Loving the Library

   Growing up, my mum always encouraged me to read and regularly took me to the library to find new and exciting stories. So for me, there's nothing quite like seeing your own book on the shelf in the library! Fab!
   The second biggest thrill is looking at their online catalogue and realising that it's actually out on loan!

    So...authors...have you applied for Public Lending Rights yet?
Public Lending Rights mean that you are entitled to a small payment either each time your book is taken out of the library, or simply if a library owns your book. To qualify, you should be named on the book's title page or be entitled to a royalty payment from the publisher (you do not necessarily have to own the copyright). To find out out more visit the website http://www.plr.uk.com/

To use the supermarket quote - 'Every Little Helps' - so apply today!

Genealogical Scrapbooking

  Ever wanted to add your own personal touch to your family photos rather than simply slotting them into the plastic sleeves pages of an album? The world of papercrafting is now nearly as big a pastime as that of genealogical research so many historians are using this medium as a way of displaying their findings in a fun and attractive way which is visually appealing to the reader, and extremely pleasurable to create.

   Below is my interpretation of a family photo which helps to explain a little bit more about their lives - I've also tried to add embellishments which reflect their story.

   Scrapbooking allows you to present your family history by displaying your photos, journalling and ephemera on beautiful pages with decorative embellishments and ultimately to produce your own ‘coffee table’ book. The information is imparted in snippets and illustrated with images which can include anything from personal photos and newspaper clippings to theatre programmes, tickets and old birthday cards – in fact, any mementoes from your families past. Each page is constructed independently and then slotted into a protective plastic sleeve within the album helping to bring your ancestor's story to life.
Have you tried scrapbooking your family history photos yet? I'd love to hear how you get on!

Literary Men in WWI

  This weekend, as we mark Remembrance Sunday, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at some of Britain's famous authors who served in World War One.

 J R R Tolkien - Writer & author of classic works of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy served in the British Infantry on the Western Front as a Second Lieutenant in the Lancashire Fusiliers. He took part in the battle at Thiepval Ridge on the Somme, 1916 before contracting Trench Fever and being invalided out in November of that year.

W E Johns - Magazine editor and author of the famous Biggles adventure series fought at Gallipoli in 1915 as a private in the King’s Own Royal Regiment. The following year he transferred to the Machine-Gun-Corps and was stationed on the Macedonian Front in Greece where he contracted Malaria and had to be hospitalised all before joining the Royal Flying Corps. After numerous near death experiences, he flew DH4s on bombing sorties over German Territory  before his plane was shot down in Sept 1918 and remained in a POW camp until the end of the war.

A.A Milne - Author of classic children's book Winnie the Pooh served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the Western Front.

C S Lewis - Author of the Chronicles of Narnia served in the British Infantry on the Western Front as a Lieutenant in the Somerset Light Infantry and fought at Arras.

Hugh Lofting -  Author of the children’s series of novels- Dr Doolittle served in the Irish Guards and fought on the Western Front before being wounded by a grenade explosion.

Dennis Wheatley - Author of adventure, thriller and occult/horror novels joined the Royal Field Artillery, reaching the rank of Second-Lieutenant whilst seeing action at Flanders, Ypres, Cambrai, St Quentin. At Passchendaele, he was injured by Chlorine gas and was invalided out of the army.

This is just a small section of men from the world of literature who were involved in the conflicts of the First World War.

This is just a small section of those men in the literary world who were involved in the conflicts of World War One. For more fascinating stories and details visit  http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=127110

Creating a Family History Time Capsule

   Including others members of your family in your latest research project is always a benefit. Not only will you be able share the thrill of your findings but they may even see things from a different prospective to you, pointing out areas of research that you may not have considered before. If you’ve amassed a wide selection of data to work with, consider how you can expand upon this with the addition of a 21^st century twist. Get your children or grandchildren involved at home - or if you’re feeling adventurous contact the local school - with the idea of perhaps creating a ‘time capsule’ as a lasting legacy.

   In Sept 2012, a time capsule was buried at the new location of London's Design Museum to mark the start of building work at the site - so why not have a go at creating your own.

The time capsule buried under the new Design Museum Photo: Dominic French

   A time capsule is a container in which you store a variety of objects that are typical of the present time then bury it for discovery in the future providing the finders with a real glimpse into the past. Initially, decide upon a duration and all agree that it will be opened in ten years time, for example. Try to choose a significant date for the opening and every year write a note on a calendar or in your diary to remind you. You can even register your time capsule with the International Time Capsule Society in Atlanta, Georgia – an organisation created to maintain a global database of all the existing time capsules in the world. Find out more by visiting this fascinating site at http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2634

    If you do decide to bury your capsule, choose a location which you know will still be accessible after your given number of years. Find a container which will be water and weatherproof to limit its susceptibility to moisture. The alternative is to keep your capsule above ground in a metal container hidden in a hollowed out tree or the rafters of your shed – these are sometimes known as Geocapsules – or simply keep it well wrapped and secreted in the loft. Always store it where you will easily be able to retrieve it again later.

   The most important task is to give some thought about what you’d like to include – your ideas may not be the same as your children’s but you need to come to a happy compromise.

Do’s…

• Include a letter explaining who you are, why and when you have made the time capsule and any relevant details about what is going on in the world around you at that time – make it fun yet informative.
• You’re researching your family tree so you will need to add a copy of this.
• Scan photographs of you, your children and family members and label each one. Be selective - choosing ones which show the fashions of the time, the decoration of your home and your favourite gadgets and appliances – all images that will help to show the finder how times have changed.
• Be creative - once you start to think about what you can add you will discover that the list is endless. Utility bills, currency, wage slips and holiday invoices will all help to put the cost of living into perspective. Event tickets, stamps, postcards and memorabilia make great collectable items whilst food packaging, labels and newspapers reflect the present and demonstrate current trends.

 Don'ts…

• Never include originals of certificates, photographs or maps – the 21^st century is awash with technology – so use it and scan your items to make copies.
• Try not to fold any paper based items – roll them instead – and put them in an airtight bag.
• Don’t include any perishable goods which may go off and spoil your project.
• Despite USB flash drives and CDs being able to hold your information today, it does not necessarily mean that these will be useable in the future. Print out anything that you want to include and at least you can be certain that your work will be readable.

Writerly Quote 6

"Write without pay until somebody offers to pay you. If nobody offers within three years, sawing wood is what you were intended for."

Mark Twain (1835-1910) U.S. humorist, writer, and lecturer.

Will Words - De-mystified!

Have you ever read an ancestor's will and been totally baffled by the terminology used? 

This week I've featured ten of the most commonly used terms to de-mystify the world of the will.

Top Ten - Will Making Words 

Bequeath                                This is a term used to refer to the leaving of personal property by will.

Testator / Testatrix                A man / woman who has made their last will and testament.

Probate                                   This is the process of proving a will has been accepted by the court and grants the executor permission to go ahead and carry out the terms of the will.

Intestate                                  This describes a person who has died without leaving a will or a valid will cannot be found.

Administration                      Refers to a grant allowing the right to administer the estate of a person who has died without leaving a will.

Executor / Executrix             A man / woman who has been appointed by the testator / testatrix to dispose of their estate following the terms of the will.

Estate                                      This is the term used to describe the assets and liabilities of the deceased.

Inventory                               This is a list of the household goods and possessions of the deceased often with details of their value.

Holograph Will                      This is a will that has been written out entirely in the deceased’s own handwriting.

Codicil                                    Describes and addition made to a will by the testator / testatrix after it has been drawn up and signed. Any number of codicils can be made as long as each one is witnessed and signed.

Find out more in Family History for Beginners from The History Press.

Family Tree England

Pop over to  FamilyTreeEngland.or FamilyTreeScotland today where my top tips for will hunting are featured on their blog. Help spread the word about this new site and perhaps suggest topics you'd like to see covered in the future.