Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2021 i Family Tree UK

Eastern England additions at FindMyPast FindMyPast has added thousands of new baptism, marriage and burial records for Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Essex to its database during April Many of the records have been released in collaboration with record offices and societies, including Norfolk Record Office and Lincolnshire Family History Society, whose staff and volunteers have worked to make the records available to the public. The Norfolk records comprise over 25,000 additions, covering 1921 onwards. The Lincolnshire and Essex record additions are monumental inscriptions: 36,500 records for Lincolnshire and 22,000 for Essex. These inscriptions are from various denominations such as Anglican, Roman Catholic, Quaker, and non-conformist, as well as community and war memorials.…

Most common surnames of 2020 in Scotland revealed The most common last names in birth, marriage and death registers of 2020 in Scotland have been revealed by National Records of Scotland (NRS) The paper on which the data is based, Surnames in Scotland over the last 140 years – which you can see at http://familytr.ee/140 was originally published in 2003. The names Smith, Brown and Wilson have been the top three most common surnames from 1975 through to 2020. The 2020 list is (with 2020 occurrences in brackets): 1 Smith (2,719) 2 Brown (1,970) 3 Wilson (1,886) 4 Robertson (1,796) 5 Campbell (1,749) 6 Stewart (1,675) 7 Thomson (1,658) 8 Anderson (1,511) 9 Scott (1,194) 10 MacDonald (1,146) The lists of the surnames that occur most often in Scotland’s registers…

A CRITICAL CHAPTER THE STORIES THAT NEED TO BE TOLD BABY BOOMERS – NOW IT’S UP TO US Calling all Baby Boomers (and others keen to tell their tales)! Family Tree regular Keith Gregson reminds us that, having covered previous generations, it is now time to tell our own stories… HOW TO WRITE YOUR FAMILY HISTORY Regular readers of FT magazine may well have come across my writing over the years and be aware of my interest in recording family events in the 20th century in particular. The most recent article in this respect was in November 2020 and covered the records of my mother and father during the Second World War. It was written in the hope that its contents might be of assistance to those who wish to carry…

Close Up and Personal Apart from watching my local football team Carlisle United make surprising advances through the leagues, three events loom large in my memory. In November 1963 I saw the Beatles from the second row of the Lonsdale Cinema in Carlisle. I was close-up as a result of a minor injury sustained while queueing for my ticket – an injury which made headlines in the local newspaper. On the night of 30 July 1966 having just travelled to London to take part in the National Youth Theatre’s summer activities I was one of a million people in Trafalgar Square hoping to see the England Football team which had won the World Cup that day. So crowded was the square that the bus did not get through. Finally on…

THE SOCIAL HISTORY OF HOUSES RESEARCHING THE HISTORY OF YOUR HOUSE HOUSE HISTORIES Exploring the story of your home Research consultant on the BBC TV series, ‘A House Through Time’, house historian Melanie Backe-Hansen shares her expert insights. Read on to discover the steps you need to take to piece together the story of a building and its former inhabitants Researching the history of our homes has become increasingly popular in recent years and it could be said that the lockdowns have made us wonder a little more about the history found within our homes: pondering the lives of past residents who have walked through the same front door, looked out the same windows, and shared time within the same four walls. Our homes are where we are most ourselves and…

DIGGING DEEPER TRACING BRANCHES Twiglets AN ELUSIVE ANCESTOR This month, Gill Shaw attempts to follow an intriguing lead that seems to place her 3x great-grandfather Joseph Riboldi in early 19th-century London Once in a while you get a thrilling-sounding lead, and within half an hour you’re turning cartwheels around the room as a key piece of the puzzle slots into place. More often, let’s be honest, you potter round and round in circles and end up back at square one. Frustratingly, searching for my 3x great-grandfather Joseph Riboldi in London looks to be one of those times… In the first chapter of Charles Bianconi: A Biography, 1786-1875 – Mary Anne Bianconi’s book about her entrepreneurial father – Charles describes asking ‘my old friend Ribaldi, who was at that time a prosperous tradesman…

CALDERDALE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY THE SOCIETY SCENE Spotlight on… Calderdale Family History Society Lying in the foothills of the Pennines in West Yorkshire, Calderdale covers some 140 square miles and is home to a population of approximately 200,000. If your ancestors were from this area, Calderdale FHS can provide plenty of help and inspiration Stretching from Todmorden in the west down the Calder Valley through Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge and Elland to Brighouse in the east, at the centre of the Calderdale district is the historic market, mill and minster town of Halifax. Against the backdrop of a rich industrial and commercial heritage, the society was formed in 1985 and over the years has attracted a large number of active members, not only in the local area but throughout the UK…

THOUGHTS ON… SPECTRAL VISITATIONS DO YOU EVER HAVE THAT FEELING… OF BEING WATCHED Diane Lindsay feels sure that sometimes her ancestors, or even her dearly-beloved late cat Bob, are looking on in amusement as she conducts her research Do you ever wonder if your ancestors are watching? Peering over your shoulder as you poke about in their private lives, shaking their heads and muttering ‘Don’t do it!’ under their spectral breath? I should tell you that as I’m typing this first paragraph dedicated to strange goings-on in the Lindsay Family History sanctum that is my study, a pain like a sharp pin in my right big toe caused a squeal that might well have been heard in the afterlife. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. (Go away Grandma!) Regular readers…

ALL ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY NEWS Rachel Bellerby reports on the latest genealogy news.Got a story to share? Email editorial@family-tree.co.uk SUMMER REOPENING FOR POPULAR SHAKESPEARE ATTRACTION The small team behind the Shakespeare Schoolroom & Guildhall have been hard at work preparing the 600-year-old building for reopening, as we move towards the end of Covid-19 restrictions The attraction is in the schoolroom where William Shakespeare was inspired to become a playwright and is one of the few remaining timber guildhalls in England. Thanks to the Heritage Emergency Fund grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, there is now a new website www.shakespearesschoolroom.org that helps to tell the fascinating stories of the building. The website includes the addition of a cut away illustration of Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall (shown below) created by architectural…

ALL ABOUT FAMILY HISTORY Free online chat at American Ancestors A free, online chat service for family historians of all levels, run by American Ancestors, has now been expanded from five to six days a week, running Monday to Saturday from 9am-5pm Eastern Time (GMT is 4 hours ahead) Founded in 1845, American Ancestors/New England Historical Genealogical Society is America’s oldest genealogical organisation. The chat service is hosted by experienced staff genealogists, with experts on hand to answer a variety of genealogical and historical questions. To take part, visit www.americanancestors.org/chat and type your question into the window in the lower right-hand corner. You can ask about specific resources, for example, or for the definition of an unfamiliar term you find in your research. And thanks to the expertise of the…

THE NATIONAL ARCHI VES READING ROOMS BOOKINGS OPEN The National Archives has announced that bookings for its reading rooms is now open As we went press, TNA communications stated that for the moment, ‘reservations and advance document ordering must remain in place for now to help us manage our services in line with government and public health guidance’. The new service will offer four weeks’ availability on a rolling basis, with new dates added daily. To begin with, TNA are asking visitors to book a maximum of two visits in a rolling four-week period. They will keep this limit, and all of their other Covid-related arrangements, under regular review. Current reading room services include: • Over 100 reading room places per day, five days a week (Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-2.50pm)…

You & World Events Many baby boomers will be able to recall their reactions to at least two major world events – the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 and the assassination of John Kennedy in 1963. I can remember discussing the missile crisis with teenage friends while playing football on the ‘rec’ near my home in Carlisle. When back home, I asked my parents if everything would be all right. They said ‘yes’ but later in life told me that they both went to bed that night not expecting to wake up in the morning. The threat of nuclear conflict was very real. In November 1963, days after my 15th birthday, I was at a dance in a local church hall. The band, Norman and the Conquests were school friends.…

You are invited! Come along to our FREE family history writing circle 3pm, Thursday 3 June The writing session will last an hour & take place live on Zoom with special guest Keith Gregson. It is free to all readers of Family Tree. During the session we will be taking a trip down memory lane, providing prompts to inspire you to put pen to paper and write your life story there and then (so have a pen, pad or tablet handy!) Please email helen.t@familytree.co.uk with code ‘FT Writing Circle’ in the subject line and we will send you the Zoom invitation link. Please don’t share the code or the Zoom invitation link on social media.…

DEAR PAUL FAMILY HISTORY FUN Dear Paul In this edition of Dear Paul, genealogist Paul Chiddicks shares tales of some very strange funerals and final resting places The grave in the middle of the road in Franklin, Johnson County, Indiana, is a perfect example of the strange final resting places theme this month. The story behind the unusual grave location is equally as bizarre as the location itself. This wonderful story was sent to me by reader Carrie Smith.(underthenuttree.blogspot.com) The grave in question belongs to Nancy Kerlin Barnett who was born on 14 May 1793 in Indiana and died there on 1 December 1831. The grave has a fascinating story behind it. Nancy was married to William S. Barnett (1785-1854) who was the 3x great-grandson of Pocahontas and John Rolfe. In…

BOOKS & co HOUSE HISTORY & MORE A selection of intriguing reads, reflecting the many facets of family history interest, with Helen Tovey & Rachel Bellerby Ideal Homes: Uncovering the History and Design of the Interwar House by Deborah Sugg Ryan The interwar housing era famously began with the Homes Fit For Heroes campaign of the Lloyd George government, which saw a million local authority houses built across the nation. The building boom wasn’t just benevolent, and was mirrored by a further 3 million homes built by the private sector. As a consequence, many millions of us in the UK, even subsequent Blitz destruction not-withstanding, will live in an interwar home today. In her research over the past few decades, series consultant and presenter for TV series ‘A House Th…

UNLOCK THE STORY OF YOUR GENES ENLISTING DNA ON YOUR FAMILY HISTORY QUEST Your DNA WORKSHOP MAKING DNA WORK FOR YOU Welcome to the DNA Workshop! In every issue DNA adviser Karen Evans will be unpacking a reader case study, and giving step-by-step tips for you to use in your DNA research at home. It’s time to unlock the story of your genes… UNKNOWN GRANDPARENTAGE MYSTERIES Harry has several ancestors born out of wedlock and is keen to find more about their parents HARRY: I have taken the Ancestry test and have added it to MyHeritage. I would be grateful for any help or advice on dealing with my lost ancestors. I am providing details of my maternal grandmother, paternal great-grandmother, maternal great-grandmother and paternal 3 x greatgrandmother, all of whom…

UP YOUR GENEALOGY GAME! BECOME A BETTER MILITARY HISTORY SLEUTH 19th century Army 'rank & file' service records Improve your family history search skills with the Family Tree Academy. This issue, David Annal explores a useful range of 19th century soldiers' service records The Family Tree Academy is here to help you grow your genealogy skills. The aim is to help teach more about the search skills and source know-how needed to step up your family history research. In this issue, Family Tree Academy tutor David Annal looks at 19th century soldiers’ service records and demonstrates how to use them to piece together the careers of your military ancestors through the 1800s. A guide to The records The British Army was one of the UK’s biggest employers in the 19th century with…

Ancestor Strong highlights treasured tales American Ancestors has launched a new online gallery reflecting on the tough times our ancestors faced Many of us have heard family stories about the tough times ours ancestors lived through. The wars, displacement and economic crisis that our forebears faced can often make modern-day challenges pale into insignificance. In the spirit of finding inspiration and strength from those who came before us, American Ancestors is inviting people around the world to share interesting family stories for its new online gallery Ancestor Strong. Anyone can visit the site and, via a simple form, submit a story on behalf of an ancestor who inspired them. You can page through to see the existing submissions; and scroll down on the home page to see the ‘Share Your…

TheGenealogist adds the 1939 Register with SmartSearch TheGenealogist has released the 1939 Register, adding their unique search tools and SmartSearch technology TheGenealogist’s search tools include the ability to find your ancestor in 1939 by using keywords, such as the individual’s occupation or their date of birth. You can also search for an address and then jump straight to the household. If you’re struggling to find a family, you can search using as many of their forenames as you know. Once you’ve found a record in the 1939 Register, you can click on the street name to view all the residents on the street, potentially finding relatives living nearby. TheGenealogist’s SmartSearch technology enables you to discover even more about a person, linking to their birth, marriage and death records. Of course,…

Tips! Planning your life story It can be daunting to know where to begin with writing your life story. Here are some ideas to help: Think of a theme – Keith Gregson is passionate about music so he has used favourite tracks to theme his write-up of his memories. Can you think of a theme that’s right for you? Pick a place – Maybe the places you’ve lived in or visited are close to your heart. Start with a timeline of all the places you’ve lived and then fill out the story. Hooked on a hobby – Whether it’s art, archaeology, or being an animal lover – have you had a hobby you’ve enjoyed for much of your life? Sights, sounds & smells – Or what about just concentrating on…

REGULATING THE SHIRTS ON OUR BACKS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF CLOTHES RATIONING RATIONED fashion The Second World War had been raging for nearly two years, when, in June 1941, clothes rationing was introduced. Dress historian Jayne Shrimpton examines the impact this was to have on our ancestors’ wardrobes. Before war erupted in September 1939, Britain imported many consumer goods, but during the conflict food had to be home-produced and other raw materials reserved mainly for the production of arms, vehicles and uniforms. To ensure fair distribution of scarce but essential resources among the civilian population – chiefly food, clothing and furniture – supplies were strictly rationed. Clothes rationing was introduced in Britain 80 years ago, in June 1941. INTRODUCING RESTRICTIONS Behind the government’s wartime strategy was a commitment to providing everyone…

SICK AT SEA MARITIME MEDICS Ships’ doctors & their patients Births, deaths and all manner of maladies have affected our ancestors on the extremely long voyages they undertook in times past. A ship’s doctor was vital and here Dr Simon Wills looks at the valuable role they served, and what they could realistically do to help their patients at sea No-one would want to face a medical emergency in the middle of an ocean without a doctor being present. So, for centuries a medically qualified person, usually called a surgeon in the past, has been an important member of the crew of a ship. In the Navy As far back as Tudor times, a warship on a long voyage would often carry a medically trained man, and by the 17th century…

RESEARCH ZONE WORLD WAR I SHIPWRECKS Lost at sea Thousands of ships were sunk in World War I, and many of the people on board had no grave but the sea. However, various records may help you find your ancestors who died in wartime shipwrecks or survived them. Simon Wills takes us through a range of options Most ships lost in World War I were sunk by U-boats, which claimed around 5,000 vessels, but some were the victims of sea mines (about 260 ships), or rapid-attack lone cruisers known as ‘raiders’ (140 vessels). There were also a number of ships lost to the normal reasons that can cause wrecks at any time, such as storms or collisions. If your ancestor was killed in a World War I shipwreck, then the Commonwealth…

DISCOVER RESEARCH SOLUTIONS YOUR FAMILY MYSTERIES SOLVED Your questions answered With our experts Jayne Shrimpton, Graham Caldwell, David Annal & David Frost Photos from a family album Q These photographs all came from the same old family photograph album. I hope you can help me to identify the ancestors by dating their appearance. Firstly, I wondered if the unknown man and lady pictured in 3 & 4 could be the same as the couple in 1 & 2, at different ages? 1 & 2 are cabinet portraits by F. Cole of Euston Rd, London NW. I know that they represent Jane Kingsnorth, née Spier (1815-1907) and Thomas Kingsnorth (1806-1879). They married in 1851. Thomas won a prize for an essay that he wrote and he is leaning on said book in…

SHARING YOUR VIEWS HAVE YOUR SAY Your LETTERS Accounts of your genealogy inspiration, information & more Inspired into action I really enjoyed reading David Annal’s article ‘Getting to Grips with Family Reconstruction’ in the March issue. (Yes I know – I am a little bit behind!). With two lines of my family, I had got as far as listing people’s baptisms, marriages and burials from parish records. I had even colour-coded them to make the lists easier to read. But then I think I sat back and admired my handiwork. I have always loved using spreadsheets, and making them look as pretty (and useful) as possible. Now, however, thanks to David’s advice I can do something more constructive with all this information. Like so many good ideas, it is disarmingly simple.…