Getting to Know Findmypast – Your Source for British and Irish Genealogy

New record images create the most complete set of records to identify the over 5.5 million soldiers served in the British Army during World War I. This is a large topic, but research has gotten easier during the last couple of years as original resources and indexes have become available online, and new finding aids have been created. This lecture examines what records were destroyed during WWII, what records survived along with how to use the new indexes, online originals and how to interpret them. Plus put the soldier’s actions into battle context.

Do you have ancestors from Buckinghamshire? If so, then this talk is for you. Join Richard Holt for a whistle-stop tour of the key resources available for research in this county. Our journey of discovery will cover the main archive and how to use their catalogue; along with some smaller archives as well. Find out about a number of online resources that will help you track down your ancestors and learn about their lives. Discover how jurisdictional boundaries might impact your research and how to discover the necessary information. Learn about the many societies, including family history societies, which you can turn to for more information and advice. At the end of our journey you will be equipped with the resources that will enable you to have greater success in your research.

Prior to the 20th century, the vast majority of Irish people lived in rural areas, leasing land and property from the landowners who owned large estates, some of which were thousands of acres in size. These estates, often managed by land agents, generated large amounts of records, a number of which are particularly useful for expanding the knowledge of your ancestors. If you have exhausted the civil registration and church records, these records could be very useful in providing further information about earlier generations who lived on an estate and where exactly they lived through records such as rentals, leases and estate maps. Other valuable documents within estate records include military muster rolls, correspondence, land agent notebooks, wage books, account books and emigration records, all of which have the potential to provide information about your ancestors. Following the Great Famine, many landlords fell into financial difficulty and the government established the Encumbered Estates Court which allowed for the sale of their estates. The records generated include information about tenants and their leases that often contain really valuable information to expand your family tree.

Our ancestors were people, just like us. They were born, they lived, they died, they laughed, they cried, and they fell in love – or should that be luff…? Join people-finding wizard and genealogist Kirsty Gray on a journey through her one place study about the small Devon parishes of Luffincott and Tetcott; learn about the history of these villages, their inhabitants and their challenges, as Kirsty talks you through the trials and triumphs of conducting a one place study. This exploration of the past of a remote and rural part of Devon is sure to providing a fascinating window into the past and be a great example of the benefits conducting a one place study can bring.

Birmingham was the cradle of the Industrial Revolution and the world’s first manufacturing town. This talk will equip you to start your research on your Birmingham ancestors. Learn about the challenges of researching in Birmingham and discover the key archives and sources for genealogical records. Find out how key themes in the city’s history, such as migration, strong Roman Catholic and non-conformist traditions, and the rise of manufacturing, are reflected in genealogical records. Sources covered include legal and ecclesiastical archives, local government, business, institutions, societies and schools. Investigate where else you can get help for researching here such as the Family History Society. Note that the talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.

Learn about apprenticeship, freeman and guild records and how they controlled your ancestor’s trade. Identify sources to put your ancestor into a true occupational context.

Discover the key resources available for researching Cornish ancestry. Learn about the different archives in Cornwall, what they hold and how to access their collections. Find out which Cornish records are available online and where to find them. Hear about the finding aids and local groups that can help with your research, and get a better understanding of how key features of Cornish history like Methodism, mining and migration shaped Cornish family histories. Whether you are researching from afar or planning to visit Cornwall, this talk will help you with starting to research your Cornish ancestors. Please note that the talk assumes you have already watched ‘Introduction to County Research in England’.

Kent, known as the Garden of England, has a wealth of genealogical records but locating those records can take some investigation, with records divided between at least three archives. Then, some parishes that were formally in Kent were absorbed into Greater London, adding another four archives into the mix. Genealogical research can be done knowing when and where the records can be accessed.

This webinar demonstrates how Eliza Watson traced her Coffey ancestry line back eight generations from southwest Wisconsin to Ireland in 1705. An amazing feat due to the lack of Irish historical records. Her success was thanks to a newfound Irish Daly relation, extensive cemetery research, and a local historian. The webinar provides creative ways to break down an Irish research brick wall.