Society of Genealogists | Feb 28, 2025, 12:00 PM
The Genealogy Gazette: Mar 25
Discover the latest SoG news and family history tips here. Along with community news on the latest record releases, conferences, and more.
OUR NEWS
Exciting Opportunities at the SoG
Passionate about family history and ready for a new challenge?
Discover the latest opportunities to work with us, including our current Chair of Trustees vacancy here.
Military History Special Offer
Book any three of our special online military history days and get the fourth day absolutely free:
- Women in the Military and Wartime - Saturday 22 March 10.30am-5pm
- World War II - Saturday 17 May 10.30am-5pm
- World War I - Saturday 14 June 10.30am-5pm
- Pre-1914 Military Ancestors - Saturday 9 August 10.30am-5pm
Plus, each day comes with either a free talk or book. Full details can be found here. All days are recorded, so watch or rewatch talks at your leisure for up to two weeks after each day.
SoG Members can get all four days for just £180 or Non-Members for £225. That’s 26 hours of military-themed talks, plus two books and two bonus hour-long talks. Alternatively, each day can be booked for £60 for SoG Members or £75 for Non-Members. This is a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of military history while uncovering your ancestors’ stories.
A to Z Goes Live
Our most eagle-eyed members may have noticed that SoG Explore now has an additional button on its search interface. At the click of a button, you can now peruse our record sets alphabetically, open PDFs, browse images in a set, and filter SoG Explore results by record set.
Instructional videos with tips and tricks are coming soon!
Victorian Valentines
While exploring our Lister Collection, our expert in-house genealogist Else Churchill came across two charming Victorian Valentine’s scraps in an album of cards compiled in the 1860s. The 11-box collection, which includes correspondence, photographs, diaries, and miniature portraits, was donated to the Society in 1987 by Mrs. Joyce Elizabeth Lister (née Calcott), the widow of botanist and agricultural advisor Charles Anthony Lister. This fascinating archive provides valuable insights into the lives and travels of the Lister family.
Society of Genealogists YouTube
Are you researching ancestors from the North East of England?
Catch up on our recent talk, by experts from the local family history society and local archives to discover the wealth of resources available.
In conjunction with Northumberland & Durham Family History Society, we hosted a panel of experts to present "Researching in the North East". Learn about family history resources for the counties of Durham, Northumberland and Tyne & Wear with experts from:
- Northumberland & Durham Family History Society
- Durham Archives
- Northumberland Archives
- Tyne & Wear Archives part of North East Museums
- Victoria County History
- Historic Towns Trust
- Vision of Britain
- Society of Genealogists
We aim for everyone to leave the talk with at least one new source to find out about the lives of their North Eastern ancestors.
Tips from inside the SoG
The following hints and tips for family history research were shared by members after our events this month.
Following our Brick Wall Buster session for members, someone was inspired to join a local family history society:
“I discovered that there were genealogy sites linked to specific areas of Ireland, so I have joined the relevant group for my search.”
A talk by Peter Higginbotham about his website Workhouses.org.uk had many people realising that there was so much more to the website than they had known. Members shared the following tips on the website and searching for paupers:
“There are many more sources and information to explore on the website than I have paid attention to before such as background reports, social explorers and workhouse inspections and visits.”
“That pauper did not necessarily mean extremely poor, merely that the person was asking for parish relief, perhaps after a death in the family.”
Long before questionable online trees, there were questionable printed pedigrees! Else Churchill talked to us about the many sources for titled and landed families and amused us with tales of genealogists who may have stretched the truth with (or entirely made up!) their pedigrees. Always investigate the reliability of your sources, especially secondary sources!
All the talks and sessions mentioned in our tips section are available in our Gold Members’ video library. Join today, and you’ll have access to the whole back catalogue of over 100 recordings. Find out more here.
MARCH EVENTS
Video Library
Each week we add exciting new additions to our Gold educational video library, like the recent Frontline Fashions talk with Graham Bandy, which focuses on the back-and-forth interplay between fashion and military uniforms. We cover a wide variety of topics, helping you to broaden your knowledge of the past and to hone your genealogy skills. Find out more about Gold here.
In March, we turn to a familiar and invaluable source, the census. From a fresh look at the 1921 census of England and Wales, to surviving examples of pre-1841 census returns, have you really learnt all you can about this vital record? We have talks on accessing census material from Scotland and Ireland, plus tips for searching online, and how to use the census for house history.
Occupation of the month in March is solicitors and shhh…. everyone who books will receive a 50% discount code for our publication “My Ancestor was a Lawyer by Brian Brooks and Mark Herber”.
1st March is St. David's Day, and with our Events and Education Manager Ruth living in Wales, we couldn’t fail to mark the occasion! Gill Thomas will be teaching us all about Researching Welsh Ancestry.
Our collaboration with Northumberland and Durham Family History Society was a huge success with many people discovering new sources for their ancestors from the North East. We next work with Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies and Hertfordshire Family History Society. Join us online or come into Wharf Road to discover Hertfordshire Ancestors at the SoG. There is also an opportunity to Visit Hertfordshire Archives and Local Studies with a group from SoG.
RootsTech Watch Parties Thursday 6 March – Saturday 8 March 2025
Finally, if you are unable to visit Salt Lake City and will be #NotAtRootsTech, SoG members are welcome to join us from the comfort of their own homes to watch some RootsTech talks in company. We’ll chat on Zoom before and after the talk. See www.sog.org.uk/events for details of our free watch parties and all upcoming events.
VOLUNTEERING WITH US
Do you want to find out the rest of this story? Why not become a volunteer and help us to uncover it?
From archives to events to digitisation, we have lots of opportunities for you to get involved from home or our library. You can find out more about our projects on our dedicated volunteers’ page.
“As a volunteer, I feel so supported and my opinions are valued. I also feel part of the team of both my fellow volunteers and the SoG staff. It is a wonderful volunteer experience!” Kelly
“As a volunteer, I feel so supported and my opinions are valued. I also feel part of the team of both my fellow volunteers and the SoG staff. It is a wonderful volunteer experience!” Kelly
Volunteers to lead archive tours
We have been offered the opportunity for groups of members to tour various archives around Britain. Would you be able to lead a group? Essentially, you would be the face of SoG and check off a list of members as they arrive. The archives themselves will provide the tour. We are currently looking for volunteers for visits during 2025 to Bedford, Whitby, Oxford, Plymouth, Sheffield, Carmarthenshire and Argyll Estates (Inverary), though there may be others in due course. Please contact Catherine using eventsoffice@sog.org.uk if you can help.
LIBRARY NEWS
For the latest news about the library, including our new Featured Collection, and how to be a Gold Member for a day, see our March Library Update.
BOOK OF THE MONTH
March’s Book of the Month is:
My Ancestor was a Leather Worker by Ian Waller (2015)
For anyone who has ancestors working in the leather trade, especially from the early to the middle 1800s. Ian Waller examines the history, the manufacturing processes and the working conditions. Expect to find tanners, curriers, leather merchants, shoemakers, saddle and harness makers, glove makers and many other jobs that involved leather, such as making balls, books, belts, hats and sporrans.
Ian gives us a comprehensive guide to the types of records that are available to enable you to find out more about ancestors’ work. The appendices hold detailed explanations of records held in specific parts of the country.
“Authoritative and jam-packed with information about British leather trades.” Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine
The usual cost of My Ancestor was a Leather Worker is £9.99 and is currently available to SoG members at the discounted price of £7.99 (£8.99 to non-members).
A £3.50 postal charge applies within the UK. This book plus the full range of titles published by the Society available from our bookshop through our website. Offer valid until 31 March 2025.
From 1 March 2025 all overseas books will only be posted at Economy International rates. Should you wish to pay for Standard International rates please email membership@sog.org.uk for a quote and to arrange it.
Competition
Win a copy of March 2025’s discounted book, My Ancestor was a Leather Worker.
To enter, please answer the following question:
The London Leather Hide and Wool Exchange was on the corner of Weston Street and which other thoroughfare in Bermondsey?
Please email your answer to competition@sog.org.uk by midnight GMT on 10 March 2025 with the heading ‘Genealogy Gazette Competition’. Please provide your full name, postal address, and telephone number. Only one entry per person. The winner will be notified by email.
The winner of February 2025’s discounted book My Ancestors worked in Textile Mills was Andrew Paul Kurowski. The answer to ‘What was the name of the 19 year old character in Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1835 novel North and South who died from ‘spinners’ phthisis’?’ was Bessy Higgins.
COMMUNITY NEWS
RootsTech 2025 (6-8 March 2025) has announced three exciting new virtual keynote speakers! Italian entertainer Marco Lui will bring laughter with his silent mime performances while sharing heartfelt reflections on family. Filipino singer-songwriter Ysabelle Cuevas, known for her soulful voice and nearly half a billion YouTube views, will inspire with her musical journey. And from Colombia, social media sensations Los Chicaneros will share their hilarious family skits, capturing the joy of everyday moments. Don’t miss these engaging speakers - learn more at RootsTech.org.
A new open-access book, Inheriting the Family: Objects, Identities and Emotions, edited by Katie Barclay, Tanya Evans, Joanne Begiato, Laura King, and Ashley Barnwell, explores how family inheritances shape personal identity, cultural heritage, and national memory. Utilising methodologies from the history and sociology of emotions, the collection examines the selection of specific family tokens and their transition from private keepsakes to public heritage. Through diverse case studies - including Victorian library chairs, quilts, religious texts, and intergenerational writings - the book delves into the emotional significance of inherited objects across various social, racial, and ethnic groups. Published by Bloomsbury Academic in 2025, the ebook is available under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license on bloomsburycollections.com, with open access funded by UK Research and Innovation.
Historic England has acquired the Janette Rosing Collection, comprising over 8,000 original black and white photographs from the mid-19th to early 20th centuries. This collection offers a comprehensive visual record of England's architecture, landscapes, and maritime history during a transformative period marked by industrialisation and urbanisation. The photographs, taken by prominent photographers of the era, cover every English county and include various photographic processes of the time. Janette Rosing, a renowned photographic consultant, dedicated her life to amassing this collection, which has been acquired through the UK Government's Acceptance in Lieu scheme. Historic England plans to conserve, catalogue, and digitize the collection, making it accessible to the public and preserving it for future generations. Search the Archive here.
Trove.scot is a new online platform that brings together a vast range of historical and archaeological resources in one place. By integrating data from the Historic Environment Portal, Canmore, SCRAN, and the Property in Care Collections, it provides a comprehensive research tool for anyone interested in Scotland’s past. Whether you’re an academic, heritage professional, or history enthusiast, Trove.scot offers access to information on listed buildings, designated sites, and archival imagery, making it easier than ever to explore Scotland’s rich heritage. This project has been made possible with funding from the Historic Scotland Foundation.
Papal Letter Image, 27 June 1299
The Strathclyde Institute for Genealogical Studies has launched a groundbreaking online database of papal dispensations for marriage, providing a valuable resource for genealogical and historical research. Until now, records of papal dispensations granted in Britain and Ireland between 1198 and 1534 were not available in one place online. Funded by the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, the project has extracted entries from published calendars of papal registers to create a searchable database. This ongoing initiative aims to support both academic and genealogical research into medieval family histories. Explore the database at https://papaldispensations.org.uk/.
The National Archives of Ireland has announced that the 1926 Census records will be digitized and made freely available online on April 18, 2026. This release will provide a detailed snapshot of life in Ireland a century ago, offering invaluable insights for genealogists and historians. For more information and updates, visit the National Archives' official page on the 1926 Census.
The Amsterdam City Archives has unveiled a major website overhaul, making it easier than ever to explore its vast collection of 50 kilometers of paper records and millions of digital files. A new unified search engine now allows users to seamlessly browse archival descriptions, indexes, and images all in one place - instantly accessing available digital documents. This streamlined experience replaces the previous need to switch between different sections, offering a smoother and more intuitive way to uncover Amsterdam’s rich history. Visit the new beta version at https://beta.archief.amsterdam/ to explore the city’s past.
The U.S. National Archives has acquired a significant collection of historical documents from Arlington National Cemetery, spanning from the 1830s to the 1970s. This collection includes rare maps, architectural drawings, and records that provide valuable insight into the cemetery’s history and development.
What’s On The Box?
We've been enjoying the latest series of Finding Your Roots in the office, with its fascinating celebrity revelations. Highlights so far include Amanda Seyfried uncovering the tragic murder of her ancestor in 1905, Melanie Lynskey discovering her great-grandfather's double life, and guests like Chrissy Teigen, Kristen Bell, and Laurence Fishburne exploring their family histories. For UK viewers, while the series airs on PBS in the US, episodes may be available on streaming platforms like Apple TV or the show's official website and YouTube channel - worth checking for the latest updates.
We’d love to hear what you are watching! Join the conversation on our Facebook page - let us know which shows you're loving and any fascinating stories you've discovered through them.
THE LATEST DIGITAL COLLECTION NEWS
Findmypast
Findmypast has added:
- Queensland, Imperial pensions 1898-1912
- Queensland, Criminal depositions 1861-1885
- Queensland, Dentists 1903-1932
- Bedfordshire Baptisms
- Bedfordshire Marriages
- Bedfordshire Burials
- New Zealand Cemetery Records
- Scotland Monumental Inscriptions
- Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions
- Herefordshire Burial Index
- Northamptonshire Militia Lists
- Middlesex Births and Baptisms
- Greater London Marriage Index
- Greater London Burial Index
New newspaper titles:
- Bournemouth Times and Directory, 1934-1950
- Bromley Local Guide and Advertiser, 1910-1919, 1930
- Dromore Leader, 1978-1984, 1986-1988, 1990-1992
- Folkestone Daily News, 1910-1914
- Middlesbrough Standard, 1908-1940, 1948
- Blackpool Gazette, 1878, 1890-1895
- Scunthorpe Star, 1950, 1988-1996
TheGenealogist
TheGenealogist in partnership with The National Archives has launched their expansive Lloyd George Domesday Record Collection for Dorset. The collection features historic maps from 1910 with pins representing records on its innovative MapExplorerT
TheGenealogist has added 292,259 newly opened records to its 1939 Register, most of whom were born in 1924. This release includes British comedy legends Benny Hill and Tony Hancock who were recorded living near each other in Bournemouth at the outbreak of WWII.
Other additions include:
- MacDonald's Scottish Directory and Gazetteer 1939-40
- Post Office Aberdeen Directory, 1954-1955
- Kelly's Directory of Banbury and Neighbourhood 1950
- Kelly's Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Directory, 1907
- Kelly's Directory of Birmingham & Smethwick, 1941
- Chester 1941 Kelly's Directory
- Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1948-1949
- Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory, 1940-1941
- Ipswich, Kelly's Directory 1949
- Kelly's Directory of Leicestershire & Rutland, 1941
- Kelly's (Gore's) Directory of Liverpool and Suburbs, 1941
- Post Office London Directory, 1942
- Post Office London Directory, 1949
- The Post Office London Directory, 1950, Vol II
- Post Office London Directory, Vol. 1, 1922
- Post Office London Directory, Vol. 2, 1922
- London Post Office Directory, 1854
- Kelly's Newcastle Upon Tyne Directory 1950
- Slater's Directory of Prestwich etc. 1899
- Kelly's Directory of Southampton 1948-1949
- Kelly's Directory of Southampton, 1946
- Thom's Official Directory, 1910
Winston Churchill in the London Post Office Directory, Vol. 1, 1922
MyHeritage has launched Ethnicity Estimate v2.5, a major upgrade to its DNA ethnicity model, offering higher resolution and nearly doubling the number of identified ethnicities from 42 to 79. Following extensive research and user feedback, this new model provides more precise breakdowns, including 24 European ethnicities and 15 Jewish ethnicities, distinguishing between groups such as Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish. Existing MyHeritage DNA users can opt in to the new results while retaining access to previous estimates. Ethnicity Estimate v2.5 is free for all users and now available to explore.
MyHeritage has unveiled Ancient Origins, a new feature that allows users to trace their ancestry back 10,000 years, connecting them with ancient civilizations such as Imperial Romans, Norse Vikings, Phoenicians, and Ancient Egyptians. Developed in partnership with Illustrative DNA, this tool enhances existing DNA ethnicity reports by comparing user DNA to ancient samples from archaeological excavations. The service provides detailed reports, including percentage breakdowns of ancient populations and genetic distance maps, and is available to all MyHeritage DNA customers with a Complete or Omni subscription.
Please contact us for more information
Our Courses and Talks
New Courses, Talks & Walks
Discover new courses, talks, walks and visits each month. Delivered by experts in genealogy or history our educational opportunities cover a vast array of topics. From techy tools to history to genealogical research tips. Check out this month's offering (and beyond) here.
Calendar View
Know you have a quieter month ahead and want to plan in some learning time? Scroll through our calendar to discover our vast array of courses, talks, walks and visits. From 12 week evening courses, to lunchtime chats. There's something for everyone.
Free Events for Members
We regularly hold events focusing on our collections, alongside members' social sessions, and updates. Discover upcoming 'free for members' events, and find your genealogy community!
Join us
As a member, you can make the most of our resources, access our experts, and find a welcoming community of people interested in family history and genealogy.
We all have roots. Let’s find them together.
