Free Talk!

Many people now want to investigate the missing links between their Caribbean and African ancestors, and may feel severed from two ancestries (double diaspora), knowing less and less about ancestors as each generation passes.

Delivered by Dr. Penny Walters, this talk uses the experience of Penny's own children to explore a wide variety of sources for black British family history research, including; DNA testing, various archival sources, online databases, newspaper accounts, oral histories, and documented lives. It will also reflect on a number of difficulties faced, and ethical dilemmas involved, such as living with the legacies of philanthropic slave traders, including statues and buildings in modern Britain.

As a charity passionate about the importance of family history for everyone, we are delighted to be able to offer you the option to book a free ticket to this talk. Choose either the free option or opt to pay for your ticket at our usual talk rate (£10), and by doing so donate to the SoG. Your donations help us to continue providing talks, events, genealogy guides, and information to everyone interested in discovering their ancestors.

Find out more about the talk and book your ticket here.

Volunteering with the Society

We have various 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 and family history while sharing your expertise. 

We have over 150 volunteers working from all over the world, but we also have in-person opportunities working from our north London-based library. 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? 

All About That Place, our unique free challenge event celebrating family, local and social history begins on 27 September with 140 bitesize talks over 10 days. Taking place on Facebook and YouTube watch as many, or as few talks as you wish. The programme is now online here. With talks on a huge range of topics, from quack doctors to hunting for Tupperware in the woods, from WW1 service records to midden heaps and privies, from Monopoly to using artificial intelligence, there really is something for everyone. Share with your friends and family! 

All About That Place is brought to you by the Society of Genealogists, supported by the Society of One-Place Studies, British Association for Local History and Genealogy Stories, with huge thanks to our Platinum Sponsors: The Genealogist, University of Strathclyde, Family Tree Plus and WeAre.XYZ. 

Treasure of the Month

Our October Treasure of the Month is SoG Sources for the legal profession in the library and online. Catch up on the latest episode on YouTube. 

Join us on Tuesday 8 October, from 14:00 to 14:30, to catch the next Treasures session in real time! Book your FREE ticket to attend the Zoom. Discover our collections of local sources in the Topographical Document Collections and how they might help you with your genealogy research. 

We went back to school in September to recall or take the first steps in reading Latin. Christopher Whittick is guiding us through The National Archives online course. It isn’t too late to join in, book now and receive the recordings of the first classes. 

We are delighted to be working with the Family History Federation to present NextGENeration - Discoveries, a full day of fascinating talks by family historians aged under 35 from around the world. Pay what you can for this event to support the NextGENeration of GENealogists. 

Criminals, Ne’er Do Wells and Rogue Ancestors can often be the most fun to research, so in October we’re giving you the opportunity to learn about Bigamy in 19th Century England & Wales with Rebecca Probert,  The Good, the Bad and the Ugly with Sue Swalwell and The History and Development of Civil and Criminal Courts with Sarah Pettyfer, plus three sacked housekeepers, convicts, police records, black sheep, regicides and The Last English Peer Hanged for Murder.  

For those who have found ancestral stories, it might be time to think about Writing Your Family History. Join Natalie Pithers and Janet Few for a six-week course where you’ll learn how to turn your reams of notes and sources into well-structured stories. 

Where there’s a will there’s a genealogist. Starting at the end of October Else Churchill will be teaching another six-week course, Wills & Probate Records in England & Wales. Delve deep into these wonderful sources of genealogical information, you’ll learn where to find them and how to use them as well as all the needed jargon. 

Finally, at the end of October, our minds turn to witches and things that go bump in the night with a week of slightly spooky-themed social history talks.  

Browse all our upcoming events here. 

October’s Book of the Month is My Ancestor was a Lawyer by Brian Brooks and Mark Herber (2006) 

For family historians who want to find ancestors who were in the legal profession and understand how they lived. The book covers the records of lawyers in England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and English lawyers in India. 

Chapters include lawyers and their societies, institutions, and records, published records of lawyers, and records of the courts. There is also a useful Glossary of terms and abbreviations found in legal documents. 

 British Association for Local History Brings Conference to South-West 

The British Association for Local History (BALH) is hosting its second conference in Taunton, Somerset, on Saturday 12 October 2024. The event will focus on using maps and buildings for local history research, with presentations from five expert speakers. Topics include tithe barns, Devon villages, and Somerset’s unusual buildings. Speakers on the day include Joseph Rogers, Lucy Browne, Jane Golding, John Chandler, and Julian Orbach. 

Refreshments and lunch are included. Visit www.balh.org.uk for details and booking.

Black Country History Day: Buildings, Heritage, and the Built Environment in the Black Country takes place on Saturday 9 November 2024 at the Black Country Living Museum. Hosted by the Black Country Society and the museum, this event highlights the vulnerability of local heritage, with recent examples such as the destruction of the Crooked House and the endangered status of Chances Glassworks. The programme features talks on Black Country art, industrial heritage, and poetry, alongside archival insights into the region’s social and environmental history. Tickets are £30. For full details, visit Black Country History Day. 

What’s On The Box?  

We're continuing to enjoy the current series of Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC1/iPlayer. We were deeply moved by the recent episode with Olly Murs. Watching Olly discover his great-grandmother’s experiences in Latvia during the Second World War and later Soviet occupation was a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made by earlier generations and how their stories still shape our lives today. The episode reemphasized to us why it’s so important to understand our ancestors’ journeys and the emotions tied to their lives. 

We’d love to hear your thoughts! Join the conversation on our Facebook and Twitter—let us know which shows you're loving and any fascinating stories you've discovered through them.