Quite a few years ago I had a website called Too Hot to Handle: a cyberhome for Australian Currys.
It was a pretty ugly and basic site on which had over 8,000 references to Currys, not necessarily related to me, but who were descended from Australians who shared my maiden name - Curry. I took the site down about ten years ago but kept a copy of the site and all associated files and spreadsheets.
I have always wanted to carry on with this surname study but felt that I could not undertake a worldwide study on Curry, a name that is relatively common. I joined the Guild of One-Name Studies thinking that I would register another less common name in my tree for a world wide study (and I might still do that) as I couldn't register my Curry interest with their current guidelines..
This week I learnt of the launch of the new Surname Society that had been mooted on social media, when I read their press release and visited their website I was impressed by how much work the committee had done prior to launching the Society. I like the way that the group is using social media and hangouts to connect with members around the globe and that its committtee is international. When I saw the names behind the Society I knew that it was in good hands so tonight I coughed up $AU9.35 or Five GBP to join. Within a minute I had received an activation code to enter the Members' area on the site which I have yet to explore.
As the requirements to register a surname with this group are not as prescriptive as those of the Guild I think I will resurrect my Australian Curry study and register it with The Surname Society.
It was a pretty ugly and basic site on which had over 8,000 references to Currys, not necessarily related to me, but who were descended from Australians who shared my maiden name - Curry. I took the site down about ten years ago but kept a copy of the site and all associated files and spreadsheets.
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| My old website |
This week I learnt of the launch of the new Surname Society that had been mooted on social media, when I read their press release and visited their website I was impressed by how much work the committee had done prior to launching the Society. I like the way that the group is using social media and hangouts to connect with members around the globe and that its committtee is international. When I saw the names behind the Society I knew that it was in good hands so tonight I coughed up $AU9.35 or Five GBP to join. Within a minute I had received an activation code to enter the Members' area on the site which I have yet to explore.
As the requirements to register a surname with this group are not as prescriptive as those of the Guild I think I will resurrect my Australian Curry study and register it with The Surname Society.
I like the idea of The Surname Society, particularly the bit that it means you don't have to have a worldwide research project. And I have no doubt that you $9.35 was well spent.
ReplyDeleteSounds good, Jill.. So mamy things to keep us occupied.
ReplyDeleteJill, the Guild states that studies should be worldwide, but not at the speed in which the study needs to be worldwide. The Guild also more recently provided the facility for members to register an interest in a surname while perhaps not registering the name. I do hope you register your surname with the Guiild, & would say that the Guild has made significant progresses in the last few months.
ReplyDeleteJill
ReplyDeleteAs Julie has said, you can in fact register your interest in the Curry surname in Australia in the Guild's Register of Surname Interests. If you click on the Members tab at the top of the Guild website there is a dropdown menu and the option to “Register a Surname Interest”. The names you add here appear in the search results whenever someone searches in the Register. Try searching for the surname “Faithfull” to see how this facility works. This is a completely free service for all members regardless of whether or not they have registered a one-name study.
If you do register a surname with the Guild the only requirement is that you must answer all enquiries. A study is supposed to be global in scope but that does not mean that you actively have to research in every country of the world. The Guild does not prescribe how you should go about doing your study and it is, for example, perfectly acceptable to start out by studying a surname in one country. Every study has to start somewhere! The Guild also provides excellent facilities for archiving your research.
As you will have already discovered, the Guild is a very international organisation with postholders living in many different countries. For example, our webmaster lives in New Zealand, our journal editor is in America and we have a Mentors Co-ordinator in Denmark. The Guild is very active on social media with a Facebook page and group, a Google+ page and a big following on Twitter. The Guild has also pioneered the use of Google hangouts. We’ve been holding them regularly for two or more years now. They are a very good way of bringing our members together from all over the world. If you want to join in with the hangouts let me know and I can send you an invitation to join our Google+ community so that you receive the notifications.
G'day Jill, I'm with Debbie on this.
ReplyDeleteI've been one-nameing for over 25 years and have held several posts within the Guild, including Registrar & Chairman. For the first 15 years or so my research focussed on England, Australia, & New Zealand. Only now am I able to tackle the larger population with my name in the USA. It will probably take more than one generation to complete the work...
Even if I hadn't registered my name, I'd still want to be in the Guild for the knowledge & wisom they so readily share - both the Committee and the membership (2700+ & rising) are very forward thinking. They have many projects running to continously improve the services they offer, both to members and to the wider genealogical world. One of their recent initiatives is a pilot project to determine how best to archive member's websites. See their 3rd November press release at http://one-name.org/press-notice-issued-today/
Kind Regards,
Ken Toll
A major benefit of The Surname Society over the Guild is the cost of registering a surname. The Surname Study is only charging 5GBP (A$9.00 by today's exchange rate) for you to register as many surnames as you wish, unlike the Guild, which charges 12GBP (A$21.50 by today's exchange rate) per surname.
ReplyDeleteIn our first week since launching, TSS received 144 fully paid up members, many of whom have vast experience in surname studies and are more than happy to help new surname studiers, as well as support the growth of the new society.
Our Committee consists of ethical, experienced, professional genealogists who are looking forward to much social interaction and assistance with its members.
TSS is not in competition with any other single-surname research entity - we are just taking a new and different approach by providing a completely online society available to anyone with internet access throughout the world - a society giving people different choices. After all, when undertaking genie research I'm sure all of you use FindMyPast and Ancestry, as well as FamilySearch!
Pleased to have you onboard, Jill and delighted you have resurrected your Curry study as a result of the launch of The Surname Society. Others have extoled the virtues of the two societies which just goes to show that there is room for two groups with different aims and objectives. I think the Guild has come a long way in over 35 years since it was founded, not just the last few months. The Surname Society only has a week behind it and already has 150 members and over 500 registered names. Here's to the future!
ReplyDeleteHmmmmm, Kirsty I've had my differnces with GOONS it's true, but I not sure the SS offers me anything that the GOONS do not and so I won't be joining you guys just yet. I hope the 150 members are not disappointed you have taken a lot upon yourselves to be different and I'm not sure you can be anything more tham a splinter group - Now go-on Prove me wrong
ReplyDelete