Most people are familiar with the baptism, marriage and burial records found in parish records but there are many other wonderful parish records that can help in genealogical research. These include Vestry minutes, Churchwarden Accounts, settlement certificates, examinations and removal orders, Parish poor rates and relief distribution, Parish apprenticeships, parish payments for work done within the parish, parish assisted emigration and more.

Identify the best genealogical resources, original and published, to use for 17th Century research in England, and how to jump the gap created by England’s Civil War.

The Quarter Sessions began in the 14th and did not end till late in the 20th century. These courts served both a judicial and an administrative function within the counties and created a vast store house of records. Learn how to access published and original records. Learn about your ancestors in all levels of society, justices of the peace, criminals, badgers, ale house keepers, parish officers and more.

In this presentation we shall examine the reasons for migration and focus on the individual migration groups coming to the British Isles. The United Kingdom is in an interesting position in that it sits within Europe and yet also has been a focal point of Empire, some of which influenced migrants. We shall also explore some of the research opportunities for each of those migration groups.

Do you have a British ancestor who served as a soldier or sailor? This webinar will highlight the sources available over the last two centuries both online and offline, including researching at The National Archives (Kew), in local repositories and museums, to add flesh to the bones of your ancestor's service history.

The workhouse, detested and feared, evoked shame in those individuals who were forced to enter its walls. The workhouse is deeply embedded in folk memory; children were often warned by their parents that if they misbehaved they would be put into the workhouse. Kirsty Gray peers behind the closed doors of the workhouse, exploring the various records available for unearthing ancestors in theworkhouse, and explains what life was like for its poor inmates.

Ireland was England’s oldest colony, so many assume the records will be the same. They are not precisely because the two country’s histories and their relationship to each other were different. We all know about the terrible loss of Irish records, but there are great treasure troves of surviving records which don’t exist in England - records about war, rebellion, security and land control. So while there are great obstacles (record loss, language, differing histories), there is a great wealth of resources rarely accessed by genealogists. This talk will examine these differences in records and research techniques between Britain and Ireland, why Irish records were created, or destroyed, and how they can be used to unlock your past.

This was presented to a live webinar audience on November 15, 2017. 1 hour 50 minutes and 4 pages of handouts. The recording is also included as part of the monthly or annual membership.

 

Introducing the identity of ‘The West Country’, its geography and history over the centuries, this class guides the family historian through the wealth of historical records available both online and in archives and libraries to add the ‘flesh to the bones’ of the names of ancestors on your family trees, including some fascinating details that can be uncovered about the places they lived, their occupations and the distinctive features, identity and character of the West Country. Case studies of some notable individuals from the counties are provided as well as some records of those individuals who never hit the headlines.

A broad overview of research in Europe - a continent spanning more than thirty countries which has been subjected to wars, political unrest and border changes. Europe is a Continent with different languages, cultures and religions, all of which play a part in family history research. This presentation looks at the obstacles and pitfalls a researcher may encounter, and the major historical events & those that have had a marked effect on family history & are identified, especially the impact of the world wars and regional conflicts, border changes and movements of populations. Advice on broadly available sources is also discussed.

The parish registers of baptisms, marriages and burials in England and Wales give many genealogical clues to help build a family tree. Kirsty Gray also highlights other documents kept by the parish, the diocese and the archdeaconry and the invaluable information which can be gleaned about the lives of our ancestors.

With increased digitization of genealogical records in England and Wales, documents relating to your ancestors are far more readily available but how are the records structured? Where are they located? And what information can be gleaned from these primary sources? Taking you through the basics by examining record groups including censuses, civil registration, parish registers and probate, Kirsty Gray highlights the online and offline resources available to today’s genealogist researching in the last four centuries in England and Wales.