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Discovering and Navigating Archives: June 2023

It is sometimes tempting to think that all the information we need to research a family tree is available at the touch of a button on the internet. While many of the records we might need have been digitised, there are far more documents that have not. The only way to view them is to go to an archive.

This podcast sets out to explain what archives are, what you might find in them and, how best to prepare for your visit. If you don’t live close to a particular archive it may well be much more cost effective to employ a skilled AGRA researcher to do the job for you.

You can search for an AGRA genealogist at https://www.agra.org.uk

Websites:

The National Archives: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/find-an-archive
The British Library: https://www.bl.uk/
The National Library of Wales: https://www.library.wales/
Archives Wales: https://archives.wales/
Archives hub https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/

Online Courses/Educational Establishments:

Institute of Genealogical and Heraldic Studies. www.ihgs.ac.uk Wide variety of online and day courses.
Pharos Tutors. www.pharostutors.com Short and long term online courses.
Society of Genealogists. www.sog.org.uk Wide variety of courses for all levels.

Panel contact details:

Moderator:
Nick Serpell. www.nickserpell.com
Maxine Willett. https://www.archiveangel.co.uk/
Valerie Brenton. https://www.penguingenealogy.co.uk/
Simon Fowler. http://www.history-man.co.uk/

Heraldry: May 2023

Probably all of us are familiar with heraldry in one form or another. We see coats of arms on a daily basis, on documents, buildings, vehicles, flags and, of course, displayed during the great ceremonial occasions of state. But, what part can heraldry play in researching our family history and enhancing our knowledge of our ancestor?

This podcast sets out to look at what heraldry is, explains some of the sometimes strange terms used to describe colours and shapes, and how it can be used in genealogical research. It could well be that someone in your family tree did have the right to bear arms and a lot can be learned from studying the shields and crests. If listening to this podcast fires your interest in genealogy, there are some useful links below.

NB. Be wary of websites claiming to be able to sell you so called ‘family surname crests’. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not to families and can only be inherited by direct descendants of the individual concerned, normally down the male line. As such many people of the same surname will often be entitled to completely different coats of arms, and many others of that surname will be entitled to no coat of arms at all.

Websites:

The Heraldry Society https://www.theheraldrysociety.com/
The College of Arms https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/
British Heraldry https://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/
Elizabethan Heraldry http://www.elizabethan.org/heraldry/index.html

Books:

A trawl though any second-hand book website will throw up many volumes on heraldry. Here are just a few.

The Illustrated Book of Heraldry: An International History of Heraldry and Its Contemporary Uses. Slater. Lorenz Books
Discovering Heraldry. Fearn. Shire Publications
Coats of Arms Jamieson. Pitkin Guides
Handbook to English Heraldry. Boutell.

You can search for an AGRA genealogist at https://www.agra.org.uk

Online Courses/Educational Establishments:

Institute of Genealogical and Heraldic Studies. www.ihgs.ac.uk Wide variety of online and day courses.
Pharos Tutors. www.pharostutors.com Short and long term online courses.
Society of Genealogists. www.sog.org.uk Wide variety of courses for all levels.

Panel contact details:

Moderator:
Nick Serpell. www.nickserpell.com
Ann Ballard. ann1837@googlemail.com
Chris Broom. www.chance-encounters.co.uk

Commissioning Research from Abroad: April 2023

England & Wales are particularly rich in the historical documents needed to research family history. This is primarily because there has been no serious invasion since 1066, and the fact that we live on an island means the country borders have remain unaltered. All this has helped in the preservation of records which go back over more than a thousand years of history.

While the internet has been invaluable in helping people research their English and Welsh ancestors, only a small proportion of these records are online. That means that a great deal of research needs to be done in physical archives and the most cost-effective way of doing this is by commissioning a professional researcher.

This podcast looks at the challenges facing those researching their English and Welsh ancestors, discusses the wide range of records that are available, and looks at how to get the best out of any research you commission to help you understand more about where your ancestors came from and what their lives were like.

You can search for an AGRA genealogist at https://www.agra.org.uk

Online Courses/Educational Establishments:

Institute of Genealogical and Heraldic Studies. www.ihgs.ac.uk Wide variety of online and day courses.
Pharos Tutors. www.pharostutors.com Short and long term online courses.
Society of Genealogists. www.sog.org.uk Wide variety of courses for all levels.