From the Society of Genealogists
Our premises is closed due to the coronavirus restrictions. However, we are offering an interesting selection of live online talks to help you trace your family history. Each talk will be followed by a question and answer session.
We will use Zoom and the application is free and easy to use. If you have not used Zoom before, you can find out more and download the application ahead of time here
Alll events take place UK time (GMT). Bookings can be made through our website
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 16 May 11:00-12:00 - What's Free Online at the Society of Genealogists
The Society’s website has some useful resources to explore your family history and unlock some of the digital treasures from our remarkable genealogical library
With Else Churchill, free of charge but must be pre-booked
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 16 May 16:00-17:00 - What's Free Online from the Society of Genealogists
The Society’s website has some useful resources to explore your family history and unlock some of the digital treasures from our remarkable genealogical library
With Else Churchill, free of charge but must be pre-booked
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 23 May 11:00-12:00 - Finding and Using Parish Registers in England and Wales
The records of baptisms, marriages and burials in the parishes where your ancestors lived remain the prime sources for pre 1837 research but also later. The records are not always easy to find or use, not all are online or indexed and there is no one single place to look but this talk will provide useful grounding on using and locating these vital records.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 23 May 16:00-17:00 - Finding and Using Parish Registers in England & Wales
The records of baptisms, marriages and burials in the parishes where your ancestors lived remain the prime sources for pre 1837 research but also later. The records are not always easy to find or use, not all are online or indexed and there is no one single place to look but this talk will provide useful grounding on using and locating these vital records.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 27 May 14:00-15:00 - Searching the Census in England and Wales -for Beginners
The census records are an invaluable bridge between civil records of birth death and marriages and church registers. This talk looks at how they were compiled, what information they can provide family historians and the finding aids and indexes that might make them easier to use.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 30 May 11:00-12:00 - Researching your Seventeenth Century Ancestors
This talk will look at some 17th century sources that might supplement the deficiencies of contemporary parish registers, including (amongst other things) State Papers, tax records, heraldic visitations, quarter sessions, Protestation Returns and records of recusants and other dissenters as well as soldiers of the English Civil Wars.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 30 May 16:00-17:00 - How to Become a Better Genealogist: Getting to Grips with the GRO Indexes
With the emphasis on the 19th century, Gwyneth Wilkie introduces us to the General Registry Office indexes (index to birth, marriage and death certificates in England and Wales).
In this talk, Gwyneth looks at:
- How the system was set up;
- How the information was collected and transmitted to the GRO;
- How it was processed;
- The various modern ways of accessing the indexes, with their advantages and shortcomings.
Gwyneth shows some examples of certificates where the details are not what they should have been, making them difficult to find or revealing an interesting story.
Finally she looks at what happened to some people who did not obey the rules and why one particular transgressor found himself sentenced to five years in prison.
With Gwyneth Wilkie, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 3 June 14:00-15:00 - Pursuing Surnames: The History of Surnames and their Variants and the Benefits of a One-Name Study
In this presentation, Julie Goucher will deliver an overview of what a One-Name Study is and why one is of benefit to family historians. We delve into the history of surnames in general, types of surnames and any differences in relation to non-British surnames. We also explore considerations of why some surnames may change, overtime as well as variations and deviations.
With Julie Goucher, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 3 June 17:00-18:00 - Pursuing Surnames: Undertaking a One-name Study
In this presentation of the day, we spend some time looking at the foundations and practicalities of building a study, collecting data, surname distribution and analysing information. We then look at the considerations in keeping a study and what you can do next to advance your quest in pursuing surnames.
With Julie Goucher, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 6 June 10:30-11:30 - DNA for Beginners - Part 1: Before Taking a DNA Test
Are you wondering how DNA may help you advance your family history research? Do you wonder what it could tell you? Are you unsure what test to take and at which company? What are the potential problems with taking a test? This talk is aimed at people who have not yet taken a DNA test and want to understand if it is worth proceeding with a test. It provides guidance on what you will be able to find out (and what you cannot find out).
A brief description of DNA inheritance patterns will be provided for autosomal and Y-DNA. The talk will explain the different test types and which companies you can use to test at. It also examines some of the potential pitfalls in taking a test such as unexpected results and concerns on privacy. At the end of the talk, you should have the knowledge to make an informed decision on taking a DNA test.
With Amelia Bennett, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 6 June 16:00-17:00 - How to Become a Better Genealogist: Getting to Grips with the GRO Indexes
With the emphasis on the 19th century, Gwyneth Wilkie introduces us to the General Registry Office indexes (index to birth, marriage and death certificates in England and Wales).
In this talk, Gwyneth looks at:
- How the system was set up;
- How the information was collected and transmitted to the GRO;
- How it was processed;
- The various modern ways of accessing the indexes, with their advantages and shortcomings.
Gwyneth shows some examples of certificates where the details are not what they should have been, making them difficult to find or revealing an interesting story.
Finally she looks at what happened to some people who did not obey the rules and why one particular transgressor found himself sentenced to five years in prison.
With Gwyneth Wilkie, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 10 June 14:00-15:00 - Probate Records in England and Wales
This talk explains how to find and use testamentary records both in the civil courts after 1858 and in the ecclesiastical courts before 1858. The talk explains how the courts worked, where records and finding aids might be found and what information one might expect to find in probate documents.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 13 June 10:30-11:30 - DNA for Beginners - Part 2: DNA Test Taken, Now What?
So you took a DNA test but you have no idea how to interpret the results you have received? How will it help with your family history research? What is a centiMorgan? This talk is aimed at people who have taken a test (or are about to) but have not yet reviewed the results or are unsure how to review the results. It will look at the key types of results you can expect.
The talk will consider how you can prepare your genealogy research to help use the results when they arrive. It will explain how ethnicity estimates are produced (and why they change with time). It will define and explain some of the terminology used when interpreting results. The reason why shared matching is so important will be explained.
You will be given step by step guides on how to look at the results at each of the main companies (AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritageDNA and 23andMe). At the end of the talk, you should have the knowledge to look at your results and start to understand what they can tell you.
With Amelia Bennett, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 13 June 16:00-17:00 - Further Probate Records in England and Wales
There are many supplementary sources in for probate research in pre 1858 ecclesiastical and civil court records that can provide more insight into families such as inventories, accounts and appeals. Few of these sources are online but they definitely worth searching for and this talk will help identify and locate them.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 17 June 14:00-15:00 - The Missing of the of the First World War
‘Known only unto God’ - about a third of the men who died while serving in the British Army during the First World War have no known grave. If they were killed on the Western Front, their bodies may still lie in the mud of France and Belgium. Their sacrifice is recorded on memorials, such as the Menin Gate and Thiepval. Surprisingly, even now the remains of soldiers are discovered in fields in Europe and buried with military honours in one of the war cemeteries.
Greater care was taken to recover, where possible, the bodies of those killed in action during the Second World War. When it was impossible, teams of researchers did their best to find out what happened to them.
Using their stories and those of their relations, Simon Fowler explores why they met this fate, how their relations tried to find about their deaths, and what happened to their families after the War. Simon also looks at the resources available, if you want to search for anyone on your family tree that was posted missing in action.
With Simon Fowler, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 20 June 11:00-12:00 - Searching the Census in England and Wales (for Beginners)
The census records are an invaluable bridge between civil records of birth death and marriages and church registers. This talk looks at how they were compiled, what information they can provide family historians and the finding aids and indexes that might make them easier to use.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 20 June 14:00-15:00 - Understanding and Using the 1939 Register
The 1939 Register, provides a snapshot of the civilian population of England and Wales just after the outbreak of the Second World War. Details of around 40 million people were recorded, to facilitate the issuing of ration books.
Now, this register is incredibly a useful as a tool for family history research. The Register provides the most complete population survey of England and Wales between 1921 and 1951 and is available on the Findmypast and Ancestry websites. Learn how to best use the 1939 register online to find your family members living at this time.
With Robert Parker, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 24 June 14:00-15:00 - Researching World War II Servicemen and Women
Mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, and find out more about the men and women who served around the world between 1939 and 1945. We probably grew up listening to our parents and grandparents’ stories of the War. But how can we find out more about what they experienced?
In this lecture Simon Fowler discusses the records you might use to research your parents’ and grandparents’ war service, whether they were in the ATS or in the Burmese jungle. As well as British records he looks at the major sources for the men and women in the Commonwealth and Indian forces
You might be surprised by what you find.
With Simon Fowler, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 27 June 10:30-11:30 - DNA for Beginners - Part 3: Starting to Use your DNA Results in your Family History
Now you have reviewed your results, how do you use them to help progress your family history research? This talk follows on from Part 2 in allowing you to actively use your results to advance your family history research. This may be by validating your already established research, by breaking down those recent brickwalls or, sometimes, creating a whole new biological family tree which diverges from your paper trail tree.
In all three cases, there are tools and techniques that will help you progress. This talk will explain how to use some of these tools and techniques and help you know where to go as you want to advance further.
With Amelia Bennett, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 27 June 16:00-17:00 - Twentieth Century Perspectives - Sources & Techniques for Family Historians
It feels like it should be easier to find ancestors living in the 20th century than those living in the 19th, but sometimes, it can be harder to research after 1911. Many records are still closed while others offer challenges when we try to search for our family names particularly as there will be no census for English and Welsh genealogy in 1931 or 1941.
Hence in this talk Else Churchill looks at distinct features of 20th Century Life and the sources and techniques genealogists might use to supplement this gap such as divorce, the 1939 Register, local directories, electoral records, social media and the internet.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Our listing of online talks can now be found on our website here which will be updated as we add new events. All prices pound sterling.
Our premises is closed due to the coronavirus restrictions. However, we are offering an interesting selection of live online talks to help you trace your family history. Each talk will be followed by a question and answer session.
We will use Zoom and the application is free and easy to use. If you have not used Zoom before, you can find out more and download the application ahead of time here
Alll events take place UK time (GMT). Bookings can be made through our website
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 16 May 11:00-12:00 - What's Free Online at the Society of Genealogists
The Society’s website has some useful resources to explore your family history and unlock some of the digital treasures from our remarkable genealogical library
With Else Churchill, free of charge but must be pre-booked
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 16 May 16:00-17:00 - What's Free Online from the Society of Genealogists
The Society’s website has some useful resources to explore your family history and unlock some of the digital treasures from our remarkable genealogical library
With Else Churchill, free of charge but must be pre-booked
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 23 May 11:00-12:00 - Finding and Using Parish Registers in England and Wales
The records of baptisms, marriages and burials in the parishes where your ancestors lived remain the prime sources for pre 1837 research but also later. The records are not always easy to find or use, not all are online or indexed and there is no one single place to look but this talk will provide useful grounding on using and locating these vital records.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 23 May 16:00-17:00 - Finding and Using Parish Registers in England & Wales
The records of baptisms, marriages and burials in the parishes where your ancestors lived remain the prime sources for pre 1837 research but also later. The records are not always easy to find or use, not all are online or indexed and there is no one single place to look but this talk will provide useful grounding on using and locating these vital records.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 27 May 14:00-15:00 - Searching the Census in England and Wales -for Beginners
The census records are an invaluable bridge between civil records of birth death and marriages and church registers. This talk looks at how they were compiled, what information they can provide family historians and the finding aids and indexes that might make them easier to use.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 30 May 11:00-12:00 - Researching your Seventeenth Century Ancestors
This talk will look at some 17th century sources that might supplement the deficiencies of contemporary parish registers, including (amongst other things) State Papers, tax records, heraldic visitations, quarter sessions, Protestation Returns and records of recusants and other dissenters as well as soldiers of the English Civil Wars.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 30 May 16:00-17:00 - How to Become a Better Genealogist: Getting to Grips with the GRO Indexes
With the emphasis on the 19th century, Gwyneth Wilkie introduces us to the General Registry Office indexes (index to birth, marriage and death certificates in England and Wales).
In this talk, Gwyneth looks at:
- How the system was set up;
- How the information was collected and transmitted to the GRO;
- How it was processed;
- The various modern ways of accessing the indexes, with their advantages and shortcomings.
Gwyneth shows some examples of certificates where the details are not what they should have been, making them difficult to find or revealing an interesting story.
Finally she looks at what happened to some people who did not obey the rules and why one particular transgressor found himself sentenced to five years in prison.
With Gwyneth Wilkie, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 3 June 14:00-15:00 - Pursuing Surnames: The History of Surnames and their Variants and the Benefits of a One-Name Study
In this presentation, Julie Goucher will deliver an overview of what a One-Name Study is and why one is of benefit to family historians. We delve into the history of surnames in general, types of surnames and any differences in relation to non-British surnames. We also explore considerations of why some surnames may change, overtime as well as variations and deviations.
With Julie Goucher, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 3 June 17:00-18:00 - Pursuing Surnames: Undertaking a One-name Study
In this presentation of the day, we spend some time looking at the foundations and practicalities of building a study, collecting data, surname distribution and analysing information. We then look at the considerations in keeping a study and what you can do next to advance your quest in pursuing surnames.
With Julie Goucher, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 6 June 10:30-11:30 - DNA for Beginners - Part 1: Before Taking a DNA Test
Are you wondering how DNA may help you advance your family history research? Do you wonder what it could tell you? Are you unsure what test to take and at which company? What are the potential problems with taking a test? This talk is aimed at people who have not yet taken a DNA test and want to understand if it is worth proceeding with a test. It provides guidance on what you will be able to find out (and what you cannot find out).
A brief description of DNA inheritance patterns will be provided for autosomal and Y-DNA. The talk will explain the different test types and which companies you can use to test at. It also examines some of the potential pitfalls in taking a test such as unexpected results and concerns on privacy. At the end of the talk, you should have the knowledge to make an informed decision on taking a DNA test.
With Amelia Bennett, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 6 June 16:00-17:00 - How to Become a Better Genealogist: Getting to Grips with the GRO Indexes
With the emphasis on the 19th century, Gwyneth Wilkie introduces us to the General Registry Office indexes (index to birth, marriage and death certificates in England and Wales).
In this talk, Gwyneth looks at:
- How the system was set up;
- How the information was collected and transmitted to the GRO;
- How it was processed;
- The various modern ways of accessing the indexes, with their advantages and shortcomings.
Gwyneth shows some examples of certificates where the details are not what they should have been, making them difficult to find or revealing an interesting story.
Finally she looks at what happened to some people who did not obey the rules and why one particular transgressor found himself sentenced to five years in prison.
With Gwyneth Wilkie, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 10 June 14:00-15:00 - Probate Records in England and Wales
This talk explains how to find and use testamentary records both in the civil courts after 1858 and in the ecclesiastical courts before 1858. The talk explains how the courts worked, where records and finding aids might be found and what information one might expect to find in probate documents.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 13 June 10:30-11:30 - DNA for Beginners - Part 2: DNA Test Taken, Now What?
So you took a DNA test but you have no idea how to interpret the results you have received? How will it help with your family history research? What is a centiMorgan? This talk is aimed at people who have taken a test (or are about to) but have not yet reviewed the results or are unsure how to review the results. It will look at the key types of results you can expect.
The talk will consider how you can prepare your genealogy research to help use the results when they arrive. It will explain how ethnicity estimates are produced (and why they change with time). It will define and explain some of the terminology used when interpreting results. The reason why shared matching is so important will be explained.
You will be given step by step guides on how to look at the results at each of the main companies (AncestryDNA, FamilyTreeDNA, MyHeritageDNA and 23andMe). At the end of the talk, you should have the knowledge to look at your results and start to understand what they can tell you.
With Amelia Bennett, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 13 June 16:00-17:00 - Further Probate Records in England and Wales
There are many supplementary sources in for probate research in pre 1858 ecclesiastical and civil court records that can provide more insight into families such as inventories, accounts and appeals. Few of these sources are online but they definitely worth searching for and this talk will help identify and locate them.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 17 June 14:00-15:00 - The Missing of the of the First World War
‘Known only unto God’ - about a third of the men who died while serving in the British Army during the First World War have no known grave. If they were killed on the Western Front, their bodies may still lie in the mud of France and Belgium. Their sacrifice is recorded on memorials, such as the Menin Gate and Thiepval. Surprisingly, even now the remains of soldiers are discovered in fields in Europe and buried with military honours in one of the war cemeteries.
Greater care was taken to recover, where possible, the bodies of those killed in action during the Second World War. When it was impossible, teams of researchers did their best to find out what happened to them.
Using their stories and those of their relations, Simon Fowler explores why they met this fate, how their relations tried to find about their deaths, and what happened to their families after the War. Simon also looks at the resources available, if you want to search for anyone on your family tree that was posted missing in action.
With Simon Fowler, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 20 June 11:00-12:00 - Searching the Census in England and Wales (for Beginners)
The census records are an invaluable bridge between civil records of birth death and marriages and church registers. This talk looks at how they were compiled, what information they can provide family historians and the finding aids and indexes that might make them easier to use.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 20 June 14:00-15:00 - Understanding and Using the 1939 Register
The 1939 Register, provides a snapshot of the civilian population of England and Wales just after the outbreak of the Second World War. Details of around 40 million people were recorded, to facilitate the issuing of ration books.
Now, this register is incredibly a useful as a tool for family history research. The Register provides the most complete population survey of England and Wales between 1921 and 1951 and is available on the Findmypast and Ancestry websites. Learn how to best use the 1939 register online to find your family members living at this time.
With Robert Parker, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 24 June 14:00-15:00 - Researching World War II Servicemen and Women
Mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, and find out more about the men and women who served around the world between 1939 and 1945. We probably grew up listening to our parents and grandparents’ stories of the War. But how can we find out more about what they experienced?
In this lecture Simon Fowler discusses the records you might use to research your parents’ and grandparents’ war service, whether they were in the ATS or in the Burmese jungle. As well as British records he looks at the major sources for the men and women in the Commonwealth and Indian forces
You might be surprised by what you find.
With Simon Fowler, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 27 June 10:30-11:30 - DNA for Beginners - Part 3: Starting to Use your DNA Results in your Family History
Now you have reviewed your results, how do you use them to help progress your family history research? This talk follows on from Part 2 in allowing you to actively use your results to advance your family history research. This may be by validating your already established research, by breaking down those recent brickwalls or, sometimes, creating a whole new biological family tree which diverges from your paper trail tree.
In all three cases, there are tools and techniques that will help you progress. This talk will explain how to use some of these tools and techniques and help you know where to go as you want to advance further.
With Amelia Bennett, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Saturday, 27 June 16:00-17:00 - Twentieth Century Perspectives - Sources & Techniques for Family Historians
It feels like it should be easier to find ancestors living in the 20th century than those living in the 19th, but sometimes, it can be harder to research after 1911. Many records are still closed while others offer challenges when we try to search for our family names particularly as there will be no census for English and Welsh genealogy in 1931 or 1941.
Hence in this talk Else Churchill looks at distinct features of 20th Century Life and the sources and techniques genealogists might use to supplement this gap such as divorce, the 1939 Register, local directories, electoral records, social media and the internet.
With Else Churchill, cost 10.00
_________________________________________________________________
Our listing of online talks can now be found on our website here which will be updated as we add new events. All prices pound sterling.