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Examples of genealogy and family history newsgroup messages
To read current news group messages, visit Google Search Engine,
choose "Groups", then search for soc.genealogy.misc.
There are other groups that may be of interest, too. You can
post a message to most of the groups, also.
Example of a news group message
From: Petr Gebauer (>gebauer@iach.cz>)>
Subject: Family name related collectibles and memorabilia
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-26 02:38:07 PST
If looking for collectibles and memorabilia related to a family name,
visit ebay regularly. This link:
http://www.volny.cz/phist/index.htm
brings you to a search form where you can input the family name (and
additional keywords). You can also narrow the search to a selected category
and also make it country-specific (most American and European countries are
supported at present).
Another informational message
From: Halltall@aol.com> (>Halltall@aol.com>)
Subject: Renting source materials.
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-25 09:03:25 PST
>Where to find:
>Counties of White and Pulaski, Indiana, Historical and
>Biographical (Chicago: F. A. Battey, 1883; reprinted Unigraphic,
>1970).
This and many other mugbooks, census, vital records, etc may be rented
through Heritage Quest.
http://www.heritagequest.com/
I have no connection with them other than as a satisfied customer; their
service on renting census films is much faster than ordering through NARA
or my local FHC, and their films are less scratched. Also available for
sale are census CD's.
Example of a "thread" on a single subject in a newsgroup
From: Anna (>anna.begins@virgin.nospam.net>)
Subject: Tracing a Marriage Certificate
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain, soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-20 05:17:28 PST
Hello all
I'm not really a genealogist (I leave that to my ma) but I'm on a mission
at the moment. And ma is a bit stumped at my questions as well...
In order to obtain a British passport for my partner, we need to be able to
track down his parent's marriage certificate. We have a photocopy, but the
original is missing.
The marriage took place in Ceylon in December 1945. Both parties were in
Ceylon as they were serving in the Armed Forces at the time - one as a
Royal Marine, one in the WRNS
The details we have been able to decipher from the photocopy include the
details:
Ceylon Certificate of Marriage B77 (F4*) 8/42 Application Number M12811 (?)
The wedding took place in Badulla (sp?) and is registered in the district
of Colombo.
The date was 17.12.1945 (although this could possibly be 11.12.1945 or even
07.12.1945).
The parties involved were:
John Arthur Cotterill Mitchell Born: 17 December, 1923 and Margaret Mary
Green Born: 22 April, 1924
I e-mailed the overseas section of the GRO, and they say they have no trace
of the marriage.
I understood from the GRO web site that they had records relating to
marriages of British citizens overseas, and also marriages of military
personnel, so I was rather disappointed to get the e-mail this morning.
I'm in Sheffield so can do a search of the index myself at the archives -
is it possible it has been mis-recorded? The copy of the certificate does
spell Cotterill incorrectly, as well as get the age of John wrong - or is
this clutching at straws? Would a miliary archive have records?
The e-mail did give me the details of the Sri Lanka record Office - has
anyone dealt with them before? Obviously, if the marriage is recorded
somewhere in the UK, it will be quicker and easier to get the certificate...
Any help or advice would be welcomed - like I said, I'm new to this. There
is a deadline on this too - my partner and I have a wedding planned :)
Thanks in advance -- Anna
Message 2 in thread
From: Genee (>niederlandisch@monmouth.com>)
Subject: Re: Tracing a Marriage Certificate
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain, soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-20 07:12:36 PST
Could the name be Cottrell? Possibly a church involved that may have
records... The Cranky Genee
Message 3 in thread
From: John E Wynn (>john@vetchfield.win-uk.net>)
Subject: Re: Tracing a Marriage Certificate
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain, soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-20 07:41:32 PST
On Fri, 20 Sep 2002 13:12:55 +0000, anna.begins@virgin.nospam.net (Anna)
wrote:
>I e-mailed the overseas section of the GRO, and they say they have no
>trace of the marriage.
There will be a record only if the individuals concerned reported the
details through the nearest British Embassy/High Commission etc, or the
marriage was conducted by a service Padre in a military church.
I was serving in the RAF and married in Nairobi in 1967. There is no
record of this marriage in UK as I forgot to report the details to the
British High Commission.
There is a procedure which allows me to have the marriage included in the
Consular indexes but I haven't got a round tuit yet :-)
>Would a miliary archive have records?
The military would need to have sight of the certificate to establish
entitlement to marriage allowances etc, but would not need to keep a copy
of the certificate (although I can only speak of RAF procedures)
John Wynn
Message 4 in thread
From: Anna (>anna.begins@virgin.nospam.net>)
Subject: Re: Tracing a Marriage Certificate
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain, soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-24 07:58:59 PST
John E Wynn & john@vetchfield.win-uk.net> wrote:
>On Fri, 20 Sep 2002 13:12:55 +0000, anna.begins@virgin.nospam.net
>(Anna) wrote:
Well, to be fair, I don't think John's parents had any idea that their son
at 40 would meet someone via his 'puter, want to move to the UK and get a
British passport, for which purpose he needs their marriage certificate :)
>>>Would a miliary archive have records?
>>The military would need to have sight of the certificate to establish
>>entitlement to marriage allowances etc, but would not need to keep a
>>copy of the certificate (although I can only speak of RAF procedures)
Just an idle question - when I looked through the GRO indexes myself, I
noticed that prior to 1965, they are labelled as "Army" returns, and
afterwards "Service" returns. Does this mean that prior to 1965, there are
no records for Naval or Air personnel who got married?
Anyhow, in my case, it appears that I have to contact the Assistant
Registrar General in Sri Lanka once the Sri Lankan High Commission have
sent the requisite forms.
Has anyone here had experience of dealing with the Sri Lankan authorities?
I'm concerned that with the civil war, records might not have survived -
would that be likely? And I'd be interested to find out how long it will
take to get the certificate - we have a photocopy, so it shouldn't prove
too hard to trace, should it?
Message 5 in thread
From: John E Wynn (>john@vetchfield.win-uk.net>)
Subject: Re: Tracing a Marriage Certificate
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain, soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-24 14:29:41 PST
On Tue, 24 Sep 2002 15:59:18 +0000, anna.begins@virgin.nospam.net (Anna) wrote:
>Just an idle question - when I looked through the GRO indexes myself, I
>noticed that prior to 1965, they are labelled as "Army" returns, and
I suspect this is linked to the "merging" of the War Office, Air Ministry
& Admiralty to form the new Ministry of Defence. I seem to recall this
happened about 1964.
I'm pretty sure there are separate RAF returns starting in 1920 and Royal
Navy returns from 1959. John Wynn
Message 6 in thread
From: Anna ()
Subject: Re: Tracing a Marriage Certificate
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain, soc.genealogy.misc
Date: 2002-09-20 07:53:22 PST
>On Fri, 20 Sep 2002, anna.begins@virgin.nospam.net (Anna) wrote:
>>..The marriage took place in Ceylon in December 1945. Both
Thanks Bob. I'm going to try those.
I was disappointed that the GRO couldn't find a trace, so I'm not expecting
too much luck when I search myself, but, you never know :)
I've found sorting this (and the birth certificates out) quite interesting
so far - who knows, my ma might have someone to leave the family archive to,
and carry on the work :) Anna