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| Plymouth and West Devon Family History Society | |
|---|---|
| Name | Plymouth and West Devon Family History Society |
| Founded | 1975 |
| Location | Plymouth, Devon |
| Region | West Devon, South West England |
| Type | Charitable educational society |
Plymouth and West Devon Family History Society The Plymouth and West Devon Family History Society is a regional genealogical organisation serving Plymouth, West Devon District, Devon and the surrounding areas. It works with local repositories such as the Devon Heritage Centre, Plymouth and West Devon Record Office and national bodies including the Society of Genealogists, Federation of Family History Societies and the National Archives (United Kingdom). The society collaborates with parish churches like St Andrew's Church, Plymouth, civic institutions such as Plymouth City Council and heritage organisations including English Heritage and National Trust sites in Dartmoor National Park.
The society was founded in the mid-1970s amid a surge of interest in family history sparked by publications from the Public Record Office and outreach by the Federation of Family History Societies. Early founders engaged with local historians associated with Plymouth Antiquarian Society, researchers from the University of Plymouth and archivists from the Devon Record Office to index parish registers, burial records and probate inventories. Over subsequent decades it contributed to transcriptions used by projects like the FreeREG initiative and supported digitisation efforts influenced by the National Archives (United Kingdom) and commercial partnerships with organisations similar to Ancestry.com, Findmypast and FamilySearch. The society's activities intersected with regional events such as commemorations of the Plymouth Blitz and research into maritime links with the Royal Navy and the East India Company.
The society is governed by an elected committee including roles comparable to a chair, secretary and treasurer, mirroring governance models seen at the Society of Genealogists and the Federation of Family History Societies. It operates volunteer-led branches and special interest groups that liaise with local parishes like St Stephen's Church, Plymouth and heritage bodies such as the Dartmoor National Park Authority. Its constitution aligns with charity oversight frameworks used by organisations registered with Charity Commission for England and Wales and it maintains records management practices influenced by standards from the National Archives (United Kingdom). Partnerships extend to museums like the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery and academic departments at the University of Exeter.
The society provides research support for family historians tracing ancestors through sources such as parish registers, civil registration entries, census schedules, naval records of the Royal Navy and merchant marine lists tied to the Port of Plymouth. Volunteers assist with searches in probates, wills and apprenticeship indentures housed at the Devon Heritage Centre and at municipal archives like the Plymouth and West Devon Record Office. It offers workshops on paleography referencing scripts found in chancery and parish documents similar to collections at the National Archives (United Kingdom), and sessions on using databases such as Findmypast, Ancestry.com and FamilySearch. The society also supports local projects investigating ties to events like the Transatlantic slave trade, the Napoleonic Wars and migration to Australia and Canada.
The society publishes transcripts, indexes and journals that compile material from parish registers of churches including St Andrew's Church, Plymouth, burial lists connected to cemeteries managed by Plymouth City Council and apprenticeship records linked to guilds like the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. Its newsletters report on research into families mentioned in sources such as the Domesday Book-era manorial descents, merchant records involving the East India Company and emigration lists to New Zealand. Members produce surname studies, local biographies and monographs that reference deeds held by the Land Registry and records from the Probate Service. The society's indexes are used alongside commercial catalogues like those of British Newspaper Archive for tracing obituaries, trade notices and shipping movements.
Regular monthly meetings are held in venues across Plymouth and Tavistock, with occasional conferences staged in collaboration with institutions including the Devon and Cornwall Record Society and the Cornwall Family History Society. The society organises lectures by speakers with expertise in subjects such as naval history of the Royal Navy, Victorian social history linked to the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 debates, and archival practice reflecting guidance from the National Archives (United Kingdom). It also runs research days focused on specific collections like militia lists, tithe maps associated with the Tithe Commutation Act 1836 and trade directories published by firms such as Kelly's Directory. Outreach includes stands at local heritage festivals, events at the Plymouth Hoe and collaborative workshops with the Maritime Museum, Plymouth.
Membership is open to individuals interested in genealogy, local history and archival research, with categories similar to those used by the Society of Genealogists and reciprocal benefits with the Federation of Family History Societies. The society affiliates with national and regional bodies including the Federation of Family History Societies, local record societies such as the Devon and Cornwall Record Society, and heritage partners like English Heritage and the National Trust. Members gain access to the society's library holdings, index collections and volunteer expertise for research in repositories such as the Devon Heritage Centre, the National Archives (United Kingdom) and municipal archives of Plymouth City Council.
Category:Family history societies in England Category:Organisations based in Plymouth, Devon