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Future Family Historians
Student (14-17 years) Virtual Volunteering Programme
Discover records. Learn new skills. Help history live on.
The Society of Genealogists is delighted to launch Future Family Historians, a new virtual volunteering programme for students aged 14 to 17.
This three-month online programme has been designed to introduce young people to the world of family history, archives and heritage research while helping them build practical skills, confidence and experience.
Participants will:
- Learn family history and research skills
- Take part in practical heritage and preservation projects
- Hear from guest speakers and experts
- Explore careers in archives, museums, genealogy and heritage
- Complete an individual research project for publication on the SoG website
- Receive a certificate and letter of reference following successful completion
Who is it for?
- Future Family Historians is ideal for students who enjoy:
- History and social history
- Research and investigation
- Writing and storytelling
- Archives, museums and heritage
- Solving puzzles and discovering hidden stories
The programme also offers valuable experience for students considering future study or careers in history, libraries, archives, museums, genealogy or related fields.
Programme dates
The programme runs from June to August 2026.
Participants must be available online from:
- Monday 29 June, 5pm–7pm
- Monday 27 July, 5pm–7pm
- Monday 24 August, 5pm–7pm
Supporting the next generation
As a charity, the Society of Genealogists is committed to making family history skills, records and knowledge accessible to more people. Future Family Historians is part of our wider mission to help the next generation discover, preserve and share the past.
We warmly encourage parents, carers, teachers, careers leads, local history groups and heritage organisations to share this opportunity with interested young people.
Find out more
Visit the volunteering section of the Society of Genealogists website or email for further information.
In Memory
Michael Gandy FSG (1949-2026)
The Society of Genealogists is deeply saddened to hear of the death on 16 May of Michael Gandy FSG, aged 76.
A long-standing member, Chairman and Fellow of the Society, Michael served as editor of the Genealogists’ Magazine from 2000 and was a much-valued friend and supporter of the genealogy community.
A true force of nature, he will be greatly missed by all who knew him. A fuller obituary and tribute will appear in the September edition of the Genealogists’ Magazine.
We extend our sincere condolences to Michael’s family and friends. Funeral details can be viewed here.
Jan Gow FGS
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Jan Gow passed away peacefully on 6 May 2026 at the age of 86, surrounded by her family. Her beloved husband, David, passed away just six weeks earlier.
Jan was a longstanding friend and supporter of our organisation, and many of us had the privilege of working with and learning from her over many years. As a Fellow of the Society of Genealogists, she made an enormous contribution to the genealogy community and inspired countless researchers through her passion, generosity, and expertise.
She was especially proud of her Fellowship and cherished her annual visits to the Society’s rooms in London over 29 years with her “Hooked on Genealogy” tours — trips that introduced so many family historians to the rich resources and camaraderie of the genealogical world.
Jan will be remembered with enormous affection and respect by all who knew her. Our thoughts are with her children, family, and friends at this sad time.
NextGEN Call for Presentations
Aged 16 to 35? Submit your proposals to present at NextGEN, the Society of Genealogists and Family History Federation’s online conference to be held online on Sat 14 November 2026.
This year’s theme is “New Connections”. Topics of interest to younger genealogists are preferred. To help you prepare your proposals, join us for a free Zoom session ‘From Passion to Presentation: How to Share Your Genealogy Story Like a Pro’ 8pm BST Tuesday 7 July 2026: Book here.
Tips from our Recent Talks
“Always look for a will”. Wills weren’t only made by the very wealthy. It is always worth checking whether your ancestor made a will. From: Family Search – Post 1858 Wills
I hadn’t thought about searching insurance claim records in regard to maritime disasters… Try to identify the lesser-known stories hidden in major historical events.” From: Fur, Feathers and Fate: Animals of the Titanic
Use PPT to make family trees, then save them as templates so that you don’t have to reproduce from scratch each time! Having a few different versions for various scenarios saved will be a time-saver!
There are a lot of other useful ways to use Powerpoint for genealogy, just not for timelines in particular.
Join today to take the next steps in your genealogy education.
JUNE EVENTS
The Society of Genealogists is made up of more than just talks and records. We are a community that understands the excitement, frustration and joy of family history research. This June, members can enjoy several opportunities to connect with fellow researchers, share discoveries and swap stories.
Our June lunchtime chat explores marriage records and weddings. Was there such a thing as a 17th-century bridezilla? Come along and find out. Members can also join our relaxed Midsummer Members’ Social, with a few updates from SoG staff but, more importantly, plenty of time to meet and chat with other members who share your interests.
Our popular Book Club continues this month with The Lost Fifty Seven by Ron Williams and Ron himself will join the discussion to talk about the book and answer questions.
June’s programme also features a fascinating collection of talks exploring marriage, relationships and family connections. Learn how to uncover new evidence in Getting the Most From Marriage and Divorce Records, explore hidden family stories in DNA Half Relationships – Evidence of Divorce and Affairs, and discover the complicated realities of wartime relationships in Love in the Time of War: Separation, Divorce and Bigamy, 1914–18 and 1939–45.
Brick-wall breakthroughs take centre stage in My Eureka (Ethelinda) Moment, where a witness on a marriage certificate proved the key to unlocking a family mystery. Other talks this month include Fleet Marriages and Calico Printing – The Cray, Wandle and Lea Migration Triangle and More, exploring the communities, industries and fashions that shaped our ancestors’ lives, including the fabrics that may even have appeared at family weddings and celebrations.
We are also delighted to present My Ancestor was Jewish – A Day to Find Out More, a hybrid day of expert talks featuring Jeanette Rosenberg, Else Churchill, Michael Tobias and Tim Franks. Whether attending in person or online, this special event offers invaluable guidance for anyone exploring Jewish ancestry and family history.
SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT
Say hello 👋 to Dr Caroline Adams!
Step into the fascinating world of early modern handwriting and historical records with Caroline. A respected palaeographer and historian, Caroline brings decades of archival expertise and a deep passion for uncovering the stories hidden within original documents.
Caroline runs her own research business, Key to the Past, where she teaches palaeography online and helps researchers develop the skills needed to read and interpret historical manuscripts with confidence. Until 2014, she was Senior Archivist at West Sussex Record Office, and she is currently working on a book exploring Elizabethan Chichester. By her own admission, she is probably more at home in the early modern period than the present day.
This month, Caroline will lead an engaging and interactive online workshop as well as other events this year, including:
Early bird or night owl?:
Well, I can’t wake up in the mornings without coffee, and I’m not much good in the evenings either – I have a coffee next to me when I’m teaching.
Favourite food or drink?:
Food: Tiramisu because of the coffee. Drink: coffee
What got you into genealogy?
Years and years ago, I spent a day in Brighton Local Studies Library, looking at the census and finding my family had run a chemist shop on Grand Parade for nearly a century.
Best Doctor Who?:
‘Blink’: The one with weeping angels. David Tennant says you shouldn’t mess about with time – ‘it’s a wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey sort of thing’.
Favourite archive or museum?:
I go up to TNA once a month and it always gives me a thrill
Favourite historical period (to research or just to read about)?:
I’m really stuck in the Elizabethan period, particularly the 1590s.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about manorial records?
That they’re difficult! They’re really not – they are as formulaic as an online form but once you have the hang of it and you know where to get the info you need, they are the same up and down the country.
Paper records or digital research?
And you’re asking an archivist??
It’s really important to handle the real thing; to see what it looks like, think about who drew it up or used it and why. Doing that answers half your questions.
Have you ever had a “goosebumps” moment while working with records?
West Sussex Record Office has an original deed from 780 AD. When I worked there, I could show it to visitors, and I used to tell them that it was eight hundred years old when Elizabeth I was on the throne. It’s quite small, A6 size, and how it survived all those different muniment rooms and the move of the bishopric up to Chichester is something that still causes me awe.
What first drew you to manorial records, and what keeps you coming back to them?
They tell you so much about daily life in a rural setting that you just don’t get from anything else.
Manorial records can sound quite daunting, what would you say to someone who has never used them before?
Go to a local record office and have a look at some, even if you don’t immediately need them, and revel in the parchment, the handwriting and the stuff they are telling you.
Do you have a favourite tip for spotting an ancestor in manorial records?
Sometimes court rolls and especially court books have an index (it may be in another volume or notebook. Peruse the catalogue for something that looks possible). Don’t dismiss it if it looks a bit ramshackle. The names will be under their initial, but not in alphabetical order (and not necessarily under the right letter). These are a great shortcut, but if your ancestor isn’t there, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.
What will attendees be able to do by the end of your course that they could not do before?
By the end of the course people should be confident enough to go into a record office and order up some manorial records.
LIBRARY NEWS
Collections Update
For the latest on what has been happening in our library and archives, see our June Collections Update, including:
- The work of our recent work experience student
- Milestones in the Great Card Index
- Our current Featured Collection
VOLUNTEERING WITH US
Work Experience
Enquiries about student work experience placements can be directed to Volunteer Coordinator Marisa: volunteering@sog.org.uk
Your feedback can help us to continue to improve our collections and services – get in touch if you have any suggestions: collections@sog.org.uk
Have you ever thought about volunteering with us?
We have projects designed for the meticulous. the curious, and the creative! From facilitating events, to transcribing Pedigree Rolls – there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about the world of genealogy while also sharing your expertise.
We have over 200 volunteers working from all over the world, and in-person opportunities working from our London-based Research Hub. Training is available for all our projects, and we have a dedicated volunteers’ forum where you can ask questions or have a chat.
So, whether you would like to learn more or would just like to make new friends, why not check out our volunteers page and get in touch?
COMPETITION
The competition, along with Book of the Month will be returning in July. The winner of May 2026’s discounted book, My Ancestors were Jewish is Lindsay Schusman.
The answer to ‘What is the name of the genealogical research division of the Museum of Jewish Heritage?’ was JewishGen.
COMMUNITY NEWS
The Family Histories Podcast‘s 11th season sees another 7 brilliant guests join host Andrew Martin as they share their researched stories of incarceration, prejudice, betrayal, war, emigration, hidden lives, crime, and hard work. Each guest then makes a plea for help from listeners to turn one of their brick walls to brick dust before taking a trip in Andrew’s (shhh…) secret time machine. You may recognise some of the interviewees from recent SoG events. Episodes be available weekly on Tuesdays for free on all the usual podcast platforms, in the following order:
- 1st May 2026: Season Eleven Trailer
- 5th May 2026: ‘The Judge’ with John Mathues
- 12th May 2026: ‘The Plaiter’ with Janet Few
- 19th May 2026: ‘The Salesman’ with Ulysses Swanson
- 26th May 2026: ‘The Escapee’ with Eliza Karpińska
- 2nd June 2026: ‘The Debtor’ with Andrew Redfern
- 9th June 2026: ‘The Incarcerated’ with Tamiko Nimura
- 16th June 2026: ‘The Overlooked’ with Olwen Moseley
The new “House of Secrets” museum, anew museum dedicated to Britain’s wartime espionage history is set to open this summer at Trent Park House in north London, will explore the country house’s extraordinary role during the Second World War, when senior German officers were secretly bugged by British intelligence in an operation compared in importance to Bletchley Park. Hidden microphones concealed in plant pots, light fittings and furniture allowed “secret listeners” — many of them German-speaking Jewish refugees — to gather intelligence that proved crucial to the Allied war effort.
Alongside its espionage history, visitors will also discover the glamorous former home of politician and host Sir Philip Sassoon, whose famous guests included Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Noel Coward, Fred Astaire and Charlie Chaplin. The House of Secrets is expected to open in summer 2026.
Interested in house history, check out these from our video library:
The Landlords of the Crown and Garter: Fact, Fiction or Folklore?
Whether you have publicans in your family tree or want to dig into the history of your local pub, you will pick up useful research hints and sources.
Jane Austen, Chawton, and my Family Legacy
Caroline Knight, Jane Austen’s fifth great niece, explores how English estates were preserved through photographs, family documents, heraldic records, and generations of stories.
The Story of Britain’s Seafront Buildings
This illustrated talk explores the rich history of Britain’s seafront buildings, from fashionable Georgian resorts to modern day seasides, looking at the buildings that have helped shape our coastal landscapes, from function to leisure…sometimes iconic, sometimes controversial, but always fascinating.
Call for Speakers – AGRA Conference 2027
The Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) is seeking speakers for its 2027 conference, Land and Life – Researching our Rural Ancestors, to be held at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, on 11th–12th September 2027.
Speakers do not need to be AGRA members or family historians, but must have proven expertise in their proposed subject. Talks should be approximately 45 minutes, followed by a Q&A.
Topics might include migration, landowner and manorial records, enclosure, rural occupations, industrialisation and DNA.
Expressions of interest should be sent to Sarah Pettyfer at sarah@spfhhistory.co.uk by 30th September 2026, and must include a proposed title, a summary of up to 100 words, and a short biography of no more than 200 words.
The Alde Valley Suffolk Family History Group has a new website is now live at www.avsfhg.org.uk
Suffolk ancestors, or interesting in geographical research. Here’s a selecton of videos for you to enjoy:
Researching in Suffolk
Are you researching ancestors in Suffolk? Connect with experts from the local family history society and local archives to discover the wealth of resources available. This is a collaboration between Society of Genealogists, Suffolk Archives and the Hold and Suffolk Family History Society. Join us to learn about family history
The Victoria County History
A quick introduction to the Victoria County History. What it is and why it is useful for researching place and people in places.
yourDNAportal.com has announced a new ratings feature across their free and advanced genetic health results, as well as advanced ancestry tests, allowing users to mark results as “accurate”, “not sure” or “not accurate”. The company notes that carrying a genetic trait does not always mean it will be physically expressed. Alongside the update, Eurasia Modern (the platform’s global ancestry test) has been refined with enhanced coverage of Northwestern European countries, Northern Italy and Croatia, with Eurasia Modern Chromosynthesis also receiving updates.
Need help with your DNA? Check out these in the Learning Hub.
Professional Corner: DNA for the Terrified Professional Traditional Genealogist
Learn how to improve confidence when working with DNA.
The Lost Child
The story of solving a complex genealogy mystery involving informal fostering and a child born overseas without parental details.
DNA Advice Hour
News from the world of DNA and answers to any questions, both big and small.
A Family History of the 1926 General Strike, a new podcast series, has uncovered the story of miner-turned-activist William Lawther, who played a pivotal role in the lead up to the 1926 Strike before becoming the first miner ever to be knighted. Researchers at Findmypast traced Lawther’s remarkable journey from the coal pits of Northumberland to national politics through historical newspapers, records and oral history recordings discovered in Northumberland Archives.
The episode explores his links to the village known as “Little Moscow”, his arrest during the Strike, and his rise as a political figure, with insights from Jonathan Kindleysides, Head of Industry at Beamish Museum, alongside host Jen Baldwin. The General Strike centenary special of A Family History Of… launched on all major streaming platforms from 28 April 2026.
📺 What’s On the Box?
The latest series of Who Do You Think You Are? has returned to BBC One, with episode one featuring broadcaster Zoe Ball on an emotional journey through her family history. Exploring roots that stretched from the tenements of Glasgow and the granite mines of Guernsey to the industrial communities of Bolton and County Durham, Zoe uncovered moving stories of hardship, including ancestors who spent time in prison and in a mental institution. Missed it? Catch up now on BBC iPlayer.
Join the conversation!
Did you watch the first episode of the new series?
Share your thoughts with our community on our Facebook page. We love hearing from you!
THE LATEST DIGITAL COLLECTION NEWS
Ancestry has added:
- Fulton County, Georgia, U.S., Absentee Military Voters, 1944-1962
- Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., Railroad Employment Cards, 1881-1906
- Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., St Luke’s Episcopal Church Records, 1864-1961
- Pulaski, Arkansas, U.S., Coroners Files, 1865-1903
- Bronx and Queens, New York, U.S., Naturalizations, 1914-1952
- Washington, District of Columbia, U.S., Land Transfer Books, 1900-1962
- Hawaii, U.S., Certificates of Identity, 1908-1943
- Hawaii, U.S., Sugar Plantation Records, 1909-1972
- Arkansas, U.S. State Licensing for Embalmers, Funeral Directors, and Midwives, 1935-1970
Deceased Online has added digital burial and cremation records from Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
Website tutorials are now available on their YouTube channel.
FamilySearch has added:
- Italy, Cremona, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1744-1942
- Italy, Massa e Carrara, Pontremoli, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1777-1865
- Italy, Novara, Civil Registration (Courthouse), 1866-1925
- Italy, Pescara, Pescara, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1865-1910
- England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975
Newspapers
- Bennett’s Register of Penny Advertisements, 1892-1893
- English Chartist Circular, 1841-1843
- English Leader, 1866-1867
- Grimsby Advertiser, 1861-1887
- Hornsea Gazette, 1869-1871, 1874-1884, 1886-1895, 1897-1901
- Huddersfield Boro’ Advertiser, 1913-1917, 1922-1942
- Irish Templar, 1877-1896
- Knaresborough Times, 1864, 1879, 1889
- Leicester Pioneer, 1905-1921
- Liverpool Citizen, 1887, 1889, 1891
- Maldon Express, 1873, 1877, 1880, 1889, 1893, 1932
- Middlesbrough Temperance Visitor and Monthly Advertiser, 1871, 1873, 1875-1883
- Musical Transcript, 1853-1854
- North London Guardian, Stoke Newington Chronicle, 1888-1916
- Nursing Times, 1905-1919
- Oldham Evening Express, 1869, 1871, 1889
- Phono Trader and Recorder, 1904-1913
- Putney & Wandsworth Borough News, 1885-1895
- Tetbury Advertiser, 1885-1892, 1894, 1896-1911
- The Crescent, 1896-1908
- Wearside Catholic News, 1907-1908, 1914-1934
- Wimbledon Herald, 1901-1905, 1907-1909, 1911-1921
- Voice of the People, 1848, 1848
TheGenealogist has released the Devon Lloyd George Domesday Survey, making these records available online for the first time. The collection covers over 352,000 people and organisations linked to more than 2,500 square miles of historic maps, offering a detailed picture of Devon life in the years before the First World War. Records include homes, farms, shops, estates, inns and businesses across the county, and can be explored alongside period mapping through TheGenealogist’s MapExplorer™. Among the stories found in the collection is that of Hallsands, the Devon fishing village later destroyed by the sea in 1917, with records capturing the community as it stood before disaster struck.
TheGenealogist has also updated its MapExplorer™ tool to pin baptism, marriage and burial records directly onto maps, allowing family historians to locate over 6,000 churches where their ancestors’ key life events took place. The update also adds more than 3,000 historic church photographs and paintings to its Image Archive, many of which are linked directly to the pinned parish records.
Researchers can now visualise search results as a heatmap, making it easier to identify geographical clusters, migration patterns and family connections — particularly useful for surname studies and pre-census research. The new features are available to Diamond subscribers.
It can be viewed at www.thegenealogist.co.uk
TheGenealogist is offering a Diamond subscription for the price of Standard, now just £129.95 for the year (usually £169.95). You’ll also receive a free online magazine worth £36, giving you monthly insights into the world of family history for an entire year. Explore these new records and start your genealogical journey today with TheGenealogist by claiming this offer here: https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/MGBLGD526. Offer expires 15th August 2026.
