FamilySearch and Findmypast.com focus on British records

FamilySearch announced in a press release today it is working with the UK family history Web site www.findmypast.com and The National Archives of the United Kingdom to increase access to select British historical records. The first major projects will provide access to millions of names of deceased British soldiers and seamen from the eighteenth to twentieth century.

Findmypast.com and FamilySearch were recently awarded licenses by The National Archives to digitize and make available both the Chelsea Pensioners retired soldiers records between 1760 and 1914, and the Merchant Seamen's collection of records dating from 1835 to 1941.

British ports of call passenger lists now online

For those of us -- which is pretty much all of us -- with long-standing brick walls, take heart. It may be a little patience is all that's needed today, as more and more important records collections come online. This week we have something to shout about. British emigration passenger lists are now online! The new web site, www.ancestorsonboard.com, details some 30 million passengers who sailed out of Britain between 1890 and 1960. As noted on the web site, these are not British emigrants only — many "European trans-migrants," people migrating from all parts of Europe passed through British ports to catch cheaper sailing to their destinations.

In the past these records were available only at the National Archives in Kew, southwest London. Passenger lists provide a rich source of family history information, including the name of each passenger along with departure date, destination, and in many cases address, marital status and occupation. You can view, download, save and print passenger list transcripts and images. While you can search for free, access to the full information is available at a nominal pay-per-view rate or you can opt for a subscription.