Genealogy Chat

I have confirmed a visit date of July 30 with TNA. This will include a tour at 11 am. Minimum group size is 15. If this is going to be your first visit to Kew, please remember that it does not hold parish records or early censuses. It is useful for information on ancestors who were in the army, navy, merchant navy and the metropolitan police. It has some records for soldiers who served in WW1 (but only some 40% survive). Virtually all of us should be able to find ancestors in the National Archives, but it may prove very hard work. Please look at their website, particularly the research guides under the getting started section to decide whether a visit would be helpful to your research. PLEASE READ FINAL DETAILS, PAGE 5 Anybody who is interested, please add your name to this thread.

Hi Brenda, You are a star! Having been very disappointed to miss last Saturday, please count me in for a trip to Kew in July. I hope to make a solo trip in the near future but would also love to come along on a group visit. Any date in July is OK for me unless there is a spectacular windfall in my household and I am whisked away for an exotic summer holiday - most unlikely! Re. a trip to the FRC - I am regularly in central London and pop in lots. I am happy to help you organise this if I can be useful. It may be helpful to split into groups - one for the ground floor to look up BMDs and another to go upstairs to view census returns. Whatever you decide, make sure you avoid bus trip days which are a nightmare! Louise

Anne, If you are planning to go to the FRC, check out their website. They post details on any big bus trips in advance so that other folk have a chance to go at other times! Louise

Hi Brenda At the moment I can do 2nd/23rd/30th july. I suggest you check out the 16th as my entertainment agenda from the Somerset Light Infantry Assoc. says there will be VE & VJ Victory celebrations in London that day! Did you have any luck with the look ups you were going to do for me? I do understand if you didn't have time. Regards Vivienne

Hi Louise Joint leaders on a day at the FRC sounds like an excellent idea. Much anxious time can be spent if you’ve mislaid someone, which happened once when there was a fire alarm and we piled out of different exits! It would be really good to have one person on each floor, then nobody who needs help would feel short-changed. I didn’t realise the FRC listed future group visits. It would be so helpful in the National Archives did the same. Hi Vivienne Please e-mail me your snail mail address. Yours were the only soldier’s records I managed to find on Saturday. I can’t find any major VE/VJ day celebrations listed for 16th July: the official day seems to be Sunday 10th July, but there is a Jazz Festival at Kew that weekend. It’s always going to be a gamble with other events going on: 2nd July is Wimbledon, for example.

Hi Brenda I'm definitely going to make the effort to come down for this one cos there's so much I need to look up! The only weekend in July I can't do is the one that includes the 10th July cos the family would kill me if I vanished on my birthday! Lou

would like to be added as a possible, nothing planned at the moment. But Maz in the East End is orgainsing a child friendly meet sometime in July so hopefully they won't clash!!!!

Would love to. Any Saturday in July at the moment. Many thanks Linda

Hi Brenda Can you add my name to the list please, as id love to go. At the moment any saturday should be fine. Julie

Thanks for that, Shelli. I checked June's list and abandoned my first notion of 25th June as that clashed with Steedie's do, but I confess I'd forgotten that Maz was arranging something as well. I've emailed her.

I will register my interest, currently nothing booked for July. nell

Brenda, I'd like to add my name too. Will be free any Saturday and will come with Helen Little Nell if she'll let me! Thanks in advance Viv.

I'd love to go to Kew, have been to FRC several times but have always been a bit daunted by the prospect of Kew! A visit just to get bearings etc. would be helpful. Any time (Sat or weekday) except 1st or 2nd July. Sheila x

nudge: please read update.

YES PLEASE CAN I COME REGARDS JOAN

Brenda Can I book a provisional place? Will have to con the ex into having the boy but as long as I'm not doing anything which could be taken as 'enjoying' myself I should be OK ;) Any suggestions on what I 'could' be doing that day gratefully received! :) Chris

Hi everyone. At work, so can't make detailed replies. Please note that TNA double booked, so date is now 30 July. Hope that still suits everyone. Brenda (Advantage is that we're not competing with a party of 49!)

July 30th fine with me, Brenda. Will start looking into travel plans!

Brenda Please amend my provisional booking to the 30th! :) Chris

Viv Yes you can come with me! I was hoping you could make it. nell