ArkivDigital - Free of Charge 28-30 December 2010

The following is a press release from ArkivDigital, a Swedish genealogy database website:

All of us at ArkivDigital would like to thank you for the past year by offering you and anyone who is interested in genealogy, the opportunity to use ArkivDigital - ADOnLine2 Free of Charge, Tuesday-Thursday (28-30 December 2010). Feel free to tell your friends about this possibility.
Svensk version av detta nyhetsbrev gå till vår hemsida http://www.arkivdigital.se.

How do I get access to ArkivDigital archives for free?

To gain access to ArkivDigital and ADOnLine2 for free, you have to do a few things. It's quite easy and we are sure you will manage - just follow the instructions below carefully.

1. Register as a new member
   • If you are already registered, go to the next paragraph.
   • If you are not already registered as a member, you will have to do the following: - Go to: http://www.arkivdigital.net/users/register and fill in the requested information. Be extra careful to write the correct E-mail address and password you choose. The password must be at least 6 characters and/or digits.
2. Install the program ADOnLine2, http://www.arkivdigital.net/products/adonline/installation If you haven't the latest version installed, we advise you to install it now. The latest version is called 1.4.1. You can check which version you have if you open the program, click the Hjälp (Help) menu and then click Om (About). You can also try our English beta version.
3. During installation, you will be prompted to answer some questions. You must respond to them "positively" and when the installation is complete, you should have a new icon called ADOnLine2 on your Desktop.
4. Double click the icon to start the program...
5. and the login box will pop up. Please enter your login information (Email and Password). Be sure to enter it in exactly the same as you did when you registered - capital and lowercase letters are significant.
   If you are receiving an error message regarding E-post/Lösenord (Email / Password) some information is wrong. Click to clear the error messages and then use the Arkiv menu (File menu) and then "Logga in" (Log in). Now, the login box pops up again. Erase all information and fill in the correct information again.
6. Once you have logged in and you're now in the program and can start your research.
7. To the left is a list of Archive Holders. Find for "your" parish/church in the list or type the name of it directly into the search field above. Click on the name in the list to select it.
8. When you have selected your parish, the list of volumes from your chosen parish will show up. Search for a volume in the list and double click the left mouse button to open the volume.
9. When the volume is opened you can browse it with -5, -1, +1 and +5 or in the drop down list (between -1 and +1).
10. On the installation page you can also find a users manual for the program in English or here as a PDF-file: http://www.arkivdigital.net/download/images/929/Instruktion_2010-11-09-Eng.pdf

Customers service this week

We will answer questions as soon as we can. Sometimes we receive a lot of questions and if that is the case it can take a little while before you get your answer, but you will. It is always best to send via E-mail to: kundtjanst@arkivdigital.se

Frequently Asked Questions and Problems

• We will add three extra days to all ongoing subscriptions.
• If you have problems with the program and want help; Tell as much as you can, regarding what version are you using, what happens and what you are doing when it happens. Are there any error messages and what do they say? The more you can tell, the easier it is for us to quickly respond to you.
• If you are completely without function you can try to install an older version of the program. At the bottom of the Installation page you can find links to older versions. Sometimes they work better.
• If you have automatic login checked and receiving an error message regarding "E-post/Lösenord" (Email/password), close the error messages and then click the Arkiv menu (File menu), then click "Logga In" (log in). Now, the login box pops up again. Erase all data and type them again.

One year subscription for "Christmas and New Year price" of 995 SEK

(Live rates at 2010.12.27 13:16:00 UTC; 995.00 SEK = 146 USD)
We hope you haven't missed our special pricing on our annual subscription. For only 995 SEK you get access to ADOnLine2 in a year. Regular price is 1195 SEK - and the offer can only be purchased by individuals from December 20th 2010 through January 9th 2011.

Upcoming Events at NEHGS!

The following is a press release from the New England Historic and Genealogical Society:

January New Visitor and Welcome Tour
Starting your family genealogy can seem a little daunting at first. There is so much information found in a variety of locations. Let NEHGS help you make sense of it all by attending this FREE lecture for both members and non-members. This talk introduces you to the NEHGS research library, located at 99 Newbury Street in Boston. You will also have an opportunity to describe your research interests to one of our expert genealogists on staff, who can offer some advice on how to proceed. The program starts with a thirty-minute introductory lecture and will be followed by a tour of the library and its vast holdings. Make plans to start your genealogy with this great tour.


January 8, 2011 10:00AM - 11:30AM

New England Historic Genealogical Society
99 Newbury St.Boston MA, 02116
www.AmericanAncestors.org


Using AmericanAncestors.org
NEHGS recently launched its new Website, AmericanAncestors.org. It is full of new features, tools, resources, and content that highlights NEHGS’ growing national expertise in genealogy and family history. We now have more than 135 million searchable names covering New England, New York, and other areas of family research dating back to 1620. We invite you to attend this free lecture to learn more about this incredible online resource.

January 12, 2011 10:00AM - 11:30AM

New England Historic Genealogical Society
99 Newbury St.
Boston MA, 02116
www.AmericanAncestors.org


Dom's, An Odyssey
Join NEHGS as we welcome guest speaker Dom Capossela, who will discuss his recent book, Dom's, An Odyssey. Dom's, An Odyssey is an immigrant story. Through the lens of Italian immigration, with a tour of Boston's 1950s North End, Dom takes us on a voyage of discovery which reminds us of the immigrant roots of All Americans.

January 19, 2011 7:30PM
New England Historic Genealogical Society
99 Newbury St.
Boston MA, 02116
www.AmericanAncestors.org


Winter Weekend Research Getaway - Effective Use of Technology
NEHGS Weekend Research Getaways combine personal, guided research at the NEHGS Research Library with themed educational lectures to create a unique experience for every participant. Personal consultations with NEHGS genealogists throughout the program allow visitors to explore their own genealogical projects, under the guiding hand of the nation’s leading family history experts.

Our Winter Research Getaway, “Effective Use of Technology,” offers a variety of lectures surrounding “best practices” in using technology including researching online, software, and other topics relevant to any genealogist.

January 27, 2011 9:00AM – January 29, 2011 5:00PM
New England Historic Genealogical Society
99 Newbury St.
Boston MA, 02116
www.AmericanAncestors.org

A New way to Search Google Newspapers

Just read about this on the Spokane Library Genealogy Blog. You can now see which newspapers are available to search on Google and then search a specific newspaper. Click Here for the Google Newspaper Search
Since the Spokane library also has the complete set on microfilm you can get copies from the library of any article you are interested in.

Big Changes at FamilySearch.org !!

Big Changes at FamilySearch.org

Updated Site Now Available; More Improvements to Come

SALT LAKE CITY–FamilySearch announced several changes today for its family history website, FamilySearch.org. Online patrons will find millions of new records and images, over 40,000 helpful articles, over 100 interactive courses of instruction, and a dynamic forum to ask personal genealogy questions. The changes have been in testing for some time. FamilySearch will continue to implement the new website in phases to ensure all critical elements are functioning as desired. Once complete, the website will be promoted more broadly.

The new site offers the following free benefits to FamilySearch patrons:

• Millions more scanned, historical documents and indexes that are published more frequently.

• An improved search experience that looks through more content and gives more accurate results.

• A thriving online genealogical community where patrons can give and receive help.

• One user name and password for all FamilySearch products and services.

• Responsive, reliable, and scalable hardware and software that will allow the site to grow and improve.

FamilySearch has published a helpful document called “Adjusting to the New Version of www.familysearch.org” and a video tutorial that summarizes the changes to the new site. These new guides can be found under the “Changes at FamilySearch.org” link.

The prior version of the site will still be available through the transition period.

The Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog Nominated as One of Family Tree Magazine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs for 2011

The Eastern Washington Genealogical Society Blog has been nominated as one of Family Tree Magaine's 40 Best Genealogy Blogs for 2011. This was a reader-submitted nomination, and we thank our readers who nominated our blog.

Family Tree Magazine offers the following information for the voting process:

In the July 2011 issue of Family Tree Magazine, we’ll name the 40 Best Genealogy Blogs, or Family Tree 40. It's time to vote on the blogs nominated by the genealogy community.

The nominees are divided into eight categories. In each category, please choose five blogs (you'll get an error if you choose too many).

For category descriptions and Family Tree 40 qualifications, please see http://blog.familytreemagazine.com/insider/2010/11/15/NominateAGenealogyBlogForThe2011FamilyTree40.aspx. Voting is open until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20 [Note: No time zone is given.]. You may vote multiple times.

You can click through to visit the blogs from the post at http://www.geneabloggers.com/family-tree-magazines-40-genealogy-blogs-vote-favorite/.

You can also choose to click on the image above and it will be placed in the margin of this blog. Thank you for your support!

WikiTree Widgets are Here!

December 10, 2010: WikiTree.com

WikiTree is announcing the new release of participation widgets that can be used on any website or blog. The WikiTree Widgets can be used to display a live update of your latest contributions, uploads, and edits to the worldwide wiki family tree.

The widgets were developed in collaboration with Thomas MacEntee and the GeneaBloggers community. A half dozen designs were selected to represent the community’s choices for content, layout, dimensions, and colors.

You can view the WikiTree Widgets, see live examples, view privacy details, and get directions for installing them on your blog or website at http://www.wikitree.com/articles/draft-widgets.html.

About WikiTree: WikiTree's mission is to create a rich worldwide family tree resource by striking the perfect balance between collaboration and privacy. It gives families a free and easy way to privately share information and organize their facts, memories, and photos. At the same time, it enables distant relatives and strangers to grow a worldwide family tree and create a valuable resource for future historians. WikiTree was started in 2008 by Chris Whitten, the creator of WikiAnswers - one of the top 50 websites in the US. Content on WikiTree is owned and edited by its contributors. Join the free community at http://www.WikiTree.com.

NGS Videos Holiday Gift

In the past year NGS has been proud to offer our members a series of short video documentaries featuring notable genealogists. Starting with the interview by Helen F. M. Leary as our holiday gift in 2009, the series has continued throughout 2010 showing interviews with Elizabeth Shown Mills, David Rencher, Leslie Anderson, Laura DeGrazia, and others who have shared their experiences and insights into the work of the genealogist.

As the final feature for 2010 and our holiday offering to members we are releasing at the website today Thomas W. Jones, PhD, CG, CGL, FASG, FNGS, FUGA on “Becoming a Genealogist.” Listening to Tom is always rewarding, both instructive and entertaining. In this conversation he tells about the curiosity he felt as a child about who his ancestors were, reflects on how genealogists “get hooked,” and presents his view on the value to professionals of continuing their own personal research.

While you are at the website take a moment to enjoy others you may not yet have seen. Log in at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on the Members Only tab, and then click on NGS Videos in the sidebar menu.

From all of us at NGS – we wish you a peaceful holiday season!

Mark Your Calendars - NGS Family History Conference, 11-14 May 2011, Charleston, South Carolina.

The COMPLETE 1911 Census Available Now on Genes Reunited.

Leading family history website www.genesreunited.co.uk has published online the complete 1911 census for England and Wales, allowing its members to view the original householder schedules for the first time.

The 1911 census records are the most detailed of any census it includes places of birth, details of siblings, occupations, how many children have been born to the marriage, how many still alive at the time of the census and how many had died. It even allows our members to view the actual handwriting of their ancestors and in full colour.

At genesreunited.co.uk it is possible to search the complete 1841-1911 censuses as well as other historical records such as birth, marriage, death and military records. The 1911 census Enumerator Summary Books have already been available since May 2010.  

Unlimited access to the 1911 census and all of the other records is included in a Platinum subscription, costing £64.95 for 6 months.  Alternatively you can view the 1911 census on a pay-per view basis.  It will cost 5 credits to view an individual transcription, 10 credits to view the household transcription and 30 credits to view the original household image (within these 30 credits you also get to view the Enumerator Summary Book).

Credits can be purchased at the following prices: £5.00 for 50 credits (credits will last for 30 days) or £17.95 for 200 credits (credits will last for 90 days)

Rhoda Breakell, Head of Genes Reunited, said: “We are extremely proud to be able to offer our members the complete 1911 census for England and Wales now.  People will find this an invaluable resource for tracing their ancestors and finding out more about their family history than they knew before.”

FamilySearch Wraps Up Genealogical Gifts for the Holiday Season

FamilySearch Wraps Up Genealogical Gifts for the Holiday Season

Nearly 4 million images added from 7 countries
Nearly four million new digital images are now available on Beta.FamilySearch.org. These collections include the first images from South Africa, as well as records from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Guatemala, the Netherlands, and the United States. About 1.7 million of these records are indexed.
See the chart below for the complete list of newly added or updated collections.

Project	Digital Images	Indexed Records	Comments
Brazil, Catholic Church Records	100,110	0	New images added to existing collection
Canada, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1900	85	79,936	New records linked to images; most images already published
Germany, Hessen, Darmstadt City Records, 1627-1939	55,528	0	New images
Guatemala, Civil Registration, 1877-1934	0	22,448	New records added to existing collection
Netherlands, Civil Registration, 1792-1952	1,505,610	0	Images added to existing collection
Netherlands, Zuid-Holland Province Civil Registration	6,349	0	New images
South Africa, Orange Free State, estate files, 1951-1973	79,466	15,879	New records linked to images; multiple images per record
U.S., Maryland, Register of Wills Books, 1792-1983	62,763	0	New images
U.S., Minnesota Territorial Census, 1857	342	156,888	New records linked to images; most images already published
U.S., North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979	39,836	45,204	New records linked to images; partial collection, with more images to come
U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942	2,040,944	1,371,394	New records linked to images; includes the states of Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wisconsin

FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Fully Searchable Marriage Records Now Online at Findmypast.co.uk

Press release from Findmypast.co.uk, December 6:

‘FOR BETTER OR WORSE’ – I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HOLLY OAKES!

o   95 million fully searchable wedding records from 1837 – 2005

o   Eileen Dover, Holly Oakes and Mary Christmas all found in the records

o   The real Romeo and Juliet married in 1971

Have you ever met a Mary Christmas, Moana Lott or Anita Bath? Many may see these names as amusing but some women who have met the man of their dreams have taken their partner’s name, becoming the Butt of many jokes. Findmypast.co.uk, a leading UK family history website, has launched an easier way to search the marriages of English and Welsh ancestors online. Over 95 million wedding records from 1837 to 2005 have been made fully searchable making it easier to find the exact record you’re looking for.

It’s all in a name

The new fully searchable records have thrown up some interesting finds, proving that when taking a partner ‘for better or worse’; an embarrassing married name doesn’t put everyone off…

A selection of the married names found:

• Holly Oakes
• Eileen Dover
• Hazel Nut
• Queenie King
• Mona Lott
• Jean Pool
• Joy Rider
• Lily Pond
• Anita Bath
• Candy Barr
• Kerry Oakey

Findmypast.co.uk has introduced the revolutionary MarriageMatch^TM, meaning the end of mystery marriages and endless searching of the records. It will find all the possible matches within the records even if only one name is known. Alternatively, if the first or last name of the spouse is known you get an even more accurate list of possible spouse matches.

Keeping up with the Mary Christmases

It seems that a large number of Marys have continued the Christmas theme with their name and married someone with the festive surname, Christmas. There are over 50 Mary Christmases in the records and the earliest recorded Mary Christmas married in 1837 losing the maiden name of Cannon in Alton, Hampshire.

Where for art thou…

Findmypast.co.uk has discovered a pair of real star-crossed lovers in the marriage records as, in 1971, a ‘Romeo’ married a ‘Juliet’ in Lambeth, London. The family history website has also found the marriage records of Oscar Fingal Wilde to Constance Lloyd in Kensington, London in 1884, Jude Law to Sadie Frost in Westminster, London in 1997 and Kate Winslet to Jim Threapleton, in Reading, Berkshire in 1998.

With this record I thee wed.

Findmypast.co.uk has discovered that the most popular county to be wed in is Lancashire, with 11.66 million records listed between 1837 and 2005, closely followed by London with 11.62 million.

The five most popular towns to be married in were:

Registration District	Number of records
Birmingham, Warwickshire	1,656,516
Manchester, Lancashire	1,127,584
Sheffield,  Yorkshire	988,541
Leeds, Yorkshire	980,207
Bristol, Somerset	899,885

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.co.uk, said, “As the first company to publish birth, marriage and death records online, findmypast.co.uk has always been committed to making family history research more accessible. This brand new way of searching the marriage records is a major breakthrough in family history enabling people to find their ancestors’ marriages more quickly and easily than ever before by using our revolutionary new tool MarriageMatch^TM. Thanks to initiatives like this, family history is more popular than ever and we hope that we can help even more people to start uncovering their family’s past.”

The sophisticated new search facility will match up your ancestors' records, providing you in many cases with one definite marriage match, or a list of up to four most likely possible matches, saving you time and money.

The launch of these records is part of a year long project that will see findmypast.co.uk digitise over a quarter of a billion records. The reindexed birth records were launched in July 2010 and the death records will follow early in 2011.

The records

Findmypast.co.uk is the only place you can search the 1837-2005 marriage records all in one place. The online family history website has reimaged and transcribed the full collection, allowing researchers to search directly for their ancestors, making it much quicker and easier than before to find one person.

Findmypast.co.uk was the first company in the world to put the complete Birth, Marriage and Death indexes (BMDs) for England and Wales online on 1 April 2003. Previously these were only available offline on microfiche or in registry books, at a selected number of locations. This landmark achievement was recognised in 2007, when findmypast.co.uk won the Queen’s Award for Innovation.

For more information log on to www.findmypast.co.uk 

The marriage records can be searched for free for two weeks by going to www.findmypast.co.uk/marriages

Ancestry.com Creates Strategic Alliance with National Geographic Digital Media

ANCESTRY.COM CREATES STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC DIGITAL MEDIA

New Features Bring Further Discovery of Family History Online

PROVO, Utah, November 16, 2010 – Ancestry.com is pleased to announce it has created a strategic alliance with National Geographic Digital Media to help individuals make new discoveries in their family history. As part of the relationship, NationalGeographic.com will host a family history experience online, developed by Ancestry.com, which enables visitors to learn more about researching their genealogy and provides specific tools for them to search their ancestral roots located on the Genographic Project website.

“We are always looking for unique ways to connect with people interested in their family history and have forged a great alliance with NationalGeographic.com,” said John Pereira, Vice President of Business Development, at Ancestry.com. “With our development of this new experience on the Genographic Project website, we believe we can help individuals understand how exciting family history can be as they find further success in discovering their own family history.”

The new feature is an add-on to National Geographic’s existing Genographic Project Web portal that helps chart the migration history of the human species using DNA analysis. This additional online experience offers the ability to start an online family tree, tips on how to get started with researching family history and links to important historical record collections that are searchable on Ancestry.com.

For anyone interested in learning more about their ancestors, or to experience the family history tools offered by Ancestry.com and National Geographic, visit http://bit.ly/ACOMonNatGeo. 

About Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq: ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than one million paying subscribers. More than 6 billion records have been added to the site in the past 14 years. Ancestry users have created more than 20 million family trees containing over 2 billion profiles. Ancestry.com has local websites directed at nine countries that help people discover, preserve and share their family history, including its flagship Web site at www.ancestry.com.

About National Geographic Digital Media

National Geographic Digital Media (NGDM) is the multimedia division of National Geographic Ventures, the wholly owned, taxable subsidiary of the National Geographic Society, one of the world’s largest education and scientific nonprofit organizations that works to inspire people to care about the planet. Holding many top industry awards, NGDM publishes Nationalgeographic.com; produces short-form video for broadcast markets; manages marketing and content partnerships across broadband, mobile, gaming and other consumer digital platforms; and provides video and film footage to commercial, theatrical, educational and other digital footage markets.

Plymouth and West Devon Family History Records Set to Go Online

November 24, 2010

PLYMOUTH AND WEST DEVON FAMILY HISTORY RECORDS SET TO GO ONLINE

• Findmypast.co.uk awarded contract by Plymouth and West Devon Record Office to publish its record collection
• 343,257  images of records containing details of 3.5 million individuals will be published online for the first time

Leading family history website www.findmypast.co.uk has been awarded the contract by the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office to digitise and publish online its family history records for the very first time, in an exclusive partnership. Findmypast.co.uk will work with FamilySearch International, the world's largest repository of genealogical records, to make the collection fully searchable online, making it easier than ever before to trace Devonshire ancestors.

Over 1500 volumes of records covering an area that includes historic Plymouth, the Dartmoor expanses of Lydford, and the Royal Navy dockyard at Devonport, will be digitised over the coming year. Details of the lives of over 3.5 million Devonians can be found within the 343,257 images. Among the records being published online are:

• Baptisms, marriages and burials dating as far back as 1538
• Monumental inscriptions
• Records of funerals
• Churchyard plans
• Churchwardens' accounts
• Electoral rolls
• Bastardy bonds
• Settlement orders
• Rate books
• Apprenticeship indentures

These records will be joining what is already one of the largest online collections of over 26 million parish records dating back 650 years at findmypast.co.uk.

Today's announcement follows on just a few weeks after findmypast.co.uk published online over 223,000 transcripts of parish baptisms, marriages and burials from Devon Family History Society. Those transcripts will soon be matched up with the images of the original parish registers, to be supplied by the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office, enabling family and local historians to view facsimiles of the original historic documents online for the first time.

FamilySearch will scan original images of the registers for findmypast.co.uk to then transcribe and make available and fully searchable online at findmypast.co.uk with an index search on FamilySearch.org.

Nicola Moyle, City Curator of Plymouth and West Devon Record Office commented: "We are committed to making our archives much more accessible and easy to use. We're really excited to be working with findmypast.co.uk and FamilySearch to digitise these records so that they will be easily available to everyone at the simple click of a button."

Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.co.uk said: "We are extremely excited that the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office has chosen to make its family history collection available through findmypast.co.uk. Once these records are online, it will be possible for anyone to find out if they had Devon ancestors just by entering a surname in a search engine. They will then be able to see an image of the original parish register, which in some cases could be up to 650 years old."

The online records will be free to access at the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office but will be chargeable if viewed from home or elsewhere, either by buying PayAsYouGo credits or included within a subscription to findmypast.co.uk.

About findmypast.co.uk
Leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk (formerly 1837online.com) was the first company to make the complete birth, marriage and death indexes for England & Wales available online in April 2003.

Following the transcription, scanning and indexing of over two million images, the company launched the first website to allow the public easy and fast access to the complete indexes, which until then had only been available on microfiche film in specialist archives and libraries. The launch was instrumental in creating the widespread and growing interest in genealogy seen in the UK today.

Findmypast.co.uk has subsequently digitised many more family history records and now offers access to over 750 million records dating as far back as 1538. This allows family historians and novice genealogists to search for their ancestors among comprehensive collections of military records, census, migration, occupation directories, and current electoral roll data, as well as the original comprehensive birth, marriage and death records.

In November 2006 findmypast.co.uk launched the ancestorsonboard.com microsite in association with The National Archives to publish outbound passenger lists for long-distance voyages departing all British ports between 1890 and 1960.

In April 2007, findmypast.co.uk's then parent company Title Research Group received the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2007 in recognition of their achievement.

Findmypast.co.uk was acquired in December 2007 by brightsolid, the company who were awarded The National Archives' contract to publish online the 1911 census, which it launched in January 2009.

About Plymouth and West Devon Record Office
The Plymouth and West Devon Record Office is the principal archive repository within Plymouth and the West Devon area. It exists to collect and preserve the historical records of the area and to promote and encourage their use by all who want to study them.

The Record Office holds records of the old borough and modern city of Plymouth, as well as the West Devon area. From 1 April 1998, it has been run as an independent archive service by Plymouth City Council and forms one of the services provided by the Community Services Department.

The Record Office holds original records (archives) of many organisations and individuals. Dating from circa 1190, they include deeds, charters, minute books, letters, registers, manorial documents, reports, diaries, financial records, maps, plans, photographs, card indexes, microfilms and microfiche.
The office is open Tuesday to Friday to view records and staff are happy to answer queries by telephone and email.

About FamilySearch
FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organisation in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. For over 100 years, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide and operates over 4,500 family history centres in 70 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

MyHeritage.Com Unveils Stunning Online Family Tree Charts

MYHERITAGE.COM UNVEILS STUNNING ONLINE FAMILY TREE CHARTS

Launches world’s largest online source for creating, printing and sharing family tree charts

London, England & Tel Aviv, Israel - November 18, 2010 - MyHeritage.com, the largest and fastest growing family network on the web, unveiled today a host of new online family tree chart designs and features. As the leading online source for family tree charts, with over 7,000 of them created every day by its users, MyHeritage.com has now completely revamped its offering to enable free customization, printing and sharing of beautiful family tree charts. Going one step further in enabling users to showcase their family history, MyHeritage.com launched today a professional poster printing service for any chart produced on the website, and added a new department specializing in the production of custom-tailored handmade family tree charts.

More than 16 million families have created a site on MyHeritage.com; a private place for exploring family history, finding long-lost relatives and keeping in touch. Innovative tools, such as Smart Matching™ and photo sharing with facial recognition technology, provide a friendly and secure setting where millions of users have planted their family tree online.

Users can now create a family tree chart from their family site in a few clicks, by choosing from numerous different chart types (click here to view), including the newly introduced Bowtie and Hourglass formats. The Hourglass chart shows the ancestors and descendants of a selected individual, in as many generations as desired. MyHeritage.com has further innovated on this format: its Hourglass charts can optionally include the ancestors of any spouse as well. The new Bowtie format showcases an immediate family with the ancestors of the two partners on either side.

With a choice of 18 different predefined chart styles (click here to view), plus a wide variety of border designs, frames, background images, decorations, colors and fonts, users enjoy thousands of combinations for personalizing their family tree charts. Users can further customize their chart by choosing which information they wish to include in their family chart - from names, birthdates or wedding anniversaries - through personal photos and personal notes - to entire biographical data on family members.

MyHeritage.com offers high resolution export of charts completely free of charge, to enable sharing with other family members and friends. Users can generate all charts in PDF format, which is compatible with every home printer and enables easy sharing as an email attachment.

As of today, MyHeritage.com adds a professional poster printing service for any chart produced on the website, starting as low as $20 per poster. With worldwide shipping, any user can now order a high quality printout of their chart packaged in a protective tube, either directly to their home or shipped as a gift to any other address. The print can be ordered on a variety of paper types (including standard paper, matt photo, glossy photo, vinyl and canvas), in almost any size and with optional lamination. For special occasions like family reunions, posters can be as large as an entire wall.

In addition to the automatically generated charts and posters, MyHeritage.com is launching today exclusive handmade charts (click here to view). These special charts, each a unique creation, make an ideal present for a family reunion, anniversary or other special occasion, and are also an heirloom for future generations. A dedicated team at MyHeritage.com has been set up to prepare these impressive custom-made family tree charts in direct consultation with the customer, to ensure they are tailored according to the individual’s needs and taste. 

“Our beautiful family tree charts are a great reward for families who have spent many hours researching their roots”, said MyHeritage.com Founder and CEO, Gilad Japhet. “Family history is much more fun when you can share what you’ve discovered with others, and family tree charts are perfect for that. We’re proud to raise the bar and provide the widest choice of customizable family tree charts on the web - that can easily be shared with others for free. Our attractive new family tree posters will be a source of pride in every home and are perfect as a gift for the upcoming holidays”.

Existing users of MyHeritage.com can create their own family tree charts by simply clicking on the 'family tree' tab on their family site and choosing 'charts and books'. People who have already built a family tree elsewhere can easily import their family tree onto MyHeritage.com and take advantage of the beautiful chart options, by signing up for free on www.myheritage.com and uploading a GEDCOM file.

About MyHeritage.com:

MyHeritage.com is the most popular family network on the web. Millions of families around the world enjoy having a private place for their families to keep in touch. MyHeritage.com’s Smart-Matching technology empowers users with an exciting and innovative way to find relatives and explore their family history. With all family information stored in a secure site, MyHeritage.com is the ideal place to share family photos, and celebrate and preserve special family moments. Offering 36 languages, 650 million profiles and 16 million family trees, MyHeritage.com is nurturing family relationships and uniting families worldwide. For more information please visit www.myheritage.com

NGS Video Productions Presents: LauraDeGrazia, CG

For your Thanksgiving viewing NGS is pleased to send you two new segments from the NGS Online Video Series. Laura DeGrazia, former president of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, tells the story of how she became a genealogist and shares tales of her family and ancestors.

Also showing for our members:

• Leslie Anderson, msls
• Elizabeth Shown Mills, cg, cgl, fasg, fngs, fuga
• David E Rencher, ag, cg, figrs, fuga
• Willis H. White, cg

Log in at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on the Members Only tab, and then click on NGS Videos in the sidebar menu.

Now showing for everyone:

• Thomas Adams, 2009 Rubincam Youth Award Winner
• Helen F. M. Leary, cg (emeritus), fasg, fngs
• Paths to Your Past
• Home Study Course
• NGS Conferences
• Finding Your Family at the National Archives
• NGS & NARA

All of us at NGS wish you and your family a blessed holiday.

A Lot to Be Thankful For: 15 Million New Indexed Genealogical Records

18 November 2010

A Lot to Be Thankful For: 15 Million New Indexed Genealogical Records

Digital images and indexes include 34 collections from 13 countries

The collection of indexes and images available on FamilySearch’s beta website continues to grow by leaps and bounds, with the addition of 34 collections of genealogical records. These records include 15 million indexed records and 2.5 million images. The bounty of information covers 13 different countries around the world: Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil, France, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Jamaica, Canada, and the United States. Search these records now at Beta.FamilySearch.org.

See the chart below for the complete list of newly added or updated collections.

Project	Digital Images	Indexed Records	Comments
Belgium Marriages, 1563-1890	0	58,674	Index only.
Belgium, Antwerp Police Immigration Index, 1840-1930	5,417	343,930	New records and images. This is an index of immigration dossiers compiled by the Antwerp police force between 1840 and 1930. Presently, the immigration dossiers are only available on microfilm, so this publication allows us to reference these dossiers.
Brazil, Church Records, 1814-1930	93,787	0	New images for Ribeirao Preto, Bauru, Rio Preto, Santo Andre, Novo Hamburgo, Passo Fundo
Canada, Ontario Births, 1869-1912	54,121	164,139	New images and records
Chile, Concepcion, Civil Registration, 1885-1903	19,389	70,450	New images and records
Colombia, Diocese of Cúcuta Parish Registers, 1762-1996	465,172	0	New images added to existing collection
France Births and Baptisms, 1546-1896	0	6,779,071	Index only
Germany, Bremen Passenger Departure Lists, 1904-1914	44,465	44,315	New images and records
Guatemala, Guatemala City, Sagrario Parish Baptisms, 1898-1920	7,748	0	New images added to existing collection
Honduras, Tegucigalpa – Baptisms, 1895-1931	3,790	26,521	New images and records
Jamaica, Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880	37,199	0	New images added to existing collection
Jamaica, Civil Births 1878-1899	247,593	260,500	New images and records
Mexico Census, 1930	2,302	1,165,649	New images and records added to existing collection (Michoacan, Nuevo Leon, Zacatecas)
Spain, Avila–Catholic Church Records, 1500-1930	26,298	0	New images added to existing collection
Spain, Catastro de Ensenada, 1749-1756	375,988	0	New images added to existing collection
U.S., Arizona, Service Records of Confederate Soldiers of the Civil War, 1861-1863	0	1,173	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Arkansas County Marriages, 1837-1957	0	94,181	New records added to existing collection
U.S., Georgia –Death Records, 1928-1930	123,416	0	New images added to existing collection
U.S., Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918	0	18,324	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Louisiana, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1838-1861	0	1,450	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Maryland, Naturalization Indexes, 1797-1951	0	85,222	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Maryland, Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1931	0	45,165	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Massachusetts Naturalization Index, 1906-1966	0	388,086	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Minnesota, State Census, 1865	3,396	246,591	New images and records
U.S., Mormon Battalion Pension Applications, 1846-1923	0	26,830	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., New York State Census, 1905	0	3,601,920	New records for the following counties:  Albany, Bronx, Broome, Columbia, Essex, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, New York, Onondaga, Oswego, Seneca, Warren and Yates. This release completes this collection.
U.S., New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, 1865-1957	0	675,035	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., New York, Western District, Naturalization Index, 1907-1966	0	89,554	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Oklahoma, Applications for Enrollment of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914	0	882,272	Index only. Data courtesy of Footnote.com
U.S., Rhode Island, State Census, 1885	10,844	321,999	New images and records
U.S., Rhode Island, State Census, 1905	954,549	474,152	New images and records. This census was taken on a two-sided form where only one person appears on each form.
U.S., South Dakota State Census, 1945	0	546,305	New records added to existing collection
U.S., Tennessee County Marriages, 1790-1950	0	14,098	New records added to existing collection
U.S., Utah, Territorial Case Files of the U.S., District Courts, 1870-1896	0	39,040	Data courtesy of Footnote.com

 
FamilySearch International is the largest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their family history. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services and resources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 family history centers in 132 countries, including the main Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Rookwood Burial Records Now Online at findmypast.co.uk

November 22, 2010

Rookwood burial records now available at findmypast.co.uk

• Over 233,000 burial records available to search online
• It's now easier to research Australian ancestors
• Records include former NSW Premier John Lang, who opened Sydney Harbour Bridge, and Peter Dodds McCormick, who wrote Advance Australia Fair

Family history website www.findmypast.co.uk has published online for the first time burial records from Rookwood Cemetery, working in partnership with the Society of Australian Genealogists.

Between 1981 and 1992 members of the Society of Australian Genealogists painstakingly transcribed inscriptions from headstones in Rookwood Cemetery - the final resting place for over 600,000 Australians, located in Sydney's west.

The transcriptions that resulted from that mammoth 11 year project, containing 233,160 names, have now gone online for the first time at findmypast.co.uk, so that anyone around the world can search for their Australian ancestors from the comfort of their own home. It is possible to search the records by surname, forename, inscription or year of death, and each entry shows the complete transcription and grave location.

The oldest graves in Rookwood Cemetery date back to 1867, and today it is one of the largest cemeteries in the whole of the Southern Hemisphere. It is therefore likely that many Australians would have a relative whose resting place is within Rookwood's gates and will be able to find their record in the new online database. The online records cover dates of death over the period 1798 to 1999.

Elaine Collins, Business Development Director at findmypast.co.uk, said: "The Rookwood Burials are a unique and valuable resource for anyone interested in researching their Australian family history. We're delighted to be working with the Society of Australian Genealogists to put these records online for the first time, enabling people worldwide to find their Australian connections."

Heather Garnsey, Executive Officer of the Society of Australian Genealogists, said: "The Society was delighted to work with findmypast to bring its Rookwood Cemetery Transcriptions to a new audience online. SAG volunteers transcribed Rookwood - the largest cemetery in the southern hemisphere - as its contribution to the Australian Bicentenary in 1988 and the transcripts were previously only available on microfiche and CD, both long out-of-print.

Since it was opened in 1867, Rookwood has remained Sydney's most important cemetery with more than a million burials believed to have taken place there.  Headstones provide vital clues for genealogists, often revealing far more than just name, age and date of death.  Place of origin, religion, occupation and family relationships can all be revealed through headstone inscriptions.  We'd expect many new research leads to be discovered through the availability of this material online through findmypast."

Among the famous people that appear in the new online burial records are:

• John T. Lang (1976-1975) - Labour Premier of N.S.W. during the Depression, who introduced Child Endowment, Widows Pension and Workers Compensation Act, and also restored the 44 hour week. He opened Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.
• Peter Dodds McCormick (c.1833-1916) composed Advance Australia Fair, the Australian National Anthem.
• Mei Quong Tart - Popular leading 19th century Sydney merchant-Philanthropist-with a network of tea rooms including "Elite Hall" in QVB.
• Jacob Pitman - Brother of Sir Isaac Pitman, who introduced phonetic shorthand to Australia.
• Louisa Lawson - Pioneer of women's sufferage in Australia and Henry Lawson's mother.
• Bee Miles - Notorious in 1950's and 1960's for her eccentric behaviour in Sydney trams and taxis, well educated, a free spirit. She recited Shakespeare from the steps of the State Library. She was cremated and her ashes scattered. This is her family's grave site.
• David Jones - The founder of the famous Sydney Stores.
• John Fairfax - Founder of The Sydney Morning Herald.

The new records can be found within the Parish Record Collection at www.findmypast.co.uk and are part of a much larger ongoing project with the Federation of Family History Societies to put millions of parish records online. These records are also available through findmypast.com.au, the Australia-based sister site of findmypast.co.uk.


About findmypast.co.uk
Leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk (formerly 1837online.com) was the first company to make the complete birth, marriage and death indexes for England & Wales available online in April 2003.

Following the transcription, scanning and indexing of over two million images, the company launched the first website to allow the public easy and fast access to the complete indexes, which until then had only been available on microfiche film in specialist archives and libraries. The launch was instrumental in creating the widespread and growing interest in genealogy seen in the UK today.

Findmypast.co.uk has subsequently digitised many more family history records and now offers access to over 750 million records dating as far back as 1538. This allows family historians and novice genealogists to search for their ancestors among comprehensive collections of military records, census, migration, occupation directories, and current electoral roll data, as well as the original comprehensive birth, marriage and death records.

In November 2006 findmypast.co.uk launched the ancestorsonboard.com microsite in association with The National Archives to publish outbound passenger lists for long-distance voyages departing all British ports between 1890 and 1960.

As well as providing access to historical records, findmypast.co.uk is also developing a range of online tools to help people discover and share their family history more easily, beginning with the launch of Family Tree Explorer in July 2007.

In April 2007, findmypast.co.uk's then parent company Title Research Group received the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2007 in recognition of their achievement.

Findmypast.co.uk was acquired in December 2007 by brightsolid, the company who were awarded The National Archives' contract to publish online the 1911 census, which it launched in January 2009.


About SAG
The Society of Australian Genealogists (SAG) has been helping people trace their family history for over 75 years. Located in the Sydney CBD, SAG operates a world-class library and manuscript collection with many unique records. SAG runs an active programme of lectures, workshops, seminars and tours and a book shop, as well as providing advice and support to anyone researching their family history in Australia.