Six (free) family history things to do when the archives are closed

 

Well, I was going to write another post about archives re-opening, but with potential changes on the horizon for public building access (The National Archives at Kew have already announced they have suspended bookings for the moment), I thought it might be more useful to share some things that won't be affected by changes in local or national regulations.  So I've collected a variety of family history activities you can do from home, whether your ancestors are from Britain, Ireland, Canada or Australia.

☙  Kew are still providing free downloads to their digital documents, which include wills and military records.  Their online guides give a good overview of their collections and the kind of information they hold that can help build a family tree.

☙  A great opportunity to pick up Irish research skills starts this week.  South Dublin Libraries are offering a six-week series of Zoom evening classes beginning on Thursday 7th November.  While priority will be given to local students, overseas applicants are being accepted.  It’s totally free and you can learn more about the content of the course, and sign up for it, at their Eventbrite registration page.   

☙  Looking for a free place online to store and share your family tree?  Check out this short video from the US Family Tree magazine about WikiTree, a free tree hosting service with a difference. 

☙  You may have heard of the historical forced migration of young people from the United Kingdom to countries around the world.  Many genealogists trace relatives who experienced this, and Canadian organisation British Home Children has been helping families find each other for many years. Their website includes indexes of home children who served in the military, and transcriptions of records from the UK National Archives.

☙  Also drawing on British archives is the Australian Convict Queenslanders database. Find ancestors who left the UK for entirely different reasons, and read profiles of some who shook off the shackles and made good in their new country.

☙  And finally, if you’ve come up against a no-birth-certificate brick wall, professional genealogist Mish Holman takes you step by step through her excellent strategy for breaking it down. 

Happy hunting!