Six GBP for Online Membership - I'm in

I'm thinking about my Bucks ancestors today. John Tucker, a butcher from Datchet, was transported to Australia in 1824 per Hercules II. Jon's parents and siblings were butchers in Datchet until the mid 1850s. I'd love to be able to find more information on John and his family so thought I'd plan for a visit to the Bucks FHS in the future.

I wondered if I should join this Society so I checked out their various membership catagories.  I found something there that appealed to me, On-line Membership until 31 Dec 2015 ; "On-line membership will give you access to the members only sections of the Society website and the right to attend meetings and vote at the AGM. You will not receive copies of Origins, the Society magazine by post but will be able to read/download a copy on-line in the members only section of the website". 

This category of membership is less than half the cost of overseas membership - I can do without printed magazines to save 8 GBP Pounds on the membership subscription.

What a great idea this is! For just 6 GBP I can check the Society's online databases to see if they have any Tucker leads for me to follow.

Family History Societies that have local databases available online could follow Bucks FHS and offer a new category of online membership  tht would attract genies like me.

I'm buying this one

My local library is beefing up its collection of genealogy books so recently I have been able to try before I buy.

I have been eyeing off The Family Historian's Enquire Within (Sixth Edition) by Janet Few on websites for quite some time, I even had a browse when I was last in England but I didn't purchase it. After perusing the library's copy I have realised that this is a must have reference book for someone with British ancestry.

I've never been averse to sitting down with a dictionary and, while I don't read them from cover to cover,  I enjoy dipping in and out of the pages as I soak up new and interesting words. Over the past ten days I have enjoyed doing this with The Family Historian's Enquire Within . I doubt that much of what I have read will stick but that's ok; it's been an enjoyable exercise. I have been amused to find lots of interesting words set out in an alpahbetical sequence with clear definitions and descriptions. This work is more than a dictionary, some of the entries are only a few lines while some take up a page or two. 

Having browsed the book I have learnt that Scrivener is not just a piece of software I use for writing, Muniments are nothing to do with warfare and Dexter was a dyer.

The book's purpose is "to  point you in the right direction so you can find out more" and it does that admirably. Haaving done a lot of dipping I realise that I need this book on my shelves as a reference book, a place to go when I need to know.

The book retails at £12.95 and is available from several sites in the UK; I could purchase it for $39.95 (plu spostage) in Australia and have it on my doorstep in a few days. I want to get the most bang for my geneabuck so I will buy it on my next overseas trip which is looming. I see that it is in stock at The Society of Genealogists, I hope they still have a copy when I arrive for my visit. 

Got a pound to spare?

Then you might consider this offer from The British Newspaper Archive that just came through in my email..

Contemplating a trip to Old Blighty?

Whether it's the journey of a lifetime or one of your regular jaunts to catch up with family and friends you can indulge your hobby/passion/mania for family history with your next trip to the UK.

As well as visiting repositories and cemeteries attendance at Genealogy events will enhance your experience. GENEVA, an online calendar of GENealogical EVents and Activities provides an exhaustive list of links to fairs, talks and conferences.

Having perused the list I feel like jumping on a plane right now. I will certainly consult the list before making my next excursion.

Thanks to http://wanderinggenealogist.wordpress.com/ for this link.

British Probate Survey needs speedy response.

From Ancestors Magazine Blog:

John Briden HMCS (Her Majesty's Courts Service) is hoping to get the Probate Calendar Indexes to Wills and Grants, issued since 1858 in England and Wales online. The index includes the full name and address of the deceased and date of death. See http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/1226.htm He has put together a short questionnaire and would like to receive as many responses as possible by Friday 27th March. I realise that this is very short notice but if you are able to help by responding to John it would be appreciated.

Copy and paste the questions below into an email, add your answers and send your responses to john.briden@justice.gsi.gov.uk

Q1. If the probate calendar was available on the internet, would you use it?

Q2. If you would use it - how often would you use it?

Q3. What probate information would you be interested in seeing online, and why that particular information?

Q4. Would you like to order copies online, and be prepared to pay for them online?

Q5. Would you prefer to access the calendar online, but order and pay for copies by post, or by telephone?

Q6. Would you be prepared to pay a premium to the fee, in addition to the normal cost for a more immediate service?

30 years of searching for family ends with a flight down under

30 years of searching for family ends with a flight down under

Posted using ShareThis

BBC NEWS | Politics | Secret papers face faster release

The 30-year rule on publishing confidential UK government papers should be reduced to 15 years, an official review has concluded.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Secret papers face faster release

Posted using ShareThis