16 Gwynedd Family History Society Services

Saturday was a very exciting day. Just before 10.00 am I had a phone call from my son-in-law, Séamus, to say that my daughter Ceri had just given birth to a baby boy and that my granddaughter Cara had a little brother. As this was about three weeks early this was a total surprise. The nurse who comes every day to clean and redress my open wound, which I've had since my mid-July operation, arrived soon afterwards and we then decided that we would go to see my new grandson in Hope Hospital, Salford. As I've not yet started driving we went by train, had about an hour in the hospital, and returned to Bangor by 8.00 pm. I was exhausted but very pleased that I'd made the effort to see Seán James on the first day of his life and to know that both he and his mother Ceri were both well.

Last time I wrote about the useful information that can be found in the Memorial Inscriptions publications prepared by the Gwynedd FHS. These publications record what is written on the gravestones in the churchyards and cemeteries in the area. Other Family History Societies also have similar publications for their areas but as the transcribing work is undertaken by volunteers the amount of Memorial Inscriptions completed will vary considerably between societies. I'm pleased to say that the Gwynedd Society members have been very busy and a very high percentage of the churchyards and cemeteries have been recorded and the inscriptions published.

You can find a complete list of the Memorial Inscriptions that have been published for Gwynedd on the Society's website, www.gwyneddfhs.org. You will find the list of the names of those churchyards and cemeteries where the Inscriptions that have been prepared together with the price if you wish to purchase. These are grouped under the names of the old pre1974 counties of Anglesey, Caernarvonshire and Merionethshire and also a few in the old county of Denbighshire which became part of the new administrative county of Gwynedd in 1974. You can therefore check whether the cemetery in which you are interested has been recorded. As members are continuing with the recording of cemeteries these lists are updated regularly.

Other publications listed are a number Indexes of Marriages, Baptisms, Census and Burials for the three counties which can also be purchased. There is also a list of over 500 of the 800 books in the Society's library. These can be borrowed by members for the cost of postage and packaging both ways. There are also details of the GenFair system which enables people to pay for publications, memberships etc.

The website also contains the names and addresses of the Society's officers and their telephone numbers and email addresses where relevant. There are also details of membership rates and a means to apply for membership.

There is also a facility for members, or any non-member, to send messages and questions about their family history to try to get answers. Unfortunately, because of a spate of spam messages, this facility is not currently available but it is hoped that the problems will be resolved in the near future.

Other Family History societies also have similar websites and one way of finding them is to put the name into the search facility. I will however be giving details of how you can access these and other sources of information through websites in future blogs.

Next Society open afternoon: Saturday 17 October, 2.00 - 5.00 pm
Yr Aelwyd, Church Street, Caernarfon, LL55 1SW

Gwynedd Archives will be closed for stock-taking between 13 and 17 October

The Gwynedd-Liverpool Connections Exhibition continues at the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery in the centre of Bangor until 25 October. The opening hours are Monday to Friday, 12.30 to 16.30, and Saturdays 10.30 to 16.30.

The GFH Society meetings for the next 4 weeks are:

Bangor, 4 November (first Tuesday of each month) 7.00pm at the Quakers Meeting Hall, Dean Street: David Kent, "Welsh Highland Railway Update"

Caernarfon, 30 October (last Thursday of each month) 7.00pm at the The Library, Lôn Pafiliwn: Mair Lloyd Evans, "Cae'r Gors cyn Kate"

Dolgellau, 9 October (second Thursday of each month) 7.00pm at the Royal Ship Hotel Mari Emlyn, "Llythyrau O M Edwards"

Llandudno, 13 October (second Monday of each month) 7.00pm at Capel Ebenezer, Abergele Road, Old Colwyn (please note new meeting place):
Angel Brabin, "Poison is a woman's weapon".

Llangefni, 16 October (third Thursday of each month) 7.15pm at Capel Smyrna, Ffordd Glanhwfa: Peter Brindley "Aspects of Bangor"

Pwllheli, 17 October (third Friday of each month) 7.00pm at Capel Seion, Lon Dywod:
Margaret Dunn, "Dyddio hen dai yn Eryri"