Archive for the ‘What Did They Do?’ Category

Titanic Historical Society

April 2nd, 2012 Linda Elliott

clip_image002I recall seeing in a museum in Southampton a photograph of the children of the city who had been orphaned by the sinking of the Titanic. I am sure that this photograph will be prominent in the new SeaCity Museum which opens on 10th April.

There will be a number of family historians who find that family members have a Titanic connection whether it be victims or survivors. A good website to begin background research is the oldest Titanic Society, The Titanic Historical Society Inc.

Also the bookshops are full of books, I’d be interested to hear from readers which books they have bought and what they thought of them.

 http://www.titanic1.org/index.asp

 

http://www.seacitymuseum.co.uk/

Posted in Archives, Libraries & Museums, Archives, Libraries & Museums, Getting Started, Merchant Marine & Navy, Take It Further, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

Royal Artillery Medals & Honours

March 30th, 2012 Linda Elliott

clip_image002My father was in the Royal Artillery during WW2, that was until he got transferred to the East African Army and sent to Nairobi to learn Swahili. An interesting move on the British Army’s part as he was a bricklayer who hadn’t travel outside of Hampshire until he got his call up papers !! Anyway I digress…..

Find My Past has the nominal rolls of more than 16,500 military medals, which were awarded to members of the Royal Regiment of Artillery from WWI to the Falklands War.

These records could provide you with fascinating information about your ancestors’ military service, including the unit they served in, the type of service and details of the award itself.

They also have available for searching 21,400 Royal Artillery honours and awards for the period 1939-1946. The awards were given to officers and men of the Royal Regiment of Artillery for their gallantry and dedication during WWII. These records are a nominal roll of those awards.

So if you think your ancestor was in the Royal Artillery this could be a treasure trove of information.

www.findmypast.co.uk

Posted in Army Records, Find My Past, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

Victoria Cross Medal List

March 28th, 2012 Linda Elliott

clip_image002Ancestry.co.uk have announced a new addition to their military collection. Even if you don’t have a recipient on your family tree it would be interesting to find out if anyone from your ancestors village or town was awarded the highest bravery award.

 

The Victoria Cross is Britain’s highest award for bravery “in the face of the enemy”. Our latest record collection provides extensive details of the 1,354 soldiers, sailors and civilians under military command who had earned it up to 2007.

Victoria Cross Medals, 1857–2007, provides each recipient’s name, birth and death dates, their last known rank or unit and a full description of the courageous act that won them the medal. For most of these heroes, you’ll even find a portrait photo, plus details of their final resting place.

www.ancestry.co.uk

Posted in Ancestry.co.uk, Ancestry.co.uk, Army Records, Getting Started, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Marks & Sparks Archive online

March 27th, 2012 Linda Elliott

clip_image002The University of Leeds has announced the launching of a new website dedicated to the Archives of the High Street retailer Marks & Spencer. I can’t imagine there is anyone in the UK that hasn’t been in an M & S store, but if your ancestors entered the store via the staff entrance then this site must be worth a look.

The actual archive is housed in a brand new building in the grounds of the University of Leeds.

http://marksintime.marksandspencer.com/

Posted in Occupational Records, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Thames Watermen & Lightermen

February 3rd, 2012 Linda Elliott

Find My Past has just published 99,000+ occupational records of Thames Lightermen & Watermen. The collection dates from 1688 to 2010 and is as follows…..

  • The Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames binding records 1692-1949 – 82,238 records
  • The Company of Watermen & Lightermen of the River Thames reassignments 1688-1908: a list of apprentices who were reassigned from one master to another – 12,410 records, including information about both masters and apprentices
  • Thomas Doggett Coat & Badge, ‘The Hanover Prize’: a record of all known competitors who rowed in the annual race 1715-2010 – 4,402 records
  • Corporation of Trinity House: a register of licences granted to ex-mariners to work as watermen on the River Thames 1829-1864 – 90 records

My friend Sue will be so pleased to see this collection as will all those with ancestors who worked the Rover Thames.

www.findmypast.co.uk

Posted in Find My Past, Occupational Records, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

Royal Navy Museum

January 21st, 2012 Linda Elliott

If you have ancestors who were members of the Royal Navy, whatever their rank – low or high – there is sure to be some great background information on this web site. You might even be tempted to visit the museum and use their archives whilst the family take a tour of HMS Victory and browse in the museum and shop.

http://royalnavalmuseum.org/index.htm

Posted in Archives, Libraries & Museums, Getting Started, Merchant Marine & Navy, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , , , No Comments »

Scarlet Finders

January 11th, 2012 Linda Elliott

clip_image002I’ve just had an email from Sue Light who is the person behind Military Nurses Records now available on Find My Past. She said she hadn’t been called a genealogical hero before, but I think anyone who offers their many hours of hard work to the public is a hero!

What I didn’t know was that Sue is also the author of a website called http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk/. Having had a look at this well designed website I feel quite cheated that I don’t seem to have any military nurses on my family tree. There is so much to read on this site, Ware Diaries, Medals, Hospitals, different nursing services, book list and also a page about researching a nurse.

I think I will have to borrow some one else nursing ancestor and graft them onto my tree !

http://www.scarletfinders.co.uk

Posted in Army Records, Find My Past, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , , No Comments »

Irish Military Records now online

January 5th, 2012 Linda Elliott

clip_image002Thanks to my friend Sue who sent me a link to newspaper article in The Irish Times which announced the launching of a new website which will be of interest to many family historians.

The Military Archives which are held at Cathal Brugha Barracks, Dublin will now be available online for the first time.

I’ve only taken a quick look at the site, but it seems to be to be offering some really good information on a wide range of the people of Ireland.

Take a look !

http://www.militaryarchives.ie/

Posted in Army Records, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , No Comments »

WW1 Faces

December 31st, 2011 Linda Elliott

clip_image002I have just come across the Imperial War Museum’s website set up to mark the centenary of World War 1. The website states …..

As part of the Imperial War Museum’s First World War Centenary Programme, photographs from the Museum’s ‘Bond of of Sacrifice’ are being uploaded to the photo-sharing site Flickr in a set called ‘Faces of the First World War’.

On Armistice Day 11.11.11, IWM made 100 previously unseen portraits of those who served in the First World War publically available for the first time on Flickr Commons.

IWM will continue to upload photographs to Flickr Commons every weekday until August 2014, the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.

The Bond of Sacrifice is an archive of photographs collected by the IWM between 1917 and 1920. All of the photos tell a story. The men shown in them fought – and often died – for Britain and the Commonwealth during the First World War.

This is one of those websites where it would be worthwhile to set aside an evening to listen to the podcasts, read the articles and learn about the various projects that are being undertaken. There is even an interactive online family history course.

http://www.1914.org/centenary/

Posted in Archives, Libraries & Museums, Army Records, Getting Started, Podcasts, Videocast, Radio & TV, Take It Further, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , , No Comments »

Met Police Records

December 20th, 2011 Linda Elliott

clip_image002If you find some police officers in your ancestry and they served in the Metropolitan Police Force then this is the site for you.

Timelines, gallery of old images, history of policing and details of the archives. Plenty to read and see and there is advice on how to access and use the records that the archives hold.

Plus there are pages dedicated to some of the more famous historical criminals that the Met has had dealings with.

http://www.met.police.uk/history/

 

Posted in Crime & Punishment, Occupational Records, What Did They Do? Tags: , , , No Comments »
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