Top 5 Genealogy Titles for 2017

Australia

History and Genealogy 2011: Australia and New Zealand – paperback, 304 pages – $24.95
If you are an individual, society, archive, library, or an organisation interested in either history or genealogy, you will want this annual Unlock the Past publication in your possession. It contains 66 useful and interesting articles, a directory of organisations and product/service suppliers and more. This book, printed full colour throughout, and with over 300 pages is true value for money.

This is not a HOW-TO book, but rather a collection of articles on a whole range of topics relating to Australia and New Zealand history and genealogy. Everything from key websites, to BDMs, the the bombing of Broome, to researching your family in the Hawkesbury region, as well as online genealogy courses, tips for the time poor, Queensland pioneer’s and so much more.

Trove: Discover Genealogy Treasure in the National Library of Australia – S. Hicks. paperback, 44 pages – $13.00
This guide outlines why I’m a huge Trove fan. It lists and explains the various features so that other family historians and genealogists can make maximum use of this fantastic free resource. Follow the tips and you will soon become another Trove fan.

Historical Records of New South Wales Volumes 1-7 – DATA CD, 1 CD (7164 pages) – $49.50
The set of seven volumes covering the period 1762 to 1811 tell the story of exploration, convicts, the administrators, the military, and others associated with the colony of New South Wales during the early days. The extensive collection of journals, logs, personal and official letters, the despatches, State papers, maps and illustrations provide an interesting insight into all facets of the colony..

The First Fleet 1788 Chart – 56cm x 81cm, flat, colour – $13.95
A large, flat chart measuring 56cm wide x 81cm high printed on parchment type paper, this is one of a kind. Listing not only each of the vessels carrying convicts and passengers, it even lists the three with stores that also came to Australia with the First Fleet in 1788, but also each of the passengers in alphabetical order under each separate vessel. As well as that, details such as the names of marines and crew on the ships, the list of provisions and livestock that was brought out, and also a list of plants and seeds and other incidentals.

Arrivals in Australia from 1788 – K. Farmer, paperback, 140 pages – $32.00
This book introduces the history and records of migration to Australia from 1788. Migrating to a new country was one of the most dramatic life changes anyone undertook and it certainly affected the lives of their descendants. Investigating their journey is a key part of your family history research. However immigration records in Australia are not all held in one place – when, where and how they arrived affect where (and whether) records of their arrival can be found. Understanding categories of arrivals and the immigration schemes in place as well as the general principles of where documents are held, will give you confidence that you have looked in all the right places.

British Isles

Handy Guide: Twenty Useful Irish Websites for Family History – C. Paton, 4 pages – $5.00
‘There has been an explosion of interest in Irish family history over the last few year, with some of the most important genealogical resources not digitised and made available online; In this handy guide (4 page booklet), family historian Chris Paton take a look at the potential offered by twenty of the most useful websites for research on the Emerald Isle.

Handy Guide: Civil Registration Births, Marriages and Deaths in Britain and Ireland – C. Paton, 4 pages – $5.00
The state based civil registration of birth, marriage and death events commenced across Britain and in Ireland during the 19th century, but did so at different times, and utilising various different legal criteria between the various constituent countries. This handy guide (4 page booklet) Chris Paton outlines what to expect from the records, and where to find them.

ScotlandsPeople: The Place to Launch Your Scottish Research – R. Kopittke, paperback, 44 pages – $15.00
ScotlandsPeople provides an exceptional source of genealogical records for those with Scottish ancestry – Statutory registers of birth, death, marriage, divorce, civil partnerships and dissolutions; church registers for the Church of Scotland, the Roman Catholic Church and other Presbyterian churches; census records; valuation rolls; and legal records covering wills and testaments, soldiers’ and airmen’s wills, military service tribunal appeals, and Coats of Arms. Access to such a wide range of basic records for a relatively cheap fee means we can all research from our home without the expense of hiring a search agent, ordering in many microfilms, or a trip to Scotland – as pleasant as that last option may be.

London and Middlesex Family History Resources Online – A. Stewart, paperback, 64 pages – $13.50
This concise guide explains what is meant by ‘London’ at different times, from its origins in the Roman Empire 2000 years ago, through the growth of the ‘City’ until Greater London’s almost complete absorption of the county of Middlesex in the 20th century. Most of the main London records are online, and this guide covers internet access to civil registration (births, marriage and deaths) from 1837, the 1841-1911 census returns, and parish registers (baptisms, marriages and burials) from 1538. In addition, it looks at websites for non-conformist registers, gravestone inscriptions, armed forces’ records, wills, criminal records, newspapers, local histories, directories and gazetteers. London’s family history societies and the city’s major archives are also covered, as are many London-specific websites.

Philips’ Handy Atlas of the Counties of Scotland – J. Bartholomew, DATA CD – 1 CD (32 maps & 34 page index) – $29.50
Here is a dream of a book for the genealogist or researcher. The first map shows all of Scotland, with the counties located for easy reference. Then, each county is given its own full-color map in wonderful detail. What is of particular importance, though, is that all the parishes are identified on each county map. There is as well a comprehensive index at the end of the work. This truly is one of those situations where the newest, most up-to-date model simply will not provide the same information as the antique! Contains 32 full-colour maps, and a 34 page index.

Other Countries

Introduction to German Family History Research for Australians – E. Kopittke, paperback, 68 pages – $15.00
It goes without saying that some understanding of the history of the region helps the researcher better understand the lives of their ancestors (the same goes for any region), and this book helps with that. It also takes the reader through the issues surrounding names of people and places that tend to confuse the beginner, and it points to records that can be accessed from within Australia as well as those overseas from Australia that are able to provide the foundation upon which research into our German ancestors can be built. An increasing variety of material, including maps, gazetteers, census records, newspapers, passenger lists and some civil records of birth, marriage and death, and church records of baptisms, marriage burial have been digitised and indexed and are being made available online. This book gives guidance as to how to access these.

Migration to New Zealand: A Guide for Family History Researchers – C. Clement, paperback, 68 pages – $15.00
Author, Christine Clement has often been asked how to find when an ancestor came to New Zealand. This set her off on an exploratory path a number of years ago putting together the different schemes, periods and times to find out just who the people were coming at the different time periods and why. This booklet is designed to make readers think beyond the square to see what else was happening in the world that may have led people to New Zealand.

Resources for Researching your Family History Norfolk Island 1788-1814 – C. Dunn, paperback, 28 pages – $11.50
Historian Cathy Dunn takes you on a journey back to the 1st Settlement of Norfolk Island 1788-1814 describing the archives and records that are available, where copies of the records are kept and what family historians can find online. Discovering how your ancestors lived Norfolk Island does take one across a large variety of records. Cathy reviews the victualling books and musters; birth, death and marriages records; land grants and leases records; hospital records; diaries and journals; Sydney Gazette; Rev. Fulton BDMs; shipping records and musters as well as other records for family historians related to Norfolk Island 1788-1814. .

Handy Guide: Civil Registration Births, Marriages and Deaths in Germany – E. Kopittke, 4 pages – $5.00
Obtaining a birth certificate for an immigrant ancestor is a goal that many researchers set for themselves, but what many not realise is that the registration of births, marriages and deaths by civil authorities, along with the issue of associated certificates, is a relatively recent process, especially in Germany. This handy guide (4 page booklet), gives readers an overview of when civil registration was introduced in various German speaking countries, together with example of what information you’ll find on a German birth, death and marriage certificate, and details on how to obtain a certificate.

Researching in German Civil and Church Records – E. Kopittke, paperback, 44 pages – $14.00
This book is a practical guide that, with the aid of many illustrations, will allow the reader to become familiar with the types of information available on German civil certificates of birth, marriage and death and church records of baptism, marriage and burial. The book then explains how to access these records and build on the information given in the companion volume ‘Locating your German ancestor’s place of origin’.

General

DNA for Genealogists (4th edition) – K. Farmer, paperback, 60 pages- $15.00
There is no doubt that DNA and genealogy go hand in hand, but where do you start? What is the difference between the tests? What company is best to use? How do I interpret my results? My relatives won’t test, what do I do? These are just some of the many questions that get asked by those new to DNA.
This book shows you how you can use DNA to harness this exciting new range of genealogical tools.

Digital Imaging Essentials: Techniques and tips for Genealogists and Family Historians – Australian edition – G. Rasmussen, paperback, 152 pages – $34.95
Genealogists use digital imaging technology every day with cameras, scanners, saving files, sharing records and so on. But what you do not know about it, can harm your digital treasures. This book fills the need for a comprehensive, easy-to-read guide, with step-by-step instructions and illustrations to learn how to digitize, organise, preserve, share, and backup your digital collections.

Ancestor Family Tree Work Book – Anne Trubshaw-Dow & Lynn Dillon, paperback, 48 pages – $15.00
Ideal for putting in your bag and taking with you to the genealogy society or archives office ready for a day of research. No more pads of paper with the pages falling off – its all here in your Work book for you to record your findings.

Google: The Genealogist’s Friend – H. Smith, paperback, 52 pages – $15.00
Finding an image of the ship on which your ancestor went to war, using Street view to walk the streets of your ancestral area, translating that document, finding that distant cousin who has the photos of family bible, mapping their migration path – these are just some of the ways you can use Google in your family history.

Genealogical Research Work Book – Anne Trubshaw-Dow & Lynn Dillon, paperback, 48 pages – $10.00
This book is designed to get rid of the clutter of paperwork, and keep it altogether in a single book. This work book contains 20 family group sheets, and 20 pages of notes, and an index page for your to fill in, so you can easily find the right page quickly. Each page is a full A4 size, so that gives you plenty of rooms to write.

Military

Australians in Peril: Tracing Your World War Two Australian Military Ancestors – N. Smith, paperback, 64 pages – $16.00
This book provides readers with a summary of Australia’s military history in conflict, a glimpse of where to look and what to look for, as well as some guidance on how to understand military records, which translates to getting the most out of them.

AIF Unit Histories of the Great War 1914-1918 – R. Austin, paperback, 28 pages – $9.00
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 published 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.

Understanding Australian Military Speak – N. Smith, paperback, 72 pages – $16.00
This book fills the need by detailing 6000 abbreviations, initialisms and acronyms found in Australian military records from 1788 to the present day.

Feature Art 12×12 Lest We Forget Gallipoli – Scrapbooking, 1page – $1.95
Sold as a single sheet, this page is acid free and lignin free. It measures true 12″x12″ (30.5cm x 30.5cm).

The War to End War: Tracing Your Great War Australian Military Ancestors – N. Smith, paperback, 68 pages – $17.00
After spending over 20 years in the military, Lieutenant Colonel Neil Smith now focuses his time on military history. In this guide book he provides handy outlines of the progress of the war with emphasis placed on the part played by Australia. Armed with this essential knowledge the reader is then shown where to look and how to interpret all available personal war-like records. For those seeking out their Australian military ancestors in World War I, there is no better place to start.

Archival Storage

Certificate Polypocket – STATIONERY – 1 sheet – $2.35
Made from inert (acid free), clear polypropylene, this ensures that it is safe for long term storage. It has the opening on the end next to the binder rings, ensuring that the contents do not fall out, but giving easy access to contents. It is designed to fit the British size certificates which are longer than A4.

A4 Polypocket C4 – STATIONERY – 1 sheet – $1.85
This page pocket has four pockets, and allows for eight 6″x4″ photos to be stored (back to back). The pockets each measure 143mm x 105mm (5.75″ x 4″).

A4 Photo Pages 9×12 (90 micron) single – STATIONERY – $0.95
Equivalent to A4 size.
Top opening, 90 micron which is thicker and and higher quality archival storage than most.

A4 Polypocket C1 – STATIONERY – 1 page – $1.85
This internal measurements of the page pocket are 298mm x 215mm (11.5″ x 8.25″), and is an ideal pocket to put in an A4 size binder, with notes or documents that you wish to carry with you.

A4 Landscape Polypocket (single) – STATIONERY – 1 sheet – $1.85
Insert (acid free) clear polypropylene pockets, landscape format, secure side opening (just like the certificate polypockets). It gives easy access without having to open the binder ring mechanism. 21.5 x 29.8 cms. (8.25 x 11.75 ins.) approx. internal dimensions.

Scrapbooking

Karen Foster 12×12 My Family Group Sheet – SCRAPBOOKING – 1 sheet – $1.50
Sold as a single sheet, Karen Fosters’ Family Group Sheet is a great way to record important facts and dates about your family. It features a beautiful parchment coloured background, with faint script around the edges, and provides spaces for photographs of family members! Fill out information for a Father, Mother, and their children. The sheet provides enough space for eight children!

Scrapbook Page Sleeve 12×12 (1 sheet) – SCRAPBOOKING – 1 page – $0.85
If you’re needing extra pages for your scrapbook album just buy them as you need. Sold as a single plastic sleeve, these are made to fit the true 12″ x 12″ papers (30.5cm x 30.5cm).

Reminisce 12×12 Family Tree Generations – SCRAPBOOKING – 1 sheet – $2.00
This double-sided paper is one in Reminsce’s Family Tree range, and features easy fill-in boxes for three generations on the front, and generations 4 and 5 on the back**. Each box gives ample rooms to write the name, with room for birth and place, death and place underneath.

Kaisercraft 12×12 These Days Moments Family Tree – SCRAPBOOKING – 1 page – $2.50
Moments Family Tree from Kaisercraft’s These Days collection, is made for family historians (and scrapbookers) wishing to display their family history. This beautiful heavyweight card features a lovely background of roses and leaves, and in the top corners, has faint coloured pictures of a stone bridge and swans. This page is a three generation photo display, (starting couple, their parents, and grandparents) with beautiful bronze coloured, oval shaped frames. There is also space given to add names under the photos.

Simple Stories 12×12 Legacy Portrait 1 – SCRAPBOOKING – 1 sheet – $1.80
I love this Simple Stories Portrait 1 paper from the Legacy range. If you have a portrait, family photo or a special photo capturing a special moment in time – pop it in the middle, then write about it. Super stylish, and super simple!! And by doing so, you are recording a piece of history.

Software & related items

RootsMagic 7 – Software – $49.50
RootsMagic was first released back in 2003, and over the past 14 years has not only proved itself as a quality program, but has also become one of the world most popular ones.

Family Historian 6 – Software – $79.95
Family Historian 6 is the latest version of the powerful, award-winning genealogy program with comprehensive features designed to meet the needs of the beginner and expert alike.

Getting the Most from Family Historian 6 (Printed Manual) – S. Orde, paperback, 252 pages – $29.95
Family Historian is powerful, as well as being an easy-to-use genealogy software program. But many people barely scratch the surface of the extensive features it offers. If this is you, “Getting the most from Family Historian 6” is the book you need. Using screenshots and illustrations, the book takes you on a guided exploration of the whole program. You will discover many great features that you didn’t ever know were there, and learn how to do much more with the features you already use.

Getting the Most Out of RootsMagic 7 – B. Buzbee, paperback, 400 pages – $35.00
If you have (or are buying) RootsMagic 7, and like having a physical printed copy of the manual to be able to read, rather than a file on screen – look no further. This is the book for you. Covering everything about the program, this book will truly help you “Get the most out of RootsMagic”.

Getting Started With Family Historian 6 – R. Kopittke, paperback, 40 pages – $13.00
This guide introduces new users to the main features of the program and shows them how to get started recording and charting their family history – names, dates, places, images and all the other details they have gathered.

Stationery

9 Generation Chart – STATIONERY – $2.20
Large, flat, white card with black printing. Great as a working chart.

7 Generation Pedigree Chart – STATIONERY – $4.50
This has always been a popular chart, and now it is finally back in print. This large chart is printed in green ink, and is on parchment paper, and features a tree in the background, with lines for you to fill in seven generations of your direct line family tree. It is perfect for framing or display.

6 Generation Pedigree Chart – STATIONERY – $1.20
A3 size, flat, white card with black printing that allows for 6 generations going from bottom to top working backwards. Ideal as a working chart.

Genealogy and History Calico Bag (Limited Edition) – STATIONERY – $9.50
These long handled calico bags are large, but sturdy, so can easily carry pleny of books, folders or even a laptop in without any problem. Made exclusively for the Unlock the Past’s events, we have a limited number of these Genealogy and History calico bags left over. So don’t delay as they won’t last long.

Working Chart (1 metre) – STATIONERY – $9.95
The chart is printed with faint lines and boxes that are un-noticed when the chart is filled in and completed with pencil or ink pen. There are 22 boxes per metre on each row of the chart. When considering the length of chart required you will need to think about the numbers of children in each generation that you wish to record. We also advise leaving at least one box space between families to make the chart easier to follow. Each box is 38mm x 30mm.