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Links elsewhere

Here are some other web sites and physical locations which we have found useful and you might like to visit.

The Family Records Centre, Myddleton Street, London, England
http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/default.htm also http://www.col.statistics.gov.uk/

Amongst other records the centre contains:

the indices for births, marriages, deaths and adoption for England and Wales from July 1837 onwards
copies of the censuses from 1841 to 1891 (variously on film, fiche, CD-ROM)
the Family Search records from Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints - International Genealogical Index plus the family trees Church members have contributed to the Ancestral File
computer links to the some of the records held in Edinburgh - see later.

Entry is free. The indexes of births, marriages etc are held in large ledgers in alphabetical sequence by quarter. Copies of birth, marriages etc can be ordered for posting or collection for a fee. There is bookshop. A useful guide is Never been here before? by Cox and Colwell - available from the bookshop.

The second email links goes to an on-line certificate ordering facility, but you need the register reference to use it most easily.

Society of Genealogists, Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Street, London, England
http://www.sog.org.uk also http://www. britishorigins.com

The Society holds enormous quantities of information for the British Isles including:

copies of many pre -1837 parish registers (variously on fiche, film, transcripts)
Phillimore's and Boyd's marriage indexes
an extensive library of books related to genealogy, and local history sorted by county
an extensive library of themed books and records eg army, clergy

There are also some international records and books. The building was refurbished in early 2001. There is a bookshop selling SOG and other publications. Non-members pay a fee for entry. At the time of writing the building is closed on Mondays. The Society has put various records onto disk and the web site includes a list. The other web site listed includes pay-for-access data.

The National Archive, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, London, England
(formerly the Public Record Office) htpp://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Many people make use of the British military records held at the office, but there are also many other sources on a vast range of subjects, all with the common theme of central government involvement. The document ordering system is computer based. The web site includes a list of all the records held and documents can be ordered in advance by email or telephone. The office also includes an extensive and, seemingly, little used, library with a vast range of books (including some arranged by county), statutes and other publications. It can be found by turning right through the fiche & film reading room. The second part of the library is linked by a short passage along the back wall.

Entry is free, but you must obtain a reader's ticket on your first visit, although this is very straightforward. There is a bookshop and a restaurant. A useful introductory guide is New to Kew? by Cox and a more detailed one is Tracing your ancestors at the Public Records Office by Bevan. Both are available in the bookshop.

The British Library Newspaper Library, Collingdale Avenue, Collingdale, London, England
http://www.bl/uk

This houses copies of national, provincial and local newspapers and periodicals together with some from the British colonies. There are lists setting out the coverage by year for each publication and these can be viewed via the main British Library web site. Because of the size of the collection it can take a little while for requested documents to be delivered at busy times.

A reader's ticket is required from the first floor reception.

General Register Office, New Register House, Register Street, off Princes Street, Edinburgh, Scotland
http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk

Amongst other records the centre contains:

index to Statutory Registers 1855-1998 for births, marriages, and deaths in Scotland
Index to Old Parish Registers 1553-1854 for births, marriages, and some deaths in Scotland
1881 and 1891 Census Index for Scotland.

Places may be booked in advance (advisable) on a daily or weekly basis. A few seats can be reserved on the day, on a first come, first served basis. The cost in April 2005 was £17 sterling per day per person. Each place has its own flat screen computer and microfiche reader. The computers can be used to search their digitised copies of all official records for birth, marriages and deaths in Scotland from 1855 onwards. Similar searches in Old Parish Records before 1855, and for minor records, can be made from microfiches or microfilms. This is a very much easier and more efficient system than the ledger system in London, for England and Wales, and provides all the details, but not on an official certificate. In 2004, the facilities for visitors were refurbished, and there is now a 'lunch room' which is open throughout the day, with a vending machine and a place to eat one's own sandwiches.

Nottinghamshire Family History Society

Membership Secretary, 26 Portland Street, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 4AW, England
www.nottsfhs.org.uk

This long established Society issues a quarterly Journal Magazine in which members' family name interests are listed. It has published well over 100 volumes in its Records Series, covering a whole range of family history subjects related to Nottinghamshire. There are surname indexes on microfiche, indexes for births and marriages, and old local maps and directories. There is also an extensive collection of monumental inscriptions for parishes throughout the County, which are available on microfiche. This Society is a very useful source for tapping into local information.

The Lothians Family History Society, Lasswade High School Centre, Eskdale Drive, Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, Scotland
http://www.lothiansfhs.org.uk

This Society was established in 1996 to cover the region consisting of Edinburgh City, West Lothian, Midlothian, and East Lothian. It has a library with a comprehensive coverage of family subjects, with open access for members, and a vast archive collection. Volunteers are well into indexing the censuses from 1841 - 1871 inclusive, for all the areas in their region. Up to date progress can be checked on their website. There is a list of members' interests and a Newsletter published towards the end of February, June, and October each year. A monthly evening visit is made to New Register House for up to 30 members, and limited searches are undertaken for members for a small fee, but not for full research projects.

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