Society of Genealogists

News

Government proposals for changes to registrations of births

The Government has announced proposals to change the law regarding the registration of children of unmarried parents. The proposals described in the Times require joint registration of both parents on the birth certificates, that father’s have an obligation to register and a right to do so. Registrars may use their judgments and allow sole registrations if getting both parents names would be "impossible, impractical or unreasonable". The department for Schools Children and Families has issued a press statement. The White Paper Joint birth registration: recording responsibility can be found at: DWP Web site or Every Child Matters web site

The Society of Genealogists Family History Show at Who Do You Think You Are? Live 2008. Olympia 2-4 May

Else Churchill

I’m pleased to report that the second Who Do You Think You Are? Live was once again an enormous success and the Society of Genealogists Family History Show (now in its sixteenth year) continues to be an integral part of the event. The move to Olympia’s larger Grand Hall with its wider aisles made this year’s visit considerably more comfortable than last year, but even still, the family history exhibition stands were heaving with visitors, with Saturday being the busiest day but only just ahead of Friday and Sunday. The SoG Family History Show, sponsored by Family Relatives, continued to provide a thriving mix of some 80 local societies and smaller vendors offering everything the family historian needs from software to online courses; from books, maps and charts to chat-groups. The larger commercial areas saw the huge displays of The National Archives, the National Library of Wales and other repositories along with the impressive presence from Family Search, Ancestry, Findmypast and Family Relatives.

Enhancing the family history element of this year’s show was the colourful presence of men (and women) in military uniforms and hardware throughout the centuries and the military show within the show. Many a grown man looked on wistfully as the fragile First World War aircraft (sorry I never did catch on as to what make it was) was gently unpacked from its box like a giant Airfix kit. There was lots of military memorabilia and even the odd tank and medals specialists and booksellers mingled with family historians. I’m sure stories, research tips and cards were exchanged. The shouted re-enactment of army drills or drums made it quite a challenge to lecture in some of the open workshops but the microphones always won out.

The presence of celebrities from the Who Do You Think You Are? Series and Tony Robinson, Phil Harding and Julian Richards in the Super Theatre and the Council of British Archaeology lectures didn’t seem to stop the SoG’s own workshops from being extremely very well attended. Most of the SoG’s 60 lectures had people standing at the back and in the aisles to hear the talks. The speakers, who were a mix of SoG stalwarts and show exhibitors provided a wide variety of talks on sources and techniques. Naturally titles like I’m Stuck, My Ancestor was an Agricultural Labourer and Can’t Find Them in the Census? had huge audiences. So a heartfelt thanks from me to all who volunteered to talk at the show.

The biggest team of SoG volunteers ever was brought together by Lori our events co-ordinator. They worked the SoG stands selling new and second hand books, answered questions about the SoG and promoted membership. We had a tremendous number of new members join the Society and we are delighted to welcome you. Perhaps you’ll be volunteering to help us next year? The SoG bookstall also did extremely well. The computers in the Society’s Ask the Expert Area, sponsored by Tiscali, were buzzing as the team of experts from the SoG, The National Archives and our own Census Detectives John Hanson, Graham Walter and Jeanne Bunting all under the supervision of Kathy Elam, Colin Allen and Frank Hardy faced hoards of people looking for help, patiently queuing round the hall to book a consultation. Tiscali were delighted with our experts and filmed many of them for further video information pieces on the newly designed genealogy section of the Tiscali website (written for them by the Society of course!!). If you want to see some interviews from the SoG and some of the forthcoming tips from experts at the show have a look at the Tracing Your Family Tree pages on the lifestyle section of Tiscali’s website

The media kept us busy - we did interviews before hand and during the show itself which were published on BBC Radio and elsewhere. A report of the show was made on BBC Radio 5 Lives Up All Night programme in the early hours of Tuesday (May 6) morning. If you’d like to hear interviews with Else Churchill and other experts from the show go to Up All Night home page and choose the listen again option near the top of the page for 0100 Tuesday The first reports were broadcast at 13minutes past (about 9.38 minutes into the show) and the next bit was 0305.

Reports of the show and interviews with Sally Magnusson will also be broadcast on Radio 4’s Tracing Your Roots on Sunday 10 May at 13.30pm

All in all this year’show was a huge amount of work by all the team involved at the Society but it was all worth it. We hope everyone who came along had a great time and we’ll see you next year. Watch this space for further details.

More pictures(pdf)of the Society at the show and general pictures of the event

Family History Show Sponsor announced

The Society of Genealogists is please to announce Familyrelatives.com as the new sponsor of the Society of Genealogists Family History Show 2008. The Family History Show Who do you think you are? LIVE promises to be bigger and better and is taking place in May starting on Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th Grand Hall, Olympia, London

Click image for Press Release(pdf)

7 March 2008

1911 Irish Census Details Now Online

After a several year project by the National Archives of Ireland, in partnership with Libraries and Archives Canada, anyone may now search the 1911 census of Ireland by first or family name. The site contains the digital equivalent of 4,000 reels of microfilm and 3.5 million images. It currently holds records for Dublin only, but project organisers plan to add the rest of the country, as well as details of the 1901 census, next year.

Each entry includes a person's education, religion, profession and place of birth. A category for "children still living" suggests some astonishing child mortality rates. Another column asks people, in the jargon du jour, if they are "deaf and dumb; dumb only; blind; imbecile or idiot; or lunatic." You can read more about the records at www.census.nationalarchives.ie/about/index.html

The online version includes both a transcription as well as scanned images of each page. You can search the transcriptions for names, then click on a link to see the original image. The 1911 census has some interesting entries:

William B Yeates (sic), a "dramatic author and poet" was recorded in the company of Lady Gregory at Nolan's Hotel on South Frederick Street.
The return for Marjorie Dixon of Buckingham Street shows that she had lost seven of her 13 children during her 28-year marriage.

The 1911 census records of Dublin, Ireland can be found at www.census.nationalarchives.ie

12 December 2007 - Else Churchill

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? LIVE RETURNS!

After the huge success of Who Do You Think You Are? LIVE earlier this year, the show next year will be bigger and better and will take place in the stunning Grand Hall at Olympia from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th May 2008 (open 10-6 except Sunday 10-4).

The Society of Genealogists Family History Show will take place for the 16th consecutive year and will feature more family history societies and organisations than ever before. Plus the event will see an increase in the number of dedicated family history exhibitors. The SoG workshop programme will continue to provide the most comprehensive level of family history expertise than is available anywhere else in the UK featuring speakers including Else Churchill, Geoff Swinfield, Mike Gandy and John Hanson.

Experienced family historians and beginners alike will find a range of workshops or lectures covering record sources, techniques and tips to take it further. Local experts from the regional family history societies can tell you what’s available in their area and of course there are oodles of opportunities to indulge your hobby with some retail therapy at the bookstalls; genealogical and archive suppliers, picture postcard sellers and CD sellers. In addition to all this, the show will give you access to more military records than is available anywhere else.

Plus you can expect to see more celebrities who have appeared on the TV programme sharing their experiences as well as hear TV personalities such as Time Team presenter Tony Robinson and military historians Dan and Peter Snow as they bring to life some on the influential battles of the 20th Century in the amazing new ‘Battle Theatre’.

The Society of Genealogists gives you the chance to buy two tickets for £20*. That's a saving of £20! To book simply call: 0871 230 1091 or visit Who Do Your Think You Are? Live! and quote SOG241 at the time of booking.

Or, if you would like to book for a group of 20 or more, you can purchase two adult tickets for just £15*. To gain this discount simply quote SOGGROUP,

*£1.95 per transaction charge will apply. The normal adult on door ticket price is £20. Tickets go on sale on 1st December 2007.

[1 December 2007]