I was recently informed of an exciting and interesting historical publication called The Belvedere Book. It has been published by the Belvedere College with assistance in its creation being given by Eneclann, the renowned Irish Genealogy experts. The book was commissioned in mid 2005 by the college, as the Belvedere College Board was scheduled to assume responsibility foe running the school from the organization that has been in charge since 1832 – the Jesuits, and wanted to commemorate the contribution …
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Christmas is just around the corner, and if there is a genealogist in your life you might be wondering what to get them this year. With the popularity of genealogy these days, Christmas shopping for genealogists is probably easier and more exciting than shopping for just about anything. There is an array of genealogy gifts you can get for the resident family historian, or if you are that researcher, drop a hint to friends and family about! Because the pursuit …
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You’re hot on the trail of an ancestor, you find the records you need and excitedly contact the repository. Your excitement grows as you wait for the phone to be answered or response to your letter or email. Finally you get the dreaded answer – sorry there is no public access to those records. Many researchers have become discouraged and given up their search at this point, but there is really no need to. Yes, some records are not available …
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Australia has a rich history, and it tells the stories of both its indigenous peoples and the immigrants who settled on its shores. Australia was initially merely a penal colony for the British government, and most of its early, colonial settles were criminals or convicts who had been imprisoned in spite of their innocence. It is quite fashionable to have a convict in ones ancestral lineage these days, in fact the Australians consider having more convicts in your lineage makes …
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The internet has definitely taken genealogy research to a new level – both in popularity and regarding ease of research. The wealth of online information is a blessing to genealogists, and constant gratitude should be given to the army of tireless and dedicated volunteers who transcribe and digitize historical documents. Never before has the pursuit of family history been so accessible to the general public, and many who may not have otherwise known how to go about tracing their ancestors …
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I have just been reading Val Greenwood’s The Researchers Guide to American Genealogy, in which I came across what I think is a very interesting point. She said; “Perhaps the one thing that would improve the quality of research being done, more than any other single factor, would be a concern for complete families rather than just direct lines.” What she meant of course was that more research should be done regarding collateral kin and associates, but this of course …
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I recently had the pleasure of visiting with some of my relatives in Bolton, England. The weather was a bit gloomy as the English weather can sometimes be, but Bolton is a city rich in history, and with a formidable industrial past, that couldn’t help but warm my heart. It’s a blue-collar city, and the inhabitants reflect that hearty down to earth character that makes it a pleasure to tuck unto a rich beef stew or share a few glasses, …
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All of us inevitably encounter what might seem like an insurmountable obstacle during our genealogical search. Dead ends and brick walls have discouraged many a researcher, especially beginners who encounter them in the early stages of their research. Some of these problems may indeed be insurmountable – trails do end, and ancestors go unfound. A good genealogist though, will want to make absolutely sure there is no more information to be found before moving on to the next ancestor or …
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