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| Newcastle Family History Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Newcastle Family History Society |
| Founded | 1970s |
| Location | Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Type | Charitable organisation |
| Focus | Genealogy, local history, archival research |
Newcastle Family History Society Newcastle Family History Society is a regional genealogical organisation based in Newcastle upon Tyne that supports family history research across Tyneside, Northumberland and County Durham. It serves amateur and professional researchers by providing access to local archives, transcriptions and expertise tied to institutions such as Tyne and Wear Archives, Northumberland Archives, Durham County Record Office, Newcastle City Council and regional libraries. The society liaises with national bodies and heritage organisations to promote preservation of parish registers, census records and electoral rolls pertinent to the metropolitan borough and surrounding counties.
The society was established in the late 20th century influenced by wider trends exemplified by Society of Genealogists, Guild of One-Name Studies, Federation of Family History Societies and community movements around local history societies in Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East England revival of archival interest. Early founders drew on traditions from the Northumbrian Smallpipes cultural revival and networks connected to the Local History Librarian profession, collaborating with volunteers from University of Newcastle upon Tyne history departments and staff at Tyne Theatre and Opera House heritage projects. Over succeeding decades the society responded to the digitisation era signalled by partnerships with providers like The National Archives (United Kingdom), FamilySearch, and commercial databases, adapting its catalogue work to complement collections at British Library, National Library of Scotland and regional record offices.
Governance follows a trustee model similar to structures used by Charity Commission for England and Wales registered charities and comparable to committees in Yorkshire Family History Society and Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society. Membership is open to individuals, families and institutional subscribers from Tyne and Wear, County Durham, Northumberland and diasporic communities in Australia, Canada and United States with North-East roots. The society operates with officers including a chairperson, secretary and treasurer, drawing volunteers experienced with parish registers, civil registration and Census of the United Kingdom. It maintains reciprocal links with municipal archives at South Shields and Gateshead and professional advisers who have connections to Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies and academic units at Newcastle University.
Regular services include local baptism, marriage and burial transcriptions for parishes such as St Nicholas' Cathedral, Newcastle, St Andrew's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne and coastal chapels in Tynemouth. The society runs research enquiries, surname lookups, and welfare projects akin to initiatives by British Association for Local History and National Council on Archives. Educational workshops cover practical skills using sources including 1837 civil registration entries, 1851 Census schedules, 1911 Census returns and military records from World War I battalions like the Tyneside Scottish and Tyneside Irish. Members access help with probate records, trade directories such as Kelly's Directory, and newspapers in holdings like The Newcastle Chronicle and The Journal (Newcastle).
The society publishes newsletters, parish transcriptions and specialist studies on topics ranging from coal mining families tied to Northumberland coalfield collieries to maritime crews associated with Port of Tyne shipping lists. Print and digital bulletins mirror the practices of Record Society of Lancashire and Cheshire by issuing indexes, surname studies and monumental inscriptions. Its resource library aggregates copies of trade directories, electoral registers, taxation lists such as Window Tax assessments, and compiled family trees that reference wills from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and local probate courts. Members receive training in using catalogues from National Register of Archives and guidance on interpreting tithe apportionments linked to Tithe Commutation Act 1836 records.
The society organises monthly meetings, local study days and family history fairs resembling county events like those hosted by Derbyshire Family History Society and Hampshire Genealogical Society. It has run long-term projects to transcribe burial grounds at Wylam and to index miners’ records from collieries such as Wallsend Colliery and Killingworth Colliery. Collaborative surveys have examined migration patterns to industrial centres including Sunderland and ports such as Newcastle upon Tyne, contributing data to academic projects at Durham University and community oral-history initiatives linked to North East Oral History Archive.
Affiliations include reciprocal arrangements with the Federation of Family History Societies, partnerships with archival repositories like Tyne and Wear Archives and Northumberland Archives, and cooperative ventures with genealogical organisations such as Family History Federation and Society of Genealogists. The society has worked with municipal museums including Discovery Museum, Newcastle and heritage trusts like Tyne & Wear Archaeology Service on exhibitions relating to local families, shipbuilding at Swan Hunter, and industrial heritage sites including Hadrian's Wall visitor records. Academic collaborations include contributions to projects at Newcastle University and Durham University departments concerned with social history and demography.
Over time the society has received recognition from regional heritage bodies and volunteer awards similar to honours granted by Heritage Lottery Fund projects and civic commendations from Newcastle City Council. Individual members have been cited in publications and acknowledged by institutions such as The National Archives for excellence in transcriptions and indexing. Collaborative displays and successful grant bids have been noted by organisations including Arts Council England and county historical societies in Northumberland and County Durham.
Category:Family history societies in the United Kingdom Category:Organisations based in Newcastle upon Tyne