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New site helps trace ancestors

Sarah Hartley
11/ 8/2004

INTERNET users looking to trace their family history now have a new tool to help the through the labyrinth of genealogy searches thanks to the National Archives.

The new website has already attracted more the 600,000 visitors in its first month as some of the four million people in the UK who study their family history each year log on to track their forebears.

Census records, births, deaths and marriages, plus a million wills, can all be accessed but while the online searches are free, users do have to pay to download most of the records they find.

A spokesman for the National Archives said: 'Early versions of the colourful and well-illustrated site, which now runs to 7000 pages, were tested and retested with users.

'The result is an exciting online resource with plenty for anyone interested in history ' from primary school children through to lifelong learners.'

Chief executive Sarah Tyacke said: 'The National Archives' new website at is a digital treasure trove. It gives more access to major family and personal historical documents than has ever been available before on the internet.'

An in-depth guide to researching genealogy on the National Archives site is also on hand to help beginners and, with a wealth of themes such as military, immigration and migration, probate records, manorial records and criminal ancestors, it helps to know where to start.

Secrets

Visitors can also discover the secrets of nearly 1,000 years of documents and images from Domesday Book to the latest release of government files.

The online exhibitions include treasures such as:
* Dambusters photographs ' the first air reconnaissance photographs of the Dams breached in the Dambusters raid ' shown online for the first time.
* Queen Victoria's census return from 1851 ' under the heading 'Rank, profession or occupation', she is listed simply as 'The Queen' with Prince Albert, her husband, as 'Head' of the household.
* Hitler's fake passport ' with a red 'J' (which stood for 'Jew' on a German passport), made by forgers working for the Special Operations Executive to show what they were capable of producing
* The telegram sent as the Titanic sank ' a copy of the desperate telegram sent by the Titanic's wireless operator in the early hours of 15 April 1912
* Pocahontas 'an image of this famous figure from British colonial and American history is shown on a map of Virginia from around 1612.

More information and help to trace family history is available via the website links below.

Have you successfully traced your forebears? Share your experiences with other ManchesterOnline users below.