals nominated to collect the tax in each townland.
The online exhibition has been researched and written by Dr Jonathan Cherry, an historical geographer and lecturer at Dublin City University (DCU). "Peppered with the names of people and places, the importance of the vestry book to genealogists cannot be over-estimated," he says. "However, having had the opportunity to read through and write a short commentary on the vestry book, I was struck by the rich incidental information contained in the manuscript, and in particular the detail that allowed insights to be formed into the landscape of rural Cavan in the early 19th century and the social conditions prevailing at that time."
The entire Killoughter vestry minute book has been digitised and is available to view, free, from the Archive of the Month presentation page (click the link above).
Tuesday, 1 November 2016
Latest updates to Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives
 |
| Headstone in Sligo Cemetery (click for larger view). Photo courtesy IGPArchives and Kev Murray |
LONGFORD Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Aughaboy Cemetery
LOUTH Genealogy Archives - Land
Rentals & Properties - 1835
MAYO Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Guesdian Cemetery, Ballinafad
Killeadan Cemetery
St. Thomas (CoI) Graveyard Knappagh
MEATH Genealogy Archives - Headstones
St. Mary's (Right Side), Navan A-B)
ROSCOMMON Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Aughrim Old Cemetery (Updated)
SLIGO Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Sligo Cemetery Middle Part, Section E (K-W)
WESTMEATH Genealogy Archives - Headstones
Clonmellon Cemetery (Partial)
WEXFORD Genealogy Archives - Memorial Cards
Wexford Memorial (aka Funeral) Cards (Updated)
National Archives of Ireland's free Genealogy Service returns to full time operation
The National Archives of Ireland (NAI) has announced that its free Genealogy Service will today return to a full time operation (9:30am to 5pm with a half hour for lunch), Monday to Friday.
This is terrific news. In response to the financial crisis, the service was cut back to just 3.5 hours a day, so it is excellent to see it being fully restored. It will continue to operate from a dedicated room off the main Reading Room at the NAI premises at Bishop Street, Dublin 8.
Members of Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) will be providing the service, as they have done for most of the last decade or so, delivering free advice to those researching their own Irish family history, whether using sources online or in the national record repositories in Dublin and Belfast, or on a local level. Every day, one of AGI's panel of professional genealogists will be on hand to help and assist with genealogical enquiries, from the most basic to the most complex.
There is no appointment system. Researchers simply turn up and wait their turn.
To avail of this free service, visiting family historians must have an NAI Reader’s Ticket. The ticket is free and you need to attend in person with two forms of identification: photo ID and a recent utility bill). There are more details about the Reader's Ticket procedure on the NAI website.
This is terrific news. In response to the financial crisis, the service was cut back to just 3.5 hours a day, so it is excellent to see it being fully restored. It will continue to operate from a dedicated room off the main Reading Room at the NAI premises at Bishop Street, Dublin 8.
Members of Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) will be providing the service, as they have done for most of the last decade or so, delivering free advice to those researching their own Irish family history, whether using sources online or in the national record repositories in Dublin and Belfast, or on a local level. Every day, one of AGI's panel of professional genealogists will be on hand to help and assist with genealogical enquiries, from the most basic to the most complex.
There is no appointment system. Researchers simply turn up and wait their turn.
To avail of this free service, visiting family historians must have an NAI Reader’s Ticket. The ticket is free and you need to attend in person with two forms of identification: photo ID and a recent utility bill). There are more details about the Reader's Ticket procedure on the NAI website.
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