Family History News, 11 Aug 2019

Some people apparently didn't receive my email newsletter, so I'll post it here.

News

• In the past month, over 46,000 records have been added to the Ryerson Index. This is a truly magnificent online resource. Ryerson Index entries often include age, place of death, place of residence etc, which can lead you to other sources. Some entries are for death/funeral notices that you can see in Trove. Others are for newspapers that you'll find at a State Library.


• On August 4th I added more names to the Insanity and Unsound Mind index, which now has more than 20,000 entries. This latest batch included surnames beginning with B, C, D, K, L, N and O.


• There have recently been significant improvements to Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages online indexes for Victoria.


• The City of London Cemetery and Crematorium (England) has made 440,000 digitised records, dating from 24 June 1856 to 7 Oct 1955, available online (free) as part of a pilot scheme. Select the time period that you want to search, then scroll through the images.

Specials

Genealogy Discounts and Freebies currently has links for these new discount offers:

• During Aug 2019, downloadable historical birth, death and marriage certificates for Victoria cost just $20.


• Until midnight (AEST) tonight (11 Aug 2019), full transcriptions of historical birth, death and marriage certificates for New South Wales are just $18.


• Copies of Queensland's old age pension records are half price until 9am on 15 Aug 2019.


• Until 14 Aug 2019, AncestryDNA tests *in the UK only* are cheaper.


• During Aug 2019, new members pay a reduced price to join the Queensland Family History Society.


• During Aug 2019, Family Tree DNA has discounts of between $20 and $150 depending on which test or upgrade you order.

More details are on Genealogy Discounts and Freebies.

New publications

• A new edition of Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (by Chris Paton) has just been published.


• Today I noticed that my favourite online book store has the new edition of The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy listed at a reduced price, with free delivery worldwide. I'm eagerly awaiting the arrival of my copy.

Research tips

Genealogy software won't always warn you when you enter nonsense (eg, someone dying at age 150, or children born after the mother's death date). I recently added this comment to a tree on Ancestry:

'Sarah Jane NICHOLSON is my great-great-grandmother. Your tree says her father was Richard NICHOLSON, born c.1781, who married Mary MILLER 27 Feb 1775. That's impossible - he can't have married before he was born. And the Mary MILLER who married Richard NICHOLSON in 1775 cannot be the mother of Sarah Jane NICHOLSON born c.1830, because by then Mary would probably have been in her 70s.'

To avoid making silly mistakes like this, I recommend using FTAnalyzer (available for Windows and Mac) to find errors in your tree.

Success story

I recently broke down a long-standing genealogy 'brick wall' when I succeeded in identifying another set of 5xgreat-grandparents. My favourite genealogy research strategy worked once again! More details are in How I Found Sarah Sheppard's Parents.

Events

This week I'm going to Brisbane for the first of the 'DNA Down Under' conferences. Similar events will be held in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney. If you want to book for one of those cities but you live in the Northern Territory, Tasmania or New Zealand, email the organisers and ask for a special discount coupon code for NT/Tas/NZ residents. Note that the Sydney programme is almost entirely different from those in the other five cities. Details are on the DNA Down Under web site. Those who pre-book are entered into a prize draw, with a total prize pool of more than $17,000.

Did You Know?

Members of the Queensland Family History Society can (as a benefit of membership) have free access to the genealogy site MyHeritage from your home computer (via the society's website).

Questions?

Genealogy is my *business*, not just a hobby. My Web site has lots of free advice, plus details of my professional services. Before you ask me a question, please read both of these pages and follow relevant links:

* http://www.judywebster.com.au/prof.html

* http://www.judywebster.com.au/index.html.

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(This post first appeared on https://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2019/08/family-history-news-11-aug-2019.html.)

No.55 (genealogy news / discounts worldwide)

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• 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.54 (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.

• 15% discount:   I was delighted to hear that until 11:59pm (London time) 16 Oct 2018 (which, in Australia, is early on Oct 17th), both new customers *AND* returning subscribers can get 15% discount on a 12 month Findmypast subscription by using the links below. Each of these subscriptions gives you access to all of Findmypast's billions of records worldwide, including images of many original documents that are not online anywhere else. More records are added every week (see Findmypast Fridays), and there is a full list of records already on Findmypast (arranged by country). I've had a subscription continuously since 2011, and I can't image life without it. Choose the link for the region where you live:
• Australia (World subscription)
• United Kingdom (Pro subscription)
• Ireland (World subscription)
• United State of America (Ultimate subscription).

Each person must subscribe using their own individual device and their own individual email address. If you don't want your subscription to renew automatically after 12 months, untick that box in 'My Account'. I've had a World subscription continuously since 2011, and I can't image life without it!


• Marriage certificates:   I'm very concerned about the proposed changes to Australian marriage certificates - namely, the removal of 'usual occupation', 'usual place of residence', 'father's name' and 'mother's maiden name'. Those details (especially parents' names) are vital not only for family trees, but also for compiling a medical family history, tracing beneficiaries of deceased estates, etc. Read about the proposed changes and email your feedback to marriagecelebrantssection@ag.gov.au by Sunday 28 Oct 2018.


• Qld BDM indexes:   If you can't find an entry via the Queensland Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages *new* search page, try the old version (the new page has a link to 'Previous Family History Search service'). WARNING! You must use the 'Clear' button between searches; and if your Internet connection drops out before that takes effect, you may be using 'hidden' search criteria that remain from a previous search. My understanding is that the Registry intends to shut down the Old Search - so if you still want it, please tell them so (email bdm.webteam@justice.qld.gov.au).


• Doctors:   The Australian Medical Pioneers Index is a database of colonial doctors to 1875, with biographical data for over 4,500 doctors who lived in Australia or visited Australian shores. And if you're a descendant of Dr. Donald Rankin MACDONALD and his wife Ann CAMPBELL (sister of my great-great-grandmother) from Mudgee (NSW), please contact me!


• Deaths/Funerals:   I recently went to the State Library and copied about a hundred death and funeral notices from newspapers that are not on Trove. Before my visit I'd found some title/date details in the Ryerson Index. If I drew a blank there, I looked for approximate death dates in cemetery and funeral directors' records etc. See 40 of My Favourite Genealogy Indexes / Sources.


• My talks:   If you came to my recent family history talks at Strathpine or Tweed Heads, I sent you two emails regarding the handout. If they are not in your Inbox, check Spam/Trash/Junk. I will be repeating the talk 'Not Just the Patient: How Hospital and Asylum Records Tell the Story of a Family') on 14 March 2019. Admission is free but bookings are essential. Details are on www.judywebster.com.au/talks.html.

(This post first appeared on https://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2018/10/no54-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.45 (genealogy news / discounts worldwide)

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• 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.44 (genealogy news and discounts worldwide)

Links open in new windows.

• FindMyPast discount:   Until 11:59pm on Tues 6 Sep 2016, new subscribers can pay just $1 (one dollar) for a 1 month FindMyPast world subscription. That's a saving of 95%! Un-tick 'Auto-renew' in the MyAccount section of the site. Read why I use and recommend FindMyPast.


• Passenger lists:   I was excited to see that images of Victoria coastal passenger lists 1852-1924 are now online. They list people travelling locally as well as immigrants from overseas. For many people attracted by Australia's gold rush, including those who were on USA goldfields, this may be the only surviving shipping record.


• Recommended reading:   Shadows of the Workhouse: The Drama of Life in Postwar London (Jennifer Worth). I couldn't put this book down!


• Hospital records:   Hospital admission registers have superb data (usually better than a death certificate), and I index them. Many patients were from interstate and overseas, especially the UK and Ireland. For Croydon hospital 1888-1925, which includes the North Queensland gold rush era, I've combined two lists of patients into a single alphabetical sequence. To order copies of original records, see 'Copying Service' near the bottom of that page.


• Illegitimate children:   Since 19th August I've added two batches of names to the page about illegitimate children whose father is identified in a document in Archives. Most of the mothers and children lived in Queensland or NSW but a few were interstate or overseas. This index is designed to help family historians and people seeking birth parents. See 'Copying Service' near the bottom of that page.


• Cemeteries:   Toowong cemetery and South Brisbane cemetery indexes are on FindMyPast, but you currently can't find them with an A to Z search. You need to use links on the full list of Australian and New Zealand records on FindMyPast. (Thanks to Rosemary for pointing this out.)


• Western Australia:   Uncertified copies of Western Australian birth, death and marriage certificates now cost just $20.


• Ancestry:   Danny Barber explains how to sort Ancestry hints by collection. I haven't tried this yet, but it sounds useful.


• Photographs:   See the tips in How to Relax and Rehumidify Old Rolled Photographs.


• Privacy:   Judy Russell (The Legal Genealogist) shares her sensible advice about privacy.


• Genealogy on Facebook:   You can read many genealogy pages on Facebook without joining. There is now a page for Toowoomba and Darling Downs Family History Society - and note my 'Saturday's Source' series of tips on Judy Webster: Queensland Genealogy.


• Copies of copies:   This article has images showing how information was copied from a copy of a copy (etc) and neither the birth date nor death date remained correct in the copy on Ancestry.

No.43 (genealogy news and discounts worldwide)

Links open in new windows.

• 50% discount:   FindMyPast (one of my favourite sites) has a half-price offer that ends 15 Jul 2016.


• Proof:   Read Else Churchill's delightfully simple and sensible explanation of how we can apply the Genealogical Proof Standard.


• Queensland:   A new index on the Qld State Archives Web site is 'Monthly and Half Yearly Returns for Moreton Bay 1829-1837'.


• New South Wales:   Learn how to use the new Web site for State Records NSW (the NSW equivalent of Qld State Archives).


• Western Australia:   Western Australian birth, death and marriage certificates are now cheaper. See Australian Genealogy and History Snippets.


• Ireland:   Ireland's wills and administrations 1858-1920 can now be searched on Ancestry.


• Canada:   FindMyPast now has links to images of the original 1911 census for Canada.


• USA:   Naturalisation and passport records are among new USA records added to FindMyPast.


• Scotland:   The Surnames of Scotland: Their Origin, Meaning and History by George F. Black is free online. Below the 'Viewability' sub-heading, click 'Full view'.


• Recommended reading:   'You can think that if you want, but it's wrong'.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/07/no43-genealogy-news-and-discounts.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.28 (genealogy worldwide)

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• 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.22 (genealogy worldwide)

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• Queensland certificates:  You can now save money by downloading some Queensland birth, death and marriage certificates as images.


• Free family history talks (North Qld):  Details of my six free family history talks at Atherton, Innisfail, Tully and Wongaling Beach (20-24 June 2013) are on my Web site.


• British newspapers:  More years and more newspapers have been added to the searchable collection of digitised British newspapers (now 1710-1953).


• 'Queensland Genealogy' categories:  There are now quick links to articles in certain categories (BDMs, Hidden treasures, Indexes, People, Places, Sources, Tips, Warnings, Websites) in my 'Queensland Genealogy' blog. At the bottom of that page there is also a complete list of keywords.


• Visiting historical societies & museums:  Tips on what to do before you visit a local historical society or museum.


• Recommended reading:  A Hobbyist Genealogist's Manifesto. I like the bit about 'Pirates of the Caribbean philosophy of citation'.

No.20 (warning re Queensland death indexes)

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Warning!  Before we all get too excited about the recently released Queensland death indexes to 1983... please note that the Registry has omitted parents' names from many index entries despite the fact that parents are named on the death certificate. For more details, see Queensland Genealogy.

No.19 (Queensland births, deaths and marriages)

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Queensland Registrar-General's indexes to births to 1914, marriages to 1938 and deaths to 1983 are now online - but note that some indexes (births to 1919 and marriages to 1939) are available on microfiche but not online.

Once you know a year of death, it's much easier to search for a recent Supreme Court probate file - which, if it exists, will include the death certificate, thus saving you a lot of money.

There are other tips about Queensland birth, death and marriage records on my Web site and in the book Tips for Queensland Research. See also 'Free certificates in Archives files'.

(Postscript, 25 Mar 2013: See the WARNING about problems with the recently released death indexes.)

No.18 (genealogy worldwide)

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• Queensland Births, Deaths and Marriages:  Digital images of historical registers.


• Gazetteer of British Place Names:  This exhaustive Place Name Index to Great Britain, with more than 50,000 entries, lists the historic county and the main administrative areas in which each place lies. Read the notes before using the Gazetteer.


• Society of Australian Genealogists manuscripts index:  It is worthwhile checking this online index periodically. In the Primary Records Collection I found handwritten genealogical notes provided by my great-great-grandfather's sister in about 1900. Without those notes I would still be stuck on 'Thomas WEBSTER, born London c.1824'.


• FindMyPast:  (UPDATED)  It is now possible to buy a Worldwide subscription to FindMyPast through any of their sites.

Revenue from ads goes to Kiva

No.12 (genealogy worldwide)

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• History and Genealogy Expo in Brisbane:  Mon. 25th to Wed. 27th June 2012, including Monday evening. Special presenters include Audrey Collins from The National Archives in the UK. I will be there as an exhibitor and presenter. My talk will be 'Black Sheep and Vanishing Relatives'. You can now get more details and book tickets.


• England & Wales:  Changes to certificate prices.


• The British in India:  A new book, Tracing Your British Indian Ancestors, looks at British Indian history and sources for research (British Library India Office Records, The National Archives, records of the armed forces, civil service and railways, religious and probate records, etc).


• Paintings:  Are there paintings of your ancestors or places where they lived? At Your Paintings, search by artist's surname or what's in the paintings.


• Dutch Genealogy:  Genealogy advice from an archivist at the Dutch National Archives. Articles include 'English versions of Dutch first names and last names'.


• Genealogists for Families:  Wondering whether to join 'Genealogists for Families'? Right now (for a limited time) you can join Kiva with a 'free trial loan' to see how it all works.


• Family history talks in Townsville & Cairns:  On 28 Apr 2012 I am giving two Family History talks in Townsville ('Black Sheep and Vanishing Relatives' and 'Using Indexes: Tips and Traps'). On 3 May I am speaking in Cairns ('Who else is Researching Your Family?' and 'Black Sheep and Vanishing Relatives'). Attendance is free, but seats are limited so you need to book by contacting the libraries.


• 'Recommended Reading etc. (Reader GeneaMeme)':  My recommendations for books for family history and recreational reading.


• Next week I am travelling to South Australia to attend the 13th Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry in Adelaide.

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.