May 21, 2013

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Find Your Criminal Ancestors: UK collection from Findmypast.com

March 6, 2013 By

Criminal Records from findmypast.comIf you have British roots, you’ll want to check out the new collection available on Findmypast.com: a half million criminal records dating from 1770-1934!

This sounds like a pretty gripping collection, whether you’ve got British roots or not. It contains records like mug shots, court documents, appeals letters and registers from prison ships (which were used when mainland prisons were crowded). According to Findmypast.com, the records “provide a wide variety of color, detail and fascinating social history, chronicling the fate of criminals ranging from fraudsters, counterfeiters, thieves and murderers and their victims.” The 500,000 records you can search now are only a fifth of the full collection of 2.5 million that will be online soon.

The company calls this the largest collection of historical criminal records from England and Wales to be published online and is done in association with the National Archives (UK). Findmypast.com members can click here to access the criminal collection directly (make sure the box for “Institutes and Organizations” is checked).

Here’s a little more background on connections  between British convicts and the U.S. and Australia….

During colonial times, Britain often punished criminals by forcing them to emigrate. The most famous destination was Australia: the first British settlement on that continent in 1787 was actually a penal colony. Australia celebrates that fact about its heritage today: learn more about the “First Fleet’s” arrival here.

Up to about 50,000 British convicts were also forced to emigrate to the American colonies during the 1700s. These included prisoners of war from Ireland and Scotland. Read more about this in Bound for America: The Transportation of British Convicts to the Colonies, 1718-1775 (Clarendon Paperbacks) by A. Roger Ekirch. Findmypast.com isn’t able to tell us yet how many records in the criminal collection relate to forced emigrations, but anyone with roots in the U.K. should check out this collection for sure.

Filed Under: British, History, Immigration, Records, What's New Tagged With: , , ,

Love Was in the Air: Our Ancestors and Valentine’s Day

February 14, 2013 By

Valentines DayThis weekend many of us will show love with chocolates, flowers, jewelry or–as my husband prefers–tools and Chinese takeout. Many of us will also turn to Hallmark or American Greetings for the perfect card.

Our ancestors exchanged of love tokens at Valentine’s Day, too. Love letters, notes and even fancy gifts have passed between suitors for over 300 years. In England, many would-be lovers started sending pre-printed cards through the mail in the 1840s, when postage rates were standardized. In the United States, the practice became more popular after the Civil War, when thousands of soldiers-turned-beaus were looking for belles.

Valentines National Archives UK captureThe National Archives (UK) has gathered a few virtual valentines in honor of the season. Browse images of old love letters, handmade and commercially-printed cards, like this 1905 valentine with its bold primary colors. Maybe these will inspire your own expressions of love this season! Or maybe they will inspire you look more closely for the love stories in your family history and honor a romance that came before you.

Filed Under: British, Get Inspired!, Holidays, What's New Tagged With: ,

Finding Your Family History in Newspapers Just Got a Little More Likely

February 9, 2013 By

Imagine the thrill of pulling up a page on from an old newspaper on your computer screen and seeing your ancestor’s name in print. It’s an event any genealogist would enjoy (and the reason I wrote the book How to Find Your Family History in Newspapers.)

Findmypast.com just made the possibility of that happening a little more likely by adding more than 6 million pages from British newspapers to it’s subscription website. Here are all the details from their recent press release:

LOS ANGELES (Feb. 6, 2013) – Findmypast.com, an international leader in online family history, today announced the addition of more than 6 million pages from British newspapers, including original images, to its extensive historical records collection. The British newspapers include local and regional titles from England, Scotland and Wales from 1700 to 1950, and encompass nearly 200 titles. The British newspapers are part of an exclusive partnership with the British Library to digitize 50 million pages over the next 10 years.

With this new addition, findmypast.com World Subscribers will have access to all of the records and articles they need to research their family tree in one website. Throughout the next 10 years, approximately 8,000 new pages will be digitized every day and every new addition will be included in existing subscriptions.

“This incredible collection of British newspapers breathes life into the past, from local happenings to events of international importance. Each page provides a unique look into the lives of our ancestors – how they lived, worked and died – through notices of vital events and daily activities,” said D. Joshua Taylor, lead genealogist for findmypast.com. “The collection is truly unique with its extensive number of local and regional newspapers each containing intricate details from the lives of our millions of British ancestors.”

The British have always had a particularly voracious appetite for newspapers, especially during the 19th century when nearly every town in the country had its own newspaper. From the man who decided to walk around the world in an iron mask to the coronation of Queen Victoria, British newspapers have captured every aspect of people’s lives.

Learn more about the collection at http://www.findmypast.com/articles/world-records/newspaper-archives/british-newspapers.

 

Filed Under: British, Newspaper, What's New Tagged With: , ,

No More Whining About Brick Walls: King Richard III Remains Found

February 4, 2013 By

King_Richard_IIIJust when we throw up our hands in frustration and declare that we will never find a particular ancestor, someone comes along and proves it possible.

Reuters is reporting that England’s King Richard III has been found after 500 years. “A skeleton with a cleaved skull and a curved spine entombed under a car park is that of Richard III, archaeologists said on Monday, solving a 500-year-old mystery about the final resting place of the last English king to die in battle…In one of the most significant archaeological finds of recent English history, a team from the University of Leicester said evidence showed a skeleton found last year in excavations of a mediaeval friary under a city car park was that of Richard.”

The physical evidence is compelling: The skeleton possesses a curved spine (which Shakespeare mocked him for), and multiple wounds attributed to battle.

Researchers at the University of Leicester sought to confirm the theory through DNA testing which included extracting DNA from the teeth and a bone for comparison with Michael Ibsen, a modern-day descendant of Richard III’s sister Anne of York. The results: A Match.

“The DNA remains points to these being the remains of Richard III,” University of Leicester genetics expert Turi King said during a press briefing.

The  lesson is not that we as genealgoists need to start digging up parking lots, but rather “never give up, never surrender.” And where there is evidence, seek indisputable proof.

To learn more about the role that DNA played in this amazing discovery watch these videos
The Search for King Richard III – The Genealogy

The Search for King Richard III Identifying the Remains (Dr. Turi King)

Filed Under: British, DNA, What's New

40 Million New Genealogy Records To Help You Locate Your Family History

December 28, 2012 By

In December the genealogy records website Findmypast.com released new and exclusive historical records that highlight significant life events of the past.  According to the the company, more than 40 million new records are included.  Here are all the details from their press release:

LOS ANGELES (Dec. 17, 2012) – …“The number of records released offers findmypast.com’s users a staggering amount of new data, ranging from exclusive United Kingdom records from as early as 1790 to modern-day vital records from the United States that will add new layers of information for researchers,” said D. Joshua Taylor, lead genealogist for findmypast.com, “Findmypast.com is constantly expanding our collections with thousands of new records being added each month. Moving into 2013, we look forward to increasing our record offerings to include rarer, more exclusive materials, in our dedication to provide the most comprehensive family history resource available.”

Many of the new records that can only be accessed through findmypast.com offer a unique glimpse into history. The Harold Gillies Plastic Surgery set, dating back to World War I, contains fascinating records of some of the world’s first restorative plastic surgery, while the White Star Line Officers’ Books include officer records from the Titanic.

Newly added employment and institutional records including the records of the Merchant Navy Seaman (aka the Merchant Marines) provide unique color to family history that can’t be created from just names and dates. Other record sets include probates and wills, such as the Cheshire Wills and Probates, which often offer crucial clues to link North American family trees back to the United Kingdom.

The full set of exclusive records recently released by findmypast.com includes:

United Kingdom Court & Probate

  • ·   Cheshire Wills and Probate
  • ·   Suffolk Beneficiary Index

United Kingdom Education & Work

  • ·   Cheshire Workhouse Records, Admissions and Discharges
  • ·   Cheshire Workhouse Records, Religious Creeds
  • ·   Derbyshire Workhouse Records
  • ·   Match Workers Strike
  • ·   White Star Line Officers’ Books

United Kingdom Military

  • ·   Army List, 1787
  • ·   Army List, 1798
  • ·   British Officers taken Prisoners of War, 1914-1918
  • ·   De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honor
  • ·   Grenadier Guards, 1656
  • ·   Harold Gillies Plastic Surgery – WWI
  • ·   Harts Army List, 1840
  • ·   Harts Army List, 1888
  • ·   Manchester Employee’s Roll of Honor, 1914-1916
  • ·   Merchant Navy Seamen (aka Merchant Marines)
  • ·   Napoleonic War Records, 1775-1817
  • ·   WWI Naval Casualties
  • ·   Paddington Rifles
  • ·   Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 British Navy & Air Force Officers
  • ·   Prisoners of War, 1939-1945 Officers of Empire serving in British Army
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Chelsea: documents of soldiers awarded deferred pensions, 1838-1896 (WO 131)
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents 1760-1887, (WO 121)
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Chelsea: pensioners’ discharge documents, foreign regiments, 1816-1817 (WO 122)
  • ·   Royal Hospital, Kilmainham: pensioners’ discharge documents, 1773-1822 (known as WO 119 at the National Archives)
  • ·   Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll, 1914-1920
  • ·   War Office: Imperial Yeomanry, soldiers’ documents, South African War, 1899-1902 (WO 128)
  • ·   WWII POWs – British held in German Territories

In addition to the exclusive records sets, this recent release includes additional records from the United States, Australia and Ireland. An update to the World War I Draft Cards collection provides registrations and actual signatures of more than 11 million young Americans from the beginning of the twentieth century.

Additional records released include:

United States Military

  • ·   Japanese-Americans Relocated during WWII
  • ·   Korean War Casualty File
  • ·   Korean War Deaths
  • ·   Korean War Prisoners of War
  • ·   Korean War Prisoners of War (Repatriated)
  • ·   U.S. Army Casualties, 1961-1981
  • ·   Vietnam Casualties Returned Alive
  • ·   Vietnam War Casualties
  • ·   Vietnam War Deaths
  • ·   WWI Draft Cards
  • ·   WWII Prisoners of War

Life Events

UNITED STATES:

  • ·   Kentucky Birth Records, 1911-2007
  • ·   Kentucky Death Records Index, 1911-1999
  • ·   Kentucky Marriage Records Index, 1973-1999
  • ·   Texas Divorce Records Index, 1968-2010
  • ·   Texas Marriage Records, 1968-2010

AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Anglican Baptisms and Confirmations, 1900-1947
  • ·   Northern Territory Anglican Burials, 1900-1968
  • ·   Northern Territory Anglican Marriages, 1902-1953

IRELAND

  • ·   Irish Catholic Church Directories, 1836-37

Census Land and Surveys

 AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Census, 1881-1921
  • ·   Northern Territory Electoral Rolls, 1895-1940 

Institutions & Organizations

AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Parliamentary Index, 1884-1890

Newspapers, Directories & Social History

AUSTRALIA

  • ·   Northern Territory Section of the Queensland Post Office Directory, 1920-1921
Filed Under: British, Candian, Records, Uncategorized, Who Do You Think You Are? Tagged With: , , ,

You May Only Have Half of Your British Ancestor’s Immigration Story

September 7, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you have found the passenger list for your British ancestor in the Ellis Island database, you’ve only gotten your hands on part of the story. There are outgoing passenger lists from the UK to the US available and www.Findmypast.com has added them to their offerings.

Findmypast has announced the expansion of its U.S. records to include World War I Draft cards and outgoing passenger lists from the UK to United States, among others.

Findmypast.com has also made news recently with the announcement of a new partnership with Federation of Genealogical Societies to preserve and digitize local U.S. records from genealogical societies around the country including newspapers and obituaries, bible records, cemetery records and birth, marriage and death records.

New records that have been added or will be added during 2012 include:

·        World War I Draft Cards

·        Outbound UK Passenger Lists (BT27)

·        Genealogical society materials

·        1940 Census records

The new records join nearly 1,000 existing unique and international record collections including:

·        England Royal Household Records

·        Most complete England, Wales and Scotland census collection available online

·        British Army service records

·        Unique Irish prison and court records

·        Irish military and rebellion records

·        Millions more records and specialist records that cannot be found anywhere else and many sets dating back to 1200 AD

Filed Under: British, Immigration, Records, What's New Tagged With: , ,