Come and listen to Dr Janina Ramirez after-dinner talk on Saturday 7 September, at Exodus: Movement of the People. © Oxford Film and TV

Plans for the International Family History conference, Exodus: Movement of the People, continue to grow in exciting ways, with the platinum sponsorship recently taken up Ancestry.co.uk  and the announcement that Dr Janina Ramirez is to be After Dinner Speaker at Exodus on the Saturday night.

Alec Tritton chairman of the Halsted Trust, organisers of Exodus, said ‘Ancestry.co.uk coming on board as the Platinum sponsor has enabled us to turn what we believe was already a great conference programme into a truly memorable one. We are also absolutely delighted to be able to invite such a well- known historian to bring her knowledge and expertise to our conference’. Karen Richardson Senior Manager of Community Marketing at Ancestry.co.uk added, ‘Migration and travel is one of the most fascinating areas of family history research, but also one of the most challenging. Whether your ancestors moved to a different town for work or crossed oceans in pursuit of a new life, their journeys can throw up a whole host of questions and complications when tracing your family tree’.

Dr. Ramirez has published widely on medieval art and literature, and in 2010 presented her debut ‘Treasures of the Anglo-Saxons’. She is currently preparing a definitive cultural guide to Anglo-Saxon England, and her experience stretches beyond the world of art, having lectured in archaeology, history, literature and language. She is a passionate and enthused academic driven by a desire to share ideas.

Find out more about Dr Ramirez at www.janinaramirez.co.uk, www.facebook.com/pages/Dr-Janina-Ramirez/246212975446522 and twitter.com/DrJaninaRamirez. And for more information on Ancestry.co.uk and its migration records such as the UK Incoming Passenger Lists visit www.ancestry.co.uk.

The International Family History conference, Exodus: Movement of the People is being held at the Hinckley Island Hotel, Hinckley, Leicestershire 6-8 September 2013. For more information about the conference and to learn more about historic British migration see www.exodus2013.co.uk. Family Tree is also pleased to be sponsoring Exodus, which is set to be a fascinating family history event to look forward to this September.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Don’t sit there staring at a blank page… make a start writing your family history right away with our experts’ tips in the June issue of Family Tree.

In the June issue of Family Tree, we’ve launched a brand new series, helping readers discover the best way to write their family history – something that will become a well-loved family treasure in the years to come. As part of our research into tried and tested ways of doing this, we chatted to Karen Charlton. Here’s her advice, which we’re sure you’ll find interesting…

Author Karen Charlton has successfully published her fictionalised account of one of her ancestor’s desperate battle to avoid the gallows in her historical novel, Catching the Eagle. Set in Northumberland, and complete with a notorious Regency robbery, a woeful miscarriage of justice, and a budding love triangle, Karen’s story appeals to a much wider readership than solely her family, and we asked her for some insider tips.

Family Tree: What’s your one tip for getting on and writing those first words?

Karen: Just go for it! Telling the story of our ancestors all starts with the same nerve-wracking experience; a blank page. It’s a daunting task to write a book, even for an experienced author. But an aspiring writer needs to put all that out of their mind and focus on filling page one with text. Pick a time when most of the family are out of the house, switch on some relaxing music, write ‘Chapter One’ at the top of the page and then begin.

At this stage, it doesn’t matter what you write, if it makes sense or if it is correctly punctuated. Books evolve gradually and debut writers need to remember that they will come back time-and-time-again to those first lines and paragraphs to edit and revise them. But nothing, absolutely nothing, will ever happen if you don’t make a start.

Having said that, I eventually dumped the first 10,000 words of my debut novel and restarted it at Chapter Three.

Originally, I began ‘Catching the Eagle’ with a scene were my impoverished ancestor asks for credit in a local haberdashery. He is refused by the owner and thrown out of the shop. I then went onto show him in conflict with his nemesis (the evil steward, Michael Aynsley) and arguing with his wife about their dire financial situation. All these incidents were based on fact and the dialogue between the characters discussed events which we had meticulously researched. I thought that they established the main characters, highlighted the poverty in rural England in 1809 and gave great background to the plot.

Fortunately I had a lot of honest, helpful and constructive criticism from friends, family and other authors. The feedback I received from my readers went along these lines: ‘You’ve promised us the story of Northumberland’s most notorious Regency robbery and a miscarriage of justice – but you take ages to get there. You need to move quicker towards these events – that’s your story, not Jamie’s credit rating.’

Yes, it hurt. Successful novelists also need a thick skin. But eventually I heeded their advice, dropped the first two chapters and began the novel on the day of the robbery. It worked. I then got a publisher.

Family Tree: Which format did you prefer? Your novel, ‘Catching’, or your non-fiction, ‘Seeking’?

Karen: To be honest, I like them both but ‘Seeking Our Eagle’ will probably be my only non-fiction book for a while. (I’m currently writing my third novel.) Personally, I need a lot of artistic challenge and I achieved this when I switched genre into non-fiction last year.

There’s a massive difference between penning a fictionalised version of an ancestral story and a non-fiction ac-count of the same events because they attract two totally different groups of readers, with very different interests and expectations. Fiction readers (and fiction publishers) look for drama, tension, strong characterisation, a plot which enthrals them and reaches a satisfactory emotional conclusion. A novelist needs to subtly blend the historical detail into the narrative and remember that in fiction, the plot must always come first.

As I showed above with the tale of my first three chapters, minute historical detail or flying off on a tangent can slow down the pace of the narrative and damage any chances of publication. The family historian who aspires to become a historical novelist sometimes needs to distance themselves from their research, keep their head above the genealogy parapet and focus on the main event. This can lead to tough decisions about what to put into the book and what to leave out.

Who to leave in and who to leave out, is another issue which also crops up. They had big families back in the 19th century and most of them were called ‘John.’ A cast of thousands may have worked well in the bible but it rarely works in modern fiction. The habit of naming children after other family members helps genealogists trace their relatives back through the centuries, but if you have a mother, grandmother and a daughter all called ‘Ann’ in the same book, it confuses the hell out of the reader.

Fortunately novelists can use artistic license. In ‘Catching the Eagle’, I changed names, killed off some characters early and brought forward a wedding by three years. I did this because I wanted the fun and the emotional high of the marriage celebrations to fit in with a chapter which was essentially ‘the calm before the storm.’ Fiction – even a novel based on a true story – is for story-tellers, not historical record keepers.

My non-fiction book, ‘Seeking Our Eagle’, tells the story of our research and was quicker, and probably easier, to write. In this book I show ‘how-we-did-it’. This is a genre that will better suit historical purists. I included far more detail about our ancestors in this non-fiction account of their lives and I didn’t make anything up. I gave some of them nicknames can help solve the problem of seven generations of Williams; I used ‘Soldier Will’ and ‘Station Master Will’ to distinguish between a grandfather and grandson.

Non-fiction also presents other challenges. We family historians become so immersed in the stories of our an-cestors that we forget that our readers may not find them as easy to follow. Consider the number of times when you’ve told your best friend all about your latest genealogy discovery over a cup of coffee or a pint in the pub. Do you remember how often they had to stop you to ask for clarification about a person or an incident they didn’t understand? Well, the readers of a book can’t do that. If they get frustrated or confused, they will just toss the book aside unread – or even worse write you a scathing review on amazon. Non-fiction authors need to take the time to explain people, places and events carefully. Leaping backwards and forwards between the centuries and the different branches of the family tree is a no-no. Let the story of your research unfold gradually.

I found that a chronological approach worked well for me. I started with how my husband and I first became interested in genealogy back in 1994, and then wrote the book as semi-autobiographical account of how we moved from one discovery to another. As real time moved forward, we romped backwards through the centuries in hot pursuit of Charlton ancestors. I included the dialogue from our conversations and described some of the daft things we did in pursuit of our hobby. Since publication I have discovered that this humour and light-hearted self-parody has gone down well with the readers. It keeps them interested in the main story, breaks up the facts and gives balance to a book which can be tough, tragic and disturbing in parts.

I also have a keen interest in the social history behind the lives of our ancestors and I tried to ‘show’ the world they inhabited rather than just ‘tell’ the reader about them. I wanted to bring this world alive. I researched the occupations of our ancestors and the major local, national and international events which affected them. This included World War I and their involvement in the building of a railway line. I visited their streets, stared at their houses and used description to show the setting and the ritual of their daily lives. I also speculated on what must have gone through their minds when their relationships hit awkward patches and their loved ones died.

Family Tree: If you wrote another book, is there anything you’d do differently?/ With hindsight, is there anything you would do differently?

Karen: Yes. When submitting a novel to publishers I would strongly recommend that authors emphasise that their book is based on a true story about real people and historical events. Publishers love books which they can tag with a ‘Based on a True Story’ by-line. They are popular and sell well. ‘The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher’ is a successful example of this.

Unfortunately, I wasted a lot of time with my early submissions because I didn’t have the confidence to push this angle to editors and agents. Nervous that they would see me as a mad woman who was out to get justice for a much-maligned ancestor, I didn’t mention my connection to the main characters, or the fact that it is based on real historical events. With hindsight, I now realise that this timidity was a mistake. Go for it!

Karen Charlton’s book Catching the Eagle (£11.69 paperback, £6.17 Kindle) was published in 2011 by Knox Robinson Publishing Ltd, www.knoxrobinsonpublishing.com and Karen has subsequently written and published Seeking our Eagle (£8.99 paperback, £2.87 kindle) – her account of how she researched and wrote Catching the Eagle. www.karencharlton.com.

Read top insider tips on how to write your family history from other authors in the June issue of Family Tree, out now in WH Smiths, leading supermarkets and all good newsagents, or you can download our latest issue as a digital edition right now – visit www.pocketmags.com, the App Store, Google Play or Amazon Appstore. Single issues, back issues and subscriptions are available for PC, Mac, eReaders, smartphones and tablets. A free sample is also available for all devices.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

To enter, all you have to do is submit 400-600 words on why you feel a DNA test would be useful to help you discover more about your Oxfordshire family/families using DNA, including a short summary on your family and your family history ‘brick walls’. Send to editor@ofhs.org.uk before 30th May 2013. Terms and conditions are below.

Tto find out more about the project visit www.familytreedna.com/public/Oxfordshire.

If you have already had a DNA test done at FamilyTreeDNA, and have a long line of Oxfordshire ancestors, then log on to http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Oxfordshire
and request to transfer your results to the project. (All transfers are checked for validity before approval, so membership is not automatic.)

Terms & Conditions of DNA competition
1. All entrants must be members of the OFHS as of 30 May 2013.
2. Entrants must have at least 3 generations of Oxfordshire ancestors in the 19th century or earlier.
3. The OFHS Executive Committee will pick the two winning entrants. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence can be entered into regarding judging. The judges reserve the right to award one or zero free tests if the quality of entries justifies that action.
4. The competition closes on 30th May 2013 and winners will be notified by 1st July 2013.
5. Winners agree to having their stories publicised by the OFHS. Full test results and ID numbers on the DNA site will not however be released to the public.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Being fascinated by the Victorian period, I chose to take Liz Carter’s ‘Victorian Families – Your Ancestors in the Census’. It was a five-week course and cost £45.99.

Wed 7 November:
I was very excited about embarking on my first Pharos course, and the content looked fascinating – just my thing! I felt slightly nervous about the structure but when the login messages appeared on my computer screen, I set off to find out more…

My priority was to get to grips with the technology. The website had clear instructions with plenty of help and the forums were much easier than I’d anticipated. I posted a message introducing myself (complete with smiley face!). All that done, I was ready for the first lesson…

Fri 9 November:
When the link to the first lesson popped into my inbox I couldn’t wait to get started. I had an initial problem opening the file but the support team fixed it within minutes and I was set to go.

Lesson 1 focused on the census with detailed background information and useful links. I worked through the exercises and posted them on the forum, which is an excellent way to follow up the work. My next task was the chat and I wasn’t sure quite what to expect…

Fri 16 November:
I signed on for the chat at the appointed time ready to make contact with the other students. The tutor began with the ground rules for the discussion and then asked an open question to start us off. The use of colour-coded names made it easier to follow who was speaking and we soon got chatting. We worked through the lesson, sharing how we’d got on. It was like a group Twitter chat with everyone discussing the same topic, guided occasionally by Liz to stop us wandering ‘off piste’.

We had an informative and enjoyable discussion exchanging experiences, ideas and tips. Afterwards I tried out a suggestion for finding an elusive ancestor and located her within minutes – all thanks to the chat!

Fri 23 November:
The next lesson was about investigating the neighbourhood and I was looking forward to some tips for exploring my ancestors’ surroundings rather than just locating them on the censuses as I usually do.

There were good pointers about how to make full use of specific records. Some of the website links were challenging to use, especially the online maps, which were slow and difficult to navigate, but it was interesting to chart the changes through the years due to local industry and the development of transport systems.

I particularly enjoyed browsing the historical directories and got quite carried away checking for my own family. This week’s chat included further suggestions for resources, including the tithe apportionment maps – even more records to add to my growing to-do list!

Fri 7 December:
This week’s lesson about life in the Victorian home was my favourite so far. It was packed with fascinating content including fashion, cooking, servants and even toilets. The tasks involved extended research and I had fun looking up unusual dishes suggested by Mrs Beeton.

The topic included a comprehensive list of websites for further reading. I managed to read all the required material for the exercises and some of the supplementary online articles. The additional reading was worthwhile even though it was time consuming.

Unfortunately I didn’t have time to read any of the recommended books to follow up the lesson but it’s useful to have the links for future reference. Each lesson gives a good overview and you can always ‘pick ‘n’ mix’ useful topics for personal study later.

Wed 12 December:
As the course draws to a close, it’s time to reflect on my experience. The lessons were wide-ranging and I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the course. It challenged me to study the censuses more closely and to examine the lifestyle and environment of my ancestors.

The material was relevant and the exercises helped to reinforce the lesson. The chats were slow at times but worthwhile. The online process was easy to use and the tutor was supportive.

The reading was time-consuming but the recommended 4-5 hours for study per session was realistic, even though I’d have liked to spend longer exploring the extra resources. The course was good value for money and I would definitely recommend taking one. I have my eye on the next one already…

This article first appeared in the January 2013 issue of Family Tree. You can still download the issue in full right now! Family Tree is available as a digital edition – visit www.pocketmags.com, the App Store, Google Play or Amazon Appstore. Single issues, back issues and subscriptions are available for PC, Mac, eReaders, smartphones and tablets. A free sample is also available for all devices.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Save 36%* and receive the Haynes D-Day Manual FREE when you subscribe to Family Tree!

Just £4.99 £3.15 per issue! Plus get every issue delivered free to your door! Try it today, quote code FTJUN13OFFER. Click here to find out how to pay.

Why subscribe to Family Tree?
Treat yourself to a subscription to Family Tree and with every new issue we’ll help you to discover even more about your ancestors. From beginner guides on sources you have yet to explore, to expert problem-solving advice and information about the best ways to access new records, we know what you need, to inform and inspire you to uncover your family history.

Add £5 extra for a combined digital and print subscription! Find out more about our digital issues here. Not tried our magazine before? You can get a free sample to try before you buy from the App Store, Google Play, and for Kindle Fire, or PC and Mac users can find one at www.pocketmags.com.

About Haynes D-Day Manual
Discover the preparations for battle, the famous landings and how science, technology and engineering made D-Day possible – and which made it an event in British history that will be remembered for centuries. This operations manual provides the insightful, detailed and methodical coverage of D-Day that we can rely on from Haynes Publishing to really get to grips with a topic.
ISBN: 9780857332349. RRP £21.99 hardback. Haynes Publishing.

*Saving based on shop price when you pay by direct debit for one year. Offer applies to new UK direct debit subscribers only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Offer closes 14 June 2013.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

The Official Dambusters Experience – review by Karen Clare (FT May 2013)
The daring ‘Dambusters’ raid took place on the night of 16-17 May 1943, when a special force of British Avro Mark III Lancasters attacked and destroyed the Moehne and Eder Dams in Germany. This boxed 70th anniversary edition of The Dambusters Experience by military historian John Sweetman tells the story behind the audacious attack that has become one of the iconic moments of the Second World War. Fully illustrated and containing beautifully-reproduced memorabilia, from log books to eye-witness accounts – and with a foreword by the last surviving pilot of the raid, Les Munro – this is a wonderfully commemorative coffee table tome.
ISBN: 9781780972725. RRP £30 boxed hardback. Carlton Books.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

• To enter the competition, you must agree to sign up for our newsletter and complete the form. You will be added to the newsletter mailing list regardless of whether or not you tick to agree to contact from Family Tree. If you have already signed up to our newsletter you can still enter the draw and you will not receive the newsletter twice.
• Closing date of the draw is 11.59pm on 30.05.13.
• There will be one winner, receiving one copy of The Official Dambusters Experience.
• The winners of the draw will be informed by email and announced via the website www.family-tree.co.uk.
• Only one entry is permitted per person.
• No purchase is necessary to enter.
• There will be no cash or alternative prize available.
• Automated entries are not permitted and will be disqualified.
• The judges’ decision as to the winners is final.
• No correspondence will be entered into.
• Promoters reserve the right to amend or withdraw the competition without notice due to circumstances beyond their reasonable control.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Family Tree

You can download the digital edition right now - click here!

How to write your family history Follow these creative tips to write a family history story to remember.
Dedication’s what you need Find out if you have what it takes to become a professional genealogist.
Seeking sources in Ireland? There’s a whole range of records that can help you find ancestors in Ireland.
Alternatives to service records What do you do when Army records don’t survive for your soldier ancestors?
Testing our ties What do you understand about genetic ancestry?
How to find certificates for births, marriages & deaths We continue our getting started in family history series.
The soundtrack of history We sing the praises of sound archives for family history.
Europeana We explore what this digital portal to the past has to offer.
Free digital data Get access to free records via our exclusive family tree search site.

PLUS
Deeds not words – To mark the 100th anniversary of the death of Emily Wilding Davison, we explore the suffragette movement in Britain.
The last resort – Find out what life was really like in the workhouse.
‘Doing their bit’ for 75 years – Discover the history and records of WRVS as it celebrates its 75th anniversary.
Close encounters – The joys of locally available resources revealed.
You rang Ma’am? – Did your ancestor work for the royal family? We examine the role of royal servants.
Kings of comedy – Enjoy fan footage of Laurel and Hardy.
Reader story – So, were they at Waterloo?
History in the garden – Explore the Tudor knot garden.
Twiglets – diary of a family tree first-timer.
Thoughts on… Diane Lindsay is beset by marauders from interspace…

Regulars: Genealogy news; Dear Tom – genealogical miscellany; Your Q&A, plus photo-dating & military advice; Reviews of the latest books, CDs & apps; Mailbox – your letters; Diary dates.

SUBSCRIBE
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DIGITAL
Do you have an iPad, Kindle Fire or other smart device? Family Tree is available as a digital edition – visit www.pocketmags.com, the App Store, Google Play or Amazon Appstore. Single issues, back issues and subscriptions are available for PC, Mac, eReaders, smartphones and tablets. A free sample is also available for all devices.

Plus, we offer a combined print and digital subscription, so you can access your favourite genealogy magazine as soon as it comes out, at any time, anywhere in the world. When taking out a combined print and digital subscription, not only do you make great savings on your print magazine, you also receive a digital copy of Family Tree priced at just 39p per issue. Find out more here.

*36% saving based on shop price when you pay by direct debit for one year. New UK direct debit subscribers only. Offer closes 14 June 2013.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Lives of the First World War will hold the stories of more than 8 million men and women who served in uniform and worked on the home front. It will be the official place for communities across the world to connect, explore, reveal and share even more about these people’s lives.

This innovative platform will bring fascinating records from museums, libraries, archives and family collections across the globe together in one place.

Over the course of the centenary, Lives of the First World War will become the permanent digital memorial to more than 8 million men and women from across Britain and the Commonwealth – a significant digital legacy for future generations.

The platform will go live later this year, in time for the start of centenary commemorations from summer 2014. Further information can be found at www.livesofthefirstworldwar.org.

The best way to understand what this incredible resource is all about is to watch the short film above.

Copyright IWM.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Capturing the digital universe. Copyright British Library.

Saving our digital memory
Six major libraries – the British Library, the National Library of Scotland, the National Library of Wales, the Bodleian Libraries, Cambridge University Library and Trinity College Library Dublin – have been granted the right to receive a copy of every UK electronic publication, on the same basis as they have received print publications such as books, magazines and newspapers for several centuries.

To mark the passing of the new regulations, curators and other experts from all the participating libraries chose the 100 Websites which they judge will be essential reading for future generations researching our life and times in 2013. You can see their choices at http://www.bl.uk/100websites/top100.html.

Masonic periodicals online
The Library and Museum of Freemasonry, with King’s College London Digital Humanities and Olive Software, has undertaken a groundbreaking project to provide free access to searchable digital copies of the major English masonic publications from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries.

The major titles digitised for this project, which comprises approximately 75,000 pages, are as follows (shown with the dates of publication available digitally): Freemasons’ magazine or, general and complete library (later The scientific magazine and Freemason’s repository) 1793-8; The Freemasons’ quarterly review 1834-1849; The Freemasons’ magazine and masonic mirror 1856-1871; The Freemason 1869-1901; The Freemason’s chronicle 1875-1901; and Masonic illustrated: a monthly journal for freemasons 1900-1906.

Access to this digital resource is free via the Resources page of the Library and Museum website at www.freemasonry.london.museum or the project website at www.masonicperiodicals.org.

New look website for Society of Genealogists
The Society of Genealogists (SoG) website at www.sog.org.uk has a brand new look and refreshed content. The pictorial grid layout makes it simple to find your way around the site, which includes a new Learn section, as well as sections for publications to buy, becoming a member, society information, records, events and courses, news, and more.

Tynemouth World War I commemoration project
A biographical database, including photographs and images from original documents, of the more than 1,700 casualties of the Great War from within the former Borough of Tynemouth who were included on a Roll of Honour published in 1923, is being created by an enthusiastic group of volunteers based at the North Shields’ Linskill Community Centre. The database will be available for public use in early 2014. Learn more at tynemouthworldwarone.org.

Knowledge and wonder
The Digital Public Library of America website is now live at http://dp.la, providing free access to digital content from America’s libraries, archives and museums. You can explore collections by date, place and keyword, and visit online exhibitions.

WWI pension record look-ups
The Western Front Association is offering a look-up service for the 6.5 million Great War records that it saved from destruction last November. There is a fee for look-ups and requests are subject to a 100-year rule. Further information and details of how to make a request are at http://tinyurl.com/ctcrnlr. The records will eventually be digitised and made available online.

Mary Rose sets sail
The new Mary Rose Museum opens to visitors on 31 May 2013 at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard – the very same dockyard at which the warship was built more than 500 years ago.
Tickets cost from £17 for the Museum and £26 for the entire Historic Dockyard including the Museum, on sale at www.historicdockyard.co.uk or at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.

Revisions of Griffith’s Valuation for Northern Ireland
In conjunction with FamilySearch, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) has digitised the Valuation Revision Books, 1864-1933. These are now available on the PRONI website at http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/search_the_archives/val12b.htm.

New tools at FamilySearch
FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) has made significant changes to its web services that allow visitors to collaboratively build their family tree online, preserve and share family photos and stories, and receive personal research assistance – all for free.

Family Tree is available in WH Smiths, leading supermarkets and all good newsagents, or you can download our latest issue as a digital edition right now – visit www.pocketmags.com, the App Store, Google Play or Amazon Appstore. Single issues, back issues and subscriptions are available for PC, Mac, eReaders, smartphones and tablets. A free sample is also available for all devices.

Never miss an issue of Family Tree, subscribe today! Family Tree is the original and best family history magazine devoted to helping you trace your ancestors. If you’re looking for practical ways to do your family tree, this is the magazine for you.

Plus, Family Tree is digital, available online, on Apple and Android devices, as well as leading eReaders. Combined print and digital subscriptions are available.

Ancestry.co.uk
Ancestry has added two new London record collections. London, England, Selected Poor Law Removal and Settlement Records, 1828-1930 contains poor law records relating to settlement and removals for the unions of Bethnal Green, Hackney, Poplar, Shoreditch, and Stepney. London, England, Overseer Returns, 1863-1894 lists parish residents who claimed the right to vote. See Ancestry.co.uk for further information and specific coverage details.

It is also now possible to search PRONI’s Northern Irish will calendars via Ancestry.

Ancestry has new unredacted 1911 Census images, which are linked to its UK Maps 1896-1904 collection.

Findmypast.co.uk
Findmypast.co.uk has added new Kent baptisms, banns, marriages & burials to its parish records collection. The latest release includes records from Maidstone, Sittingbourne, Ashford and Rochester, in addition to 131 smaller parishes, and date from 1538 to 2006.

You can now search for your ancestors among records of the men of the Swansea area recruited to the 14th (Service) Battalion, The Welsh Regiment – known as the Swansea Pals – at findmypast.co.uk. These men saw some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War. The Swansea Pals records contain: soldier number; rank; next of kin; address of next of kin.

The National Archives
Next of kin claims for unpaid Royal Navy pensions 1830-1860 are now available to search and download at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk. These records are applications for the unpaid wages or pensions of deceased officers or their widows. The records, in series ADM 45, cover officers of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and civilian employees of the Royal Navy and Naval Dockyards. They can include details such as the officers’ date of death, his rank, the name and address of the claimant, the date the claim was admitted and examined and the total value of the effects claimed. The records are free to search and can be downloaded for a fee. Find out more at http://tinyurl.com/cqoxhu2.

The National Archives’ digitisation of unit war diaries from the First World War has been completed and all diaries from the WO 95 series are back in circulation. The digitised diaries will be launched online as soon as possible.

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