Before we head out of the office for the festive season, everyone at Your Family Tree wishes you all a very merry Christmas!

We hope that you get lots of nice surprises and that 2008 will be a great year for your family history research!

Win a day in the company of professional family historian in this month’s Your Family Tree competition.

The winner will spend a day in London’s top archives with researcher Paul Blake, seeking out documents and will have the opportunity to knock down any brick-walls in their research.
If you’re successful you can arrange a day to meet up with Paul in the capital; he’s based there so you’ll have to be able to travel there.

To have a chance of winning this exclusive prize just answer the following question:
 
Which of the following is NOT shown on a birth certificate?

[A] The child’s name

[B] The child’s sex

[C] The child’s occupation

Send your entry via email to yftcompetitions@futurenet.co.uk, headed ‘Researcher Competition’ or post it to Researcher Competition, Your Family Tree, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2BW. Include your address and phone number. Closing date for entries is 7 January 2007. Click here to view the Terms and Conditions.
 

Please read the following terms and conditions before entering one of YFT's competitions! ...

Have you or any members of your family got a reunion planned?

If so, the BBC want to hear from you. They are looking for people interested in reuniting their extended family to feature in a new program on the subject.

If you are interested in an all expenses paid weekend of festivities with your loved ones, contact Annabel from Blast! Films on 020 7267 4260 or aborthwick@blastfilms.co.uk.

Issue 59 of Your Family Tree is on sale now! This month we show you how to best utilise your computer to make the most out of your family research. We also explain the meanings of surnames and how to backup and protect your family history data with Genie Backup Manager Professional 8, which is one of the many fantastic applications on your free CD. Family History on your PC – Our experts explain hints and tips on how to make better use of your computer to help with your research Surnames – Anthony Adolph shows you what you can discover about your ancestors from looking at surnames Records of the manor – We show you how to use manorial records to find ancestors from the early 1900s right back to the 12th century Genie Backup Manager Professional 8 – YFT's guide on how to backup all your family history research with this program free on your CD

Plus... The story of an untrustworthy vicar, the history of dressmakers, our region guide to Lanarkshire, a free CD packed with family history software, including a Glasgow directory to find your relatives and much, much more!

At 100 pages, and selling for £4.99, issue 59 of Your Family Tree is great value for money. Pick up your copy today, or buy online by clicking here

As promised in our Computer Science section in Issue 59, here is the PDF file from YFT 48!

Explaining how to use Audacity to incorporate sound files into your family history research, the PDF should be most useful in your efforts to make a family history podcast as explained in the latest issue!

Just click here to access the PDF and good luck with your podcasts!

UK family history website findmypast.com has announced that the National Burial Index has been added to its extensive online collection.

The index, which contains over 10 million entries, contains data on burials for England and Wales between 1538 and 2005, with each burial containing full name, date, age at death, county, parish and the church or chapel where the burial took place.

 “We are very excited that we have been able to gather together so many local, quality records which pre-date 1837 and present them at findmypast.com”, commented the Commercial Director of findmypast.com, Elaine Collins.

“Now family history enthusiasts will be able to extend their family tree further back from the comfort of their own home - even if they live overseas. Who knows, they might find ancestors who were contemporaries of Henry VIII.”

The index which currently resides at Family History Online, will be transferred to its new home over the next few months, and be available to findmypast.com subscribers.

Get yourself or a friend a subscription to YFT for Christmas

If you are using this website and you don't already have a subscription to Your Family Tree, then what are you waiting for? Surely you need your monthly dose of great articles, case studies and expert advice on family history research? There are very important benefits to subscribing, and it's easy to do so online.

1 - Save money on the shop price of the magazine.

2 - Each issue is 100 pages - larger than any competitor.

3 - And every one comes with a covermounted CD, in a case.

4 - Free delivery to your door - P&P is included in all rates including overseas.

5 - You'll get 13 great issues a year.

6 - Money-back guarantee. If you aren't totally satisfied, we'll refund you for any unmailed issues as long as you cancel with in 60 days.

To take out our online subscription offer online click here. Alternatively, look in the latest issue of the magazine for subscription details off the page.

Issue 58 of Your Family Tree is on sale now! This month is a Parish Records special, with comprehensive guides on how to make the most out of early family history resources. We also explain how to uncover BMDs and share your family history online with NetObjects Fusion 9, which is on your jam-packed CD. And if that wasn't enough, you get a complete Family History Glossary absolutely free! Records of Parish Life – Our experts explain how to track down detailed records of your family's parish life BMDs – Get started with birth, marriage and death certificates and find out what's available at BMDregisters.co.uk Early Military records – If you can't find your ancestors in their parish, we show you how to find records of their military service NetObjects Fusion 9 – YFT's guide on how to publish your family research online with this programme free on your CD

Plus... The story of Zeppelin raids, the history of parish officials, our region guide to South Yorkshire, a free CD packed with family history software, including a West Yorkshire directory to find your relatives and much, much more!

At 100 pages, and selling for £4.99, issue 58 of Your Family Tree is great value for money. Pick up your copy today, or buy online by clicking here