Category Archives: Uncategorized

George III sixpence 1819

Posted on March 1, 2014 | Leave a comment

Following on from previous posts about coins in my possession here is another one which I think is a George III sixpence stamped 1819.

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You can see it’s pretty grubby but I have found some similar examples online.

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Little leather wallet

Posted on February 7, 2014 | Leave a comment

I enjoyed writing about my exotic locket the other day so I thought I would share another little item in my possession. Again, I inherited this from my paternal grandmother, a small leather purse or wallet.

The brown leather is beautifully soft with a small tear. The initials E.T. have been punched on the front and it is hallmarked in four places – on the lock and two corners. It seems strange that such a small item should have to bear so many hallmarks.

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I think the hallmarks mean the following:

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Makers mark = GHJ
9 carat gold
Gold fineness = 375
Anchor = made in Birmingham
Date letter = u is for 1857

So I have a small leather and gold purse stamped with the initials ET. There’s a small loop on the back which suggests it could be worn on a belt.

I don’t have any known ancestors with these initials from this time so the item is a bit of a mystery. It contains a number of foreign coins which I’m going to write about over the coming days. Perhaps they belonged to someone who collected coins but I’m hoping there’s a more interesting story to tell!

 

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New British India records released

Posted on January 29, 2014 | 1 comment

There’s exciting news for anyone researching ancestors in British India. The website findmypast.co.uk has, in partnership with the British Library, today exclusively added 2.5 million records covering over 200 years of history of the British in India, published online for the first time.

These records covering 1698-1947 give real insight into the heart warming and heart breaking stories of British citizens living in India during the tenure of the East India Company and the British Raj.

Debra Chatfield, Brand Manager at findmypast.co.uk said of the release: “The new British in India records at findmypast are a great opportunity to find ancestors that previously were considered missing, as so many of our relatives sought their fortune on the subcontinent. Whether your relatives were clergy, aristocracy, tradespeople, merchants, civil servants or soldiers, the lowest and the landed all have stories to be told with these records.”

These 2.5 million records include:

Baptisms, Marriages & Burials (Catholic, Anglican & Civil registers)
Army officers’ marriage notifications
Records for other locations administered by the India office (Aden, Burma, Kuwait, St Helena)
Civil service records
Pension registers
Probate records & wills

British in India records are available on all findmypast sites and can be searched at http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-united-kingdom-records/british-india-office-births-and-baptisms

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Start Your Family Tree Week with findmypast

Posted on December 24, 2013 | Leave a comment

I thought I would share this email which I received from find my past in case it’s useful:

Christmas is the perfect time to build your family tree as you catch up with relatives and share stories around the Christmas dinner table. Make sure you join findmypast for this year’s Start Your Family Tree Week! Each day from Boxing Day until New Year’s Day, visit findmypast.co.uk and the findmypast Facebook page for hints and tips on how to research your family tree, how to get the most out of their records and a whole host of free gifts and prizes to help you along the way. Get the whole family involved and see how much of your tree you can build together, whether you are starting for the first time or a seasoned expert – you are sure to find something of interest.

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Remembering

Posted on November 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

felt poppy (1)

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New Royal Household Staff records released

Posted on September 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

Leading family history website findmypast.co.uk has, in partnership with the Royal Archives, added more than 300,000 new records to their Royal Household Staff collection, bringing the total to over 386,000 records. The collection now covers almost four centuries of life in the service of the British Royal Family, stretching from 1526 to 1924.

The records include detailed information about the nature of each staff member’s employment, their salary and their reason for leaving service. Some also contain signatures of staff members, allowing their own handwriting to be seen for, on many occasions, the very first time.

Paul Nixon, Licensing Manager for findmypast.co.uk, said: “While finding a link to royalty is seen by many as one of the most interesting things for a family historian, now we can tell the fascinating stories of those who lived and worked alongside them.”

The records are available on all findmypast sites and can be searched at http://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/other-records/british-royal-archives/

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