Saturday, August 27, 2005

Cyber-Library

Cyber-Library: "Swindon Reference Library has always provided access to the Times Newspaper on microfilm, however using this format for research required hours of searching through volumes of the Times Indexes and scrolling through reels of film to find the appropriate information. With The Times Digital Archive, researchers now have an unparalleled opportunity to search and view the best-known and most cited newspaper in the world online in its original published context. Every complete page of every issue of The Times from 1785 to 1985."

AncestryLibrary.com - Genealogy and Family History Records

This vast genealogical database includes the England censuses of 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, & 1901, as well as the England & Wales Civil Registration Index 1837-1983. This is just a small fraction of the huge amount of information available, and it is being added to constantly. This really is an invaluable resource for anyone researching their family history. You can only access Ancestry from computers located in Swindon Libraries. If you are using a Swindon Libraries PC visit Ancestry to find out more about it.

New Zealand Electronic Text Centre

New Zealand Electronic Text Centre: "Welcome to the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre�s free online archive of New Zealand and Pacific Islands texts and heritage materials, which offers an ever expanding set of images and full-text books, manuscripts and journals. All resources are fully searchable and delivered through an open source framework, and users may choose from multiple formats for download or online browsing. Please read further for more information on the NZETC�s mission and digitisation activities."

Quality of research

In a court of law "hear say " is not really evidence because it is not a primary source.

In research or genealogy I rank sources as:-

primary

such as original documents made at the time of the event by the people involved.


secondary

like census, or old newspapers
ie - what a reporter saw and an editor edited
and
church books - which may contain spelling mistakes
and assumptions by the minister

tertiary

most transcriptions
familysearch.org
transcribed form copies
birth, marriage and death certificates
which are copies of entries in books

quaternary

birth marriage and death certificates issued by the General Register Office from copies sent to them every quarter by the local registrars starting 1 July 1837
see


fifth grade

freebmd.org.uk
or on http://www.ancestry.com/
ancestry.co.uk/freebmd/main.htm
which is being compiled by 5000 volunteers

from the images of indexes (5)
made by copying from the quarterly returns (4)
made by local registrars from the copies(3)
of the church books (2)
made by the ministers
at the weddings who asked "what was your father's occupation?"
(1) a mumbled reply in an unfamiliar acent by the bride or groom,
who anyway might lie about their age or invent a father if illegitimate of birth.


"On 1 July 1837 a civil registration system for births, marriages and deaths was introduced in England and Wales. Registration was undertaken by civil registrars who reported to the Registrar General at the General Register Office (GRO) in London, now part of the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Copies of anyone's birth, marriage or death certificates can be obtained by the public."

see http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/mikefost
for the inside story
"Researchers have all too often completely failed to find references to persons they have been searching for. The system has long been suspected of errors. At last this research has supplied proof of missing records, wrongly copied records, wrongly indexed records, unindexed records, mistyped indexes, errors in page references, volume references and district names"

All of which is true of every archive in the world.

Stuff gets burned - by bombs eg UK soldiers records, Dublin National Archive lost everything, or accident eg US militaryrecords, and fires caused by earthquakes - San Francisco,
or just thrown away - Irish and Australian census

Which called "weeding the archives",
which is necessary to make space for the new stuff created by offical bodies needing to be held accountable, or is deemed necessary for privacy.

http://www.ancestry.co.uk/
very much copies of copies

fifth or worse
genealogies made by other people
even my own work contains errors and omissions and assumptions

all of the above are useful but should be regarded as indexes
to original documents - the primary sources

I regard an entry in my family tree only as gold plated if I have three different items of evidence

All sources are data but check out the quality

OR beware !!!

Some researchers spend years on the wrong family because of one assumption, or create brick walls by not sharing or listening to criticism by other researchers

enjoy the hunt !

originally posted here on this Rootsweb Board

Friday, August 26, 2005

reading the unreadable

Palaeography is the study of ancient writing. Once you get back to early records, you'll find you're faced with a number of challenges. "
Hard to read the original books were damaged in a fire and this is one of the few which survived. You can see the smoke damage.
Genlinks Index - Tracing ancestors in the UK: "This site is a guide to tracing ancestors in the UK, with special reference to the North of England.
The information here, is based on a genealogy evening class I taught in 1976 and which subsequently became a series of articles, written for the first three journals of the Cleveland Family History Society (UK). It has been updated to take account of today's technology and prices."

ORGANIZING YOUR TO-DO LIST

TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE:-

I remember when I first went to the Family History Library I was able to look at forty to fifty films in a week's time. For those who have been to Salt Lake City, the Family History Library can be overwhelming. The key to success is how well you organize and plan your trip.

On my last trip to the library in Salt Lake City I decided to use EXCEL and I created the following columns -

Floor
Priority
Film #
Title with who what where and when
Family Name or Client name
Results

I used Excel's landscape mode to print all the columns that I needed. I sorted--

1. by PRIORITY--whether they were restricted, vault or "See Attendant"
2. by the floor on which the records were located, and
3. by family or clients.

This method was so effective for me that I was able to go thru 250+ films in one week. The neatest thing about it is that it is ALL on one paper! When you are finished with the film you can check it off and write in the results. I used the following in my results column:

--- F - Found
--- NF - Not Found
--- Missing - Permanently missing from the vault and library (I had one situation like that)
--- No Public access (I had one film that I was not allowed to access)
--- Out - not in the drawer (check again later)
--- PC - Poor copy or quality
--- Wrong film (Need to investigate to see what I did wrong)

I am going to the Family History Library in October and I just can't wait to use my new system.

Debbe Hagner, AG

from "Ancestry Daily News" is a free service of MyFamily.com available to all registered users

google talk

google talk - Google Search

just installed

you need a gmail account first as a log in

ask me for aninvitation if you need one

Thursday, August 25, 2005

take care to compare prices

Tracesmart Electoral Roll - UK People finder database and Advanced People Search these people are cross with me because I think that they are too expensive.

caveat emptor BUYER BEWARE
eg
England & Wales Birth Index 1984 - 2003
England & Wales Death Index 1984 - 2003
England & Wales Marriage Index 1984 - 2003

I have these databases via http://ancestry.co.uk/ up to 2002 and they are
available free at public libraries and Family History Centers world wide

Calls to 0906 40 40 192 are charged at £1.50 per minute, average search time 3 minutes, excludes search fees.
Live operators available between Mon-Fri 9.00am – 5.00pm.


Tracesmart are pleased to announce the successful merge of its 31m 2005 edited Electoral Roll database into its Advanced People Search tool.
Users will now be simultaneously accessing the entire 2004 and 2005 edited Electoral Rolls and 22m additional Tracesmart Register records.

Tracesmart Subscriptions & Fees - Purchase Credits: "

Pay As You Trace
1 search credit.
BDM Database, Electoral Roll 2004, Electoral Roll 2005, Tracesmart Register.£14.95

Smart 5
5 search credits.
BDM Database, Electoral Roll 2004, Electoral Roll 2005, Tracesmart Register.£27.95"

192.com - The Largest UK Directory Enquiry Service

Approximately 1/3 of 192.com's databases are free to search without needing to register, but if you want access to Premium Data, you will need to register and get credits. With credits you can search an additional 36 million records, which are not available in the phone book. More information...

Credit packages

Pay As You Go Monthly Subscriptions
One Time 100 - £34.95
100 Credits valid for 6 months

One Time 300 - £84.95
300 Credits valid for 6 months Standard - £24.95/month
100 credits per month (6 months minimum). Extra credits at £0.20/credit.

Professional - £69.95/month
300 credits per month (6 months minimum). Extra credits at £0.20/credit.

PLEASE TAKE CARE NOT TO PAY FOR SOMETHING YOU MAY OBTAIN FREE OF CHARGE ELSEWHERE

Archived copies of the electoral roll exist on magazine cover CDs from 1999 for example



As a genealogist I keep these old CDs close to my laptop




AND

Electoral Roll: "The B4U UK Electoral Roll facility is a great comprehensive resource. It is also great for locating lost friends and family and pursuing genealogical and family history research.

This online resource contains over 45 million records from the UK Electoral Roll, and you may search by first name, last name, first name and last name or door number, street, village, town, county and/or postcode. Due to the powerful systems behind B4U Electoral Roll Search it instantly provides all of the results that match your search criteria, This is a totally free service! You are never charged for searching the B4U UK Electoral Roll. Results include name, address, city/province and postal code.
Any additional results like phone number can be e-mailed to you at no additional cost or you can phone our support line directly.

The B4U UK Electoral Roll includes ALL adults over the age of Eighteen and whilst it is a legal obligation that every person in the UK enters their details it is a recognized fact that a small percentage of the population do not do so. The database is supplied by the councils of the UK. "

1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica - ruv.net Encylopedia Information Portal

1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica - ruv.net Encylopedia Information Portal

-[ruv.net]- : Infopedia Project - Encyclopedia & Information Portal

made by
[ruv.net]: Freelance Web Designer / Open Source Developer & Consultant / Open Source Linux Support / Mambo CMS ]-

Freelance Web & Graphic Designer For Hire

Reuven Cohen recognizes all crucial components of a web enabled business. As a serial innovator rüv is equally excited about being technology driven, as he is creative. He believes that innovation does not sprout from merely a great idea but in the brilliance of its execution.

Whether it's Strategic Open Source Consulting, Web Design / Graphic Design, Content Management Development , Linux Server Support, or Interface (AJAX) Programming; rüv will cost effectively guide you through each step to ensure that your completed project will attract principle customers, clients and business partners.

As an experienced multi-facetted freelancer, ruv gained a proven track record by working with companies big and small such as Applied Elements, Oppenheimer Funds, Harvard University, MIT, Deutsche Bank, 20th Century Fox, Subaru, EMI and Red7 Media.

Injected with creativity and drawn by technology, rüv is the next generation of Web Enabled Business Services and your next step towards succes

addicted to information

addicted to information:
informationsillusionzentrum"

another datajunky datajunkie

and the most helpful one
datajunkie - Google Groups who is a most helpful and useful member and highly valued of the online community soc.genealogy.britain which may acceessed also as news:soc.genealogy.britain or as thei slist
RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: United Kingdom : GENBRIT: "GENBRIT-L


Topic: Gatewayed with the soc.genealogy.britain newsgroup for the discussion of genealogy in Great Britain and the islands."


SGbritain: "Newsgroup for Genealogy in Great Britain and the islands.
One of 25 Usenet Newsgroups in the soc.genealogy hierarchy
Soc.genealogy.britain replaced soc.genealogy.uk+ireland in the reorganization of that group."

Soc.genealogy.britain is an unmoderated group for genealogy and family
history discussion among people researching ancestors, family members,
or others who have a genealogical connection to any people in Great
Britain. This includes England, Scotland, Wales and the offshore islands
such as the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands.
The group is open to anyone with an interest in genealogy in any of the
populations in or from this area, including, but not limited to: people
who live, lived, or may have lived there; emigrants; immigrants;
colonists; residents of former colonies; and their descendants.

The scope of the group reflects language, history, migrations, and the
realities of researching public records and genealogical data archives,
and includes questions of local customs and history, or of regional or
national history which affected the lives of these people and which are
difficult to research in the present. Posts may be in any language but
those seeking replies from a wide spectrum of readers (or at all) would
be well advised to post in English.

The focus of the group is on the genealogy of individuals, as members of
ethnic groups, and as part of migration patterns. Postings on topics
unrelated to genealogy, especially relating to current political or
religious topics are not acceptable.

Postings concerning general surnames searches are not welcome and should
be directed to the soc.genealogy.surnames newsgroup or to any
appropriate subgroup that may be created. Postings containing MIME
attachments, graphics, binary or GEDCOM files, and program listings are
also not acceptable.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Electoral Roll, Post Code, People and Business Finder. Directory Enquiries

1911 Ontario Census

AllCensusRecords.com 1911 Ontario Census: "Your One-Stop Site for links to USA Census Records, Canadian Census Records, English Census Records, Census Indexes & Images, Census Transcriptions, Blank Census Forms, City Directories, Tax & Assessment Lists, Voters Registrations, Veterans Census, Questions on Census Records "

software for family historians and genealogists

TWR Computing - software and data CDs :
"Family Tree Maker 2006
In stock soon
Four choices -- Free delivery
All the data CDs are 100% UK content and the 88 page printed manual is in British English.
£21.45 to £61.90 inclusive "

Free Delivery On Everything
Orders placed by 3pm Monday-Friday are normally dispatched same day
by Royal Mail first class post or by Royal Mail airmail.

: Ancestry Library Edition is free to use at Solihull Council - Libraries

Solihull Council - Libraries
from my email:-

Dear Mr Watkins

Thank you for your email. Solihull Central Library and all of our branch libraries have a subsription to the Ancestry website so you are very welcome to try out the service when you return. Access is free of charge - the only charge is for printing, which is 10p per black and white A4 page.

I hope you enjoy using the service.


Tracey Williams
Local Studies Librarian
Solihull Central Library
Homer Road
Solihull
B91 3RG
Tel: 0121 704 6976
Fax: 0121 704 6212
email: on the website

AncestorStuff.com :: Main :: BARBADOS: English Settlers in Barbados 1637-1800 (includes 6 vols.) CD-WIN

AncestorStuff.com :: Main :: BARBADOS: English Settlers in Barbados 1637-1800 (includes 6 vols.) CD-WIN: "This Family Archive CD contains images of the pages of six volumes of Barbados baptisms, marriages, and probate records compiled by Joanne McRee Sanders. Naming some 200,000 individuals of English origin, it is very likely that the majority of persons residing in Barbados between 1637 and 1800 are identified here. Barbados was initially settled by the British as early as 1627. Many of these early settlers eventually moved to mainland America, settling in Virginia, Georgia, the Carolinas, and other colonies. In fact, throughout most of the 17th and 18th centuries, there was a continuous flow of settlers from Barbados to virtually every point along the Atlantic seaboard, with the result that many families in America today trace their origins in the New World first to Barbados.
The single volume of Barbados baptisms covers the whole period 1637-1800, and the baptismal entries are presented here in the same sequence in which they were copied from the original parish registers, now housed in the Barbados Department of Archives. Each entry gives the name of the child, the names of parents, the date of baptism (sometimes the date of birth), and a variety of miscellaneous data, all extracted and copied faithfully for the period from 1637 to 1800.
Spanning the years 1643 to 1800, the two-volume collection of marriages is arranged by Barbados parish and then by date. A typical entry provides the date of the marriage and the names of the bride and groom. Like the records of Barbados baptisms, these records are also housed in the Barbados Department of Archives.
The three volumes of probate records were originally published as Barbados Records: Wills 1639-1680 (Vol.I), Barbados Records: Wills 1681-"

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Lemon Cafe - an iced coffee recipe

Lemon Cafe - an iced coffee recipe: "A tangy and unusual blend of coffee and lemons.
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup coffee
2 oz lemon sherbet
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp sugar
PREPARATION:
Combine everything and blend until smooth. Serve in a chilled glass. "

no sugar for me so a slice of lemon in yesterdays coffee
cold from overnighting in the fridge.


coffee lemon - Google Search: "Lemon Viennese Coffee
Lemon and cinnamon add the perfect touch to fresh coffee. Prep: 5 min - Total:
10 min ... PLACE coffee, lemon peel and cinnamon in filter in brew basket ..."

interesting

Lemon Viennese Coffee: "Lemon Viennese Coffee

Lemon and cinnamon add the perfect touch to fresh coffee.

Prep: 5 min - Total: 10 min

6 Tbsp. ground MAXWELL HOUSE Decaffeinated Coffee
1 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/3 cup honey
4-1/2 cups water


PLACE coffee, lemon peel and cinnamon in filter in brew basket
of coffee maker.

Place honey in empty pot of coffee maker. Add water to coffee
maker; brew.

When brewing is complete, stir until well blended.

Makes 6 servings"

Hunters Rest Inn BUNFIGHT

Hunters Rest Inn

The Hunters Rest Inn
King Lane
Clutton Hill
Bristol BS39 5QL

Telephone : (01761) 452303
Fax : (01761) 453308

email: info@huntersrest.co.uk

from my email:-


----- Original Message -----
From: "katgenie"
To: Sent: Tuesday, August 23, 2005 1:52 AM
Subject: Travel to Bunfight


> Dear Hugh,
>
> Maggie Perkins suggested I contact you in relation to travel to the Bunfight on 24 September 2006.
>
> I will be travelling from Dorchester to Bristol by train & bus due to maintenance then by bus to Clutton. Due to the distance from Clutton to Clutton Hill where the Hunters Rest is located, it was suggested that we might be able to share a taxi.
>
> Please advise.
>
> Regards,
>
> Kathryn Schmidt
from Australia


good idea but my budget is tiny so I plan to take the bus and walk

I am very slow walking but the lane is beautiful
last time I walked down the hill and another lister came by and picked me up just in time before the steep climb
(thanks :-)

my phone is 0121 770 0288
after 30 August
and mobile 0045 751 1936 Orange
and 0045 3124 1936 3 net ? coverage
so we can speak together on the day or just before
it is the Badgers bus to Wells get off just after Pensford


Hunters Rest Inn
Originally built as a hunting lodge for the Earl of Warwick, then converted into an Inn during the 19th century, this privately owned free-house renowned for its home cooking, warm welcome and excellent cellar offers luxury accommodation with stunning views across the Mendip Hills. Bath, Bristol and Wells are all close by.


Hunters Rest Inn, Clutton Hill, Bristol, BS39 5QL

Hunters Rest Inn Home Page

get off at this crossroads
walk back turn right twice


Tariff Single from £49.50 Double from £75.00 Per Room
consider staying and going to church on Sunday
Hunters Rest Inn Contact Details

Hunters Rest Inn Location
difficult to find their own web site

"From Bristol

Follow the signs for Wells (A37) continue through the village of Pensford until large roundabout,
(bus stop is just after)
turn left towards Bath and after 100 metres turn right up country lane, follow lane to the T junction, turn left to the top of the hill - The Hunters Rest is 1 mile from the main road. "
it was raining last year but I had an umbrella and the Inn was warm and welcoming


clutton bunfight - Google Search clutton bunfight - Google Image Search

Calvary Baptist Church, Brynmawr Breconshire with registration district in Monmouthshire

Registration Districts in Monmouthshire: "Bedwelty
Created 1st July 1861 (out of Abergavenny district).
Sub-districts : Aberystruth; Rock Bedwelty; Tredegar.
GRO volumes : XXVI (1837-51); 11a (1852-1930).
Aberystruth, Aberystruth Brynmawr, Bedwelty, Rock Bedwelty, Tredegar.
Registers now in Blaenau Gwent district."

GENUKI: Brynmawr, Llanelly, Breconshire: "This is a town of 6,000, and has sprung up in response to a demand for houses for workmen employed at Nantyglo. The works were taken by Mr, (afterwards Sir) Joseph Bailey about 1813. There was then only one cottage on the hill where the town now stands; and the first cottages were built about this time near the site of the Vulcan foundry. The name Brynmawr occurs for the first time in 1817; by 1829 twenty houses had been built, but it was not until 1884 that the building of the town began in earnest, and in the following year we find streets named, viz., Bridge Sheet, Davies Street, Bailey Street, King Street, and Market Square. Twenty-two new tenants were added to the rolls of the Duke of Beaufort; in 1886 there were nine new tenants, and the names Worcester, Chapel, and Glamorgan Streets appear. By the year 1888 the greater part of the town appears to have been completed.

Brynmawr was built upon a. portion of the parishes of Llangattock and Llanelly, and when the railway was made in 1864, Brynmawr Station was erected on a corner of Aberystruth parish in Monmouthshire, where a suburb sprung up. " what the danes call a stationsby - a station town, occuring when the centre of the village shifted from the parish church to the newly built railway station.

Calvary Baptist Church, Brynmawr,The Early Years: "Research on Calvary's early history by Judith Sylte."
and I think this site is simply beautiful and an example to all of us amateur webmasters.

RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project:

Jones of Raglan Monmouthshire Wales: "A one-name study for JONES would be impossibly big, so this is limited to one-place RAGLAN
this is the first draft and a work in progress not a final authority
please check all data against original sources."

Just updated
memory of my dear granny Blanche Eveline Jones - I badly need more reports of marriages in Raglan or of Raglanders

Ragland Monmouthshire - Google Search the older spelling and about 1,100hits to check out or
132 for Ragland Monmouthshire with Jones.

Monday, August 22, 2005

UK Birth Certificates

UK Birth Certificates: "Standard Service - Up to 15 working days before despatch - �25.00
Swift Service - Up to 5 working days before despatch - �40.00
Express Service - Despatched after 1 working day - �60.00

FREE SHIPPING TO UK AND WORLDWIDE - NO HIDDEN COSTS
ALL ORDERS ARE PROCESSED WITHIN 24 HOURS "

just very very very expensive do it your self for £7 to £12

Decisions taken by the Portfolio Holder for Resources - 7 July 2003

Decisions taken by the Portfolio Holder for Resources - 7 July 2003: "064LS04Ancestry Library Edition - Family History ResourcesTo approve the provision of access to Ancestry Library Edition free of charge to Solihull library service members.

To seek approval to provide access to Ancestry Library Edition via People's Network computers in libraries, free of charge to the user.

22 March 2005"

my local library !! Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council Homepage

heads up for Ancestry

QinetiQ sells 1901 Census venture to Friends Reunited for �3.3m: "QinetiQ has sold its successful 1901 Census online business - which it developed from scratch and operated for The National Archives - to Friends Reunited for �3.3m. The website, launched on 2 January 2002, has played a key role in the burgeoning popularity of family tree research.

The business has been bought by Friends Reunited's genealogy website Genes Reunited. QinetiQ will oversee the migration of the website from QinetiQ's Malvern site to Friends Reunited's head office in Oxted, once appropriate systems are in place to ensure an uninterrupted service to users.

'The success and phenomenal popularity of the 1901 Census site over the past couple of years speaks for itself,' explained James Kirby, Director of Census Business at QinetiQ. 'We have developed and delivered one of the largest and most sophisticated database systems, via a web interface, ever seen but while QinetiQ is skilled at delivering managed businesses we don't have a broad consumer base, so it makes sense for Friends Reunited to now take this successful business on to the next level.'

Since its launch, the 1901 Census for England and Wales website has successfully handled over 120 million hits, processed over 12 million paid downloads and helped millions to research their family trees.

The site provides free search access to the data with low cost 'pay-per-view' downloads for the actual documents. Ongoing research has shown that almost 90% of users would recommend the 1901 site to others and over 75% of them rate the site as good to excellent. Having done the free searches around one in four visitors also download an average of 30 paid for images and a similar number of all users are first time visitors. "

Any Soldier ... Any Soldier Inc. ... Care Package ... Soldier Support

Any Soldier ... Any Soldier Inc. ... Care Package ... Soldier Support: "Sergeant Brian Horn from LaPlata, Maryland, an Army Infantry Soldier with the 173rd Airborne Brigade was in the Kirkuk area of Iraq when he started the idea of Any Soldier to help care for his soldiers. He agreed to distribute packages, that came to him with 'Attn: Any Soldier' in the address, to the soldiers who were not getting mail.
Brian is in Afghanistan now, and Any Soldier Inc. continues with your support.
Any Soldier Inc. started in August 2003 as a simple family effort to help the soldiers in one Army unit, thus our name. However, due to overwhelming requests, on 1 January 2004 the Any Soldiertm effort was expanded to include any member, of any of the Armed Services, in harms way."

supporting democracy with their lives at stake

Sunday, August 21, 2005

RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Little Family Genealogy