Another New Year with a fresh start and with the same old resolutions!! How did you get on last year checking and entering all the sources for your family research?
Events in January
- It is 75 years since the first blitz of Weston-super-Mare in January 1941 and there will be a short dedication of the Board recording those civilians who lost their lives and are buried in Weston Cemetery. This will take place at 2.00 pm on Thursday January 7th at the site of the Civilian Graves in the Cemetery and members of the Society are welcome to attend. Details of the board can be seen here. If you know anyone who may have connections with any of the families named on the Memorial please will you let them know.
- Our Saturday Help Sessions have had a short break but will start again every Saturday from January 9th 2.00 – 3.30 pm. If you haven’t been before, you do not need to book, but bring along your library ticket or some means of identification and some information about what you hope to find. Remember the library has access to Ancestry and the British Newspaper Archive covering Great Britain as well as the extensive North Somerset Local Collection of Directories, Maps etc.
 Research Forum
The Weston Mercury printed an article about the broken tomb stone for Walter Henry EAGLES and shortly afterwards we received this photograph from a distant relation of Walter EAGLES showing that originally the small stone had been preserved alongside the official CWGC stone.
Do use our Reseach Forum if you have a brick wall or have a general query about research. Our membership is very knowledgeable and keen to help.
North Somerset Registration Service
I drew your attention to a proposal to change the running of the North Somerset Registration Service in October. At the beginning of December it was decided to go ahead with the scheme to share the service with Somerset. Details can be seen here but I can see no mention of the fate of the historic and original documents for this area which are the basis for the GRO Indexes and often need to be consulted in the light of poor transcriptions.
Family History Software Packages
The news in December that Ancestry was “retiring” Family Tree Maker highlighted the changes in methods of research over the years. Apparently it is now more common to access your family tree on your mobile than it is on a lap top and the need for software to do this is diminishing. The general outcry against this move (see Ancestry Blog ) would suggest that many people have been upset by this commercial decision and that not everyone wants to store their Family Tree online!
Some of you may find genealogytools.com helpful in choosing a replacement - the options include Gramps which featured in a discussion on our Research Forum 2 days before the announcement from Ancestry!
We have to accept that changes and progress are inevitable but if you are using FTM you do not have to rush, you have a year to decide what to do next. Many of the alternative software packages are offering enticements to FTM users so look carefully at what is on offer and compare it with your own needs. Perhaps use this opportunity to review your research and in doing so discover what new resources are now available – and even new methods of entering sources!
Useful Sites
- I wouldn’t normally recommend a site which is 4/5 years old but this BBC article about resources makes some interesting points about free sites and those for which you have to pay.
- For an over view of English Ancestry Research – although written from the American perspective – this gives an interesting guideline to what records are available at various dates.
- I have mentioned this before but in most areas with your library ticket you can access at home some Magazines including Your Family Tree – each month it will give you interesting articles and helpful advice – why not try it? For North Somerset Members - try this site for Online Services and click on the last item “Zinio emagazines” and follow the instructions. You can even read back issues
Tithe Maps and Apportionment Schedules
To end the year on a high – I have been able to identify where William HASE was living in Cross by using the 1838 Tithe Map with its linked Apportionment Schedule for Compton Bishop which was released by TheGenealogist on Christmas Eve.
In various documents William was referred to as a journeyman Blacksmith and I discovered a William HARSE [sic] occupying a cottage and garden on Plot 198 while next door on Plot 199 was a Smith’s Shop (with no living accommodation) occupied by James EMERY who is described as a Master Blacksmith on the censuses and was actually living just down the road. So I now believe that James must have been William’s employer. This tithe map facility is really helpful but is only available if you have a Diamond subscription to TheGenealogist. I’ve looked at the original Tithe map before but not made the connection - can’t imagine how I came to miss it!
I was delighted to find it, and in other parts of the country I’ve been able to find the places where other direct ancestors lived – The STOKES in Wraxall, Somerset, The HILL family in Stinchcombe, Gloucestershire, the JONES in Dilton Marsh, Wiltshire etc.
Society News
- We have a committee meeting arranged for the 18th January and if you have any suggestions for activities or events you would like to see the society provide please will you let us know.
- Our January Society meeting is on January 26th when Peter Lamb will recount his research into a member of his family and his connection with the Titanic.
- We wish all our members a very happy, healthy and successful 2016 and look forward to their contributions to the Research Forum and Members’ Interests and perhaps at meetings
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