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News
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A WINDOW TO YOUR PAST AT THE RIDINGS CENTRE
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On Friday 11th and Saturday 12th September The Society hosted an event in the Ridings Centre to help anyone wishing to learn more about the story of their family, their house, their town.
Over 2,000 people attended the event over the two days.
The Mayor of Wakefield, Councillor Heather Hudson and her consort, Peter Davis, opened the event on Thursday 10th, with the valuable assistance of a Town Crier.
The Ridings Centre Management very kindly made available to us the former Early Learning Centre shop in All Saints' Walk.
Together with Wakefield Local Studies Library, Wakefield Historical Society, West Yorkshire Archives, Wakefield Museum, The John Goodchild Collection and Outwood Community Video Group information and advice was given to visitors with an interest in finding out more about the past.
We also had on display some paintings by internationally known artist Joanne Shaw, from Castleford, to illustrate aspects of Wakefield's past.
Outwood Community Video Group recorded the event and interviewed people with interesting stories about their family or their interest in Wakefield.
For more information go to www.a-window-to-your-past.com
 Marygate, Wakefield by Joanne Shaw
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NATIONAL AWARD FOR “THE WAKEFIELD KINSMAN”
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The Federation of Family History Societies is the national body which represents Family History Societies in this country. To encourage Societies to maintain the highest standards in their publications the Federation offers a prize each year for Society journals. The prize is called “The Elizabeth Simpson Award” and has two parts; one is for the best journal submitted by a large Society and one is for the smaller Societies, with a membership of fewer than 750.
At the Federation’s meeting in Colchester recently it was announced that our journal “The Wakefield Kinsman” had won the prize for 2008 for smaller Societies. This is a great achievement for a Society which has been in existence for only just over ten years. It is a worthy recognition of the work of Elsie Walton, the editor, and Maureen Hambrecht, former editor and now assistant editor. Maureen was fortunate enough to be present at the Federation meeting and she was presented with the award. On the Federation's website www.ffhs.org.uk there is a photograph of the presentation.
Whilst she was gratified at winning the award Elsie Walton said that the whole production was a team effort. She emphasised that the Kinsman is only as good as the articles which are submitted by the members for publication. Without content, the journal would be nothing. Congratulations to Elsie, Maureen and all past contributors. For future contributors, “You now have high standards to maintain so keep up the good work and keep sending in those articles.” |
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Closure of Family Records Centre
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This is the latest bulletin regarding the closure of FRC sent out by Certificate Services Communications Team Office National Statistics at http://www.ststistics.gov.uk |
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St Faith's Church Pictures on Internet
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St Faith's, which was the chapel for the West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum, now appears on a website. The asylum, which later became Stanley Royd Hospital, stood at the junction of Eastmoor Road and Aberford Road in Wakefield. It is now disused and much of it has been turned into a residential area. The chapel is the subject of an application for conversion to offices.
The chapel was opened in 1861 and was, for many years a place of rest and contemplation for inmates and staff at the asylum, later the hospital.
An unusual feature of the building is its twin naves. In the nineteenth century male and female worshippers were kept separate.
There are several pictures of the inside of St Faith's on a website www.silverstealth.fotopic.net. These appear to be unauthorised. |
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BMD Indexes Free Online at National Archives
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In response to growing demand, the National Archives has ageed free ONSITE internet access to the birth, marriage and death indexes, through findmypast.com, the UK family history website. For more information on this topic go to www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories/180.htm?news=rss |
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Telephone directories on Ancestry website
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Ancestry.co.uk is installing on its website searchable copies of telephone directories. It is intended to digitise BTs total collection of surviving directories from 1890 - 1984. All London directories for the period are now on-line.
The website is a pay-per-view site, but is available free of charge at many local libraries. |
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Early release of 1911 data
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Following an appeal to the Information Commisioner the National Archives is releasing some information from the 1911 Census to a complainant.
This release is because of special circumstances - it does not mean that all 1911 Census data will be released, but that, in similar special circumstances information COULD be released.
TNA is now seeking to "fast-track" the digitisation of 1911 data and hopes that some information will start to be made available in early 2009.
More information on TNA's website www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents |
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Research Room at Outwood
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The Research Room at Outwood Memorial Hall is now open once a month on the Tuesdays following the Saturday Members' Meetings. The room will be open from 10.00 am to 12.00. The actual dates are listed on the Events Page of this website.
The opening of the Research Room means that members and visitors can come and use the Society's data, books, records etc to pursue their research. Experts will also be there to offer help and advice. |
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