The quantity of Australian genealogy records online continues to grow, and Ancestry.com.au has contributed to that with their recent additions.

So if your reli’s were in the Randwick Asylum, or owned a pub, can I suggest you log on to Ancestry.com.au and see what long-lost family member you might find.

It’s been a busy time recently for Unlock the Past, who are currently preparing for the first of four History & Genealogy Expos to be held around Australia this year.

Their publications list continues to grow at a steady rate, as in this month we’ve already seen the release of three new titles added to the Unlock the Past range.

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AIF Unit History of the Great War 1914-1918
Author: Ron Austin
Media: paperback, 32 pages
ISBN: 9780980874655
Year: 2011
Item Code: UTP0221
Price: $9.00

The recent upsurge in Australia’s military history has seen the online availability of many military records on the Australian War Memorial website and also the availability of a soldier’s Personal Service Record on the National Archives site.

However, many people have difficulty in wading through military jargon and need a more readable source of what their relatives battalion or unit was doing during the Great War of 1914-1918. This is where the unit histories become a most valuable resource tool. A point-by-point check list of ‘The Ideal Unit History’ which may be useful to genealogists and others has therefore been included.

Also included are publication details of the many publihsed histories of battalions, light horse regiments and other units of the 1st Australian Imperial Force which served with distinction in theatres such as Gallipoli, France, Belgium, Egypt and Palestine.
Click here for the full description

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Discover Scottish Church Records
Author: Chris Paton
Media: paperback, 80 pages
ISBN: 9780980874679
Year: 2011
Item Code: UTP0281
Price: $19.50

In this detailed guide, family historian Chris Paton explores the history and records of the various churches in Scotland prior to 1855, the year in which civil registration commenced within the country. He describes the theological changes imposed by the Reformation of 1560, the nature of the state’s battles with the Kirk, and the Kirk’s subsequent battles within itself.

Most importantly, he also discusses the nature of the records generated by the various Scottish churches, how to interpret them, and above all else, how to find them.

Whether you are looking for tales of ministers carried into the air by Scotland’s fairy folk, the fire and thunder of John Knox, a detailed explanation of the online offerings of the Scotlands People website, or the treasures waiting in the National Records of Scotland, this is the definitive research guide to help anyone with Caledonian connections.
Click here for the full description

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Locating Your German Ancestor’s Place of Origin
Author: Eric Kopittke
Media: paperback, 48 pages
ISBN: 9780980874648
Year: 2011
Item Code: UTP0201
Price: $14.00

Immigration from Germany to the Australian and New Zealand colonies went through a number of cycles. There were times when there was a strong demand for workers in the colonies when any willing worker could find employment, but these were all too soon followed by times of oversupply when the newly arrived immigrants struggled to find a position. In Germany too, there were factors that affected immigration.

Due to the large number of people emigrating from Germany, many of the current generation are now seeking to find out more about their German heritage.

A primary goal when researching people from Germany is to locate the places from which they originated. This is important because specific locations are needed in order to proceed further: to obtain civil or church records of births or baptisms, marriages, and deaths or burials, for example.

Unlike the Australian, New Zealand or British situation where births, deaths and marriages were recorded centrally, in Germany they were recorded and stored locally at the local Standesamt (civil registry office).

This book guides you through finding various records which will help in locating your ancestor’s place of origin.
Click here for the full description

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You can find all of the Unlock The Past titles on our Gould Genealogy website, as well as through other selected genealogical outlets.

And a a teaser, stay tuned for a heap of new Unlock the Past titles scheduled for release this year.

Scrapbooking and family history do go together so well, as once you have done you research, it is really nice to present it in some way. And with the Paper Loft For The Record range, you don’t even need to do much other than fill in the blanks, it’s all there for you.

Each of the pages are double sided, and are sold as single sheets, and measuring 12″x12″ (30.5cmx30.5cm). All items are acid free and lignin free.

So without further a do, let me introduce you to this awesome range!!

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Ancestral Chart – $1.50
Scrapbooking company Paper Loft have created an entire range of papers etc., around family history. The ‘For The Record’ collection starts off with this double-sided 4 generation pedigree chart. The front has space for your beginning person (usually yourself), as well as your parents. Each includes room for name, birth date and place, marriage date and place, and a line for facts. It also allows you to fill in as the the chart creator the the “Chart Prepared By …” box.

The back continues on, and allows for 4 grandparents, and 8 great grandparents. The grandparents have room for name, birth date and place, marriage date and place, and a line for facts, the great grandparents allow for name, and birth date and place.

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Build Your Own Tree – $1.50
This double-sided paper featuring a tree allows you to be creative as you want, by writing your own details and placing them where you want!!

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Family Group Records – $1.50
No research is complete without a Family Group Chart, and Paper Loft have created a good one here that co-ordinates well with the other papers in this Collection. Like usual Family Group Charts, this allows you to enter the full details of a husband and wife, and their children (it has room for 8). Covering not only name, birth date and place, but also parents names, occupations and education, and spouses names.

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Family Tree – $1.50
Another paper in the ‘For The Record’ Collection is this family tree. Double-sided it simply has banners placed over a tree, which allow you to fill in with names and dates as you wish.

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Our Family – $1.50
As charts do tend to be direct line only, this one is good in that it not only allows you to enter three generations of your family (you, your parents, and your grandparents), it does also have space for your children, and your siblings.

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Three Generations – $1.50
Don’t have details for four generations? No problem! Here is one with just three for you. This double-sided page allows you room to enter details on yourself on the front, and parents and grandparents on the back. Coloured in the same sepia brown and greens as the other papers and embellishments, this co-ordinates well if you are creating an album.

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Children Chart – $1.50
What a fabulous idea this page is, as it gives a more detailed look at each child. Double-sided it allows for a total of 4 children’s details to be recorded on the one page (2 on the front, 2 on the back). The spaces allow you to fill in name, date of birth, place of birth, christened/baptised date, christened/baptised place, education or degree, married date and place, name of spouse, and two lines for facts (extra info).

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Grandchildren Chart – $1.50
Of course once you’ve filled in the ‘Children’ page, then you can do the same for each of your Grandchildren. In the same format as the Children page, it allows for 2 on the front, and 2 on the back, and allows you to fill in the following details: Names, Mother, Father, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Christened/Baptised Date, Christened/Baptised Place, Education or Degree, Married Date and Place, and Name of Spouse.

So even for non scrapbookers, but true genies, this series of papers is ‘made’ for you, as it really just requires you to fill in the blanks, while presenting in a nice form suitable for an heirloom.

Paper Loft For The Record 12×12 Grandparents Chart – $1.50
Now that you have in mind to complete both the ‘Children’ and ‘Grandchildren’ pages, don’t forget about yourself. Recording your own history is just as important as finding and recording others, and who knows you better than you. So you’re the most qualified one!!

This ‘Grandparents’ page could be used by a grandparent, or by you filling it in as your grandparents, either way, it is still recording a heap of history that may well otherwise be lost over time.

Double-sided the front of this paper allows you to fill in the details of you Maternal grandmother and grandfather, while the back caters for the Paternal grandmother and grandfather. Details that you can fill in areL Name, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Place of Marriage, Education or Degree, Employment or Occupation, Number of Grandchildren, Mother, and Father.

Paper Loft For The Record Accessory Cut-Outs: Archive – $1.75
This page of cut-outs contain words that you’re likely to use on your heritage and/or family tree themed scrapbook pages. Words like: Little Known Facts, Family Heirloom, Namesake, Documentation; Records; Important Papers and more!! Simply cut out the relevant title and affix with glue, glue dots, brads or any other method.

Paper Loft For The Record Accessory Cut-Outs: Genealogy – $1.75
This page of cut-outs gives you labels for family members: mother, father, brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, grandmother and grandfather. With 36 family titles, and 11 other word titles (Descendants, Genealogy, Heritage, Ancestry etc) … you’ll be able to get creative with presenting your family tree.

Paper Loft For The Record Accessory Cut-Outs: Generation – $1.75
Similar to the Paper Loft For the Record Accessory Cut-Outs: Archive, but with diffent words. This sheet contains words and phrases such as: Generations, Preserving the Past, Remembering, Every Picture Tells a Story, Family Trait, Telling the Story of Our Life, Family Portrait, and Down Memory Lane.

Paper Loft For The Record Name Plate Cut-Outs: Large – $1.75
This page of cut-outs features four elaborate Name Plates, perfect for being a title on your page, or even a “‘created by …” title. Each Name Plate measures 5 1/2″ wide x 2 1/2″ high (14cm x 7cm). Simply cut-out your Name Plate and affix to your page.

Paper Loft For The Record Name Plate Cut-Outs: Small – $1.75
Use these elaborate name plates on your heritage themed pages. With 7 on a sheet, simply cut one off, affix to your page, add in your title and you’re done! Coloured to co-ordinate with the papers in the For The Record Collection, each name plate measures 5 1/2″ wide x 1 1/2″ high (14cm x 4cm).

So what are you waiting for? Start scrapbooking your family history today.

The following announcement was written by FamilySearch:

Updated Site Now Available and more Improvements are Still to Come

“SALT LAKE CITY–FamilySearch announced several changes today for its family history website,  FamilySearch.org. Online patrons will find millions of new records and images, over 40,000 helpful articles, over 100 interactive courses of instruction, and a dynamic forum to ask personal genealogy questions. The changes have been in testing for some time. FamilySearch will continue to implement the new website in phases to ensure all critical elements are functioning as desired. Once complete, the website will be promoted more broadly.

The new site offers the following free benefits to FamilySearch patrons:

- Millions more scanned, historical documents and indexes that are published more frequently.
- An improved search experience that looks through more content and gives more accurate results.
- A thriving online genealogical community where patrons can give and receive help.
- One user name and password for all FamilySearch products and services.
- Responsive, reliable, and scalable hardware and software that will allow the site to grow and improve.

FamilySearch has published a helpful document called “Adjusting to the New Version of www.familysearch.org” and a video tutorial that summarizes the changes to the new site.  These new guides can be found under the “Changes at FamilySearch.org” link.

The prior version of the site will still be available through the transition period.

The LDS, and their volunteers are to be congratulated for this effort in making the many millions (actually billions) of records and docouments easily available to people worldwide through their website … and what’s more they offer it all for FREE!!

Remember to check back regularly, as there are millions of new records being added online every month.

HAPPY SEARCHING!!

The Gould Genealogy staff together with the team at Unlock the Past have been working together in getting these events up and running, and hopefully without drama.

Chris Paton, Scottish genealogist, researcher, author etc … , and the international guest at the Expo, is also having his own mini Roadshow. After arriving in Australia, it was straight to Perth where he spoke last night to an enthusiastic audience, now he’s off to Melbourne for talks on Wednesday. He’ll be at Sydney on Friday and Saturday for the Expo, then it’s off to Brisbane to meet with those who will discover just how to go about researching your Scottish ancestors.

So it’s kind of all happening here at the moment … the pre-bookings for the Expo have finished, the names tags and tickets have been made, new titles which will be released for the first time are being finalised, and the stock is almost packed in readiness for its trip to Sydney Expo later this week.

Meanwhile the upcoming History & Genealogy Roadshow which will take place from 8-24 November, bringing 3 international speakers supported by the best local speakers to 6 Australian cities and 3 New Zealand ones is shaping up to be an exciting one, for speakers and attendees. More to come on this next week.