Over 80,000 records of prisoners of the Second World War have been published on Ancestry.

This ‘UK and Allied Countries, World War II Liberated Prisoner of War Questionnaires, 1945-1946’, contains some 83,560 records, the records are part of Series WO 344 at the National Archives

After the end of the war the War Office distributed these questionnaires to surviving POWs, and have a huge amount of detail including:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Date of enlistment 
• Address
• Telephone number
• Rank
• Service Numer
• Name of ship if in Navy
• Unit/division if Army
• Squadron/command if RAF
• Porfession pre-war
• Place/date of capture
• Camps.hospitals held in
• Names and dates of camp leaders

POWs were also asked about conditions in the camps, whether they were interrogated or of they tried to escape nd the names of any POWs who collaborated with the enemy 

Link to search, you do need a sub to view and download these records 👉https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/62114/ 

📷 c.o Pixabay

So here we are again the 1st of the month!  Time for my usual list of free online events that members may be interested in. 

Not so many this month I'm afraid as organisations take a summer break enjoy any that you attend

Links for more details and hwo to register under each event 

 

Wed, 2 Aug 2023 Starts at 15:00 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-671549020197

 

Sat, 5 Aug 2023 Starts at 10:00 BST

Lancashire Gothic and the Lancashire Witches in 21^st Century Literature

by Romancing the Gothic

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lancashire-gothic-and-the-lancashire-witches-in-21st-century-literature-tickets-507784857177

 

Tue, 8 Aug 2023 14:00 BST

Researching your Family History 1837-1911

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/researching-your-family-history-1837-1911-tickets-636509375677

 

Wed, 9 Aug 2023 Starts at 15:00 BST

Introduction to Family History

by National Library of Scotland

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-family-history-tickets-677227304097

 

Wed, 15 Aug 2023 Starts at 16:00 BST

Women’s Lives and Writing: Online Resources for Everyone

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-662402793587

 

 

Image by Moondance from Pixabay

Resources used in the Lesley Manville episode of WDYTYA [27^th July 2023]

 

How to find divorce records in England and Wales

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

 

Search probate records for documents and wills

Link 👉https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

 

What is an agricultural labourer, we all have them in our tree, find out more

Link👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/jobs/best-websites-agricultural-labourers/

 

Where to find workhouse records

Link👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/workhouse-ancestors/

 

What were the Swing Riots – some blogs to read

Link 👉https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/what-caused-the-swing-riots-in-the-1830s/

Link 👉https://blogs.kent.ac.uk/ageofrevolution/riots/the-swing-riots/

Link 👉https://www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/story/swing-rebellion

Link 👉 https://grahampalmer.co.uk/revolting-royston-1-the-swing-riots

 

Websites to find Convict Records-

 State Library of Queensland

Link 👉 https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/research-collections/family-history/convict-queenslanders

Libraries Tasmania

Link 👉 https://libraries.tas.gov.au/family-history/convict-records/introduction/

Proceedings of the Old Bailey

Link👉https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/

New South Wales State Archives

Link👉 https://mhnsw.au/archive/subjects/

Convict Records

Link👉https://convictrecords.com.au/

 

Trove- Australian newspapers

Link 👉 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/

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.

Find My Past are partnering with the National Trust - the partnership activities will launch in July at Cheshire's very own Quarry Bank,

one of Britain's best-preserved industrial heritage sites.

 

A further nine places cared for by the Trust will launch activities in September as part of Heritage Open Days.

This will involve curatorial displays, exhibitions, games, tours and much more, to bring these fascinating century-old stories to life.

 

Find My Past will be making records relating to over 200 places cared for by the National Trust available to browse for free.

 

To find out more read the blog at the following link 👉https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/community/national-trust-partnership

 

Resources used in the Chris Ramsey episode of WDYTYA [20^th July 2023]

 

Historic England, a treasure trove to get lost down on a rainy day

Link👉 https://historicengland.org.uk/

 

The Royal Naval Division: What was it, when was it founded and where can you find service records?

Link 👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/military/royal-naval-division/

 

The Cheshire Roll of Honour, more than just a name, the stories of the Cheshire fallen

Link👉 https://www.cheshireroll.co.uk/

 

The Long Long Trail – Researching soldiers of the British army in the Great War

Link 👉https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/about/

 

The Wartime Memories Project

Link 👉 https://wartimememoriesproject.com/

 

British Legion – find details of War Memorials across the country

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

 

Royal Navy Research Archive 

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

 

1914-1918 Prisoners of the First World War ICRC Historical Archives

Link👉 https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/

 

How to date Wedding photos

Link👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/photo-dating/old-wedding-photographs/

 

How to read old handwriting

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

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

Resources used in the Dev Griffin episode of WDYTYA [13^th July 2023]

 

Refer back to some of my pervious mews items for more Irish websites - that has been a common theme of this series 

 

Easter Rising, some history –

Link👉 https://www.rte.ie/centuryireland/index.php/articles/what-was-the-easter-rising

Link 👉 https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/easter-rising

 

Free Irish Records from Family Search

Link 👉 https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Ireland_Online_Genealogy_Records

 

The forming of the Gaelic League

Link 👉 https://www.yourirish.com/history/19th-century/the-foundation-of-the-gaelic-league-1893

 

Proni – the website of the official repository the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Link 👉 https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/public-record-office-northern-ireland-proni

 

List of Free Caribbean Historical Newspapers

Link 👉 https://theancestorhunt.com/blog/historical-free-caribbean-newspapers-online/?expand_article=1

 

Caribbean Family History

Link👉 http://www.caribbeanfamilyhistory.org/

 

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

Resources used in the Emily Atack episode of WDYTYA [6^th July 2023]

 

How to date old wedding photographs

Link 👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/photo-dating/old-wedding-photographs/

 

What is a second cousin? Cousin relationships explained

Link 👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/getting-started/cousin-relationships/

 

The history of Butlins

Link 👉 https://www.butlins.com/about-us/our-timeline

 

The History of Holiday Camps in the UK

Link 👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/holiday-camps-history-butlins/

 

National Coal Mining Museum for England

Link👉 https://www.ncm.org.uk/

 

Northern Mine Research Society

Link👉https://www.nmrs.org.uk/mines-map/coal-mining-in-the-british-isles/collieries-of-the-british-isles/

The Scottish Mining Website

Link👉 http://www.scottishmining.co.uk/

 

Coal Authority Records

Link👉 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coal-mining-records-data-deeds-and-documents

Durham Mining Museum

Link👉 http://www.dmm.org.uk/

 

How to trace your Irish Ancestry

Link 👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/tutorials/overseas/best-websites-for-irish-ancestors/

 

How to find Cemeteries online

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

 

Where does my surname come from?

Link 👉 https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/getting-started/where-does-my-surname-come-from/

 

 

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

Full details and how to register can be found at the link under each event in the list - enjoy 

 

Tues, 4 July 2023 Starts at 19:00 BST

Dr Ron Baxter: The Rediscovery of Reading Abbey

by The Society for Church Archaeology

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dr-ron-baxter-the-rediscovery-of-reading-abbey-tickets-649967900487

 

Wed, 5 July 2023 Starts at 15:00 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-656574089777

 

Wed, 5 July 2023 Starts at 17:00 BST

The RHS Prothero Lecture: To Do and Be Undone, Enslaved Black Life, Courtship, and Marriage in the Antebellum South

by The Royal Historical Society

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-rhs-prothero-lecture-brenda-stevenson-5-july-2023-tickets-635745220067

 

Fri, 7 July 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

Queen of Codes

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queen-of-codes-tickets-636410590207

 

Tues, 11 July 2023 Starts at 19:00 BST

The Legacy of the Terrible and Awful Siege of Colchester 1648

History Indoors

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-legacy-of-the-terrible-and-awful-siege-of-colchester-1648-tickets-642786570937

 

Wed, 12 July 2023 Starts at 15:00 BST

Introduction to Family History

by National Library of Scotland

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-family-history-tickets-660327576557

 

Wed, 12 July 2023 Starts at 19:30 BST

The Dress Diary of Mrs Ann Sykes

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-dress-diary-of-mrs-anne-sykes-tickets-636426868897

 

Fri, 14 July 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

Bag of Secrets: Pretenders to the Throne

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bag-of-secrets-pretenders-to-the-throne-tickets-602282913407

 

Tues, 18 July 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

Using Discovery

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/using-discovery-tickets-636504460977

 

Tues, 18 July 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

Scholarly Editing for Historians

by The Royal Historical Society

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scholarly-editing-for-historians-tickets-590106453287

 

Tues, 18 July 2023 Starts at 19:00 BST

History of Disability in Cambridge

by Cambridge Libraries

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-talk-history-of-disability-in-cambridge-tickets-658481254157

 

Wed, 19 July 2023 Starts at 13:00 BST

Results of the Aylsham and Brampton Aerial Investigation

by Norfolk Records Office

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/results-of-the-aylsham-and-brampton-aerial-investigation-online-event-tickets-654881778027

 

Wed, 19 July 2023 Starts at 15:00 BST

Women’s Lives and Writing: Online Resources for Everyone

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-everyone-tickets-662822980377

 

Thurs, 20 July 2023 Starts at 17:30 BST

Medicine Politics: Historical Reflection on Pandemics in the 1920s

by History of Public Nursing

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/medicine-politics-emotions-historical-reflections-on-pandemics-in-the-20s-tickets-610965844287

 

Fri, 21 July 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

The Story of Windrush in 10 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

Fri, 28 July 2023 Starts at 14:00 BST

Wedded Life: A Feminist History of Marriage

by National Archives [Free to attend but donation suggested]

Link with more details and to register 👉 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wedded-wife-a-feminist-history-of-marriage-tickets-636506797967

 

📷Brian Cragun via pixabay

Resources used in the Chris and Xand van Tulleken episode of WDYTYA [29^th June 2023]

 

Search Historical Dutch newspapers, books, and magazines

Link 👉 https://www.delpher.nl/

 

WieWasWie is the premier site for Dutch records

Link 👉 https://www.wiewaswie.nl/en/

 

Some free newspaper sites

Chronicling America

Link 👉 https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

Trove

Link 👉 https://trove.nla.gov.au/

Papers Past

Link 👉 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/

Welsh newspapers online

Link👉 https://newspapers.library.wales/

National Library of Scotland

has begun digitising its vulnerable collection of old newspapers and putting them online

Link 👉 https://digital.nls.uk/scotlands-news/archive/238210920

It also has a collection of broadsides - sensationalist early newspapers from 1650 to 1910

Link👉 https://digital.nls.uk/broadsides/

Isle of Man

Link👉 https://www.imuseum.im/newspapers/

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/

Don't forget the Chester Heritage Festival is underway

 

 

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

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

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/

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