The Society exists to encourage the study of family history within the old counties of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely. It not only provides a friendly point of contact for people world-wide who are interested in the same surname and families, but also offers a wide range of facilities to support their researches into genealogy and the local area.

The Society was founded in 1976 and now has about 1800 members

For 25 years members of the Society have been transcribing and indexing the records of Cambridgeshire, including parish registers, the 19th century census returns, poll books, poor law papers and many other documents. Copies of all these transcriptions are on the open shelves at the County Record Office, Cambridge. Members of the Society may ask for free searches of the documents, and they are all available on microfiche and increasingly on CDRom for purchase from our bookstall.

Society project work is carried out by volunteers  and large projects can take several years to complete and require the input of many people. New volunteers are always welcome if you feel you would like to help in any way please contact the Project Co-ordinator via the website.

More information, details of online searches and  bookstall information can be found on the Society website

WDYTYA? - Live 2011

The FFHS would like to thank everyone who visited Stand 602 at WDYTYA? Live 25-27 February 2011 also all the volunteers from our member societies who willingly gave their time and shared their knowledge and expertise to answer enquiries, your help was greatly appreciated.

More photo's and a list of the prize draw winners can be found on the FFHS website

If you didn't make it to WDYTYA? - Live 2011 catch up with some of the goings on via Scottish based, Family Historian, Chris Paton's video interviews on youtube
 

The FFHS Moves into the Social Networking Age

The FFHS is proud to announce its very own page on Facebook, we look forward to welcoming you there.

The  FFHS Chairman David Holman    &  FFHS Ezine Editor Di Maskell can be found regularly Tweeting on Twitter

Useful Twitter hints and tips can be found in the March issue of Family Tree Magazine.

 A Really Useful Leaflet

The FFHS have introduced an updated Really Useful Leaflet which can be downloaded in pdf format from the FFHS website.

The RUL introduces a new FFHS competition, inviting readers to write about their most interesting ancestor. Details of how to enter the competition along with a list of prizes and sponsors can be found in the Really Useful Leaflet and on the FFHS website.

Fibis - The world of Family History in British India

The Families In British India Society (FIBIS) is an organisation devoted to members with an interest in researching their ancestors and the background against which they led their lives in ‘British India’.

On its website along with a wealth of information FIBIS has a free searchable database of more than 710,000 individual names (fibis database)  and the Fibiwiki where you can find out more about the lives your ancestors lived.

 For more information  visit the Fibis website or connect via

2011 Census - 27th March

The first census which can be completed online!

Visit the government's Family History area on their Census website.
Follow discussions about the census via    or simply find out more via the FFHS website

National Archives Update

Car parking charges on hold find out more

New TNA iPhone App

Old Money is a new phone app which converts old money prices into new modern equivalents. Using historic price data the currency converter will tell you what sums of money from the past are worth today and you can see what your ancestor’s wages would have bought. You can also find out more about what life was like at the time find out more

Africa Through a Lens

The National Archives has launched the ‘Africa Through a Lens’ collection. Thousands of striking images taken from 1860 to 1980s are now available to view  free of charge. The photographs are from the Colonial Office photographic collection, cover over 20 African countries and illustrate stories from the ‘Scramble for Africa’ through to independence for its nations. The National Archives want your help by identifying people, places and events in the collection. Visit the TNA website for more details.

What Happened when you needed medical care at Sea in the Royal Navy?

Surgeons at Sea - Royal Navy medical officers journals - find out more

New Podcast

Sources for tracing agricultural labourers - find out more

P&O Archive

A new website documenting the history of P&O has been launched. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company was founded in 1837 and by 1866 employed more than 12,000 people across 10 countries.  The P&O archives include some crew records, personnel files and details of 2,500 ships with images where available. find out more
 

NEW RESOURCES TO HELP UNCOVER FREEMASONRY

The Library and Museum of Freemasonry has completed a survey of the whereabouts and types records held by record offices, masonic lodges and chapters throughout England and Wales. The survey lists records created by lodges and chapters in the course of their activities: minute books, financial records and membership records etc. It also includes the surviving lists of members of masonic lodges submitted to the county magistrates and held among quarter sessions records under the 1799 Unlawful Societies Act. If you know the name of the lodge or chapter your ancestor joined then you can search the online catalogue to see if a lodge or chapter history survives. The content of such histories varies but may include a list of members and occasionally, photographs. Visit the website for further information, leaflets and to search the online catalogue.

Petition to save the Cleveland Street (Oliver Twist) Workhouse

The Cleveland Street workhouse was originally built in 1775 and it is the best preserved Georgian era workhouse in Central London, one of only three remaining in the Capital. find out more

Unlocking our National Heritage

Nick Barratt worries about the long term effects of releasing government papers after just 20 years read more
 

The Guild of One Name Studies Seminars 2011

The Guild organises a number of seminars and conferences every year as part of its remit to advance the education of the public in both one-name studies specifically and in the wider subject of genealogy generally.

For a full listing of the Guild's 2011 seminars visit the website or connect via

Caribbean Family History

This year, for the first time, the Caribbean Family History Group was represented at WhoDoYouThinkYou Are? by Fathia, Carlston and Sharon.

The Caribbean Family History Gruop hold regular meetings in Solihull library (West Midlands) and Sharon teaches Researching Jamaican Family History at the London Family History Center more information

U3A Online UK Courses - Writing Family History

This course is not about collecting genealogical data but about how to use memories and word of mouth stories passed on through generations in order to paint word pictures of each of the characters who have and those that are currently part of the make up your family.

The topics covered range from planning your history, collecting information, storing and collating it then using that
material to bring your history to life  For more information visit the U3A website

New Project

Findmypast are working on a very exciting new project with the British Library! Read all about it. Connect via
 

Society of Genealogists 1911 to 2011; a Century of Family History

The SOG publishes its history.
Find out more by visiting the SOG website or connect via

1911 Scottish Census

The Registrar General for Scotland has announced that the 1911 census for Scotland will be released on Tuesday 5th April 2011. The General Register Office for Scotland will release the details of more than 4.7 million Scots and for the first time the images will be presented in full colour rather than black and white. Images of the original summary books which include the name, address, age occupation, birthplace and marital status, will be available to view on the Scotlands People website
 

Yad Vashem Archives Online

In honour of International Holocaust Remembrance Day Yad Vashem and Google have placed a collection of 130,000 Holocaust related photographs and documents online. The records are searchable and Yad Vashem is hoping people will be able to add any personal stories or recollections about any of the photographs. Visit the website

This Months Competitions

Competition One

To win a copy of one of the following books, especially written for the Over 50's, by Jim Gatenby send an email with the title of your choice in the Subject line to competition@ffhs.org.uk by 15th April 2011

1) Windows 7 for the Older Generation

2) An Introduction to the Internet for the Older Generation

3) Getting Started in Computing for the Older Generation  Windows 7 Edition

Competition Two

This month Merly Impressions, specialists in Kaisercraft scrapbooking products are offering readers an opportunity to win one of their Kaisercraft Family Tree kits.

To be in with a chance simply answer the following question:

Q : In which country are Kaisercraft products manufactured?

Clue: visit the website

To enter the competition send your answer in the Subject Line of an email to competition@ffhs.org.uk by 15th April 2011
 

Useful Websites

Surname Map of London

British Listed Buildings

Book Reviews

New Book reviews have been added to our Book Review Page

visit our Book Review Page

Ezine Competition Winners

A full list of Ezine competition winners can be seen on the FFHS website.

view competition winners

Diary Dates

The FFHS will be attending the following events:
Hobbycrafts at the NEC, Birmingham 24-27 March 2011. Volunteers from our West Midlands member societies will be on hand to help you with general family history enquires. We will be on Stand ZF16

visit our events page