CH. V – Making contacts
49- Tracing relatives and friends
50- Family tree
51- Birth, marriage and death certificates and divorce records
52- Youth exchanges
53- School exchanges
54- Twinning my town
49- How can I trace my relatives and friends in Britain?
It is sometimes helpful to place an advertisement in the personal column of local newspapers in the area where relatives or friends were last known to be living.
Addresses of local newspapers in Britain can be obtained
49- How can I trace my relatives and friends in Britain?
It is sometimes helpful to place an advertisement in the personal column of local newspapers in the area where relatives or friends were last known to be living.
Addresses of local newspapers in Britain can be obtained
from ‘Willings Press Guide’,published annually by:
Reed Information Services,
Windsor Court,
East Grinstead House,
East Grinstead,
West Sussex RH19 1XA.
Visitors to Britain can trace relatives and friends through local electoral registers, which contain the names and addresses of everyone living in an area over the age of 18, or current telephone directories. Electoral registers and current telephone directories for the whole country can be viewed at most libraries.
Online information : British Media Online
Telephone directories dating from the end of the 19th century to the recent past may be viewed at:
British Telecom Archives
3rd Floor,
Holborn Telephone Exchange
268-270 High Holborn
London WC1V 7EE
(At least a day’s notice should be given for an appointment)
Birth, marriage and death certificates feature addresses of individuals. Copies may be viewed and purchased at offices listed in question 51.
Family members: the following registered charities offer a tracing service in urgent cases for immediate family members only:
Salvation Army Family Tracing Service
101 Newington Causeway
London SE1 6BN
Tel +44 (0) 171 383 2772
Note: Persons living outside Britain should initially contact the Salvation Army in their country.
Note: Persons living outside Britain should initially contact the Salvation Army in their country.
Cranmer House
39 Brixton Road
London SW9 6DD
Tél. +44 20 77 35 89 41
Tel. +44 (0) 171 735 8491
The Department of Social Security may assist in tracing missing relatives only in the event of a family crisis such as a death or sudden illness:
Section A,
The Department of Social Security may assist in tracing missing relatives only in the event of a family crisis such as a death or sudden illness:
Section A,
Department of Social Security
Longbenton,
Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE98 1YX
Tel +44 (0) 191 213 5000
If you want to ask the help of professional researchers or detective agencies in Britain consult the following organisations for advice and a list of members:
- Association of British Investigators Ltd
If you want to ask the help of professional researchers or detective agencies in Britain consult the following organisations for advice and a list of members:
- Association of British Investigators Ltd
For further information on tracing family members see also advice on compiling a family tree in question 50.
50- Where can I get information for my family tree?
Sources of information for those undertaking genealogical research include birth, marriage and death certificates which are available from the appropriate register office (see question 51);
- parish registers (information available from county or district record offices)
- and divorce records (available from the appropriate office - see question 51).
In addition, public records are valuable sources of information.
Copies of material such as legal documents, property and succession records, census returns, taxation records, old parish registers, etc. should be sought from the following offices.
Please note that offices can answer specific enquiries, but will not undertake research:
England and Wales
Family Records Centre
England and Wales
Family Records Centre
1 Myddleton Street
London EC1R 1UW
Registar General for Scotland
New Registrar House
Edinburgh EH1 3YT
Tel +44 (0) 131 556 6585
or
66 Balmoral Avenue
Belfast BT9 6NY
Tel +44 (0) 1232 661 621
Genealogical researchers:
Genealogical researchers:
Those wishing to enlist the services of an independent agent to conduct research on their behalf may contact the Record Office concerned for a list of reputable researchers, or write to:
29 Badgers Close
Horsham
West Sussex RH12 5RU
Tel +44 (0) 1403 263119
(enclose six International Reply Coupons)
(enclose six International Reply Coupons)
Further advice can be found in:
‘Tracing your Ancestors in the Public Record Office’,
by Amanda Bevin and Andrea Duncan (HMSO, now The Stationery Office Limited), 1990): The Stationery Office - TSO
General enquiries about Stationery Office publications should be sent to
The Publications Centre,
PO Box 276,
London SW8 5DT
Tel +44 (0) 171 873 0011
More links:
General Register Office - Research
51- Where do I get birth, marriage and death certificates and divorce records?
To obtain certificates of birth, marriage and death in England and Wales since 1 July 1837 contact:
General Register Office,
51- Where do I get birth, marriage and death certificates and divorce records?
To obtain certificates of birth, marriage and death in England and Wales since 1 July 1837 contact:
General Register Office,
PO Box 2,
Southport,
Merseyside PR8 2JD
Tel +44 (0) 1704 563563
Certificates cost £15.00 per full certificate, inclusive of postage. Payment should be made by International Money Order in pounds sterling (or sterling draft) made out to a London clearing house. Cheques should be made payable to the OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS (International Money Orders are obtainable from the foreign exchange department of large banks or specialist foreign exchange companies). Payment can also be made by Access, Visa or Mastercard.
Certificates cost £15.00 per full certificate, inclusive of postage. Payment should be made by International Money Order in pounds sterling (or sterling draft) made out to a London clearing house. Cheques should be made payable to the OFFICE FOR NATIONAL STATISTICS (International Money Orders are obtainable from the foreign exchange department of large banks or specialist foreign exchange companies). Payment can also be made by Access, Visa or Mastercard.
Certificates can be obtained in person from:
General Register Office
General Register Office
St Catherine’s House,
10 Kingsway,
London WC2B 6JP
Tel +44 (0) 171 242 0262
or
1 Myddelton Street
London EC1R 1UW
Certificates issued in Scotland since 1855 (and many previously) can be obtained by post or in person from:
Registrar General
Registrar General
New Register House
Edinburgh, EH1 3YT
Tel +44 (0) 131 334 0380 (Price £12.00 per certificate)
Certificates issued in Northern Ireland since 1864 can be obtained by post or in person from:
Registrar General
Certificates issued in Northern Ireland since 1864 can be obtained by post or in person from:
Registrar General
Oxford House
49-55 Chichester Street
Belfast BT1 4HL
Tel +44 (0) 1232 250000 (£6.00 per certificate)
Joyce House
8-11 Lombard Street
East Dublin 2
Tel +353 1 671 1968
Some records prior to the dates noted are held by parish registers. Local county or district record offices should be contacted for advice on their availability.
Some records prior to the dates noted are held by parish registers. Local county or district record offices should be contacted for advice on their availability.
Divorce records
Principal Registry of the Family Division
Decree Absolute Search Section
First Avenue House
42-49 High Holborn
London WC1B 6NP
Postal enquiries are liable to a fee of £20.00 (plus postage) for a decree absolute in each 10 year period searched. Records prior to 1938 are held at:
Family Records Centre,
1 Myddleton Street,
London EC1R 1UW
Tel +44 (0) 171 233 9233
Those looking for Scottish and Northern Irish divorce records should first send a written enquiry to:
Those looking for Scottish and Northern Irish divorce records should first send a written enquiry to:
for Scotland and Northern Ireland:
- Scotland:
Extractor of the Court of Session
Parliament House
Parliament Square
Edinburgh EH1 1RQ
Tel +44 (0) 131 225 2595
Tel +44 (0) 131 225 2595
A fee of £14.00 is charged for each certificate
- Northern Ireland:
- Northern Ireland:
Probate and Matrimonial Office
Family Division
Royal Courts of Justice
Chichester Street
Belfast BTI 3JF
Tel +44 (0) 1232 235 111
A fee of £5.00 is charged if the case reference is known - if not, an additional £5.00 fee is charged.
52- How do I organise youth exchanges with Britain?
International Pen Friends
PO Box 42
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Northumberland TD15 1RU
Friends by Post (any age)
43 Chatsworth Road
High Lane
Stockport
Cheshire SK6 8DA
Voir aussi :Echanges scolaires et correspondants (British Council)
Voir aussi :Echanges scolaires et correspondants (British Council)
Youth Exchange Centre
The British Council,
10 Spring Gardens,
London SW1A 2BN
Tel +44 (0) 171 389 4030
Fax +44 (0) 389 4033
promotes contact between groups of people aged 16-25 from Britain and all other Commonwealth countries by means of two-way youth exchanges. It also publishes ‘Contact’, a handbook for Commonwealth youth exchange and ‘Safety Welfare Guidelines’ - essential reading for youth exchange organisers. Note: CYEC is not able to provide direct funding to overseas groups.
Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council
Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council
7 Lion Yard,
Tremadoc Rd,
Clapham,
London SW4 7NQ
Tel +44 (0) 171 498 6151
Fax +44 (0) 171 720 5403
The European Commission operates the Youth for Europe Programme, and can put youth groups in the 15 EU member states and in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway in contact with Youth for Europe National Agencies.
The European Commission operates the Youth for Europe Programme, and can put youth groups in the 15 EU member states and in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway in contact with Youth for Europe National Agencies.
Directorate-General XXII
Education,
Training and Youth
Unit C.2,
Rue de la Loi 200,
B-1049, Brussels
Tel (32-2) 295 11 00
Fax (32-2) 299 41 58
and
and
France-Education-School exchanges (British Council)
53- How do I organise school exchanges with Britain?
Those wishing to organise school exchanges should write to :
The Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges
53- How do I organise school exchanges with Britain?
Those wishing to organise school exchanges should write to :
The Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges
10 Spring Gardens,
London SW1A 2BN
Tel +44 (0) 171 389 4004
Fax +44 (0) 171 389 4426
The Central Bureau is the national office responsible for the provision of information and advice on all forms of educational visits and exchanges from Britain and the linking of British educational establishments and local education authorities with counterparts abroad.
The European School Exchange Databank allows schools seeking a partner to register on a database. The information provided will then be passed on to potential partners across Europe. Registration on the database is free, but a listing of registered schools is charged for.
European School Exchange Databank
European School Exchange Databank
Stichting Europees
Platform voor het Nederlandse Onderwijs Nassauplein 8,
1815 GM Alkmaar,
The Netherlands
Tel (31) 72 511 85 02
MORE:
- primary and secondary schools: Windows on the World
Local Government International Bureau
Local Government House
Smith Square
London SW1P 3HZ
Tel: +44 (0) 171 222 1636
Fax: +44 (0) 171 233 2179 (for an information pack on twinning (jumelage).
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