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WEBSITES FEATURED IN WEB WATCH

For ease of viewing the websites mentioned in “Web Watch”, a regular feature of our quarterly journal, the whole article is reproduced below. 

Since websites, their content and their links are prone to frequent change, or even removal, we will only display the articles from the previous four issues of the journal.

Vol 30, No 1:  September 2016

Vol 29, No 4:  June 2016

The National Archives - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

TNA recently had a useful blog post on tracing coroner's records, and what you might expect to find in them -
http://blog.nationalarchives.gov.uk/blog/coroners-inquest-records/

Find My Past - http://www.findmypast.co.uk

FMP have added 1.5 million records called London Lives, Culture & Society 1680-1817 including criminal registers, apprentices, inquests and workhouse minutes.

5.4 million parish and other records for Yorkshire have been uploaded.

79,000 new records have been added to the Greater London Burials index, plus 120,000 baptisms and marriages for Dorset, 71,000 Suffolk marriages, 129,000 Middlesex baptisms, and Irish Quaker records.

In association with TNA, they have scanned and indexed over 911,000 Royal Navy and Royal Marines service and pension records 1704 to 1934.

The final 527,000 records have been added to the National School Admission Registers database.

Ancestry - http://www.ancestry.co.uk

Ancestry have added BMD records for Army and Navy 1730 to 1960, Consulates 1810 to 1968, and At Sea 1844 to 1890 from TNA.

They have added a database of the Irish Probate indexes 1858 to 1920.

Also non-conformist, militia and workhouse records for Cornwall and parish records for the Sutton Borough of London (Surrey).

The Genealogist - http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/index.php

The Genealogist have added 900,000 transcripts of parish records for Essex and 158,000 baptisms for Worcestershire.

Deceased Online – https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch

They have added 3 cemeteries around Halifax, Yorkshire with more to follow.

Video tutorials on local BMD indexes by Ian Hartas -

http://www.UKBMD.org.uk/tutorials

Kent Archaeological Society have transcribed information from the PCC wills of numerous people who worked at the Chatham dockyards -

http://www.kentarchaeology.org.uk/14/02/00.htm#Index

Kent Probate - http://www.drdavidwright.co.uk/kent-probate-indexes.html

Indexes to Kentish PCC Administrations 1559 to 1660 and Probates in the Archdeaconry Court of Canterbury 1630 to 1728.

London's Museum Mile - http://museum-mile.org.uk/

13 museums from the British Library to Somerset House.

And finally, a tour around 17 execution sites in London -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3470892/Take-tour-London-s-dark-map-reveals-chilling-sites-capital-s-public-executions.html

Vol 29, No 3:  March 2016

The National Archives - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Diaries of 247 First World War hospital camps, hospital ships, convalescent hospitals and veterinary hospitals are now available to read online. They are part of WO95 and reveal different methods of treating injured and disabled soldiers, and give insight into life in hospital during the First World War.

National Library of Ireland - http://www.nli.ie/en/homepage.aspx

NLI released images of most of the Catholic Parish Registers a few months ago, covering 1671 to 1900. Both Ancestry and FMP have just released indexes to these registers- and FMP's are free.

Find My Past - http://www.findmypast.co.uk

The 1939 register is now available in full to those with annual subscriptions.

They have added over 20,000 transcripts of monumental inscriptions from 9 burial sites in Middlesex for 1485 to 2014, plus 279,000 new records for the Greater London Burial Index for 48 sites.

Over 240,000 records have been added to their Britain Merchant Seamen 1918-1941 from TNA BT348, 349, 350 and 364.

In partnership with Family Search FMP have added 33 million USA marriages.

The 241 volumes of Phillimore's Marriage Registers now include images of the book.

Another new index covers 35,000 Knights of the Realm.

A worldwide Army index for 1841 has been added with 139,000 entries.

FMP have added indexes and images of the parish registers for Norfolk, Isle of Man, and Suffolk. Also some Irish non-conformist records.

Ancestry - http://www.ancestry.co.uk

Ancestry have added Rolls of Honour for Merchant Seamen in WW1 and WW2 from TNA BT339.

The Police Gazette for 1812-1902 and 1921-1927 has been indexed with images.

Parish Records for Northamptonshire now include marriages to 1912 and pre-1813 baptisms and burials.

The Genealogist - http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/index.php

The Genealogist have added 150,000 WW2 Prisoner of War records.

Like FMP, they have also added Norfolk parish register indexes and images.

Their Tithe Maps index, images and links are now complete for England & Wales.

Deceased Online – https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch

Records have been added for Nottingham and East Staffordshire.

Family Search - https://familysearch.org/

The LDS have added parish records for Kent from Maidstone Archives including some parishes from our area. Images are only viewable at home by members but can be seen at Family History Centres such as TNA.

Also parish registers for Lancashire and 481,000 records for Oldham, Lancashire cemeteries.

Lost Cousins Newsletter is always a source of excellent information such as -

http://www.lostcousins.com/newsletters2/feb16news.htm#SussexPR

Images are always much better than incomplete transcripts. Although based on Sussex, this may apply to other counties on Family Search.

http://www.electoralregisters.org.uk/codes.htm

Before 1948 Electoral Registers showed a code for the reason why a person could vote. This site explains the codes.

And finally, a map of Anglo-Saxon London

http://assets.londonist.com/uploads/2014/01/anglosaxonlondon_11.jpg

Vol 29, No 2:  December 2015

Find My Past - http://www.findmypast.co.uk

Their major release is the index and images for the 1939 Register, a census of the civilian population in September 1939 to prepare for the issue of Registration Cards and Rationing. Later used as the basis for issuing NHS cards. Not included in any subscription at present and not cheap. List of Registration Districts and codes -

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/articles/1939-register-enumeration-districts

An important local addition is the parish registers for St. Leonard's Hythe.

FMP have loaded images of the Probate Index for England & Wales for 1858 – 1959 with OCR, so you can search for Executors' names or places.

There are 220 million names in Electoral registers for England & Wales 1832 – 1932.

Other additions include 22,000 baptisms and burials for North West Kent, Probate records for Lichfield and Coventry, Ely Marriage Licences, and Absent Voters Lists for 1918 - 1921.

Ancestry - http://www.ancestry.co.uk

They have added indexed images of the United Grand Lodge of England Freemason Membership Registers, 1751 - 1921.

Another addition is indexed images of the Scottish Probate [Confirmations and Inventories] for 1876 – 1936. This gives more information than the free index on Scotland's People that covers 1513 – 1925.

Other additions include 1000 Suffragettes arrested in England 1906 -1914 from TNA HO 45/24665, Apprentices Indentured in Merchant Navy 1824 – 1910 from TNA BT 150/1-53, WWII Civil Defence Gallantry Awards 1940 - 1949 from TNA HO 250, Gloucestershire Non-Conformist Baptisms 1739 – 1987, and London Workhouse Admissions and Discharges 1659 – 1930 from LMA.

The Genealogist - http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/index.php

They have added 5 million Emigration records for 1896 – 1909.

Forces War Records - https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk
They have added 500,000 Military Hospitals Admissions and Discharge Registers WW1 from TNA MH106.

Deceased Online – https://www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch

New datasets for London include 4 cemeteries and the crematorium for Lewisham with 385,000 records and Nunhead Cemetery and Honor Oak Crematorium for Southwark with 300,000 records.

Family Search - https://familysearch.org/

The LDS have added parish records for Dorset, Warwickshire and Isle of Man.

Double Records on Family Search -

http://www.ancestryinsider.org/2015/09/darned-double-records-on-familysearchorg.html

Richard Heaton - Update to British and Irish Digitalised Online Newspapers Index
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dutillieul/BritishandIrishNews.html

Google search tips - http://familyhistorydaily.com/genealogy-help-and-how-to/6-secret-google-search-tricks-for-genealogy-thatll-help-you-find-your-ancestors

Smith and Baker all over Europe - http://brilliantmaps.com/european-surnames/

Fly through pre Great Fire London -

http://www.openculture.com/2013/11/fly-through-17th-century-london.html