No.51 (genealogy news and tips worldwide)

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• 10% discount:   Until 11:59pm (BST) Sunday 7 May 2017 (which is early on Monday 8th Australian time) Findmypast is giving new and lapsed subscribers 10% off the cost of a 12 month World subscription if you use Findmypast.co.uk or Findmypast.ie or Findmypast.com. You can subscribe there even if you live in Australia/NZ. If two or more people share a computer and/or an email address, only one of you can take up this offer. If you need a separate email address, I recommend a free Gmail account.


• Queensland:  Over 4,000 new records have been added to the Queensland School Pupils Index, which now has over 1.6 million names from 1,022 schools.


• UK parish records:   Findmypast, through their exclusive partnership with the Federation of Family History Societies, has the largest online collection of UK parish records. Recent additions include records for Devon, Kent and Wiltshire. Find out how best to search them.


• 1861 source:   Researching someone aged 14 or older in 1861? Try searching the British Army Worldwide Index 1861, which covers units serving in Britain and the British Empire.


• Missing records:   Find out what records are missing from UK censuses (links are on the left side of the page).


• Catholic records:   Scottish records have been added to the Catholic Heritage Collection. Most of the collection has never before been available to the public.


• Scotland:   Viewing images on Scotland's People.


• Ireland:   The Irish Genealogy website and workbook will guide you through the free online resources that exist.


• Evernote:   Lisa Louise Cooke explains an innovative way to use Evernote for genealogy - create your own genealogy library for easy on-the-go reference.


• Giveaways:   Prizes up for grabs here last week were a 12 month subscription to Findmypast (value: about $114) and a choice of five genealogy-related items (value: about $30). Winners' names are on the Prize Draws and Competitions page.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2017/05/no51-genealogy-news-and-tips-worldwide.html.)
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No.50 (genealogy news 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.

• Prize draw:   If you'd like to win a 12 month Findmypast subscription, this is your chance! Submit your entry by 8am (AEST) Wednesday 26 Apr 2017 in two easy steps on my Prize Draws and Competitions page. I'm grateful to Findmypast for allowing me to give away such a wonderful prize (RRP $114.50). I've had a Findmypast subscription for many years, and I love it!


• Free access:   All Australian and New Zealand records on Findmypast are completely free until 25 Apr 2017 (AEST). Another 'free access' offer will be announced on Genealogy Discounts & Freebies later this week.


• Discounts:   Genealogy Discounts & Freebies currently has more offers listed than ever before, but most of them end soon. One offer is NSW certificate transcriptions for just $18.


• New records online:   Interesting records that went online last week include stage 1 of 'crew and passengers on ships arriving in New South Wales' (check this for anyone you can't find in the British 1881 census); parish registers for Christ Church Cathedral in Newcastle NSW; more Boer War records; and more NSW closer settlement and returned soldiers transfer files.


• UK records:   Findmypast's United Kingdom parish records collection (already the largest of its kind online) is about to get a whole lot bigger. Records from six more counties (the list is on that Web site) will go online over the next 6 months.


• Books:   During April, Gould Genealogy has the entire Unlock the Past guide books range on sale (25% off), and the Australian History and Genealogy Handbook is just $1.


• Finding death dates:   My family history project for Easter started with a list of Australian relatives for whom I had no death date. I searched 13 million Aus/NZ deaths, burials, wills and probate records. If I didn't find the name, I searched individual Findmypast record sets and Ancestry databases. I also used the magnificent Ryerson Index to find recent death/funeral notices. There are many other resources available, but these are my usual 'first steps'.


• Updated index:   Check out CQFHA's new Master Name Index (over 767,590 entries for people from many areas). I had unexpected success with this.


• My talk at Noosa:   If you're interested in hearing my talk (11 May 2017) on Ancestors who Moved or Vanished, book now (free). When I checked today there were only 7 seats left.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2017/04/no50-genealogy-news-worldwide.html. The 'win' image is by Stuart Miles, freedigitalphotos.net.)


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No.36 (genealogy news and discounts worldwide)

I hope you all enjoyed Christmas and New Year. Here are some ideas for family history in 2016. Links open in new windows.

• 50% off FindMyPast:   Until 11.59pm (GMT) Thurs 14 Jan 2016, get 50% discount on any new FindMyPast World subscription (1 month or 12 month). I put the discount code and page links for this unexpected 2 day 'flash' sale on Genealogy Discounts and Freebies yesterday.


• National Library card:   E-resources: Getting Started shows how to use your National Library card (Australia) to explore online databases.


• 'The Queenslander':   See examples of pages in The Queenslander. The complete contents of the paper are in Trove.


• Saving Trove articles:   Kylie Willison shows how to save a copy of a newspaper article in Trove so that source details are included. For the 'take a screenshot' step, I use PrintKey to capture and save a selected area.


• Ancestor profiles:   Brandy Heineman's 5-step plan for creating profiles of your ancestors is simple, sensible and can be adapted to suit your own needs. Step 1 works for Britain and North America but not Australia!


• Irish soldiers' wills:   Wills of Irish soldiers who died while serving in the British Army have been digitised and are free online.


• Devon parishes:   An interactive map shows the location of Devon's historic parishes.


• Free online course:   'Genealogy: Researching Your Family Tree' will discuss how to find and analyse sources; record and communicate your findings; add historical context to your family history; and explore the potential of DNA testing for genealogy.


• Interesting historical background:
  
  • Men's fashion in 1939
  • Rationing in Britain during World War 2


• Starting soon:   'Wednesday's Webpage', a weekly series coming soon to Genealogy Leftovers.

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2016/01/no36-genealogy-news-and-discounts.html.)
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No.34 (genealogy worldwide)

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• 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.33 (genealogy worldwide)

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• Discounts:  Some exciting offers are currently listed on Genealogy Discounts and Freebies. The best one expires soon.


• Indexes:  I am indexing Missing Friends registers and Brisbane Prison Hospital admissions. Watch for links to be added to my 'indexes' page.


• 'Off The Record':  This highlights records that many family historians overlook (eg, plastic surgery archives!) Each fortnight's Off The Record has a different theme, with links to four series (one each from the UK, Ireland, USA and Australia/NZ). Recent themes include Death records, Local collections, World War I, Military records, Criminal records, and the (In)Justice system.


• 'In Time and Place':  The Queensland State Conference on local history, family history and social history is in Brisbane on the weekend of 3rd-4th Oct 2015. One of the speakers is Janis Wilton, whom I find quite inspirational.


• Placenames:  A useful site is Renamed places in Queensland.


• FindMyPast:  More Australian records are now on FindMyPast. Scroll down on the page that lists recent additions.


• Ireland's Catholic parish registers:  These are now online as free images. See Chris Paton's article with the link and extra advice.


• Free e-book:  Surnames: Family Search Tips and Surname Origins consists of five guides ('4 Keys to Surname Origins and Meanings', 'Seven Strategies for Surname Research', 'How to Construct Google Surname Searches, Step by Step', '10 Sources to Find Female Ancestors' Maiden Names' and 'Country-by-Country Guide to Naming Customs').


• WDYTYA? handouts:  Download speakers' handouts/slides from Who Do You Think You Are? Live in 2014 and 2015.


• Wednesday's Webpage:  This is a new feature on my Queensland Genealogy Facebook page, which anyone can read (no need to log in).

(This post first appeared on http://updatesgenie.blogspot.com/2015/07/no33-genealogy-worldwide.html.)

No.21 (genealogy worldwide)

James George Hudson Webster

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 Military records:  To commemorate Anzac Day, FindMyPast is giving everyone free access to 3.6 million military records until 26 April 2013.


• Goodna Asylum case books:  Today I added 1,700 names of patients with entries in mental asylum case books (bringing the total to about 5,000 names). Patients' birthplaces include Australia, USA, UK, Ireland, Europe, Asia etc. Check whether your ancestors or their siblings are listed! Many patients were only in the asylum for a few weeks, so you probably wouldn't know.


• Canadian research:  See Researching English Emigrants to Canada and their Descendants.

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