The SoG has received the following press release FINDMYPAST.CO.UK TO PUBLISH CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL RECORDS ON THE WEB o Project announced to increase access to over a million baptism, marriage and burial records dating back to 1538 o First time that images of the original parish records from East Kent churches will appear online Today leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk has announced that it has been awarded a contract by Canterbury Cathedral Archives to publish online for the very first time historic records from the archive. The first phase of the Canterbury Collection project will see a browsable version of the parish registers of the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury go online in the coming weeks at findmypast.co.uk. An estimated 270,000 images containing over a million entries will be published on the website, covering parish churches from a wide expanse of East Kent, including: o the city of Canterbury o the towns of Faversham, Wye and Elham o Thanet o towns along the east Kent coast stretching from Whitstable in the north round to Hythe in the south The launch has been timed to coincide with the temporary closure of Canterbury Cathedral Archives for refurbishment, so that family historians and local historians can continue to enjoy access to these fascinating records until the Archives reopens in autumn 2012. >From the initial online launch in February, visitors to the findmypast.co.uk website will be able to browse through the scanned pages of the parish records to search for their ancestors. At the same time, findmypast.co.uk will start to transcribe the records, with a view to creating an index and making them fully searchable on the website later this year. Paul Nixon, Content Licensing Manager for findmypast.co.uk, said: "We're really looking forward to seeing these invaluable records from Canterbury Cathedral Archives go live on findmypast.co.uk, strengthening the site's position as the natural home for UK parish records." Canterbury Cathedral Archivist Cressida Williams, added: "Working with findmypast has provided us with a wonderful opportunity to expand access to these records to a worldwide audience. This resource will be a great asset for anyone with an interest in the history of this part of Kent." The Canterbury Collection will join an impressive array of UK parish records at findmypast.co.uk, including records from Manchester Archives, Cheshire Archives, Plymouth & West Devon Record Office and Welsh Archives, in addition to over 40 million parish records from family history societies throughout the UK in partnership with the Federation of Family History Societies. Anyone wishing to be notified when the Canterbury Collection becomes available can register online at findmypast.co.uk to receive a newsletter. About Canterbury Cathedral Archives Canterbury Cathedral Archives collects, cares for, and provides access to, records relating to Canterbury Cathedral, the City of Canterbury, parishes in the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury, and other local institutions and families. The Archives closes on 31st January for refurbishment work, due to reopen in Autumn 2012. Findmypast.co.uk is working with the Cathedral Archives on 'the Canterbury Collection', made up of registers of parishes in the historic Archdeaconry of Canterbury. Else Churchill Genealogist Society of Genealogists 14 Charterhouse Buildings Goswell Road London EC1M 7BA direct phone 020 7702 5488 visit the Society of Genealogists' Website <http://www.sog.org.uk/> www.sog.org.uk www.Findmypast.co.uk proud to sponsor the Society's centenary year WOULD YOU LIKE ADVICE ON YOUR FAMILY HISTORY? >From beginners onwards: all queries and problems welcomed. Phone our dedicated family history advice line on 020 7490 8911 Thursdays 6pm - 7.45 pm; Saturdays 11 am - 1pm and 2pm - 4 pm The Society also runs regular one-to-one advice half hour advice sessions with experts at the Society's library on alternate Saturdays from 2pm. Telephone the library direct on 020 7702 5485 to book an advice session or library tour. This email and any attachments are confidential and intended for the addressee only. You must not use, disclose, reproduce, copy or distribute the contents of this communication unless explicitly permitted to do so. If you have received this in error, please contact the sender and then delete this email from your system without further distribution or use. Opinions, conclusions and other information in this message and attachments that do not relate to the official business of The Society of Genealogists are neither given nor endorsed by it. Registered Charity No. 233701. Company limited by guarantee. Registered No. 115703. Registered office as above