The Society of Genealogists is delighted to announce that future issues of its highly respected journal The Genealogists’ Magazine will be made available to members online, as well as in printed form. Details of how to access them can be found below.

The journal, first published in 1925, carries a wide range of genealogical articles, as well as news of what is happening at the Society and new additions to its extensive family history library.

The journal is just one of the many benefits of being a member of the Society of Genealogists, others including free access to its library and discounts on its wide ranging programme of lectures and publications.

 If you are already a member you can login and view the current issue of the Genealogists’ Magazine (volume 30) here. Please note that you will have to login to the Members’ Area to view the Magazine. Details of how to do this can be found here.

Tim Lawrence, Head of Library Services

Technorati Tags: family history, Genealogists' Magazine, genealogy, Members' Area

 Genealogists will be delighted that Ancestry.co.uk, in partnership with the City of London’s London Metropolitan Archives, today launched online for the first time eight million of London’s oldest surviving parish records, charting the history of the city from the 16^th century to modern times. This initiative will provide remarkable opportunities for anyone tracing  London family history.

The London, England, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812 contain vital records kept at more than 1,000 London parishes, and include some of the few extant records of the English Civil War.

Crucially, these records pre-date Civil Registration, the system introduced by the Government in 1837 to record the ‘vital’ events of its citizen’s lives, including births, marriages and deaths. The only way to trace one of these key events before the 19^th century is to use parish registers.

The majority of the parish registers date back to 1538 when Thomas Cromwell, Henry VIII’s Vicar General, issued an order that each parish was to keep a register of each baptism, marriage and burial performed there, however the collection also features a few much earlier records. One of the transcripts that is included within the collection is dated 1274.

Russell James from Ancestry.co.uk comments: “These records detail the existence of those living through the fascinating period of the English Civil War, the political consequences of which can still be felt today. The conflict instilled Parliament with genuine power for the first time, while its factions developed into what have become some of our modern political parties.

“As official records were not kept by the government until Civil Registration in 1837, these parish records are essential for tracing anyone who was baptised, married or buried in London before the 19^th century.”

Dr Deborah Jenkins, Assistant Director of the City of London’s Department of Libraries, Archives and Guildhall Art Gallery, comments: “I am delighted that we are able to make these unique historical records available online for the first time and fully name searchable.

“Our understanding of the development of London and the lives of millions of Londoners will be greatly enhanced through online access to this information.”

The launch of the early parish records marks the completion of the London parish registers, which began in September 2009 with the launch of the ‘modern’ records dating from the early 19^th century to the 1980s. A total of 18 million parish records are now online, dating from 1538 to 1980.

Access to these indeed records is available free in the Library of the Society of Genealogists.  Anyone needing  first time help to use the Ancestry website can book a help session with the Society’s Community Officer.  Details of using the Society of Genealogists Library can be found on our main website.

Technorati Tags: family history, genealogy, London Family History, London Genealogy, Parish Registers

The Society has many useful, informative and unique original records that can not be found anywhere else in the world.  The Teachers’ Registrations for example, came to the Society in 1997 and give details of nearly 100,000 people who taught in England and Wales between 1870 and 1948; more than half of those are women. Click here to find out more about these records and other Treasures of the Society.

Technorati Tags: family history, genealogy, records, Society of Genealogists, teachers registrations

Although the majority of people employed by the railways were men, a number of women were also to be found amongst their ranks.

Helena Wojtczak, in her book “Railwaywomen” (Hastings Press, 2005), tells the untold story of the British railwaywoman, charting her progress from exploited drudge in the 1830s to steam engine driver by the 21st century.

A copy of the book is held in the Society of Genealogists’s library in Clerkenwell and Society volunteer Frank Hardy has recently produced an index to all 2644 people mentioned in the text. This index has now been made available on the Members’ Area of the Society’s website where a free basic search can be made.

Technorati Tags: family history, genealogy, Members' Area, railways, railwaywomen, the society of genealogists

Each Topographical Collection is unique and contains valuable and insightful information on local, social and family history dating as far back as the 17th century. The Kent Topographical Collection for the towns of ‘Seale’, ‘Tunbridge’ and ‘Southborough’ are particularly thrilling to look through due to the volume of original family history documents, all of which are in good condition. Click here to view a selection of original documents from this collection.

Technorati Tags: family history, genealogy, kent family history, the society of genealogists