The Society’s successful family history skills course begins again with the first sixteen-week series of classes for those who are new to family history or who have had a little experience and want to build upon their initial progress. The team of lecturers, Paul Blake, Else Churchill, Geoff Swinfield, Ian Waller, Michael Isherwood and Simon Fowler will introduce the records and illustrate how they should best be used for the study of family history.

This course provides plenty of opportunity to use genealogical sources in practical sessions in the classroom and as exercises at home. The lectures cover sources in all the major repositories but emphasis is also placed on the extensive collections held in the Library of the Society of Genealogists that can be of help to the beginner. CD publications, electronic finding aids and the internet will, of course, be included along with all the basic sources needed to start research.

Programme:

17 March Getting Started: Research Standards The World of Genealogy – the major repositories and online providers of genealogical information. The Research Process and Standards. What’s Been Done Before Research Directories. The Role of the Internet. (EC)

24 March Family Sources, Basic Records and Pedigrees Identifying & Assessing Family Sources. Basic Pedigree Layout. Oral Evidence. Using databases. (EC)

31 March Civil Registration, Records of Birth, Marriage & Death The Civil Registration System in England & Wales. Key Dates. Using the Indexes. Locating and Obtaining Certificates. Free BMD; UK BMD; Findmypast Family Relatives, BMD Index, Ancestry, Genes Reunited etc and other Internet sources. The content of BM&D certificates. (IW)

7 April Civil Registration (continued) Shortfalls and problems in the Civil Registration System. How to overcome them. Tricks of the Trade. (IW)

14 April Victorian & Edwardian Census Returns & Finding Aids The content of census returns 1841 – 1911 and how to access them. Indexes and Finding Aids. ‘Missing’ people and how to find them. (GS)

21 April No Class

28 April Using Record Offices, the Internet and Online Databases successfully Finding and using resources online and in local record offices. (PB)

5 May First Steps at Kew and Beyond An introduction to what can and cannot be found at The National Archives. 20th Century Records at the National Archives. The Valuation Office Records and The National Farm Survey. (PB)

12 May The Armed Forces and Merchant Navy in the 20th Century Sources for WW I & II. (SF)

19 May Newspapers, Directories, Electoral registers & Poll Books The value of using Newspapers, Directories, Electoral Registers & Poll Books. Where to find them and How to use them. (EC)

26 May The Library of the SoG & its Catalogue Tour of the Library and Explanation of the Catalogue System. Practical exercises in using the Library to establish what research has been done before. (EC)

2 June Parish Registers Anglican Parish Registers and Bishops’ Transcripts. Marriage Licences, Bonds & Allegations. PR Indexes and Transcripts – where to find them and how to use them. (GS)

9 June Parish Registers Continuation of above. (GS)

16 June Non- Anglican Family History Records of Protestant Nonconformist Denominations, Roman Catholics, Jews and Quakers. (MI)

23 June Wills, other Probate Documents & Reading Old Handwriting The genealogical Value of a Will. Standard formats. Nuncupative Wills. Administrations and Inventories. Probate administration and records pre and post 1858 – the role of Church. Where & How to find a Will. Practical examples. Writing an abstract. General principles of reading old handwriting. Examination and key points of various alphabets and script styles. (GS)

30 June Wills, other Probate Documents & Reading Old Handwriting continuation of above. (GS)

7 July Family History in Practice Case Study & Practical Exercise to demonstrate the skills and knowledge covered in the course modules. The rules and conventions of pedigree layout. Computer aided Family Trees. Exercise in drawing together information into a pedigree. (PB)

£200/£160 for SoG members All places must be pre-booked

http://www.sog.org.uk/orderline/software.shtml

by telephone: Tel: 020 7553 3290 or send a cheque to:

Society of Genealogists Library & Education Centre 14 Charterhouse Buildings Goswell Road LONDON EC1M 7BA

 For queries, contact Lori Weinstein at: events@sog.org.uk

Technorati Tags: ancestor, census, class, course, family history, genealogy, lecture, Parish Registers

A series of four talks aimed at beginners to genealogy who have no prior knowledge of the basic sources. It is also suitable for those who wish to refresh their skills and learn how to access the records and their indexes online. Each session will provide a background to the records and demonstrate how they can be used to their best advantage through the internet.

PROGRAMME
10.30-11.45 Getting Started
Civil Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths
11.45-12.00 Tea/coffee
12.00-1.00 Census returns 1841-1911
1.00-2.00 Lunch (not provided)
2.00-3.30 Church registers and their indexes
3.30-3.45 Tea/coffee
3.45-5.00 Probate records

with Dr. Geoff Swinfield, £30.00 /£24.00 SoG members, must be pre-booked:

www.sog.org.uk   or tel: 020 7553 3290

Technorati Tags: beginners, class, course, family, genealogy, history, talk

Society of Genealogists Family History Library and Education Centre:
Free tours of the library, lasting approximately 1.5 hours will be held at 11am, 12pm, 2pm & 3pm.

Free talks programme:
11:30 Getting the Most from the Census (John Hanson)
12:45 Starting your Family History (Else Churchill)
2:00 Getting the Most from the Census (John Hanson)
3:15 Treasures of the Society of Genealogists (Sue Gibbons)

As space is limited, all tours and talks must be pre-booked, tel: 020 7553 3290 or email: events@sog.org.uk
There will also be an opportunity to get advice about starting your research or furthering the research you’ve already done. There is no charge for non-members to use the library for research this day from 11-6pm. Beginners welcome.

Technorati Tags: course, family history, free, library, research