No.55 (genealogy news / discounts worldwide)

Links open in new windows. If you share the tips below, the Creative Commons license requires that you acknowledge the source as http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com.

• Free access:   In case you didn't see this on Genealogy Discounts and Freebies... Until your local time zone's equivalent of midday (GMT) Monday 12 Nov 2018 (ie, until Monday evening in Australia), everyone has FREE access to Findmypast. You must to be registered (free), but no credit card is needed. This offer includes these record categories: Birth, marriage, death and parish records (and images of many original registers that are not online anywhere else); Military, armed forces and conflict; Education and work; Census, land and surveys; Institutions and organisations; Historical newspapers (including the British Newspaper Archive); Immigration and travel; 1939 Register. The offer is available on all of Findmypast's sites.


• 50% discount:   After free access ends, Findmypast will offer 50% discount on short-term subscriptions. That offer will run from 12 November (GMT) to 19 November at 11:59pm (GMT). Later today these pages will soon be updated to show offer details and terms and conditions, so set a bookmark now: Australia (50% off 1-month); United Kingdom (50% off 3-month); Ireland (50% off 1-month); United States (50% off 1-month).


• Special collections:   I've had a World subscription to Findmypast continuously since 2011, and I can't imagine life without it. Note their Special Collections for the British India Office, Canterbury, Cheshire, Devon, Hertfordshire, Lincolnshire, Manchester, Royal Archives, Shropshire, Staffordshire and Diocese of Lichfield, Wales, Westminster and (my personal favourite) Yorkshire.


• England/Wales certificates:   At the moment it is still possible to buy England and Wales certificates for births 1837­-1916 and deaths 1837­-1957 as digital images (PDF format) for just £6.


• 17th century:   From 'Who Do You Think You Are' magazine: 5 Best Websites for Tracing 17th Century Ancestors. They lead to many more sites.


• London (England):   Alona has listed 17 Links to Free Sites for London Research.


• Neglected children:   Names are online from the first stage of my 'Neglected Children' Index (which includes orphans for whom I've found information in sources other than orphanage records). Many children were sent to an orphanage when at least one parent was still alive.


• Toowoomba area (Qld):   Garden of Remembrance Toowoomba: burials and cremations 1966-2008 is an updated database that goes right up to 2008. It has name, age, date of death (where recorded) and date of burial/cremation, and type.


• Tip:   Always look at the inquest file even if you already have the death certificate. Example: For Marie Sophia SCAFFE, a typed copy of the death certificate gives the cause of death as 'bowel complaint', but the inquest file says it was 'ill treatment'. That's a rather significant difference!


• Unsound mind:   Coming soon - a combined list of over 17,000 names from my corrected and expanded 'Insanity and Unsound Mind' index. When it goes online it will be announced first on my genealogy page on Facebook and my Website's WhatsNew page.


• Qld State Archives:   It's hopeless trying to keep you updated about changes at Queensland State Archives, because there are so many (and most are, in my opinion, a backward step as far as serious researchers are concerned). One big change is that reference archivists are now only available to provide research support in the Public Search Room between 10am and 3:30pm. The Archives are open 9am to 4:30pm, but unless you are self-sufficient, don't arrive at 9am! The moral of the story is 'use it or lose it'. For years there have been unofficial warnings that with reduced numbers of people using the search room, opening hours might be reduced. That's already happened at the National Archives Brisbane Office.


• Warning:   Like it or not, this is something that everyone needs to know. Please read it carefully and think about it calmly: Oh no, it's the L word.

(This post first appeared on https://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2018/11/no55-genealogy-news-discounts-worldwide.html.)
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No.49 (genealogy news and tips worldwide)

Old Age Pension register

Links open in new windows. If you share the tips below, the Creative Commons license requires that you acknowledge the source as http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com.

• Pension records:   For a limited time you can order copies of Old Age Pension records (1908-1909) at a discount price. See Genealogy Discounts and Freebies.


• FindMyPast discount:   New subscribers can get 10% off a 12 month World subscription, giving you access to 8 billion global records including many that are not available anywhere else (see what records are available). The discount ends at 11.59pm (GMT) Wed. 22 Mar 2017 (which is Thursday morning in Australia).


• England/Wales BDMs:   More England and Wales birth, death and marriage certificates (births 1935-2006, deaths 1958-2006, marriages 1837-2010) are available as PDFs until 40,000 PDFs have been ordered, or 4pm 12 Apr 2017, whichever is sooner. Earlier births and deaths were offered as PDFs last November, in stage 1 of the pilot scheme.


• Before you buy:   From July 1837 onwards, for marriages in England and Wales, a parish register usually has the same details as a certificate from the Register Office. I've saved money, and researched many obscure or 'possible' relatives, by downloading online images of original parish registers instead of buying certificates. See, for example, the collections for Yorkshire, Somerset and the Greater London area.


• Free webinars:   Free webinars by State Archives New South Wales will be recorded so that you can watch them a time that suits you.


• Qld State Archives:   There have been big changes at Queensland State Archives. They no longer accept cash (only EFTPOS or credit cards); coin-operated microfilm reader/printers have been removed (you can save copies onto a USB drive); you can't use wildcards in index searches; indexes on their Web site can no longer be downloaded as PDFs; the Web site is completely different and much less user friendly; etc! The Archives' customer satisfaction survey> (open until 3 Apr 2017) gives you a chance to say what you like or dislike.


• Commonwealth Gazettes:   Commonwealth of Australia Government Gazettes (1901-1957) are now online, free and fully text searchable. They give details of many interactions that ordinary people had with the government.


• DNA for genealogy:   DNA testing is now an important tool for family historians, especially if you have 'brick walls' in your research. For a short time there is a discount on the AncestryDNAtest. See also changing your AncestryDNA settings.

Recommended reading:

• How to search FamilySearch by individual, location or collection. For unindexed records, browse digital images online, or use microfilms.


• 10 Reasons to Use Vintage Telephone Books and Street Directories in Your Research.


• How to Set a Smart Genealogy Goal.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2017/03/no49-genealogy-news-and-tips-worldwide.html.)

No.46 (genealogy news and freebies worldwide)

Happy New Year! I hope these tips will get you off to a great start in 2017. Links open in new windows.

• Free access at FindMyPast:   For 4 days, from 10am 12 Jan to 11:59pm 15 Jan 2017 (GMT) FindMyPast (my favourite genealogy subscription site) is giving everyone FREE access to billions of birth, marriage, death & census records. You don't need to give credit card details - just register (free). You will be able to see images of many original parish registers! I've had huge success with this for my Yorkshire families in particular.


• Mackay (Qld):   FindMyPast now has indexes to Mackay records (funeral directors' records, and funeral notices from Melrose and Fenwick 1955-1984 and from Mackay's Daily Mercury 1984-2012).


• Passport records:   FindMyPast also recently added an index to passport registers 1915-1925. Applicants were in Australia, Canada, Papua, Ceylon, Fiji, China, England etc but the records are held in Queensland.


• Victoria:   This is a very exciting resource! Images of original Court of Petty Sessions records at the Public Record Office Victoria are now online, with defendants and complainants indexed. There are over 3 million records from 74 courts dealing with minor cases such as drunkenness and theft. Dates range from 1854 to 1985.


• Indexes & Sources:   40 of my favourite genealogy indexes and sources. Which is your favourite, and why?


• Trove Helper:   This nifty tool provides a series of clickable links to Trove newspaper search results based on the details you enter in Trove Helper. The results obtained by clicking each of the links is intended to quickly provide a reasonable starting point which can then be further refined on Trove.


• Saturday series:   My new 'Saturday series' of family history tips (quite different from last year's series) is now underway at Judy Webster - Queensland Genealogy.


• Boonah (Qld):   If you have family history in this area, see Boonah Branches.


• NSW Archives:   The State Archives and Records Authority of New South Wales is now called State Archives and Records NSW or State Archives NSW.


• Publishing family trees:   If you want to publish a family tree, read The Opt In Default.


• Recommended reading:   The Truth About Ancestry's Hints.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2017/01/no46-genealogy-news-and-freebies.html.)
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No.45 (genealogy news / discounts worldwide)

Links open in new windows.

• Discount:   Until 21 Nov 2016 (11.59pm BST) one of my favourite Websites, FindMyPast, is offering new customers 30 days of access to 8 billion records worldwide (a monthly 'World' package) for just $1, £1 or €1. This is a huge saving compared to the usual $19.95, £12.95 or €14.95. (The 1939 Register is only included in a 12-month World or Britain package.) You can untick 'auto-renew' in the My Account section of the site.


• Qld BDMs:   From 5 Dec 2016, the Brisbane Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages will move to Level 32, 180 Ann Street, Brisbane. Their other contact details won't change.


• Crematorium records:   Search names on 95,000 memorials in Mount Thompson Crematorium memorial gardens (Brisbane).


• England/Wales births/deaths:   The General Register Office has released online indexes for England/Wales births 1837-1915 and deaths 1837-1957. They show mother's maiden name for births even before 1911, and age at death even before 1865. These new indexes are different from (and maybe more accurate than) the existing ones. Warning! If the death index says 'age 11yrs', it may really be 11 days, 11 weeks or 11 months. It's best to search without specifying the age. Index searches are free after you register and confirm your email address. For a short trial period the certificates cost just £6. (NOTE! I wrote this in November, and the trial period only lasted for a few weeks.)


• Wills:   The National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) is an essential source for English and Welsh family history. Indexed images of the books for 1858-1966 and 1973-1995 are now on Ancestry. They often show the testator's exact death date, address, occupation, and details of relatives.


• Photos:   See 5 Must-Have Photo Identification Tools by Maureen Taylor.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/11/no45-genealogy-news-discounts-worldwide.html.)
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No.42 (genealogy news and discounts worldwide)

Links open in new windows.

Examples of letter S (image:Wikipedia)

• German handwriting:   Ten Tips for Deciphering Old German Handwriting.


• Discount:   Until midnight Sat. 28 May 2016, get 20% off any new 12 month World subscription at Findmypast. Untick 'auto-renew' in the MyAccount section of the site. A full list of records available on FindMyPast is at http://bit.ly/2worldlist.


• English & Scottish research:   'Lost in English and Scottish Research' is a Society of Australian Genealogists webinar. Listen live on the weekend of 18/19 Jun 2016, or listen to the recordings after the event.


• Cheaper copies:   For many of the State Archives records that I've indexed (including old age pension records), I've reduced my fee for supplying copies of the original documents. I've also changed the wording on some Web pages to make it easier to see how to order copies.


• Northern Territory:   Looking for wills? Try the Northern Territory probate index 1911-1994.


• Google Books:   There are interesting family history examples in Google Books (52 Weeks to Better Genealogy) and Google Books Finds: Including an Article with Four Photos.


• Epidemics:   The epidemics timeline may explain some deaths in your family tree.


• Lookups:   The Legal Genealogist sets us straight on the issue of genealogy lookup requests.


• When you're gone:   Amy Johnson Crow describes 5 ways to preserve your genealogy research.


• Indigence cases:  A new index on the Qld State Archives Web site is Indigence Cases 1899-1948. Many Chinese, Islanders etc are included.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/05/no42-genealogy-news-and-discounts.html.)
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No.40 (genealogy news and discounts worldwide)

Book by Chris Paton

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• Irish land records:   Paul Milner has written a comprehensive review of Chris Paton's book Discover Irish Land Records.


• FindMyPast discounts:   Until midnight 17 Mar 2016 you can get a 1-month World subscription at FindMyPast for just $1, or you can get 20% off a 12-month World subscription. To find out about future discounts, go to Genealogy Discounts and Freebies, click the bar marked 'Receive email when this page changes', and follow the instructions. Select 'daily' as the frequency (not 'weekly') so you don't miss short-term offers that last less than a week.


• My other sites:   When I hear about discounts and freebies for genealogy, I often mention them first on my Facebook page.


• 1939 Register:   A 12-month Britain or World subscription to FindMyPast now gives you unlimited free access to the 1939 Register for England and Wales (including images of the original documents).


• Pastoral runs:   The Queensland State Archives Web site now has an index to rents payable on pastoral runs 1860-1911.


• Toowoomba seminar:   On Sat. 2 Apr 2016 I'm giving two talks to members of Toowoomba & Darling Downs Family History Society ('Not Just the Patient: how hospital and asylum records tell the story of a family' and 'Ancestors who Moved or Vanished'). For more details see my 'Talks' page.


• Cairns seminar:   The two talks I'm giving at Cairns Library on Sat. 16 Apr 2016 are 'Scallywags, Scoundrels and Vanishing Relatives' and 'Researching Illegitimate Children'. For more details see my 'Talks' page.


• Handouts from my talks:   If you were on Unlock the Past's genealogy conference/cruise (Barrier Reef, March 6th-13th) and want a free copy of the handouts from my first two talks, email me at the address shown on my Web site, quoting your name and town as shown in the '11th Unlock the Past cruise group' list. There was no handout for my third talk ('Researching Illegitimate Children') because there is already a mini-guide.


• Wednesday's Webpage:   The Wednesday's Webpage for Genealogy series will resume next week, but if the level of interest doesn't increase, it may be discontinued.


• Recommended reading:   5 Tips for Finding Women's Obituaries, by Amy Johnson Crow.

(This post first appeared on https://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/03/no40-genealogy-news-and-discounts.html.)
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No.39 (genealogy news and discounts worldwide)

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• FindMyPast discount:   Get 20% off the price of any 12 month subscription at FindMyPast. Offer ends Sat. 27 Feb 2016 (23:59 GMT). Please note that unlimited free access to the 1939 Register for England and Wales is only included in 12 month World subscriptions or Britain subscriptions. If you are not familiar with FindMyPast, read 'Why I Use and Recommend FindMyPast'.


• Webpages:   My 'Wednesday's Webpage for Genealogy' series is now underway. It gives you a sneak peek into records that many people have never used.


• Recent deaths:   If you're looking for recent death notices in Australia, check the Ryerson Index and the archived messages from the AUS-Newspaper-Extracts Mailing List at Rootsweb (but the mailing list is currently unavailable).


• Family history at the State Library:   Family history seminars at the State Library of Queensland are free, but you need to book.


• Weddings:   Life lessons from the altar - strange things that happen at weddings.


• Finding images:   Do you waste time searching your computer for all photos of a specific person or place? It's much easier if you follow the advice in Updating Metadata for Digital Photos: Keeping It Simple. The programme it describes (Irfanview) is free, and I love it.


• London maps:   Have a look at the high resolution scans of Ordnance Survey maps of London (1893-1896). At 60-inches-to-the-mile, the detail is astounding.


• Lookup offers:   Note this warning about genealogy 'lookup' offers.


• Historical background:    A Short History of the Football Boot

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/02/no39-genealogy-news-and-discounts.html.)
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No.37 (genealogy news and freebies worldwide)

Apologies for not posting this sooner, but Real Life got in the way. Links open in new windows.

• Webinars:   Five free genealogy webinars this week will explain how to use FamilySearch and records for England, including census, civil registration, Church of England and Non-Conformist records.


• Electoral rolls:   Australian Commonwealth electoral rolls on Ancestry (1903-1980, but with gaps) now include some Tasmanian and NSW images and extracted records that were previously missing. There are also many other electoral records on FindMyPast.


• FindMyPast:   Good News and Bad News from FindMyPast. Thankfully there is more good news than bad, and if you have 20th century research in England or Wales, there is excellent news.


• Recommended reading:   Check out this list, which is divided into 'Family History and Genealogy', 'Historical Background for Family Historians' and 'Genealogical crime mysteries (fiction)'. As explained there, you can order them from a site that has free shipping worldwide.


• Digital photos:   How to Label Your Digital Photographs explains how to enter metadata using IrfanView (the free programme that I use).


• Parish registers:   DustyDocs has links to free Websites with parish registers for the British Isles.


• School records:   Two articles that you might find useful: (1) 'School Registers: Parent or Guardian?' and (2) 'School Records, Even if Your Ancestor Didn't Attend School' (which mentions how local residents were involved with the school system).


• Interesting historical background:
  
  
  • How the 1930s changed housing
  • Operation Pied Piper - evacuation in wartime Britain


• Discounts & Freebies:   If you are using ChangeDetection (set to 'Daily') to monitor Genealogy Discounts & Freebies (http://www.judywebster.com.au/specials.html), you'll already know about the 'free access' offers from FindMyPast, Ancestry and LostCousins. New offers will added soon, so click the grey button on that page (it looks like this):
  

  

  On that page, the ChangeDetection button looks like this ('Receive email')

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/01/no37-genealogy-news-and-freebies.html.)
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No.34 (genealogy worldwide)

Links open in new windows.

• Photos & Sketches:   I've added 1,132 names to the Web page 'Historical Photos and Sketches of People' (http://bit.ly/phqsa). The photos and sketches, which I found in various Archives records, are accompanied by biographical or background data that is superb for family history.


• Qld BDM source documents:   When you buy a certificate, you see details that were copied into a register from information in source documents. Transcription errors are therefore likely! The Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has begun imaging source documents for births, marriages and WW1 / WW2 deaths. Some records have as many as 5 pages (statements by different parties, letters from parents, baptismal certificates, etc). All existing source documents should be digitised, indexed and available for purchase during 2016.


• GSQ has moved:   Genealogical Society of Qld's library has moved from East Brisbane and will re-open at 25 Stackpole St, corner of Mt Gravatt - Capalaba Road, Wishart, in Dec 2015.


• Old age pensions:   Copies of original records of old age pension applicants 1908-1909 (including people whose application was rejected) are cheaper if you order before 31 Dec 2015. The pension records description (http://bit.ly/oapJW) leads to lists of applicants' names.


• Victorian records:   FindMyPast has secured the rights to publish images and transcripts of two magnificent collections from Victoria that have never before been microfilmed or indexed: Victoria's Coastal Passenger Lists 1852-1924, and Victoria Petty Sessions records from 1851 to the 1970s. Details are on http://bit.ly/2cpsvic.


• Electoral registers:   Electoral registers for England and Wales 1832-1932 are now searchable (http://bit.ly/2Eelec), but note the crucial information and warnings in 'Learn More' and 'Discover More' on that page.


• Illegitimate children:   I've added more names to the page about illegitimate children whose father is identified in a document in Archives. Most of the mothers and children lived in NSW or Queensland, but a few were in other States, and one was in Scotland. This index is designed to help family historians and people seeking birth parents.


• Interesting reading:   9 ways underwear changed forever in 1939.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2015/11/no34-genealogy-worldwide.html.)
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No.31 (genealogy worldwide)

Links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page. If a link won't work, try a different browser (I checked them with Chrome). If you share these tips, please say that you saw them on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com.au.

• Rockhampton, Qld:  There is a family history beginner's course in Rockhampton on Sat. 13 Sep 2014 (9am to noon).


• (Updated Nov 2014)  NSW wills:  New South Wales will books 1800-1952 are back online. This magnificent resource includes wills for thousands of people from interstate and overseas, including Queensland! Search the index, then view the images of the original records (not just the transcriptions). My search tips are in 6 Genealogy Sources You May Have Overlooked.


• BDM index (NSW):  The new index on the NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages site is rather challenging to use. Joy Murrin's tips make it easier.


• Postems:  Postems on FreeBMD describes a strategy that has worked brilliantly for me. If anyone in your family tree was born, married or died in England or Wales from 1837 onwards, try it!


• Congress 2015:  The Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry is in Canberra (ACT) next March. I'll be there! Register by 31 Oct 2014 to get the cheaper 'early bird' rate.


• Online trees:  You can now attach records to your family trees at FindMyPast.


• Discounts:  This week more offers were added to the Discounts and Freebies page. You can use ChangeDetection to monitor the page (look for the button 'Click here to receive email...'), but sometimes the email is delayed. To avoid missing last-minute offers that only apply for one weekend, check the page every Saturday.


• Although I don't agree with all the suggestions in the free downloadable e-book Family Tree Tips: 23 Secrets to Organize Your Genealogy, some of the ideas are good.

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No.28 (genealogy worldwide)

Links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page. If you share these tips, please acknowledge the source as http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com.

• Free access to British records:  Until 11.59pm on Monday 9th June 2014 there is free access to many British records on Ancestry. You can see images of original records such as UK outward passenger lists; 1911 census; and the magnificent England & Wales Probate Calendar 1858-1966 where you will also find death dates/places, addresses, next of kin etc for thousands of people from other countries including Australia. Use 'sign in' on Ancestry for a free account.


• Research Tip:  In the British Newspaper Archive, look for clues about family members who emigrated (for example, a death notice saying "NSW papers please copy"). The BNA now offers very affordable one-month subscriptions.


• Land Records in Queensland:  On 21 July 2014 Nola Fulwood is speaking on this topic at the Genealogical Society of Queensland's Southern Suburbs branch. Nola is one of only a handful of people who understand the complexities of land records at Qld State Archives.


• Lifeline Bookfest:  The Brisbane Bookfest runs until 10th June. See my tips for family historians looking for bargains in books and stationery.


• Free family history seminars in North Qld:  Between 13th & 28th June 2014 I will be speaking at Cairns, Atherton and Townsville. Admission is free, but you need to book because space is limited. Each seminar consists of two talks ('Court Records' and 'Look Beyond the Border'). For dates, times, venues, and how to book, see www.judywebster.com.au/talks.html.


• NSW Public Service Lists:  More than 630,000 records have recently been added to the online collection 'NSW Public Service Lists 1858-1960'.


• NSW certificates:  NSW certificate transcriptions are cheaper ($18) if you order them on any Saturday in June 2014.


• 'Brick wall' tips:  'Widen the Search: a Genealogy Success Story' includes links to online sources that I used to solve a family history mystery.


• Recommended reading:  'Finding genealogy data in an unexpected country'.

No.25 (genealogy worldwide)

Links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page. If you share these tips, please acknowledge the source as http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com.

• My Web site has moved!  To help you find Queensland, interstate and overseas folk, the site now has 135 pages with free advice and 53,000 names from my indexes to records in archives. The emphasis is on unusual sources that are superb for finding people who 'vanished'. The site is now easier to use, with a different font, a new 'main menu' bar, breadcrumb navigation links, etc. Before using the customised search box to search my entire site, read 'Site Navigation Tips'. Please update your bookmarks and ChangeDetection settings, and notify your family history group that the site is now at www.judywebster.com.au.


• BDMs for VIC & ACT:  FindMyPast recently added birth, death and marriage records for Victoria and the ACT. Other States' records will follow soon.


• 1911 census (England/Wales):  Although I think FindMyPast's census indexes are the most accurate, you may want to try Ancestry's version of the England and Wales 1911 census while it is free (until 23:59 GMT on 14 Oct 2013).


• Dog Licences (Ireland):  Half a million records (1866 onwards) from Irish dog licence registers are now online, with millions more to be added later in the year.


• Irish newspapers online:  More digitised Irish newspapers are now on the Internet.


• Biographical Database of Australia:  Transcripts and indexes of many original records and published biographies of people who arrived in or were born in Australia, starting from the earliest times. Index searches are free.


• Lost in Early NSW:  This is the theme of the Society of Australian Genealogists' weekend seminar at Port Macquarie (2-3 Nov 2013).


• Why FindMyPast?  Read why I use and recommend FindMyPast for family history research in Australia, NZ, United Kingdom, Ireland, USA and Canada.


• NSW Immigration Deposits Combined Index 1853-1900:  An updated edition of this CD index, with new data added to many records, is about to be released. It will be free to purchasers of the 2012 edition. To claim this, send the original CD (you can keep the case) to Aileen Trinder, 5 Garbala Road, Gymea NSW 2227, with a $5 admin fee to cover costs.


• Family history talk:  On Fri. 25 Oct 2013 I am speaking at Mission Beach ('Family History Sources in Archives & Elsewhere').

No.17 (genealogy UK, Ireland, USA, Canada)

Links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page. If you share these tips, please acknowledge the source as http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com.

• LostCousins:  The LostCousins site is currently completely free. Until early Tuesday 28th August Australian time, or midnight 27th Greenwich Mean Time, you can search and make contact with any living relatives that the search reveals, without paying for a subscription. LostCousins now caters for the 1940 USA census as well as USA 1880; Canada 1881; England & Wales 1841, 1881, 1911; Ireland 1911; Scotland 1881. Be sure to enter your blood relatives and relatives by marriage as well as direct ancestors.  (I tried to share that news earlier, but my wireless Internet connection suddenly stopped working and was out of action for a long time.)


• Guide to London Ancestors:  FamilySearch has a new free guide with articles on each of London's 109 historic parishes, including descriptions of many records available online. Guides are also being compiled for the Greater London counties of Essex, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey.

No.13 (Free Access to LostCousins)

The Lost Cousins site is completely free for all members, new and old, until midnight on Wednesday 6 June 2012. (That would be UK time, so Thursday morning in Australia.) When this 'free full membership' period ends, standard membership will still be free.

LostCousins is a great site for finding your living relatives. The automated matching means that nobody sees your information, but when you do find a 'lost cousin', you can be certain that it is a genuine match. You do not waste time corresponding with people who are not related to you!

To use LostCousins you need to find your relatives in the census for England & Wales 1841, 1881 or 1911; Scotland 1881; United States 1880; Canada 1881; or Ireland 1911. Then you enter the source/page details at LostCousins. Requirements for each census are different, so read the instructions carefully before gathering and entering data ('Information - Read this first'). If you prepare well, entering the data is a lot quicker.

On your My Ancestors page, be sure to enter your direct ancestors' brothers and sisters too, because it is their descendants who are likely to have letters and photos sent by your family.

After completing your My Ancestors page, click 'Search'. The system checks whether anyone else has entered data for the same people. If they have, you can contact them at no cost during this free period until 6 June 2012.

I am a big fan of LostCousins, so please give it a try.

No.9 (genealogy worldwide)

Links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page.

• Keeping the Memory Alive:  Genealogists for Families is a story about family history, good deeds and continuing the work of our loved ones via Kiva. Be sure to read the comments.


• Generous Genealogists:  Quoting from the article Generous Genealogists: 'It would be lovely if this team could grow to include genealogists from around the world and to become a family tradition for all of our families.' Again, be sure to read the comments.


• Free Ancestry searches:  From 1st-15th Oct 2011, a different collection will become available for free each day, and remain free until 15th October. The collections are for Australia (electoral rolls), England and Wales (1901 census and 1916-2005 birth index), Ireland (Griffith’s Valuation), USA, Canada, Germany and Sweden. For full details see Ancestry's blog.


• Multiple searches:  Audrey Collins explains why you must use all versions of what appears to be the same index or database.


• Timelines:  To understand your family history in the context of local, national or world events, use timelines such as those at Timelines of History.


• Queensland news is in today's edition of Queensland Genealogy.


• Interesting reading:  Britain's first Railwaywomen.

No.8 (Certificates; genealogy worldwide)

This edition is all about certificates. Links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page.

• Free certificates:  Before buying a certificate, read the advice in my article Free Certificates in Archives Files.


• Europe:  The July 2010 edition of Proformat News has a table showing how to obtain civil registration certificates for births, deaths and marriages in European countries.


• Queensland prices:  From July 2011, the price of certificates purchased from the Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages has risen to $37.


• Queensland tips:  Problem-solving and money-saving tips re Queensland certificates are in my book Tips for Queensland Research.


• Warning:  The registry has issued a warning about an online 'Certificate Express' service.


• England / Wales prices:  UK residents - please consider signing this petition for cheaper birth, marriage and death certificates in England & Wales.


• England / Wales tips:  You may be lucky enough to find details from a certificate, or contact someone who has a copy, via postems on FreeBMD.


• Parish registers:  Even if you have bought a civil registration certificate, it is a good idea to look for a parish register entry, as it may give extra information. I have seen this in my own research in both New South Wales and England. A parish register entry may also be more accurate than the notoriously unreliable typed certificates issued in Queensland for events after 1889.


• Transcription Agents:  I have personally used the services of two of the certificate transcription agents for NSW, and I can recommend them both: Marilyn Rowan and Joy Murrin. As yet there is no similar service available in Queensland.

You are welcome to share your tips about certificates by adding a comment below.