Federation Of Family History Societies

More New Books

If you would like to submit a new publication for review on the New Books page, or are interested in joining the Book Review Club please email Philippa McCray, Administrator

 

Oxford Companion to Scottish History edited by Michael Lynch

Published by Oxford University Press, price £12.99
ISBN 978-0-19-969305-4

The Oxford Companion is a reference book in dictionary format which will provide the researcher or genealogist with some parameters to guide their hunt for more detailed information.  The dictionary format is subdivided by subject headings called “Classified Contents”  such as “Identity”, “Events”, “Economic Life”, “Oral History and Tradition”, etc.  It includes biographies of kings and some significant individuals such as Thomas Lipton and Charles Tennant.    These biographies are subheadings of broader categories so Thomas Lipton is found in a list of biographies following “Economic Policy” but he is not included in the index.    Names of individuals or subjects found in the index are identified by their classification so it is time consuming to locate a specific person or piece of information. For example General Hector Munro who won the Battle of Buxar in India is not mentioned in either the “Classified Contents” or the index but is located by reading through “Indian Subcontinent” which is a subset of “Rest of the World”.

There is some bias in the content.  The text acknowledges that General Wade built roads in the Highlands as an instrument for controlling the population.  However, the building of the railways in India is described as an act for improving the lives of Indians in the cities rather than a means of easily transporting troops to troubled areas of the country.

The Oxford Companion contains a number of maps including the illustration of elevation, early kingdoms, diocesan centres and borders, and population growth patterns.  It also contains genealogical trees of early Scottish kings and a bibliographic section for further reading. The credentials of the editor and contributors are excellent

A significant drawback of The Oxford Companion is the very small print, which for many readers will require magnification.  According to the cover, this book may be available as an e-book which would enable easier access to the content.

Reviewed by Ardis D. Kamra, of Alberta Genealogical Society and Kings County Historical Society of Nova Scotia

 

Oxford Companion to Irish History edited by S J Connolly

Published by Oxford University Press, price £12.99
ISBN 978-0-19-969186-9

This is not supposed to be a definitive book on all things Irish but gives a good brief overview of many of the major events, names and social strata of the country.

Although the idea of having an English publication on Irish history might sit a little uncomfortably with anyone undertaking  Irish research, there is a raft of professors and senior lecturers from a variety of institutions who have contributed.

Each entry contains asterisked words or phrases which indicate another entry under that word for a more complete picture. This is not a book you read like a novel, but rather one you refer to in order to flesh out your understanding of Irish History. Reading the Preface is recommended as it explains the reasons for some omissions.

All in all, the Oxford Companion to Irish History would be a useful starting place for someone who has interests in  Ireland .

Reviewed by Marianne Moyes of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists

 

Poor Law Records for Family Historians by Simon Fowler

Published by The Family History Partnership, price £7.95
ISBN 978-1-906280-29-1

An extremely interesting and informative, albeit slim book covering the pre 1834 (Old) and post 1835 (New) Poor Laws in clear detail.

The first chapter gives a short synopsis of the various records that are available when trying to discover if you have a pauper in the family or not and the subsequent chapters enlarge upon these records.

The Old Poor Law chapter covers Settlement and Removal records, Bastardy Orders, (always a very useful source for the elusive ancestor who appears in a family without much background information and is very difficult to trace.) also Apprenticeship Records.

The new Poor Law Chapter enlarges upon the organisation and operation of the Workhouse with some details about individual establishments.

This is followed by a chapter on Alternatives to the Poor Law covering records which are not obvious to a beginner to family research but which could be very useful and are of great interest.

The book is peppered with useful websites.

Appendix 1 deals with records in Scotland and Ireland, appendix 2 which on finding the records gives give a beginner a good start in their research. The third Appendix is an excellent bibliography including a selected list of websites. The fourth gives a chronology of the poor law and I feel this would more useful at the beginning of the book as would appendix five, a glossary of the terms used in the workhouse whose meanings have changed over the years or are no longer clear to the modern researcher.

Reviewed by Angela Crabtree, of Coventry Family History Society

 

Keeping Chronicles by Rosemary Sassoon.

ISBN 978-1-4081-2900-5  price £16.99

This is an attractive and informative book showing the importance of written memorabilia not only for your own personal use and interest, but also as a resource for future research. Anyone having an interest in what happened in the past will find this book a gem.

The attractive front cover instantly draws our attention to what might be waiting for us inside.  We are not disappointed, for there are so many colourful examples and illustrations to explore that it becomes almost spellbinding.

The author has spent a lot of time in researching articles and examples for her book that maintains our interest throughout, and demonstrates this in a user friendly way

This is a book to dip into, covering different ideas and categories of memorabilia one might not normally consider a source of information.

Before each chapter is a highlighted paragraph showing the importance of the resource about to be covered. This I found useful as it gave me something to think about before I actually read the chapter.  For example the one on school books and reports.  Most of us save our children's school reports, first card they made at nursery etc.which we have treasured as memory of their young lives, but just think the interest and importance these might become to their grandchildren.  I love the quote 'What you record when you are young becomes history by the time you are old'.

There are dark coloured highlighted boxes throughout each chapter making a personal point to the reader whether it being the correct type of adhesive to use in your scrapbook to remembering to make copies of old letters to preserve them.

At the end of the book, the final chapter is advice given to the reader by professionals. It is very interesting and informative, for it gives help and hints from the National Record Office, storing and preservation of documents, using modern technology, deciphering writing, etc. which is a help when we are researching some of our own old documents.

In conclusion then, I can thoroughly recommend this book to all who are interested in learning and preserving their own family records.

Reviewed by Gwyneth Pearson a member of Audley & District FHS and of the Bloor Society

 

Trades and Professions:  The Family Historians Guide by Stuart A. Raymond

Published by The Family History Partnership, price £5.95
ISBN 978 1 906280 25 3

What we do for a living has a profound effect on what we are, and often on where we live and who we marry.  In his new book Stuart Raymond has set out to provide sources of information that should allow family historians to throw new light on their backgrounds.  He does this by describing categories of information such as trade directories, before moving on to specific occupations (or “trades and professions” –there’s no clear dividing line).  In doing this, Mr Raymond brings in the useful concept of Life Cycle Occupations – those which many or most young men experienced such as scholar or apprentice. 

Throughout, Mr Raymond provides a wealth of citations for web-based, periodical and book sources.  This reviewer has not tried to verify every web reference, but those tested worked correctly.  However, it appears that the author has not had time to keep everything up-to-date.  The major information portal findmypast.co.uk changed from .com in 2009, and is not called “Find My Past”.  The same site published its set of British Army service records 1760-1913 (the Chelsea Pensioners) in 2010 but this valuable resource isn’t mentioned.  Similarly, just five out of 37 references to periodicals are for dates of 2006 or later. 

Obviously it would be impossible in 64 pages to include every trade or profession, but it’s odd that Mr Raymond omits resources such as the medical material in the Wellcome Library and the print union archives at the Marx Memorial Library in Clerkenwell.  He is not well served by his editors, either:  capitalisation is eccentric, with every periodical citation in lower case after the first word of its title (like “The daily telegraph”).  It’s a pity that a good idea for a book could not have been executed with more care; the devil’s in the detail, and the detail lets it down.

Reviewed by Rod Moulding, a member of Keighley & District FHS

 

Discharged in New Zealand

Soldiers of the Imperial Foot Regiments who took their Discharge in New Zealand 1840 -1870

Originally compiled by Hugh and Lyn Hughes the book, Discharged in New Zealand was published by the New Zealand Society of Genealogists in 1988. An index was added when the book was published on microfiche.

Now it is available as searchable PDF on CD for only $25. Visit the NZSG website, www.genealogy.org.nz/Sales_11.aspx?CategoryId=11  to order your copy today.
NB Postage and Packaging applies for overseas purchases.

“ The first troops to land in New Zealand were a detachment of the 80th Regiment which arrived from Sydney in April 1840, and 30 years later the last of the Imperial troops to depart were the main body of the 18th (Royal Irish Regiment), in February 1870. Throughout this period of New Zealand 's history, British forces other than regiments of the line, served here. These consisted of naval detachments, Royal Marines, Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, and the Commissariat and the Waggoners (the predecessors of the Royal Army Service Corps).

From a strength of a few hundred men in the early 1840s, the Imperial Government decided in 1847 to maintain, for the time being, 2,000 regular troops in the colony. Over the next 12 or 13 years this number varied, and in 1860 about the time of the outbreak of the first of the later Maori Wars, the strength of the British forces was down to approximately a thousand men. These troops, consisting of the 65th Regiment and detachments of artillery and engineers, were scattered in five different stations, at Auckland , Wellington , Napier, Wanganui, and New Plymouth. By the end of 1865, the Imperial forces in the colony totalled about 10,000 men, consisting of the 12th, 14th, 18th, 40th, 43rd, 50th, 57th, 65th, 68th, and 70th Regiments, two batteries of Field Artillery, and Royal Engineers and Military Train.”

From www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/british-troops-in-new-zealand/1

 

Dating Old Army Photographs by Robert Pols

Published by The Family History Partnership price £5.95
ISBN 978 1 906280 27 7

This slim volume is packed with information about military uniforms and accessories from the mid 19th century through to the Second World War.  Robert Pols starts by explaining the different types of army photograph, the earliest of which were mostly studio portraits of officers but, as photography progressed and prices dropped, ordinary soldiers would also have been able to have their pictures taken.

The author’s enthusiasm for his subject really comes through as he explains the many changes to uniforms through the years, this is where this book really becomes invaluable to the family historian.  Most people have some photos of ancestors in uniform and by studying what the soldier is wearing, from his headgear down to his footwear, you should be able to come up with an approximate date for when the photograph was taken. The illustrations at the end cover a wide range of uniforms and my only criticism of the book is that I would have like to have seen a few more examples of photos.

I particularly liked the chapter entitled “Accoutrements in detail” which included facial hair!  It seems that luxuriant moustaches and side whiskers, as shown on the front cover, were very popular in the mid 19th century as were bushy moustaches at the beginning of the 20th century but clean shaven became the order of the day after the First World War. 

If your ancestors were regular soldiers or conscripted to fight in either the First or Second World War, this book will make you look at their photos with much more interest and I thoroughly recommend it as an interesting aid to family historians.

Reviewed by Celia Lacey, a member of the East of London FHS

 

Researching Your Family History by Pam Ross

Published by The Crowood Press price £14.99
ISBN 9781847972095

This book will be of interest to anyone researching family history. It has a great deal of practical information, which is written in a clear and concise manner.  Running through the book are clear and appropriate illustrations of original documents.  These will be of particular value to the beginner but the more experienced researcher may find information and inspiration among them too.

There are some very helpful comments and suggestions on where to try next when hitting the inevitable brick wall.  The author looks at different ways of recording and indexing the information gathered, discussing manual recording as well as using a computer.

Pam Ross is aware of budget restrictions and looks at the most cost effective ways of gleaning the information and suggests ways to use the time spent in research centres to the greatest advantage.

There are two pages of web sites and also two pages of useful addresses.

My only concern is that Chapter 1 “How to get started”, a good introduction to basic enquiries among the family and collecting certificates from them, slides into Herald’s Visitations and Debrett’s.  The intention is good and right – don’t re-invent the wheel, see what is out there already, but perhaps a bit too much too soon?  If the book is revised I would recommend this being a second chapter, along with the useful websites and mention of DNA, to let the beginner catch their breath.

It would be a shame if it put anyone off, as the book is excellent.  It is one that could be read and later dipped into as the need arises. 

Reviewed by Ann Gynes, Publicity Officer of Dorset Family History Society

 

How To Trace Your Ancestors Using a Computer for the Older Generation

published by Bernard Babani (publishing) Ltd, price £6.99
ISBN: 978-0-85934-720-4

Jim Gatenby has produced a winner with this handy sized, (5” x 7 ½”) full colour book, aimed at the over 50’s.  It has a logical progression and has easy to understand sets of instructions, including relevant graphics, to finding your ancestors. A couple of nice touches  at the beginning were how to enter web site addresses and how to use the mouse – click, double-click, right-click and drag and drop – all easy functions for those who are proficient but to a new user these things can be confusing.

Initially, it takes the learner, in a user friendly manner, through Hardware and Software, how to email, scan, save and send images. At this stage I decided to manually follow the instructions for the next few chapters, using the examples Jim provided and thought the detailed chapters on how to use Google to search through the various genealogical websites especially useful.  Using Census Records, finding BMDs, obtaining certificates are covered fully in an easy to understand format.  There is also a separate chapter on Scottish Roots.

Although aimed at the over 50’s it would be equally good reading for any beginner who is finding it difficult to work through the intricacies of the web and even the more knowledgeable would probably, like me, find something that they did not know already.

Reviewed by Marcia Kemp, Editor of Huddersfield & District FHS.

 

The History of Girls Comics by Susan Brewer

published by Pen & Sword, price £19.99
ISBN: 9781844680726

Susan Brewer’s colourful, detailed and deliciously informative new book highlights the development of pictorial narratives and the influence they have on their readers. From Egyptian hieroglyphs to the Bayeux Tapestry, via Hogarth’s satirical paintings and strip cartoons in newspapers, they have recorded events, promoted propaganda or poked fun at individuals and society. In the Victorian era the genre adapted to encompass children: comics as we now know them had arrived. The author’s enthusiasm and wide-ranging knowledge take readers on a nostalgia inducing frolic through childhood memories; they unfold to a cinematic backdrop of characters and stories featured in the comics we relished. Parents, siblings, partners and offspring of our favourites, and passing fancies, dance before our eyes. The credits include the ground breaking comic artists and authors, like Jacqueline Wilson, whose skills we took for granted, even as we absorbed their output and waited impatiently for the next instalment. “The History of Girls Comics” is an attractive addition to any library, but a book that is so interesting, well researched and thought provoking should not be allowed to languish on a dusty bookshelf. It should be regularly taken up, referred to and savoured anew.

Our reviewer Rosemarie Leonard, a member of the Anglo Italian FHS was so inspired by this book that the above is an abridged version of her review which can be read in full here.

 

WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? Be A Family Tree Detective By Dan Waddell

ISBN 978-1-4063-2788-5
Available from Walker Books Price £12.99

'WOW!  What a great book!  Full of facts and information, this book will please all those budding young genealogists out there.  Every page is full of interesting ideas, 'detective tip' flaps and pockets for those young fingers to search and gain more insight into this absorbing hobby.  Full of pictures as well, it is a delight to the eye.  The publishers suggest the book is suitable for children aged 8+, however, I would recommend the book for children over 11 years old - anyone younger will need some supervision - but this could be a great thing in the long run, helping generations to find their past together!'

Reviewed by Steph Turner of Louth Branch of Lincolnshire Family History Society

 

Graves, Tombs & Memorials by Trevor Yorke

ISBN - 978 1 84674 202 6
Published by Countryside Books, 2010, £5.99

Published as part of the Britain’s Living History Series, this slim volume, for the book contains just 64 pages, contains a wealth of information. It is written in a clear easy to read format with photographic illustrations and is broken down into chapters complete with a concluding index.  

This book encourages us to delve beyond the name and dates on the headstone, and to look further at the style of the Memorial, the graphics upon it and the even the types of stone used to make it.  Readers are urged to get out and about and explore their local churchyard using the knowledge within the book to gain further information about those commemorated upon the stones.

The book further explores how the churchyard and cemetery evolved within our Society, the styles of stones over the ages and how burial practices have changed with a later section of the book dedicated to understanding the various carvings and what they mean, giving further information of the person they are dedicated to.

This book would be a welcome addition to any genealogist and family historian’s bookshelf and really does encourage further exploration.

Reviewed by Julie Goucher

 

Captain Thomas Paulden - A Family Historian's Dream Fulfilled - by Reg Postlethwaite

ISBN 978 1 899536 986
Price £9.95 Available from Parish Chest

This lively, enjoyable book reflects Reg Postlethwaite's excitement and pride in discovering such colourful ancestors and weaving them intricately into the big tapestry of the English Civil War period. The eponymous Captain Thomas Paulden was a royalist secret agent during the Interregnum. His story is about loyalty, friendship and betrayal . Postlethwaite's detailed knowledge and research, enhanced with lots of portraits, plans, letters, wills and family trees, present the reader with all the ingredients of heroic enterprise such as plots, aliases, ciphers and double agents.

What you will experience in this narrative is the feeling of the times. The author makes us aware that just dates, names and places are insufficient if we want to breathe life into our ancestors . There are some very exciting first hand accounts of skirmishes and sieges. It is the personal details, sometimes humorous, that delight; Cromwell sent Thomas Paulden to the Gatehouse in Westminster---"from whence I escaped by throwing salt and pepper into the keeper's eyes, which I think has made me love salt the better ever since-----"

Postlethwaite finds it incredible that he discovered another illustrious ancestor, the Earl of Craven, whose exploits are also included in the book. He was a contemporary of Paulden and was a "lifelong friend and admirer of Elizabeth of Bohemia, sister of Charles the First."

He engages his readers with enthusiasm coupled with a relaxed and personal style.

Reviewed by Pauline Jessop, a member of Liverpool & South West Lancs FHS

 

Scottish Family History on the Web: A Directory - by Stuart A Raymond; Third Edition

published by The Family History Partnership in 2010
ISBN: 978 1 906280 21 5

The third edition of this very useful book has been published five years after the previous edition. This seems a very long time in internet terms with the continual appearance of new sites and the disappearance, or change of URL of existing ones. Indeed perhaps there may be an argument for publishing the whole book on line, not only to enable timely updating, but also to avoid the typing of long URLs!

That said, this is a very useful book. The author aims to only include those sites which are likely to be relevant to most genealogists, omitting those devoted to specific families and those of much wider interest. By judicious editing the many irrelevant sites found by search engines are omitted.

Initial chapters introduce sources of general information on history in Scotland: general, local and family, together with the major gateways such as Genuki. There is a comprehensive list of the many libraries, archives and record offices with significant family history holdings. As with all the chapters of the book, general entries are followed by those in specific counties and towns. Family History Societies and on-line discussion groups are similarly listed, as are surname interest lists. On line gazetteers and maps are well covered.

A chapter introduces general genealogical pages for each county covering historical and geographical background together with an outline of resources likely to be available, in some cases down to parish level.

Subsequent chapters list sources of vital records, census and monumental inscriptions, both in general terms and by county and parish. Other sources such as business records, directories, testaments and church records, which cover the many denominations apart from the Established Church, are comprehensively listed.

Sites listed are not confined to those covering only Scotland. For example, in the chapter on occupations, sources such as those of the services, seamen and railwaymen, outside Scotland are also listed. A final chapter is devoted to those many sources not covered previously.

While the book itself is set out in a very user-friendly way, there are also comprehensive general and place indexes. This book should be beside the computer of every family historian with Scottish interests. There will be many websites listed that are new to the most experienced researcher and these could be the source of that piece of the jigsaw that you have been searching for!

Reviewed by Stuart Laing - Scotslot

 

Birth and Baptism Records for Family Historians by Stuart A. Raymond

published by The Family History Partnership in 2010, price £4.50
ISBN:

This is packed with excellent advice for both the newcomer to family history and for old hands too.

It points to web-page addresses - 82 by my count - and 48 references to other hard copy resources that the author feels may be of use to anyone searching for birth and baptism records in England, Wales, the Channel Islands, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland, and some overseas territories; and, indeed, on the whole, I agree with him.

I have checked all 82 web-page links, and found that the majority have worked. Indeed, some have taken me to places that I had not explored before.

However, one of the problems with a book like this, or indeed with anything that makes extensive reference to web-page, is that the content of the Internet is, perhaps by its very nature, much more transient than information stored in the world of traditional hard copy.

In particular, the web-page references involving the General Register Office generally took me to an 'Identity and Passport Service' web-page, which says the GRO page has moved, and provides links to other pages, which did, in some cases, but not all, eventually lead me to the information that I wanted.

But the 'but not all' is important. I have, so far, been unable to find some of the relevant pages anywhere on the Internet - nevertheless, I shall endeavour to persevere.

The list of books - it's not actually a list because it's spread through the book, like sixpences in a Christmas pudding - will keep anyone who tries to read them all busy for quite a while.

I searched the Internet, and found a lot of them at The Family History Partnership web-site; and others at the Genfair, and The Society of Genealogists web-sites.

Reviewed by Dr. Ian K Bloor member of the Blo(o)r(e) FHS.

For other One Name societies who belong to the FFHS please visit www.ffhs.org.uk/members2/onename.php

Marriage Records for Family Historians (Vital Records for Family Historians) by Stuart A. Raymond

published by The Family History Partnership in 2010, price £4.50
ISBN: 9781906280239

Stuart Raymond’s excellent guide to marriage records is an absolute goldmine for family historians. All BMD records are important but few would argue against his contention that ‘Marriage registers are perhaps the single most important source for tracing family history’.

The guide is a companion volume to the Vital Records Series - the others being Birth and Baptism Records and Death and Burial Records (forthcoming). In the series the author describes the wide range of resources available, indicating where they can be found, and how they should be used.

The records which are appraised in this volume include civil registration and mainstream parish registers (Church of England), but as many of our ancestors were non-conformists he also takes account of Quaker, Huguenot, Roman Catholic and Jewish Registers. He also describes nonparochial registers (marriages conducted outside of parish churches) and other irregular marriages (sometimes referred to as ‘clandestine’). Other useful chapters in the guide include marriage records in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man.

While there are only thirty-two pages in the guide they are crammed solid with detailed references to websites, addresses and relevant books. There is no general bibliography or index but it is easy enough to determine what constitutes ‘further reading’ from the text. The booklet is a useful reference tool for beginners and more experienced family historians.

Reviewed by David Gilligan (Cheshire FHS)

The Vagabond Book of Stirling by Marie Brammeld

Stirling: Lomax Press, 2010                  ISBN: 978-0-9560288-3-9

The original Vagabond Book of Stirling: 1752-1787, preserved in Stirling Archives, is a historical record of the many rascals who came before the Burgh’s magistrates in that time: their petty crimes and their sentences. Marie Brammeld has selected some of the more interesting cases, quoting the original record, setting the stories in context and describing living conditions in 18th century Stirling. The major buildings of the burgh at that time are described and in many cases illustrated.

Compared with modern times, the sentences handed down seem very heavy given the relatively petty crimes. The 18th century ASBO is banishment from the burgh and there must have been ample resources to enforce this. Penalties for returning include being committed to the workhouse, or house of correction, with hard labour!

Considering that few vagabonds left a paper trail, background detail for many people involved has been unearthed, in particular previous and subsequent appearances before the court, previous employment (in a few cases), parents and inevitably mentions in the Kirk Session minutes! However, the victim or employer, sometimes both, were often the only ones who did leave records!

Not only were vagabonds guilty in Stirling, however. A gap of six years in the ‘Vagabond Book’ in the 1770’s reflects political scandal in the Burgh when corruption in Town Council was revealed and, in due course, the entire council was suspended by the Court of Session.

A useful bibliography of books on the history of Stirling and on domestic life in Scotland is provided; the book is well indexed.

While we may not have any ancestors who appeared before the Stirling magistrates, this book gives us a fascinating insight into life in an 18th century Scottish town. Meat on the family history skeleton with relevance to the whole of Britain.

Reviewed by Stuart Laing - Scotslot
For details on how to purchase email

The Brewers and Breweries of Stirlingshire by Forbes Gibb

Stirling: Lomax Press, 2008         £10-00         ISBN: 978-0-9560288-0-8

The Brewers and Breweries of Linlithgowshire by Forbes Gibb

Stirling: Lomax Press, 2009         £7-00           ISBN: 978-0-9560288-2-2

These books are the first in a series (Fife is next) describing the brewers and breweries of Scotland, county by county. The author, a professional information scientist and expert brewing archivist, has brought together a considerable amount of information gathered from contemporary documents and newspapers.

In both books, brewers and their breweries are listed by place; for the larger towns a background to the local industry is given followed by a detailed description of individual businesses and their owners, illustrated by maps and photographs.

The timescale is from mid 18th century to the present day. There is considerable detail about the people and their families who either owned or were responsible for running the breweries. For those with ancestors in the trade, both books give insight into their business activities.

The major breweries of Stirlingshire are described in depth with considerable detail on the history of the business and its associated people. There are two groups: those larger breweries founded many years ago that have all now closed and the smaller breweries, opened in the last few years and now flourishing.

Full references are given to archive and journal sources and to more general internet sites. Personal and brewery names are well indexed. While our ancestors may not have been brewers, they will almost certainly have been their customers or their suppliers. As well as appealing to real ale enthusiasts, this series is a welcome source of local history for family historians.

Reviewed by Stuart Laing - Scotslot
For details on how to purchase email

FFHS says: If you have Scottish ancestors and live in the northern Home Counties, then why not go along to Scotslot! They have regular meetings in Harpenden. Email for further details.

 

Pitfalls & Possibilities in Family History Research by Pauline Litton (Vice-President FFHS)

If your ancestors are proving elusive and the records are not where you expected, or do not contain the information you anticipated, then Pitfalls and Possibilities is the book for you. Based on a series of articles with the same title published in Family Tree Magazine, updated and expanded, it is not a book on 'how to do your family tree.' Rather it suggests unexplored avenues and additional sources which you may not have considered. Possible errors and omissions in original records, transcriptions and indexes - often caused by poor handwriting, inconsistent spelling and regional accents - are described and illustrated. Family history is like a game of snakes and ladders and this book should help you to reach the final square.

For more information and to order a copy visit www.pitfallsandpossibilities.co.uk

 

New titles from Pen & Sword Books

Buy via this link so that the FFHS can benefit at no cost to you

Tracing Your Army Ancestors by Simon Fowler

Simon Fowler is a leading authority on family history and a prolific writer on the subject. This book is a comprehensive introduction to researching army history and shows how to trace the careers of individual soldiers from 1760 to the present day. Information on all the major archives and museums including The National Archives is included. Whether you are interested in the career of an individual officer, researching medals awarded to a soldier or just want to know more about a particular battle or campaign, this book will point you in the right direction.
FFHS says:  Why not look at our feature on Using Medals to help trace your Ancestors?
http://www.ffhs.org.uk/ezine/articles/medals.php

Tracing the Rifle Volunteers by Ray Westlake

Ray Westlake has an established reputation as a military historian specializing in the British army of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This publication provides a comprehensive guide to the Rifle Volunteer Corps, the forerunner of the Territorial Army. The bulk of the book consists of a county by county account of the history of each unit. Westlake identifies the key commanding officers, the professions and trades of the men who joined up and traces each unit through the various reorganizations and amalgamations that took place over 50 years. Background information is also given on the communities from which the rifle volunteers came.

Tracing Your Air Force Ancestors by Phil Tomaselli

This book provides researchers with pointers and examples which should assist in helping them to find the records of units and bases that individuals served in, the kind of work they did, the aeroplanes they worked with and the men and women they worked alongside. It contains information on all the major archives and museums, explains Air Force organisation and unit histories as well as giving a graphic account of the Air Force history and development. Tomaselli who has written extensively on family history topics and who has made a special study of the men and women who served in the RAF recommends resources available online as well as books and memoirs.

Tracing Your Jewish Ancestors by Rosemary Wenzerul

Rosemary Wenzerul’s lively and informative guide to researching Jewish family history will be an absorbing read for anyone who wants to find out about the life of a Jewish ancestor or who is researching any aspect of Jewish history. In a clear and accessible way she takes readers through the entire process of research. A concise account of the history of the Jewish presence in Britain, a guide to relevant libraries, archives, records, websites and museums in both the UK and abroad as well as chapters on Jews in the armed forces and Jewish heraldry ensure this will be essential reading and an invaluable reference guide.
FFHS says: Why not visit the website of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain?
http://www.jgsgb.org.uk/

Tracing Your Royal Marine Ancestors by Richard Brooks and Matthew Little

Brooks is a military historian who has made a special study of the Royal Marines and Royal Navy, Little is an archivist and librarian at the Royal Marines Museum in Southsea who has over thirty years experience of building and researching the museum’s collection. This publication gives a comprehensive introduction to researching Royal Marine History, shows how to trace individual Royal Marines from the seventeenth century to the present day and describes the duties, organization and ethos of the Royal Marines as well as giving information on all the major relevant archives, websites and museums. An accessible and practical handbook.

Tracing Your Northern Irish Ancestors by Ian Maxwell

Ian Maxwell’s book ‘Tracing your Northern Irish Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians’ contains 182 pages packed with information on sources of use to those with an interest in family history in Northern Ireland, and is illustrated throughout with black and white illustrations taken from historical prints and photographic collections.

There is an introduction and nineteen chapters, in the introduction Ian gives a brief summary of the history of the North of Ireland from about 500 BC, through the founding of Northern Ireland in 1921, to the present day.  It is this historical context that runs through the book that is one of the strengths of the book for me.  With each chapter he explains the historical context in which the various records were required, the information that was collected and which records survive.  Another and probably the most important strength of this book lies in Ian’s intimate knowledge of the records at PRONI, his previous books, particularly those on researching your ancestors in Down and Armagh and in Ian’s own knowledge of Northern Irish family history gathered over many years in the field.

Chapters include where to begin, census records, civil registration, church records, school records, valuation records, landed estate records, wills, poor law records, local government records, military records, electoral records and emigration records.  There are also chapters on 17th and 18th century records and on miscellaneous collections, a catch-all chapter for those smaller collections and sources that don’t easily fit into any of the other chapters.  The appendix lists useful addresses but with the exception of Belfast Central Library and the Linen Hall Library does not list any of the other local studies collections in Northern Ireland.  The book is completed by a bibliography and index.

Overall I found the book an easy and enjoyable read, the number of sources included in the book is remarkable and I now have a lot more sources to check out in my own exploration of my family tree.

Reviewed by Richard Burns (North of Ireland FHS)

FFHS says: Why not visit the website of the North of Ireland Family History Society?  www.nifhs.org

Tracing Your Shipbuilding Ancestors by Anthony Burton

“Anthony Burton’s concise and informative guide to British shipbuilding will be absorbing reading for anyone who wants to learn about its history or find out about the life of a shipbuilder and his family. In a clear and accessible way he traces its development from the medieval period to its peak in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and on into the present day.”

Tracing Your Railway Ancestors by Di Drummond

“Di Drummond’s concise and informative guide to Britain’s railways will be absorbing reading for anyone who wants to learn about the history of the industry and for family history researchers who want to find out about the careers of their railway ancestors. In a clear and accessible way she guides readers through the social, technical and economic aspects of the story. She describes in vivid detail the rapid growth, maturity and long decline of the railways from the earliest days in the late eighteenth century to privatization in the 1990s. In the process she covers the themes and issues that family historians, local historians and railway enthusiasts will need to understand in order to pursue their research.”

FFHS says: Why not visit the website of the Railway Ancestors Family History Group ? www.railwayancestors.org.uk

Tracing Your Liverpool Ancestors by Mike Royden

Mike Royden is well known in Liverpool and through this book will become better known.

This is an excellent reference handbook for those who have ancestry in Liverpool.

The title byline refers to it being ‘a guide for family historians’ but as he says it is more than that: it is a handbook for family and local historians, combining the history of Liverpool and the whereabouts of records.

He demonstrates how family historians with a good knowledge of local history can enhance their research and enable them to understand more about their ancestors and the society in which they lived.

The 260 pages of the book are very easy to read and filled with interesting information. Mike has adopted 2 main Parts for his book:  Work and Economy being the first and Society the second.

The chapters in part 1 include references to the development of the port and various maritime trades, including Liverpool’s involvement in the slave trade, as well as to land, agriculture and estates (Lords Sefton and Derby) with helpful guidance to manorial records. Transport other than the sea is also dealt with in another chapter.

Part 2 includes chapters on housing development, poverty, immigration and religion, education which includes workhouses, and the impact of 2 World Wars.

The chapters follow a useful plan: historical details followed by an end section on ‘Further Research Ideas’, ‘Further Reading’ both in books and websites.

The final third of the book comprises 6 superb Appendices under the  headings of Research Guide, Archives Libraries and Local Study Centres, Web Resources to name but three.

The work is scholarly and an excellent reference guide. No family historian with ‘scouse’ ancestors can afford to be without a copy!

Reviewed by David Lambert.

FFHS says: Why not visit the website of the Liverpool & SW Lancs FHS www.liverpool-genealogy.org.uk
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IMPORTANT NOTE:

The FFHS takes no responsibility and assumes no liability for any statements, information, opinions, recommendations and views contained in these reviews by any reviewer or any third party.