Further to my message regarding parish records for Lewes, I am also looking for some old photos or drawings please. My COMETTI ancestor was a jeweller and watchmaker in a shop 'almost opposite the County Hall in High Street' according to his advertisement in a newspaper of August 1833. He was living in West Street from 1837 to about 1845, so any photos of the street pre the carpark would also be appreciated. Are there any books containing old photos or drawings that are available for sale perhaps? Thanks for any help you can offer. Carolyn in NZ. #16059

Seeking some local knowledge please, I have located a marriage for my COMETTI ancestor in 1830 at St John sub Castro Church, Lewes, and a burial for his wife Harriet nee HARBOUR, in 1833 at St Michaels Church, Lewes. I see from the film catalogue at Family Search that only a transcription of the BT's has been filmed for St John sub Castro. Does The Keep hold copies of these parish records, and am I able to request and receive copies from New Zealand. Many thanks for any help you can offer. Carolyn #16059

I wonder if there is anyone can help in my research into my great, great aunt Emily Diana Press, b. 1876 in Charlton Hawthorn, Somerset. The last known mention of her is in the 1891 census, where she is shown as a domestic parlour maid, residing at the Orphanage, Lanhydrock, Bodmin, Cornwall. There is an E.Press mentioned in immigration records for 1913, but this relates to an Elsa Press, born in Germany. However, an article in the Sheffield Evening Telegraph, dated 20th April 1901 was headlined 'Mystery of a little girl' - 'Mother Charged With Abandonment'. The substance of the article was that an Emily Diana Press (aged 26) using the name Glencoe, attended Brighton Police Station, stating that whilst in King's Road, two ladies had taken a fancy to her 3 year old child. So she had 'given her' to one of the ladies. She finally admitted her real identity and was subsequently charged. At the time of reporting, the child had not been recovered. Assuming the child was born around 1898, a check on likely births reveals one possibility. Her name is Violet May and the mother's Amy. No father is named. The home address is Battersea. This tale does make me wonder: a) Why was it reported in the Sheffield Evening Telegraph? b) Whatever happened to this Emily Diana (and could she be the one I'm looking for)? And c) Was the child mentioned in the article ever recovered? I do hope someone can help. Many thanks if you can. John

It is for a Johannis/John Archer, whom I believe to possibly be the brother of a James Archer, minister of St. Saviour, Southwark about 1625 - 1650.It was a non-conformist church at the time, and a John Archer was 'tortured'/persecuted for his religious 'activity' in Southwark..."the last person to be tortured for such activity', according to an article on British History On-line. Hoping to make a connection and understand their relationship. Just wanted to make sure I made things clear. Donna The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.

I wish you luck. I have the same problem. They are a fascinating reminder of the evolution of the english alphabet. You can Google those words and the date, and get some clues, but your request for an expert is best.Mal Dennett ----- Reply message ----- From: "Donna Casey via" <sfhg@rootsweb.com> To: "SFHG SxFamHXGrp" <sfhg-l@rootsweb.com> Subject: [SFHG] A will to transcribe - Can anyone help? Date: Mon, Nov 17, 2014 7:48 AM I have been doing fairly well recently at transcribing some of the wills I have had to download....but just got one from London for a John Archer 1649 that has broken me!Is there anyone out there who might be willing to help me if I send the pdf version of it to them?Any help will be greatly appreciated. Donna TILLINGHAST CaseyMichigan, USA The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it will change; the realist adjusts the sails. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks to those who have offered to help!I have sent the attachments to their personal emails. Marion, Thanks again.I do happen to have a few of those publications and have used them regularly.This particular will actually has an abstract and another "sort of" transcription that has been done....but very limited information for the length of the will.So thought I should try to get it fully transcribed to possibly get some more hints. The man is James Archer a minister from St. Saviour, Southwark, Surrey, London.Thank you everyone, again. Donna The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it will change; the realist adjusts the sails. From: Marion Woolgar <listmail008@btinternet.com> To: 'Donna Casey' <donnacasey@yahoo.com>; 'SFHG SxFamHXGrp' <sfhg-l@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 17, 2014 4:27 AM Subject: RE: [SFHG] A will to transcribe - Can anyone help? The accessibility of these old records is a real problem for family and local historians alike and sometimes you do really have to persevere to glean the valuable genealogical data that they contain. 17th Century Wills can be very difficult to read and apart from the Commonwealth period, the probate is written in Latin.  It's one of those times when the old adage that 'practice makes perfect' is true - the problem is that I have been trying for over 20 years to achieve 'perfection' in reading old documents and I am nowhere near close to that goal.  However, it does get easier over time and there are some very useful palaeography books that can help both by providing illustrations of the characteristics of individual letters and also worked examples.  I have had some of the following books for some years and they may be out of print now, but your local library may be able to help or you may be able to source second hand copies online: Examples of English Handwriting 1150 to 1750 by Hilda E. P. Grieve, published by Essex Record Office ISBN 0900360313 Elizabethan Handwriting 1500 to 1650 by Giles E. Dawson & Laetitia Kennedy-Skipton, published by Phillimore ISBN 0850334209 English Handwriting 1400 to 1650 by Jean F. Preston & Laetitia Yeandle, published by Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies ISBN 0866980865 Palaeography for Family & Local Historians by Hilary Marshall, published by Phillimore ISBN 186077072X However, there are a few things that you can try that might make the job a bit easier: 1    Have you checked to make sure that the Will hasn't been transcribed previously?  There are a number of online sources including the SFHG Wills Depository at http://sfhg.org.uk/willstore.html ; the Surrey Plus Wills Index at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~engsurry/ssx.htm ; and for some very useful links try http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/county/sussex/wills/ . 2    As an SFHG Member, you could make use of the Group's Will Transcription Service.  Contact probate@sfhg.org.uk for further details. Best wishes, Marion Woolgar Bognor Regis, West Sussex SFHG Member No: 3323

The accessibility of these old records is a real problem for family and local historians alike and sometimes you do really have to persevere to glean the valuable genealogical data that they contain. 17th Century Wills can be very difficult to read and apart from the Commonwealth period, the probate is written in Latin. It's one of those times when the old adage that 'practice makes perfect' is true - the problem is that I have been trying for over 20 years to achieve 'perfection' in reading old documents and I am nowhere near close to that goal. However, it does get easier over time and there are some very useful palaeography books that can help both by providing illustrations of the characteristics of individual letters and also worked examples. I have had some of the following books for some years and they may be out of print now, but your local library may be able to help or you may be able to source second hand copies online: Examples of English Handwriting 1150 to 1750 by Hilda E. P. Grieve, published by Essex Record Office ISBN 0900360313 Elizabethan Handwriting 1500 to 1650 by Giles E. Dawson & Laetitia Kennedy-Skipton, published by Phillimore ISBN 0850334209 English Handwriting 1400 to 1650 by Jean F. Preston & Laetitia Yeandle, published by Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies ISBN 0866980865 Palaeography for Family & Local Historians by Hilary Marshall, published by Phillimore ISBN 186077072X However, there are a few things that you can try that might make the job a bit easier: 1 Have you checked to make sure that the Will hasn't been transcribed previously? There are a number of online sources including the SFHG Wills Depository at http://sfhg.org.uk/willstore.html ; the Surrey Plus Wills Index at http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~engsurry/ssx.htm ; and for some very useful links try http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/county/sussex/wills/ . 2 As an SFHG Member, you could make use of the Group's Will Transcription Service. Contact probate@sfhg.org.uk for further details. Best wishes, Marion Woolgar Bognor Regis, West Sussex SFHG Member No: 3323

I have been doing fairly well recently at transcribing some of the wills I have had to download....but just got one from London for a John Archer 1649 that has broken me!Is there anyone out there who might be willing to help me if I send the pdf version of it to them?Any help will be greatly appreciated. Donna TILLINGHAST CaseyMichigan, USA The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.

The Keep are having an Open Day on Saturday 22 November. There will be a variety of tours and talks and the SFHG Room will also be open with volunteers on hand to assist with your research enquiries. You will find more information at http://www.thekeep.info/events/keep-open-day-saturday-22nd-november and travel directions at http://www.thekeep.info/visit_us/getting-here/ . Best wishes, Marion Woolgar Bognor Regis, West Sussex SFHG Member No: 3323

Dear Listers, Could someone with access to US and Canadian records on Ancestry please look up Thomas R(ichard) Dolton (1876 - 1951), who appears in the New York passenger lists, Michigan passenger lists and the list for Border Crossings Canada to the USA? He was accompanied by his wife Alice Gertrude Daisy Dolton (Eales) I have found him in the UK outward and inward lists, so I know he arrived back from New York in July 1940, and departed again in November 1942. I don't know when he first departed to North America, and I don't know when he returned from the second trip - it must have been some time before 1951, as his death was registered in Harrow in 1951. Many Thanks Neal 9743

Hello Pam. My you are quick off the mark! I too am in Australia Sydney but my pioneer family the Heslehursts married Herberts settled in Brisbane in 1856. I have printed off your reply and although I do not recognise any of the details it doesn't mean to say I do not have anything on file. My health problems may prevent me from getting into those files immediately so please bear with me. Thank you for your response it is much appreciated. Lefayre.

My apologies for my absence of late health/age to blame. I am back looking at the Palmers of Sussex and hope to make contributions to SFHG soon. I have been fortunate enough to make contact with a gentleman who lives quite close to the places of interest in West Sussex mentioned in documents relating to these Palmers and actually descends through a female line this family being at Upmarden. Looking up Marden on the web I have found interestingly enough that East Marden is in The Hundred of Westbourne and Singleton, Registration District Westbourne and Rural Deanery Boxgrove, all places except Boxgrove being mentioned in documents we have. A cousin has discovered record of Ralph and Elizabeth Palmer of Boxgrove with children named among others Walter and William who seem to fit our William of Stoughton and his brother Walter. William Palmer of Parham had a son Thomas baptised at Boxgrove 1575. Maybe a connection, but I will not count my chickens yet! In appreciation of fellow listers, Lefayre Palmer .

When I needed a Shermanbury tombstone checked recently, I just sent an email to sussex tombstones@sfhg.org.uk and got a very prompt reply with info. Cheers, Cordelia 14526 On 11 November 2014 08:47, Donna Casey via <sfhg@rootsweb.com> wrote: > Is anyone else having the following problem? > When I go to the tombstone and Burial Index page and click on "here" to > access the online database I get the error I have pasted below. > The burials section is being added to an online database, accessible by > SFHG members using the username and password available by completing this > form. The online database is here. > > Not Found > The requested URL /bin/aps_login.php was not found on this server. > ________________________________ > > Apache Server at sfhg.frontisgroup.com Port 80 > Donna > The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it will > change; the realist adjusts the sails. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message >

Is anyone else having the following problem? When I go to the tombstone and Burial Index page and click on "here" to access the online database I get the error I have pasted below. The burials section is being added to an online database, accessible by SFHG members using the username and password available by completing this form. The online database is here. Not Found The requested URL /bin/aps_login.php was not found on this server. ________________________________ Apache Server at sfhg.frontisgroup.com Port 80 Donna The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it will change; the realist adjusts the sails.

hello Listers Tuesdays meeting is "my favourite ancestor" 1x30 Millemium Hall Roffey Christine God Bless

I am having trouble getting the 'Washington baptisms' to open on the frontis database. Other parishes behave OK, just Washington refuses to open. Does anyone else have the same problem? Cordelia Hull 14526

Please see my two postings dated 10 Sep 2014 concerning the relationship between SFHG and PRTS and how indexes arrive on the Frontis sites. Since those postings, Fittleworth has been published as SXW-185 and by my count that leaves the following nine parishes outstanding: Bury, Littlehampton, Lyminster, Kingston Gorse, Southwick, Slaugham, Thakeham, Washington and West Chiltington. You will notice that Washington is in that list and so you will have to wait a little longer before it appears. However, on a more positive note, I hope to be visiting WSRO on Saturday, weather permitting, and I am happy to look up a single item in the Washington registers for you, if that would be helpful. If you would like me to do that, please let me have the details by 16.00 GMT Friday so that I can put them on my file. Best wishes, Marion Woolgar Bognor Regis, West Sussex SFHG Member No: 3323

When you open, some show sources in blue. They appear to have been transcribed. Others in black so probably nothing to see. The listing (March 2014) at http://www.sfhg.org.uk/Sussex%20Baptism%20Index_%20Coverage%20by%20Parish.pdf does not include Washington. Maybe that's the answer. Alan 1350 Cordelia Hull via wrote on 06/11/2014 09:43: > I am having trouble getting the 'Washington baptisms' to open on the > frontis database. Other parishes behave OK, just Washington refuses to > open. > > Does anyone else have the same problem? > > Cordelia Hull > 14526 > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SFHG-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Findmypast is offering free Worldwide access to their databases this weekend. The offer begins at 12.00GMT on Friday 07 Nov and ends at 11.59GMT on Monday 10 Nov. You will need to register for an account, but that is all. Existing subscribers who do not hold a World subscription will also be eligible for extended access. You will find more information at http://www.findmypast.co.uk/freeweekend?_ga=1.241616258.1068756291.141500291 5 . Best wishes, Marion Woolgar Bognor Regis, West Sussex SFHG Member No: 3323

Hi, would somebody be kind enough to look up William and Jane Adfield in the 1891 census most properly at Shoreham, West Sussex. And George Percy Adfield, sometimes called Percy and wife Annie in the 1901/11 census again most likely at Shoreham Many thanks Heather Brooks