What’s New in Ancestry

Throughout 2019 Ancestry have introduced many new features to their web-based system. The majority of the new features are to do with genealogy research using DNA. Back in January 2019, if you did your DNA test like I did, you would receive many thousands of DNA matches but with so few tools on Ancestry, what do you do next.

The new DNA Matches provides an easy to use capability to sort, group, and view your DNA matches. The redesigned DNA Match system also introduced colour coding, custom labelling to enable you to see your DNA connections more clearly.

ThruLines helps you find new potential ancestors who likely connect you to your DNA Matches and see how you’re all related. Learn more here https://youtu.be/uL50NxET83k

Communicating with other Ancestry users is now a lot easier. Ancestry has introduced a new messaging system to allow easy, real-time communication. You are able to easily search all your messages, compare trees, and even view DNA connections from inside the messaging interface.

TreeTags You can now apply labels known as MyTreeTags to people in your family tree to indicate whether your research is confirmed or unverified. Record personal details like “never married” or “blacksmith” with customisable MyTreeTags. Also, you can use them as filters to organise your tree.  Learn more here https://youtu.be/aUMRr2PmuOk

Ancestry now provide a quick compare feature that enable you to compare some of the details in the record with details in your tree,

Ancestry are also improving how they provide hints assigned to ancestors in your tree. To continue improving the algorithm they provide a section that gives them feedback but also as a reminder to yourself why you accepted the hint in the first place.

Card Catalogue, last year Ancestry added more than 25 million new records within Uk and Ireland. They also launched 21 new collections into the catalogue and updated 40 existing collections. Ancestry members around the world created 6.4 million trees. For more information to how to use and search the card catalogue https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrPPsKonFiA

We also spent some time at looking at five tips how to help improve our research techniques.

1. Search Databases Individually

• On most large research sites, such as Ancestry, the easiest way to search specific collections is to type in your search and then use the left sidebar to filter the results by type, location, or date.
• Use the card catalog to identify what information is held in the database – does it cover the place and the time you need
• Tip type in a piece of dummy information like year to see the format and details held
• Just a general search on Ancestry will only search the top 10% popular databases
• Search on other sites such as FindMyPast, Family Search, etc
• GRO specifically for births and deaths etc
• Commercial sites BMD are index from original paper copies GRO more recently re-indexed their records
• It is possible that information has been mis-read or mis transcribed on one site

2. Focus on One Piece of Information at a Time

• Decide on one piece of information that you want to know–such as a birth date or the cemetery of burial.
•  Write down all of the details that may help you locate that data
• What do you already know?
• Who or where might have what you need?
• Lay these details out clearly in a research log.
• Do not get side tracked by Bright Shiny Objects. Save any interesting information that you may find for later (Ancestry Shoebox), and keep working on the one piece of information only.
• Think creatively, especially concerning the spelling of names or dates of events. If you still have not found what you are looking for, try another database, there are many free ones

3. Try Wildcards

• Wild cards are special symbols used in searches to represent unknown letters in a word. Ancestry uses the asterisk (*) and the question mark (?) as wild cards.
• Wild cards do not work with Soundex matches.
• Using the ? To replace one character.
• To determine whether a certain last name were spelled “Nielson” or “Nielsen,” you could do a search for the name using a wild card where the unknown letter goes: “Niels?n.”
• The * represents zero to five characters.
• When searching with wild cards, at least the first or last character must not be a wild card, and all searches containing wild cards must contain at least three non-wild card letters.
• For example, searching “*ohnson” and “Johnso*” would work,

4. Cluster or Fan Technique

• Look at more widely at extended family members, who your ancestors associated with and who were their neighbours. (Family, Associations and Networks)
• Family members may be witnesses at a marriage, god parents etc
• Associations can be people your ancestors worked with, attended the same church
• Neighbours are those who lived nearby and it is not unusual to marry the girl next door.

5. Go Offline

If you’re stuck, don’t be afraid to search offline for the records you need. This may mean visiting your local library’s genealogy or history reading room, a nearby historical society or a Family Search Centre where you will have access to billions of records you simply cannot get hold of online. Most of these establishments have smart and helpful volunteers that are eager to help you uncover you family’s story.

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Family History getaways

The Society of Genealogists has just issued these extended research programmes that may be of interest.

Family History Getaway – Family History Research before 1837 (15-19 June 2020)

Join us at the Society of Genealogists for a Family History Getaway Week. The Society is hosting a five-day programme in its Library in London to help you to find your ancestors before 1837 and even back to the 1600s. Fifteen workshops and talks, a chance to research the records we hold, expert help when you need it and lunch every day included in the cost.

It’s a bit difficult to accurately identify our ancestors once we start exploring before census and civil registration. Some of us may think that if our ordinary family lived regular, uneventful lives there’s not that much to know. But we’d be so wrong. Every one of our ancestors contributed to, and helped to build, the world we live in today. ‘Just’ agricultural labourers - they were part of the agricultural revolution with new crops and new ways of farming. Labourers in one of the cities – the new machinery moved them from working at home to working in harsh, unpleasant mills or factories. Joined the Navy or the Army – then they served in the regiments that built an Empire. And while all this was happening, those same ordinary people were beginning to ask for new rights – to vote or to own land – and develop new beliefs – religious freedoms or equality.

This Getaway Week focuses on helping you find information and available records so that you can build a picture of your earlier ‘ordinary’ ancestors’ lives. For a full agenda of all the events in the week, view our full programme on the bookings page

Aims and objectives

To look at the sources that are available to research your family before 1837.

To know where to find records and how to use them.

Overall, to begin to build a picture of what it was like to live and work earlier centuries, fitting it all into the context of Britain’s history and social issues.

Carry out your own research, using the books, documents and records in our Library and Catalogue, with expert help when you need it.

Who should attend

You will gain the most benefit from the Getaway Week if you have already researched your family using the civil registration and census records in England and Wales.

Cost

Full cost for 5 days of talks, workshops, lunch, and access to our Library, cost 260.00/208.00 SoG Members

With tutors Else Churchill, Patric Dickinson, Gill Draper, Alec Tritton, Michael Gandy and Charlie Mead

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Family History Getaway: DNA through Case Studies (8-10 September 2020)

Spend 3 full days learning more about how DNA can help you build your family tree. Attend workshops that focus on the types of DNA tests and how to use the tests to progress your family history search.

Most of the important scientific discoveries in the last 100 years are only understood and managed by scientists, academics or industry. Using DNA tests really is different. Every one of us can take part in a very popular way to understand more about ourselves and where we came from. It’s essential that you understand what is being tested and how best to manage the results.

With Karen Cummings, Geoff Swinfield, Amelia Bennett and Else Churchill, cost 220.00/176.00 SoG members.

We are currently organising this 3-day programme. To register your interest and be sent a full class schedule when completed, email the events department.

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Evening Skills Courses:

Evening classes can be a great way to study genealogy. Away from all the other pressures of life for two hours, you can focus on how to find your ancestors and flesh out your family’s history. You’ll spend time with other people in the class that share your interests and are as keen as you are to learn new skills. Wanting to know about our own family’s history is a very natural feeling. Understanding what shaped our ancestors’ lives makes history come alive and helps us see our place in it. Most of us enjoy meeting and learning from expert genealogists and we find others’ ancestry almost as fascinating as our own.  

The Society of Genealogists offer Family History Skills for anyone that is interested in genealogy and wants to explore their family history. In a carefully, well rounded curriculum, our tutors introduce the records that count and help you use them effectively.

The Family History Skills evening course has two stages: 

• Stage 1 (30 April  to 23 July) covers fundamental records, search techniques and standards.

• Stage 2 (10 September to 3 Dec) covers the records and techniques that professional genealogists use to take their research further

Who should attend the Stage 1 series of classes?

There are no specific requirements or special knowledge needed for you to attend Stage 1. The classes are ideal for people wanting to be better at building their family tree. You can expect an entertaining and enjoyable experience.  Stage 1 introduces all the basic records and teaches you how to use them.

Who should attend the Stage 2 series of classes?

Stage 2 is designed for those who have attended Stage 1, or already have some experience of genealogical research and are familiar with the basic records (General Registration, the censuses, directories, parish registers and wills).

Some success in tracing your family but want to be better? 

These classes move you forward. Learn about a range of records that are available and, more importantly, learn the best ways to use them.

Considering becoming a professional genealogist? These classes are an excellent way to build on your knowledge. Learn the standards required of genealogists and the essential techniques for searching and analysis.

Time and place

Thursday evenings, 6 to 8 pm, for 13 weeks each, at the Society of Genealogists premises.

Modules and further information can be found on the bookings page of our website

Cost: 225.00/180.00 SoG members.

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Hospitals presentation

Here is the presentation about hospitals from the December meeting which includes the web addresses of various organisations I mentioned.

Information for doctors and nurses is well documented and quite a lot is available from Ancestry, but the original sources are on the web links.

Asylum records are held either by local history centres or the London Metropolitan Archives and are a particularly rich source of information detailing not only names and addresses of those being treated but notes about their physical and mental condition and a monthly doctor's report outlining their progress. Some even have a photograph of the person.

All hospital and asylum records are subject to the 100 year rule so more recent research may cause extra difficulties.

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Family History books

I have a number of family history books that add more to research than the internet. Please let me know if you might find anything useful as I am happy for people to borrow them (please return though).
If anyone else has similar material perhaps we could set up a reference list for members.

This is what I have:
An index of London hospitals and their records: tells you  the name and address of hospital, any other names it was known by in the past and what records are available and where.

Greater London Cemeteries and Crematoria: different names they might have been known by, where the burial registers are kept and whether you can search them yourself.

Birth, Marriage and Death Records, by David Annal and Audrey Collins: what it says on the tin but covers such things as military sources, overseas, Ireland and Scotland.

My Ancestor was In Service: a fascinating look at different types of service ranging from the traditional domestic servant, to stable workers and gamekeepers. And of course where to find any records.

My Ancestor was a Londoner: Useful guide to London records including a list of the different suburbs and which borough they now fall in. Also names and addresses of  archive centres for councils in the capital.

My Ancestor was Irish: the Irish records are notoriously difficult to either find or unravel, but this is a start.

Researching and Locating your Ancestors by the aptly named Celia Heritage: covers all the basics.

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New Year lunch

Just to confirm that our New Year lunch will be at the Pheasant pub, Buckland on Tuesday January 14 at 12.30 following our usual monthly meeting.

The pub is on the A25 about two miles beyond Reigate Heath on the left hand side. You cannot miss it. There is plenty of parking.

Here is the website if you want to look at a sample menu.
https://www.brunningandprice.co.uk/pheasant/

Everyone is responsible for settling their own food and drink bill on the day.

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2020 Family History Meetings

Our meetings for 2020 will follow the general format of a short talk from one of the members, or an invited speaker, these sessions generally last 40 - 50 minutes.  We then take a quick break to grab a cup of tea or coffee from the cafeteria. The second half of the meeting is individual research or problem-solving sessions where members will work together as a team to help resolve an issue.

Two visits to places of interest for family history research have been organised.

There will not be a meeting in October as the Joint Family History Group meeting will be held in the afternoon at St Joseph’s Church Hall.

14th January	What's new in Ancestry, including advanced research tips Topic lead Chris
11th February	Podcast Topic lead Chris
10th March	How to tell a story Topic lead Phyllis
14th April	Ag labs - TBC Guest Speaker Jane Lewis
12th may	Death records Topic leads Chris, Phyllis & Sue M
9th June	Tell your own story Everyone 5 minutes each
14th July	Visit to Church of Latter Day Saints - TBC
11th August	No meeting
8th September	Visit to Society of Genealogists
13th October	No meeting Joint Family History Groups meeting 2pm - 4pm
10th November	Occupations Everyone 5 minutes each
8th December	2021 Planning Meeting Christmas Dinner at Pub from 12:30pm

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Family History Events

Family History Events

The Society of Genealogists has just published its list of events for 2020. They have an excellent range of talks including My Ancestor was a Liar, Marriage Law, Parish Registers and Tracing your Ancestors in Wales.
Costs for each one are between £10 and £20. I've been on lots of their courses and would recommend them. Their speakers are very knowledgeable and the talks are always useful.
They have a good selection of walks as well which might not relate to your family history but are great value for money.

Have a look

http://www.sog.org.uk/books-courses/events-courses/calendar-month/2019/12

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