My Writing Your Family History course at the Norfolk Family History Society is now under way. Should be an interesting and stimulating few weeks.
If you missed out on this or couldn't get to Norfolk I will be running 3 Writing Family History workshops at the Society of Genealogists in London this summer. The first is 'Starting Out' on Saturday 3 July at 2pm. The second is 'Expanding Your Family History Biography' on the 17th of July and the third is 'Developing Your Writing Further' on the 31st of July.
The cost is £17.50 or £14 if you are a SoG member. Book via www.sog.org.uk Email events@sog.org.uk or Tel: 020 7553 3290
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Norwich Family History Fair - 29 March
The Norwich Family History Fair is on at St Andrews Hall on 29 March, I shall be there along with representatives of many family history groups and businesses in Norfolk.
The event is an opportunity for the public to come and meet experts and fellow enthusiasts and learn a bit about their favourite topics in family history.
It is also a good place to go if you are looking to commission research or enroll on courses because it allows you to meet researchers and teachers and see exactly what is on offer.
The fair runs from 10:00am to 4:00pm and costs £2 admission for over 16s.
The event is an opportunity for the public to come and meet experts and fellow enthusiasts and learn a bit about their favourite topics in family history.
It is also a good place to go if you are looking to commission research or enroll on courses because it allows you to meet researchers and teachers and see exactly what is on offer.
The fair runs from 10:00am to 4:00pm and costs £2 admission for over 16s.
Vaccination Records Article in Ancestors Magazine
I’ve written an article on vaccination records in the upcoming April edition of Ancestors Magazine.
We often think of vaccinations as being part of modern medicine, but inoculation against smallpox was compulsory in England and Wales between 1853 and 1948, taking vaccination records well back into the Victorian era.
After the Second World War many other vaccinations became compulsory, in effect handing the baton of vaccination records from the smallpox jab to a new generation of vaccines.
Smallpox is probably the most famous vaccine in medical history because it was one of the first to be documented in a scientific way. From the 1770s onwards smallpox was widely feared in England because of its near one-in-three mortality rate and disfiguring effects on the body.
Scientist Edward Jenner noticed that the milk maids on the farmland surrounding his Gloucestershire home did not contract it.
Jenner’s investigations lead him to establish that they had all contracted the much less virulent cowpox when they were young, and for some reason this more benign disease protected them form smallpox in later life.
Jenner tested his theory on n 14 May 1796, inserting material from a milk maid’s cowpox blisters into an incision in the skin of eight-year-old James Phipps. Phipps contracted cowpox and suffered a slight fever, but afterwards he never contracted smallpox.
This inoculation works because cowpox and smallpox are similar in make-up. Once the body has developed the ability to recognize cowpox, including a set of antibodies to fight the pathogen, it has also done the same for smallpox. Thus upon infection by either disease the immune system reacts instantly and effectively to prevent it taking hold.
The use of cowpox to inoculate against small pox had been recorded in China and the Ottoman Empire since the 1500s, but Jenner’s great breakthrough was scientifically testing the method and starting the basis of modern immunology.
We often think of vaccinations as being part of modern medicine, but inoculation against smallpox was compulsory in England and Wales between 1853 and 1948, taking vaccination records well back into the Victorian era.
After the Second World War many other vaccinations became compulsory, in effect handing the baton of vaccination records from the smallpox jab to a new generation of vaccines.
Smallpox is probably the most famous vaccine in medical history because it was one of the first to be documented in a scientific way. From the 1770s onwards smallpox was widely feared in England because of its near one-in-three mortality rate and disfiguring effects on the body.
Scientist Edward Jenner noticed that the milk maids on the farmland surrounding his Gloucestershire home did not contract it.
Jenner’s investigations lead him to establish that they had all contracted the much less virulent cowpox when they were young, and for some reason this more benign disease protected them form smallpox in later life.
Jenner tested his theory on n 14 May 1796, inserting material from a milk maid’s cowpox blisters into an incision in the skin of eight-year-old James Phipps. Phipps contracted cowpox and suffered a slight fever, but afterwards he never contracted smallpox.
This inoculation works because cowpox and smallpox are similar in make-up. Once the body has developed the ability to recognize cowpox, including a set of antibodies to fight the pathogen, it has also done the same for smallpox. Thus upon infection by either disease the immune system reacts instantly and effectively to prevent it taking hold.
The use of cowpox to inoculate against small pox had been recorded in China and the Ottoman Empire since the 1500s, but Jenner’s great breakthrough was scientifically testing the method and starting the basis of modern immunology.
Monday, 15 March 2010
National Burial Index Third Edition
Burial records are part of the bread and butter work of genealogy; accessible to new starters and equally essential to the well versed.
The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) has just published its third edition of burial indexes. The National Burial Index (NBI) takes in 18.3 million entries from non-conformist, Quaker, Anglican parish, Roman Catholic and cemetery burial registers.
The entries cover 9100 burial locations in 50 counties across England and Wales. A copy of NBI3 costs £30, or £15 for those who already own the second edition. Over five million entries have been added to the Second Edition to create the Third Edition.
Even if the NBI leaves you cold the FFHS is a really interesting and worthwhile organisation. They draw together not only family history groups based around geographical area, but specialist groups such as one-name societies are also welcomed.
Individuals cannot join the society directly, instead you join an affiliated group in one of your areas of interest. If you’re looking for a group to join, the FFHS are good people to ask because they know which groups offer good quality know-how, resources and events to their members.
The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) has just published its third edition of burial indexes. The National Burial Index (NBI) takes in 18.3 million entries from non-conformist, Quaker, Anglican parish, Roman Catholic and cemetery burial registers.
The entries cover 9100 burial locations in 50 counties across England and Wales. A copy of NBI3 costs £30, or £15 for those who already own the second edition. Over five million entries have been added to the Second Edition to create the Third Edition.
Even if the NBI leaves you cold the FFHS is a really interesting and worthwhile organisation. They draw together not only family history groups based around geographical area, but specialist groups such as one-name societies are also welcomed.
Individuals cannot join the society directly, instead you join an affiliated group in one of your areas of interest. If you’re looking for a group to join, the FFHS are good people to ask because they know which groups offer good quality know-how, resources and events to their members.
Thursday, 4 March 2010
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Who Do You Think You Are at Olympia 2010
This coming week Fri 26 Feb to Sun 28 Feb sees the Who Do You Think You Are Live show at Olympia. A must for anyone who can get to it. I will be there on stand 86 all weekend. I'm also next door to Pharos Teaching & Tutoring, who I run online courses for. I'm also presenting on the Friday on Norfolk Ancestors.
As well as founder Helen Osborn, who will be on the stand all weekend, other Pharos tutors to look out for that weekend if you want to pick the brains of some of the best in the business are Chris Paton, Scottish epert, Guy Grannum who teaches courses on Caribbean history and using The National Archives Catalogue, Simon Fowler, who is also editor of Ancestors Magazine as well as tutor and expert in military history and Hannah Baker who runs a course aimed at those who want to introduce children to genealogy.
As well as founder Helen Osborn, who will be on the stand all weekend, other Pharos tutors to look out for that weekend if you want to pick the brains of some of the best in the business are Chris Paton, Scottish epert, Guy Grannum who teaches courses on Caribbean history and using The National Archives Catalogue, Simon Fowler, who is also editor of Ancestors Magazine as well as tutor and expert in military history and Hannah Baker who runs a course aimed at those who want to introduce children to genealogy.
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Record Offices & their rules
I'm very supportive of record office rules about leaving bags in lockers, only using pencils etc. After all they are the guardians of our documentary heritage. When I worked in Norfolk Record Office I used to wish I had a pound for every time some idiot said "are you going to strip search me" because they didn't get why they should comply.
But, I've been on my travels again the last two weeks, so have been to several different record offices again, and it never ceases to amaze me how differently they each apply certain rules. One is photography. They all charge different rates and some don't charge at all (Lincoln for example). Most say no flash can be used. But the reasons given why are often different, with many staff not seeming to know why they don't allow it. Others won't allow you to use a tripod, usually because of space, which I get, but again the rationale varies enormously from place to place. Others have a special area where you have to photograph everything and show the staff what you are doing. Essex is one of these but their photographic table isn't big enough to put maps on!
Some will let you photograph the screen of a film or fiche reader. Others don't but don't seem to notice when people do. I've never got the point of doing this anyway as I've tried it and the quality is very poor.
Some don't allow photography at all, or only of certain items, whilst others insist photographs can only be taken by their staff for a hefty fee.
I think this is just one area where perhaps different record offices could share notes at annual meetings and perhaps come up with a more standardised policy that is based on common sense.
I think I'll leave my thoughts on booking policies for another time in case my blood pressure hits the roof.
But, I've been on my travels again the last two weeks, so have been to several different record offices again, and it never ceases to amaze me how differently they each apply certain rules. One is photography. They all charge different rates and some don't charge at all (Lincoln for example). Most say no flash can be used. But the reasons given why are often different, with many staff not seeming to know why they don't allow it. Others won't allow you to use a tripod, usually because of space, which I get, but again the rationale varies enormously from place to place. Others have a special area where you have to photograph everything and show the staff what you are doing. Essex is one of these but their photographic table isn't big enough to put maps on!
Some will let you photograph the screen of a film or fiche reader. Others don't but don't seem to notice when people do. I've never got the point of doing this anyway as I've tried it and the quality is very poor.
Some don't allow photography at all, or only of certain items, whilst others insist photographs can only be taken by their staff for a hefty fee.
I think this is just one area where perhaps different record offices could share notes at annual meetings and perhaps come up with a more standardised policy that is based on common sense.
I think I'll leave my thoughts on booking policies for another time in case my blood pressure hits the roof.
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