27/07/2024

Genealogical Websites

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In undertaking my own research I have discovered a large number of resources, some of which are free and some for which there is a fee to access some or all of its content. I have broken down the list of websites into categories. Those which are published for family history research, those which are more specialist research websites, and those which contain records of residency, etc. Some of the links may appear rather random, but they are all links which I have found some use for in my family history research while others appear may contain information useful to your own family history research.

Family Tree Sites | Other Resources | Transcribed Records | Newspaper Archives | General| Specific Topics | Library & Institute Collections | Official Records | Military Records | Pre-1500 Records | General UK History

Family Tree Websites:

These websites allow you to create your family tree and receive hints and tips based on the records you add. I list them in each section for their potential usefulness and UK.

Transcribed Records

Countless genealogy enthusiasts give up their spare time transcribing historical records in counties across the UK. The most useful of these are organised into databases of Births, Marriages, and Deaths, taken from church records and the like.  Many are available free of charge.

  • FreeREG  Free
    FreeREG aims to provide free internet searches of baptism, marriage, and burial records, transcribing records from parish registers, non-conformist records and other relevant sources in the UK.
  • FreeCEN Free
    Free access to many of the UK census records for the years 1841 – 1911
  • FreeBMD  Free
    FreeBMD is an ongoing project, the aim of which is to transcribe the Civil Registration index of births, marriages and deaths for England and Wales, and to provide free Internet access to the transcribed records.
  • UK Genealogy Archives 
    Provides access to Parish Records, Marriages, Biographies and Burkes Peerage.
  • General Registry Office
    Maintains the UK national archive of all births, marriages and deaths dating back to 1837.

Other Genealogical Research

  • Family History Federation
    This organisation supports family history groups and family history researchers in general. It lists regional family history societies.
  • Online Genealogical Index
    A simple, free and efficient way to find genealogical data online.
  • The Society of Genealogists 
    The Society of Genealogists is a charity with a unique purpose – to help people discover their place in history. It is a hub for finding records of all types (subscription-based), and you can sign up for the free The Genealogy Gazette, a monthly newsletter packed with family history news from around the community, hints, tips, and more. 
  • The Peerage: 
    A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain as well as the royal families of Europe.
  • Family History.co.uk
    This website has a well-organised list of resources and information.
  • Resources for Victorian Research
    This is essentially a website for researchers from the USA looking to research the Victorian period.  There are some links which may prove useful to researchers in the UK.

Newspaper Archives

General

  • The Internet Archive
    AKA the WayBack Machine, the Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.
  • Google Online Books
    Google Books is a service from Google that searches the full text of books and magazines that Google has scanned, converted to text using optical character recognition, and stored in its digital database.
  • National Archives Palaeography 
    Palaeography is the study of old handwriting. This web tutorial will help you learn to read the handwriting found in documents written in English between 1500 and 1800.
  • ARCHI – Old Maps 
    ARCHI is a unique interactive mapping system and worldwide database of archaeological, historic, and cultural site GPS location data. The revolutionary ARCHI search engine features a variety of visual historical and geographical research aids, including old maps.

Specific Topics

Library and Institution Collections

  • The National Archives:
    Explore 1,000 years of UK history. It holds more than 37 million descriptions of records held by The National Archives and more than 3,500 archives across the country. Over 9 million records are available for download.
  • JSTOR:
    Explore millions of high-quality primary sources and images from around the world, including artworks, maps, photographs, and more.
  • FIBIS – Families in British India Society
    Helps individuals research their ancestors in India.
  • University of Leicester – Special Collections Online:
    A fascinating collection of historical information including trade and street directories for England and Wales
  • Qatar Digital Library:
    The Qatar Digital Library (QDL) is a vast archive featuring the cultural and historical heritage of the Gulf and wider region freely available online for the first time. It includes archives, maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, photographs and much more, complete with contextualised explanatory notes and links, in both English and Arabic.

UK Government Websites

Military Research

  • The Imperial War Museum:
    This website links to a range of resources allowing you to trace your family service records.
  • Fold 3 – UK Forces Records
    This is an Ancestry website allowing searches of over 670 million military records.
  • Royal Airforce Commands
    This is a well-organised website providing lists and brief details of RAF Casualties, POWs, and other details during the Second World War.

Pre-1500 Records (Medieval)

General UK History

  • British History Online:
    British History Online is a collection of nearly 1300 volumes of primary and secondary content relating to British and Irish history, and histories of empire and the British world. BHO also provides access to 40,000 images and 10,000 tiles of historic maps of the British Isles.
  • Historic England 
    Historic England is the public body that records and lists historic buildings, landscapes, etc.

Website Under Review

Charles Walter Millett was born at 1, The Poplars, Hampton Road, Twickenham, Middlesex on 21st December 1879, (possibly 21st Feb. 1880 according to the baptism records), and Baptised on 4th May 1880 at Holy Trinity Church, Twickenham.  

By the time of the 1881 census, the family had moved to the heart of London at 2 Brompton Square, Kensington, a stone’s throw from Hyde Park.

Charles was educated at Worthing College, St. Dunstan’s College in Catford, South London and Ashton Grammar School, Dunstable.

Between 1892 and 1896 he attended the Polytechnic, Regent Street, London before furthering his education at University College, Gower Street, London. 

From 1899 through to 1902, Charles served an apprenticeship in the drawing office of Messrs. George Wailes and Company of Euston Road, London, engineers and millwrights, machine tool merchants, machinists and tool dealers.

Charles was elected a member of The Institution of Junior Engineers in 1899.  The Junior Institution of Engineers was founded as the Vulcanic Society in 1884, changing its name to the Junior Institution of Engineers in 1902. It was established by junior engineers to instruct and encourage young engineers at the start of their professional careers.

From 20th October 1902, Charles was employed as a draughtsman at the Automatic Gem and Gold Separator Syndicate at 10 St. Swithin’s Lane, London.

Charles was elected a Graduate of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1903 and subsequently an Associate Member in 1905. At this time he was signing his name as Walter Millett, preferring this over his given name of Charles. (I will continue to refer to him as Charles.)

He remained in London until the war of 1914-18 when he enlisted, and during 1914-15 saw active service with the East Africa Volunteers.  The East African campaign in World War I was a series of battles and guerrilla actions, which started in German East Africa (GEA) and spread to portions of Portuguese Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, the Uganda Protectorate, and the Belgian Congo.

Having returned from British East Africa, on 26 November 1916, Charles married Constance Mary Cooke (see below). 

He was employed as an Assistant Engineer with the newly formed Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries until 1922 when he returned to East Africa to work on the erection of the power station in Mombasa.

A letter from a Mrs Maureen Moloney, 3 Warren Street, Cape Town, South Africa, describing in detail how they ‘took in’ CW Millett’s son, Frank, and two friends on their first day ashore. The correspondence was written over a month after their visit due to censorship considerations. [Letter addressed to Mrs CW Millett]

Returning to England again in 1925 Charles acted as contractor’s agent to the Newport Water Works Company.  He then became a resident engineer at the Guildford Corporation’s Water Works. His final post was in a similar role with the Cheltenham and Gloucester Joint Water Board.

Employment:

1902 to 1905: Employed as a draughtsman by various firms in London.
1914 to 1918: On active service in the East Africa Volunteers
1919 to 1922: Assistant engineer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
1922 to 1925: Construction of Mombasa Power Station, East Africa.
1925 to 1928: Contractor’s agent to the Newport Water Works Company
1928: Contractor’s agent to the Cheltenham and Gloucester Joint Water Board.

  • 1881 (Age 1) 2, Brompton Square, London 
  • 1891 (Age 11) 89 – 91, Westminster Bridge Road, London. (Scholar)
  • 1901 (Age 21) 1, Stratford Place, Marylebone. (Engineer Articled Clerk)
  • 1911 (Age 31) Abbotsford, Hampton Wick.
  • 1930, 18 Orchard Road, Kingston 1936, 13 Charlton Place, Kingston (Electoral Register)
  • 1939, 6 Abbey Terrace, Tewkesbury (1939 England & Wales Register *)

* The 1939 Register was taken on 29 September 1939. The information was used to produce identity cards and, once rationing was introduced in January 1940, to issue ration books. Information in the Register was also used to administer conscription and the direction of labour and to monitor and control the movement of the population caused by military mobilisation and mass evacuation.

Marriage:

Charles married Constance Mary Cooke (1888-1970) of Nunhead, Surrey, on 26th November 1916 at St. Stephen’s Church, Hounslow, being the home parish of Charles’ bride.

Children:

  • Francis Henry Walter Millett was born on 28th February 1919 at 54 Mornington Crescent, Chingford, Essex
  • Joyce Helena Millett was born on 1st March 1920 at 18 Orchard Road, Kingston, and baptised at All Saints, Kingston Upon Thames, on May 16th.

Charles was a trustee of the Passmore Edwards Institute in Hayle, Cornwall in 1893. The Institute was erected to provide education and technical training for local men at a time when Hayle was suffering from a decline in the mining industry, a decline from which Hayle had yet to recover.

Charles died on 8th August 1942 at Kingston upon Thames. He was 62 years of age.

In 1943 his obituary was published by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers:

CHARLES WALTER MILLETT, whose death occurred in his sixty-third year on 8th August 1942, was elected a Graduate of the Institution in 1903 and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1905. After receiving his technical education at the Polytechnic, Regent Street, and at University College, London, during which period he served his apprenticeship with Messrs. George Wailes and Company, Euston Road, he was, from 1902 to 1905, employed as draughtsman by various firms in London. He remained in London until the war, of 1914-18; he then enlisted and during 1914-15 was on active service in the East Africa Volunteers. From 1919 until 1922 he was assistant engineer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, after which he returned to East Africa and was engaged on the erection of the power station at Mombasa. On his return to England in 1925 he acted as contractor's agent to the Newport Water Works Company for three years. He then became resident engineer at the Guildford Corporation's Water Works. Mr. Millett finally occupied a similar position with the Cheltenham and Gloucester Joint Water Board.