Channel 4 has launched a new website to let viewers interact with its new family history program, Empire's Children.
The program, due to be broadcast from July 2, will look at how the breaking up of the Britich Empire has shaped modern Britain and our national identity. It will uncover the family histories of ten celebrities, concentrating on the period towards the end of the British Empire.
The accompanying website will feature the stories of these celebrities, and will also provide tips on how you can trace your own Empire lineage. More than that, though, it will provide a space where anyone can share their family history experiences, and their thoughts on the fall of the Empire.
Andrew Chitty, Managing Director of Ilumina Digital, which made the site, said: "For Empire's Children online, our mission has been to combine Wall to Wall's brilliant TV show with a user-generated content site that allows the audience to contribute their own family stories."
Ancestry.com has announced plans to add DNA testing to the services on its website.
The family history site has teamed up with a company called Sorenson Genomics to let users research their genetic connections online.
The plan is that, in coming months, Ancestry will release technology to capture as many people's DNA as possible, which it will then keep in an ever-expanding database. Users will then be able to find other people that match their genetic make-up.
"Entering the DNA category is a natural and powerful extension of our company's mission to connect families across distance and time," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network, which owns Ancestry. "Our partnership with Sorenson Genomics creates an incredible combination of resources designed to demonstrate how closely we are all related."
What do you think of Ancestry's move into the increasingly popular genetic genealogy market? Are DNA results really useful to the family historian? Let us know in the comments section below.
Wednesday June 13, 2007
Queen at Passchendaele
The
Passchendaele Memorial Museum has announced that the Queen will attend
the opening ceremony for the events commemorating the 90th anniversary
of the Battle of Passchendaele. King Albert II of Belgium, and several
other heads of state, will also be present at the ceremony, which will
take place at Tyne Cot Cemetery on July 12th.
The
state ceremony is the beginning of an extensive commemoration programme
including six exhibitions, running from July 13th until November 15th,
four theme weekends and a new book - ‘Passchendaele 1917 – The story of
the dead and Tyne Cot Cemetery.’
The
Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres,,
lasted from July-September, 1917. Almost a million men from both
sides died in this battle alone, and it has become emblematic of
the horror of World War I.
Expand your research with newspapers - Issue 52 of YFT on sale now!
Issue 52 of Your Family Tree is on sale now. This month, we explain how you can use old newspapers to take your famly history research further. We also provide a complete guide to all the best family history computer software, show you how you can track down war graves and tell you about your family's shoemakers.
Expand your research with newspapers Get the scoop on your ancestors with birth and marriage announcements, detailed reports of key events, obituaries, inquests and much more!
The best genealogy software Nick Peers compares the top family history programs, and tells you which should be on your computer.
War graves Whether your ancestors died on the Somme or in Salonika, Normandy or Tobruk, Paul Reed explains how to track them down.
Load of old cobblers Find out about your family's shoemakers.
Plus... Two fascinating case studies, advice on joining your local society, a focus on Westmorland, a great free CD packed with family history software and much, much more!
At 100 pages, and selling for £4.99, issue 51 of Your Family Tree is great value for money. Pick up your copy today, or buy online by clicking here
Monday April 30, 2007
Online Records Special - issue 51 of YFT on sale now!
Issue 51 of Your Family Tree is on sale now. This issue is dedicated to helping you get the most out of the internet's research facilities. Inside, you'll find an in-depth guide to the web's top 100 genealogy sites; a tutorial on how you can Google your ancestors, and much more! We also have two fascinating real-life case studies, advice on how to find and use foreign records, and far more besides.
100 best websites Lost in the web? Andrew Chapman cuts through the internet tangle to present a list of key websites you'll want to bookmark to help your research.
Google your ancestors Nick Peers shows you how to use the internet's most popular search engine to look up an ancestor.
What's free at ancestry.co.uk? We reveal all the free goodies at the UK's biggest genealogy resource.
Overseas ancestors Find and use records from foreign parts
Plus... Two great case studies, a guide to monumental inscriptions online, a focus on Devon, advice on becoming a volunteer indexer, and much, much more!
At 100 pages, and selling for £4.99, issue 51 of Your Family Tree is great value for money. Pick up your copy in WH Smith or Tesco, or buy online by clicking here
Wednesday April 18, 2007
New Editor on board!
Your Family Tree's new Editor is here!
My name is Russell James, and as of Monday, I am Garrick Webster's replacement as Editor of the UK's leading genealogy magazine.
Just to give you a brief summary of who I am, I have spent the past two
years working as Deputy Editor of MacFormat magazine. So, I'm hoping
that I'll be able to pass on a few tips for using your computers to
research your family history.
Thanks largely to the hard work of my great aunt, my family has been
able to trace one side of our tree back ten generations. Anyone who has
come across the surnames Gentle or Earles in their research should
definitely get in touch! I'm yet to really delve into the James side of
the family - this is such a common name that I'm anticipating quite a
quest!
I'm keen to hear views on the magazine, good and bad, plus ideas for future articles. Please email me at rjames@futurenet.co.uk.
Friday March 30, 2007
Issue 50 on sale now
Discover whether your ancestors emigrated, check out the 7 golden rules for family historians, create your very own family newsletter and much more
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