Remember that if you don’t have access to Ancestry, FindMyPast or the British Newspaper Archive, your local library or archives may well have a library edition on free access

Former British Colonial Dependencies, Slave Registers, 1813-1834 via Ancestry

Link👉 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1129/

How to find bankruptcy records online

Link👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/bankruptcy-records/

June 29 2023

A summer of fun is heading to Crewe! (Monday 24 July - Thursday 31 August 2023)

By Margaret Roberts

Crewe Town Council is pleased to announce that a packed programme of family activities and Heritage celebrations will be on offer for residents and visitors this summer.

Operation Summer will return for the second year, featuring an exciting family-friendly programme of FREE summer activity at various Crewe locations that will keep the kids entertained during the summer holidays.

Learn the skills you would need to run away with the circus… or dance around Queens Park in giant butterfly wings… experience outdoor theatre and storytelling that will captivate the wriggliest of viewers… and more!

Access the full programme here:

http://www.crewetowncouncil.gov.uk/what.../operation-summer/

This summer, visitors can also come and see the heritage celebration “Forging History: 180 years of the Crewe Works” exhibition at the Crewe Heritage Centre and immerse themselves in the sounds, smells and sights of the past!

The seasonal summer programme is brought to an end with our FREE Heritage Open Days event between 8 and 17 September 2023.

Whether you want to know more about your family history, visit places not normally open to the public, or join a heritage group, we have something for you at the Crewe Heritage Open Days!

Find out more about Crewe's summer of fun here:

www.crewetowncouncil.gov.uk/summer-of-fun-heading-to-crewe/

June 23 2023

Chester Heritiage Festival

By Margaret Roberts

Don't forget the Chester Heritage Festival is underway

Telling the Story of our City and its People

Check out the event guide here 👉chesterheritagefestival.co.uk/events-2023

June 22 2023

Resources used in the Kevin Clifton episode of 'WDYTYA?'

By Margaret Roberts

Resources used in the Kevin Clifton episode of WDYTYA [22^nd June 2023]

Library and Archives Canada

Link 👉 https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng

Canadian Research Knowledge Network

Link 👉 https://www.crkn-rcdr.ca/

Peel’s Prairie Provinces

Link 👉 http://peel.library.ualberta.ca/index.html

Home Children Canada

Link 👉 https://www.britishhomechildren.com/

The Children’s Home Website

Link 👉 http://childrenshomes.org.uk/

Former Children’s Homes

Link 👉https://www.formerchildrenshomes.org.uk/

Barnardo’s Children

Link👉 https://www.barnardos.org.uk/former-barnardos-children

British Home Children Registry

Link 👉 http://britishhomechildrenregistry.com/

National Archives Children’s Home Guide

Link👉 https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/children-care/

Hidden Lives Revealed

Link👉 http://hiddenlives.org.uk/

Foundling Museum

Link👉https://foundlingmuseum.org.uk/

Remember that if you don’t have access to Ancestry, FindMyPast or the British Newspaper Archive, your local library or archives may well have a library edition on free access

June 15 2023

Resources used in the Bear Grylls episode of 'WDYTYA?'

By Margaret Roberts

Resources and guides used in the Bear Grylls episode of WDYTYA [15^th June 2023]

WWII Records

You can find out how to source army records from the Second World War

Link 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/military/second-world-war-army-records/

UK, WWII War Diaries

These are on Ancestry and you can search with a free account but may need a subscription to view

Link 👉 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62376/

The Tank Museum website

Link 👉 https://tankmuseum.org/

Imperial War Museum website

Link👉 https://www.iwm.org.uk/

Harrow School Archives

Both physical and digital holdings are listed

Link 👉 https://www.harrowschool.org.uk/learning-2/academic/support-and-resources/the-archive

When did the Boys Scouts start?

Link👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/when-did-boy-scouts-start/

The History of the Dukedom of Argyll

Link👉 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Argyll

Scottish Records

National Records of Scotland

Link👉 https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/

National Library of Scotland

Link👉 https://www.nls.uk/

Highland Archive Centre

Link👉 https://www.highlifehighland.com/highland-archive-centre/

The Scottish Archive Network

Link👉 https://www.scan.org.uk/

The Scottish Association of Family History Societies

Link👉 https://www.safhs.org.uk/

Old Scottish Genealogy & Family History

Link👉 https://www.oldscottish.com/

Scottish Indexes

Link👉 https://www.scottishindexes.com/

June 15 2023

Have your say on plans to reduce the opening hours of your local library

By Margaret Roberts

Cheshire East Council is consulting on revised proposals for library services across the borough after listening to feedback about how essential savings can be made over the next four years.

The council is proposing to reduce the current opening hours of libraries across the borough so that all sites are closed for at least 1.5 days during the week and has launched a consultation on how this could be implemented.

The consultation will run until 9 July.

To take part in the consultation, visit: https://surveys.cheshireeast.gov.uk/s/Library_Service_Consultation_2023

June 08 2023

Resources used in the Claire Foy episode of 'WDYTYA?'

By Margaret Roberts

Resources and guides used in the Claire Foy episode of WDYTYA [8th June 2023]

Newspapers

A great source of information – full of the stories that made up the lives of our ancestors. A guide to using the newspapers

Link 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/old-newspapers/

Tracing Adoptions

Whether you’re trying to access your own adoption records or tracing an adoption in your family history, Gill Rossini explains the next steps

Link 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/adoption/

Adoption Records

Some information from the Gov.uk website

Link👉https://www.gov.uk/adoption-records

Dr Barnardo’s

Link👉https://www.barnardos.org.uk/former-barnardos-children

UK Birth-Adoption Register

Link👉 http://www.ukbirthadoptionregister.com/

Greater Manchester Police Museum

Link👉 https://gmpmuseum.co.uk/

Our Criminal Ancestors

Looking to find your criminal ancestors? Start here with these handy guides

Link👉 https://ourcriminalancestors.org/category/getting-started/

Free Irish Records

Some sites that you may find useful

National Library of Ireland

Guide to Irish Family History sources (NLI website):

Link👉https://www.nli.ie/family-history/getting-started

RC parish records

Not indexed, best used in conjunction with free FindMyPast index

Link👉https://registers.nli.ie/

IrishGenealogy

Source of civil registration records (all island up to 1921) and information on other sources

Link👉https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/irish-records-what-is-available/civil-records

National Archives of Ireland

Genealogy links, Including the census, will calendars from 1858 (read the guide to testamentary records), and many other useful genealogy sources.

Link👉https://genealogy.nationalarchives.ie/

Swilson.info

Contains directories, maps and more

Link👉 https://www.swilson.info/

LibraryIreland:

Various sources including many town and county directories

Link👉https://www.libraryireland.com/Genealogy.php

AskAboutIreland:

Includes some Thoms Directories but most importantly the Griffiths Land Valuations:

Link👉 https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

Townlands.ie

For places (townlands, electoral districts, civil parishes - important info for census and civil registration) se

Link👉https://www.townlands.ie/

Ordnance Survey maps

Link👉https://osi.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html...

Dúchas Schools Folklore Collection.

A project organised by the Irish government in the 1930s

Link👉https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes

Registry of Deeds Index Project:

Mostly deeds/mortgages related to land, some marriage articles/settlements and wills:

https://irishdeedsindex.net/

Irish Manuscripts Commission

A variety of sources including King's Inn's Admission papers, Registry of Deeds and abstracts of wills from about 1708-1830, Guide to Irish Quaker Records, Books of Survey and Distribution

Link👉https://www.irishmanuscripts.ie/pro.../imc-digital-editions/

Virtual Treasury

A new collaboration and work in progress to try to reconstruct some of the sources lost during the fire in the Public Records Office in 1922

Link👉https://virtualtreasury.ie/

June 06 2023

Chester Heritage Festival 2023

By Margaret Roberts

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥

Telling the Story of our City and its People

Chester Heritage Festival brings to life the city’s rich history and heritage and tells the stories that have accumulated over two millennia.

It returns on 17th June 2023 with events and experiences for all ages and will incorporate the Midsummer Watch parades and the first night of Chester Mystery Plays on 28th Jun

Find out more and see what events are on here

https://www.chesterheritagefestival.co.uk/

June 04 2023

Book Launch: The History of Crewe

By Margaret Roberts

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖

𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐖𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐍 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟖𝟕𝟕-𝟏𝟖𝟕𝟗

Transcribed, with additional material, by Mike Christelow

Mpire Books

Crewe’s first dedicated newspaper was the Crewe Guardian, the first edition of which was published in 1863 on Saturday, August 29. A member of the extensive Warrington Guardian family of newspaper titles, it launched as the Nantwich and Crewe Guardian and owed its creation to the endeavours of a Scot, Alexander Mackie, born in Dundee on November 22, 1825.

Widely regarded as one of the most successful titles in Mackie’s newspaper empire, the Crewe Guardian fell out of favour towards the end of the 19th century, overtaken by its rival the Crewe Chronicle. Some of the Guardian’s most interesting and enduring material from its heyday is the series of articles published between September 1877 and April 1879, entitled “The History of Crewe.”

Ever since their first being published these articles have been valued by anyone in Crewe with a curiosity about their town’s history and development, and historians, scholars and academics alike. This new transcription of these Victorian-era essays gives a fascinating insight into Crewe’s origins and earliest times and makes the original articles available to a broader audience for many years to come.

Printed in Crown Quarto format this 160-page softback book is published by Mark Potts's MPire Books of Crewe. It includes several contemporary photographs from the camera of Richard Baxter Booth, alongside other illustrations and images. With a Foreword by Leanne Palin (former Crewe Chronicle reporter) the book also provides an analysis of Alexander Mackie and his relationship with Crewe and the town's LNWR benefactors, and the rise and fall of the Crewe Guardian newspaper itself. Also included are comprehensive notes which qualify many of the anomalies contained in the original texts, for the benefit of today’s readers, and a comprehensive index.

A strictly limited number of books will be printed, priced at £15 each. These will be available from around June 26, 2023. To reserve your copy and avoid disappointment, please contact the author by email at , giving your name, postal address, and contact phone number. If ordering more than one copy, please also state the number required.

Copies can be delivered free-of-charge within a five-mile radius of Crewe/Nantwich. Standard postal rates apply for orders fulfilled by post.

June 03 2023

Volunteers Week 1-7 June 2023

By Margaret Roberts

It's Volunteers Week and so we at FHSC would like to say a huge thank you and express our appreciation to our very own body of volunteers.

Our dedicated volunteers generously contribute their time and expertise to assist others in exploring their family history in countless different ways.

So be you a member of the Exec Committee, a Group or sub-leader, one of our Research Centre or helpdesk volunteers,

a member of our small army of transcribers or if you help out at any of our events - whatever role you play - a huge THANK YOU

June 02 2023

Resources used in the Andrew Lloyd Webber episode of 'WDYTYA?'

By Margaret Roberts

Resources and guides used in the Andrew Lloyd Webber episode of WDYTYA [1^st June 2023]

Old photographs

Your complete guide to cleaning, storing, and displaying your family photographs

Link 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/photo-dating/old-photographs-clean-store-display/

When were the Napoleonic Wars?

Link 👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/military/best-websites-for-tracing-napoleonic-wars-ancestors/

How to read old handwriting

Link👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/old-handwriting/

Marriage certificates

Link👉https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/marriage-certificates/

Various Dutch Records online:

Remember you may need to press the 'Translate to English' button AND the records will be mostly in Dutch, so if you are searching the newspapers in particular remember to use your search terms in Dutch

OpenArchives

Search the genealogical data of Dutch and Belgian archives and societies

Link👉https://www.openarch.nl/

WieWasWie

Dutch Archives

Link👉https://www.wiewaswie.nl/

Archieven.nl

Discover and search hundreds of kilometres of predominantly Dutch archives

Link👉https://www.archieven.nl/en/

Delpher

Historical Dutch newspapers, books, and magazines

Link 👉https://www.delpher.nl/

GenealogyOnline

Search for your ancestors and relatives in published family trees

Link👉https://www.genealogieonline.nl/en/

Dutch National Archives

Link👉https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/en

CBG: Centrum voor familiesgeschiedenis

Dutch Centre for Family History

Link 👉https://cbg.nl/

June 01 2023

Free Online Events for June

By Margaret Roberts

It's the 1st of the month again so time for my list of FREE online events that members may be interested in -

Fri, 2 Jun 2023 Starts at14:00 BST

Sensation, Scandal and Shock: 1963

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sensation-scandal-and-shock1963-tickets-546205233557

Tue, 6 Jun 2023 19:00 - 19:45 BST

Maldon at the Gates: Sharing Stories of Disabled Christians

by Adult Learning at St Paul’s Cathedral

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/at-the-gates-sharing-the-stories-of-disabled-christians-tickets-634000010097

Tues, 6 June 2023 19:00-20:00 BST

Selsey Cathd’l and the Early Medieval Kingdoms of Sussex

by The Society for Church Archaeology

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dr-michael-shapland-selsey-cathl-the-early-medieval-kingdoms-of-sussex-tickets-629800047897

Wed, 7 Jun 2023 18:00 - 19:15 BST

A Duty to Care: The Emotional Community of Nursing in the Second World War

by The Royal College of Nursing College and Archives

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/a-duty-to-care-the-emotional-community-of-nursing-in-the-second-world-war-tickets-608674039437

Wed, 7 Jun 2023 19:00 - 20:00 BST

The Battle of Maldon

by History Indoors

Link with more details and to register 👉https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-battle-of-maldon-tickets-638086071617

Wed, 7 Jun 2023 Starts at 19:30 BST

Small Inventions That Made a Big Difference

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/small-inventions-that-made-a-big-difference-tickets-546211381947

Thu, 8 Jun 2023 18:30 - 19:30 BST

I Met Lucky People: The Story of Romani Gypsies with Yaron Matras

by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/i-met-lucky-people-the-story-of-romani-gypsies-with-yaron-matras-tickets-637372968707

Thu, 8 Jun 2023 19:30 - 20:45 BST

Before the Zip

by Glamorgan Family History Society

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/before-the-zip-tickets-616653726897

Fri, 9 Jun 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

Colour and Light in Miniature: Illuminated Medieval Documents

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/colour-and-light-in-miniature-illuminated-medieval-documents-tickets-546221251467

Tues, 13 Jun 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

From Strangers to Citizens: Immigration and Citizenship Records

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/from-strangers-to-citizens-immigration-and-citizenship-records-tickets-546222735907

Tues, 13 June 2023 starting at 15:00 BST

Eric Williams: Capitalism and Slavery: Debates, Legacies and New Direction for Research

by The Royal Historical Society

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/capitalism-and-slavery-debates-legacies-and-new-directions-for-research-tickets-597832993577

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 18:30 - 20:00 BST

Travellers, Tombs and Terror: Gothic Tourism in Egypt's 'Mummy Pits' and Victorian Fiction

by ISSE [The International Society for the Study of Egyptomania]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/isse-virtual-lecture-travellers-tombs-terror-by-t-baber-l-bruce-tickets-627494301347

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 15:00 - 16:00 BST

Researching Your House History

by National Library of Scotland

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/researching-your-house-history-tickets-630728324397

Fri, 16 June 2023 14:00 BST

The Story of Empire Windrush in Ten Documents

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-story-of-empire-windrush-in-ten-documents-tickets-546228202257

Mon, 19 June 2023 14:00 BST

Archives Live: Windrush 75

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archives-live-windrush-75-tickets-597709915447

Mon, 19 June 2023 19:30 BST

Command: How the Allies learned to Win the Second World War with Al Murray

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/command-how-the-allies-learned-to-win-the-second-world-war-with-al-murray-tickets-546226206287

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 16:00 - 17:00 BST

Women’s Lives and Writing: Online Resources for Scottish Residents

by National Library of Scotland

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/womens-lives-and-writings-online-resources-for-scottish-residents-tickets-638013083307

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 Starts 19:30 BST

Spinning Stories with Esther Freud

by Friends of Highgate Library

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/esther-freud-spinning-stories-online-tickets-632695227457

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:00 - 15:15 BST

Your Research and the Media: An Introduction and Guide for Historians

by The Royal Historical Society

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/your-research-and-the-media-an-introduction-and-guide-for-historians-tickets-560691231567

Wed, 21 June 2023 19:30 BST

Anne Boleyn & Elizabeth I: The Mother and Daughter Who Changed History

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/anne-boleyn-elizabeth-i-the-mother-and-daughter-who-changed-history-tickets-546230107957

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 20:00 - 21:00 BST

Who was St Edmund?

by History Indoors

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/who-was-saint-edmund-tickets-575514097157

Sat, 24 Jun 2023 18:30 - 20:00 BST

Travel, Tourism and Soldiering in Egypt during the Great War

by ISSE [The International Society for the Study of Egyptomania]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/isse-virtual-lecture-travel-tourism-soldiering-in-egypt-by-s-shepherd-tickets-627498784757

Thu, 28 Jun 2023 17:00 - 18:00 BST

Literary Agents and Dead Authors

by Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Libraries

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/literary-agents-and-dead-authors-online-talk-tickets-638680549717

Fri, 30 June 2023 14:00 BST

Nuts and Bolts: Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/nuts-and-bolts-seven-small-inventions-that-changed-the-world-tickets-546232093897

📷Image by Htc Erl from Pixabay

June 01 2023

Series 20 of WDYTYA starts tonight - BBC1 9pm

By Margaret Roberts

𝐀𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐋𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐝 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐫

Andrew Lloyd Webber is a global superstar of musical theatre, still writing and producing blockbuster shows.

He has also combined his nose for business with his love of architecture by renovating the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to its original condition.

Andrew knows he comes from a musical family, including virtuoso cellist brother, Julian – but he’d love to find out where his showbiz genes and his love of musical theatre come from.

Read more [but be careful a bit of a spoiler alert!]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001mgp3

As in previous years I will be compiling a list of the resources used in each programme and posting them on the FHSC website