06 March 2023
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Find the answers below to the beginner, intermediate and advanced questions, and the thinking-outside-the-box challenge, that Family Tree Academy Tutor David Annal set in the April 2023 issue of Family Tree.
Answers to Challenges
Beginners
Find out when and where the following people were born and then, using websites such as Ancestry, Findmypast or FreeBMD, see if you can find birth or baptismal records for them.
Kate Bush
Catherine Bush was born on 30 July 1858 in Bexleyheath, in south east London. Her birth was registered in the September quarter of 1958 in the Sidcup registration district.
David Attenborough
David Frederick Attenborough was born on 8 May 1926 in Isleworth, Middlesex. His birth was registered in the June quarter of 1926 in the Brentford registration district.
Emmeline Pankhurst
Emmeline Pankhurst (née Goulden) was born on 15 July 1858 in Manchester. Her birth was registered (as Emiline Goulden) in the December quarter of 1858 in the Chorlton district. The birth was registered late (i.e. more than six weeks after she was born) and required the presence of the Superintendent Registrar.
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin was born on 12 February 1809 in Shewsbury. He was baptised at the parish church of St Chad on 17 November 1809.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire. She was privately baptised on 17 December 1775 and received into the church (where her father was the rector) on 5 April 1776.
Intermediate
Somerset House was the headquarters of The General Register Office between 1837 and 1970. Can you name at least three other government departments, also based at Somerset House, which produced records of interest to family historians?
Somerset House was also home to the Principal Probate Registry from 1874 until 1998 as well as the Inland Revenue (originally the Stamp Office) between 1789 and 2011. The civil department of the Admiralty was based there until 1873 and Office of the Tithe Commissioners and the Poor Law Commissioners were also in Somerset House.
Advanced
What was the name of the first Registrar General?
Thomas Henry Lister served as Registrar General from his appointment in 1836 until his death on 5 June 1842.
How you can join in
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