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BerkshireFHS
Sat 4 February is #NationalLibrariesDay Meet the Society at main libraries in #Newbury #Reading and #Wokingham more on maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&…

6 days ago via web

BerkshireFHS
Researching pubs and publicans features at #Newbury branch meeting on 8 February - see berksfhs.org.uk/cms/2012-02-08… and try deadpubs.co.uk too

1 week ago via web • 2 retweets

CWGC
New CWGC website: cwgc.org We have made some major changes to the site which we hope will greatly improve your user experience.

Retweeted 1 week ago via web • 22 retweets

 

Berkshire Family History Society

Welcome

page last reviewed and revised 5 February 2012

Help for all family historians
wherever your ancestors came from

If you are just starting your research, these articles will help you

Come and meet the society - follow links for more details

Maybe you missed the BRACKNELL FAMILY HISTORY FAIR
but you have plenty of opportunities to catch up with the society in coming weeks - including at six Branch meetings every month

Tuesday 14 February - Drop ins at Bracknell and Woodley

Wednesday 15 February - Drop in at Eton Wick Library

Wednesday 15 February - STARTING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY

7.30 - 9 pm - Research Centre in Reading. A short introduction to research. Just £5 - book your place now

Saturday 18 February - Family History Surgery - Abingdon

Friday 24 to Sunday 26 - Who Do You Think You Are? Live

Meet us at the UK's biggest family history event at Olympia

Tuesday 28 February - Drop in advice: Wokingham Library


new and online at Findmypast.co.uk

BERKSHIRE PARISH RECORDS

You can now search some transcriptions of parish register entries for Berkshire online (but not all of them yet!) in the Parish Records Collection of Findmypast . These are  transcriptions that have been created - and checked - by the society and there are even more at the Research Centre. You will find original records of pre-1974 Berkshire (that includes the Vale of the White Horse and North Berkshire) at Berkshire Record Office in Reading.


Berkshire Burials CD - 773,000 transcriptions

NEW 10th EDITION £20 (+ p and p for online/mail orders). Updates for 9th, 8th and 7th editions are available too. Fully searchable and browseable by name, place and date

Buy Berkshire Burials 10th Edition

Or collect a copy from the Research Centre during opening hours. Learn more about Berkshire Burials


Meetings - all family historians welcome

  8 February - Newbury - Researching pubs and publicans

15 February - Woodley - Five presentations (Computer Branch)

17 February - Bracknell - Early censuses - 1086 to 1841

20 February - Abingdon - Researching surnames

23 February - Reading - 19th century child labour

28 February - Windsor - Using your local studies library


Have you signed up to the Members' Area yet?

Just added - more meeting summaries - for all society members

Recently added - a definitive gazetteer for Berkshire

DISCUSSION LIST - your best source of informed help and advice - on general topics too - not just Berkshire issues. Benefit from members' collective expertise. As a member posted (5 February):

'Amazing in a matter of a few hours what our list can achieve!'

Members' Surname Interests 9,500 surnames - Updated 20 July

Birth Briefs - nearly 35,000 names - Updated 3 September

Are your surnames here or your ancestors in these resources

Berkshire Family Historian - Learn more or read a copy (PDF copy opens in new window). Read over 100 back issues in the Members' Area

'Thank you for the very interesting December issue. I have already found a snippet about one of the branches of my family (in the London Gazette) using the search method suggested - something that had never turned up before!'


How to join the society

Special extended membership offer: runs from 29 January

Membership brings you many benefits, including four copies of the Berkshire Family Historian each year.

Discover more

Find out about Gift Memberships

 

Two key CDs for Berkshire researchers

Berkshire Marriages Transcriptions with a pre-1837 focus, 346,000 names and 117,000 marriages from over 100 Berkshire parishes. Later entries with ages, status, occupations, residences, fathers' names and occupations, even witnesses. Find out more

Berkshire Burials Over 773,000 transcriptions - many more than in NBI3 - from 235 places, and with many extra details too

COMING SOON - Berkshire Probate Index Berkshire Archdeaconry probate records (1480 to 1857)

Buy your CDs online

 

IMPORTANT: Copy certificates

Certificates cost £9.25 when ordered online from the General Register Office and £9.00 from a Local Register Office with a local reference or event date. Some companies and websites will charge you much more than this - Do not overpay for something that you can order for yourself at a fraction of their prices! Use Berkshire BMD to find local BMD references for Reading and Bradfield districts.


 Do you use indexes and transcriptions?

Yes? Then why not help the society to make more transcriptions of pre-1974 Berkshire records more widely accessible?

JOIN THE PROJECTS TEAM. Some tasks can be done out of county - even out of country! But vital checking of indexes and transcriptions against original records can only be done in Reading at Berkshire Record Office Find out more

Maybe you work, maybe you are about to retire, maybe you are retired now. Whatever your background - your specialist skills and knowledge could make the difference.

Join the team - get in touch today


A Research Centre for all researchers

Here in Reading you can research your ancestors internationally, in the UK - and even in Berkshire. Search online using Findmypast and Ancestry (Library Edition - not UK), and check extensive datasets and resources in CD, microform and print formats.

Need some help to get started? Sign up for STARTING YOUR FAMILY HISTORY on Wednesday 15 February - 7.30 pm

Wherever your ancestors came from - America, Australia, Ireland, London, Yorkshire, even Berkshire - use the Research Centre and its resources to delve into your family history. A warm welcome awaits - with help and advice should you need it. Opening times - the Centre is next to Berkshire Record Office - home of original records for pre-1974 Berkshire. And parking is free.

Search Findmypast - (check the latest datasets), FreeBMD, Berkshire BMD and Ancestry Library Edition - explore births, marriages and deaths, census returns, parish records, military records, migration records and many other datasets.

Find key resources for other UK counties too - on CD, fiche and in print - or research them online. Find out more about the 7,000+ library items summarised here ~ for every Berkshire item there are four more linked to other UK and overseas locations.

Note: the Centre is not open on the second Sunday in April -Easter Sunday

page last reviewed and revised 5 February 2012

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