UK and Australia: genealogy news

In these family history 'items of interest' for the United Kingdom and/or Australia, links open in new windows so you won't lose your place on this page.

• The Romany and Traveller Family History Society is dedicated to researching British Romany Gypsy, Traveller and Fairground ancestors.


• 2011 'Who Do You Think You Are' handouts from talks and workshops are free to download.


• British Parliamentary Papers are very useful for both British and Irish family history.


• A programme and booking form are now available for the Australasian Congress on Genealogy and Heraldry (Adelaide, South Australia, 28-31 March 2012). I'll be there! I've only missed one Congress since 1986.


• I thoroughly enjoyed the Family History Fair and State Conference at Inverell last month. The next two NSW and ACT State Conferences will be at Botany Bay (14-16 Sep 2012) and Canberra (2013).


• There are three possibilities for another history and genealogy cruise in 2013. You have until 10 Oct 2011 to cast your vote. (You may have seen my description of Unlock the Past's first conference on a cruise.)


• Other news for Australian and UK research is in Updates Genie No.9. Note the item about temporary free access to some Ancestry databases.


• You are invited to take part in the 'Genealogists for Families' project. Our motto is, We care about families (past, present and future). We believe that our small actions can make a big difference to those who are less fortunate. This project was initially a way for me to honour my father's memory by continuing his tradition of 'good deeds'. Now others are joining in and thus establishing the tradition in their own families.


• Some Australian Commonwealth electoral rolls up to 1980 are now on Ancestry, but scroll down and read 'State and Years Presently Included'. Years with no asterisk have not been indexed. Remember that Queensland has four series of electoral rolls, and the annotated State rolls are much more useful than the Commonwealth rolls on Ancestry.