New Records Available To Search This Findmypast Friday
There are over 116,000 new records available to search this Findmypast Friday, including:
Gloucestershire, Bigland’s Monumental Inscriptions
Search over 1,500 records of monumental inscriptions recorded in Ralph Bigland’s ‘Historical, Monumental and Genealogical Collections Relative to the County of Gloucester’. Discover biographical details relating to your ancestor as well as parish histories that include annual counts of births, marriages, and burials. The collection consists of PDF images of Bigland’s original publication that have been provided by the Bristol & Gloucester Archaeological Society.
Ralph Bigland was an 18th century English officer of arms, antiquarian and cheesemaker. Much of his antiquarian work was focused on Gloucestershire. Over time, he travelled the whole county, accumulating historical information and making it his business to record the inscriptions on everything from great monuments to modest gravestones.
Somerset Will Abstracts
Explore six volumes of Rev Frederick Brown’s Abstracts of Somersetshire Wills. The volumes were published between 1887 and 1890 although the abstracts themselves cover the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. You can search these digitised images by name, publication title, and keywords.
Each result consists of a PDF image. From these abstracts, you may discover your ancestor’s full name, residence, marital status, relatives’ names, and will date.
Hue and Cry Police Gazette Index
Over 63,000 records have been added to our Hue and Cry Police Index. The Gazette was an English newspaper that published notices of wanted criminals and the offences they committed. The index contains the details of crimes committed all over Britain as well as the names of missing persons and those who had been transported or imprisoned.
Each record includes a transcript that lists the offender’s name, the location of their offence, the date of the offence and the volume and page number of the original document. Further information about the individuals listed can be found using our collection of historic British newspapers.
Britain, Knights Of The Realm & Commonwealth Index
Over 400 new records have been added to the Knights of the Realm & Commonwealth index. The index covers 17 different honours and decorations, both current and dormant, and includes records dating back to the 11th century.
The index is comprised of individual transcripts that list a recipient’s name, birth year, death year (if applicable), the type of award they received and the date they received it. Transcripts can also include a biography which will often include the recipient’s rank or position/occupation and any additional remarks, such as where they were dubbed.
Philadelphia Roman Catholic Diocesan Newspapers
Search two Catholic newspapers containing over 50,000 records: the Catholic Standard, later renamed The Catholic Standard & Times, 1866 to 1951, and The Universe: The Catholic Herald and Visitor, 1833-1867
The Diocesan newspaper can reveal a wealth of information including family notices, religious news and events, notable sermons and biographical coverage of religious leaders.