At 06:55 AM 16/10/01, slo_taft@juno.com wrote: >In response to Florence's question: > >(From the www.amazon.com website) > >Welsh Family History A Guide to Research: Second Edition > by Rowlands John (Editor), Sheila Rowlands (Editor) >Genealogical Publishing Company; ISBN: 0806316209 > > >Book Description > >This handbook on Welsh genealogy deals primarily with those aspects of >family history research that are unique to Wales. Originally published by >the >Association of Family History Societies of Wales, it is considered the >best >book ever written on Welsh genealogy. It is certainly a very >comprehensive >handbook, with over twenty chapters treating the essential elements of >Welsh >genealogy. Each of the chapters is written by a specialist and is >designed to >guide the reader through the pitfalls and challenges of Welsh family >history >research. Chapters include: Archives in Wales, Family History Societies >of >Wales, Parish Registers, Civil Registration and the Census, >Nonconformity, >Surnames of Wales, Place Names, Basic Welsh for Family Historians, the >IGI >for Wales, Estate Records, Maritime Records, Wills, Education, and >Parochial >Records, Court Records, and Manuscript and Printed Pedigrees. For this >new >second edition, each author was given the opportunity to update his or >her text in the light of recent developments, particularly in the area of >local government and archives. While this has led to significant changes >in a number of chapters, the aims and objectives of the first edition >have been carefully preserved. > >The Second Book in their series is: >Second Stages In Researching Welsh Ancestry > by John Rowlands (Editor), Sheila Rowlands (Editor), John, eds. >Sheila > Rowlands >Genealogical Publishing Company; ISBN: 0806316195 > >Anyone who has had any success in researching their Welsh ancestry will >know that a grasp of specialized Welsh genealogical methods and sources >is only one of several factors that contributed to that success. They >will know, for example, how important it is in Welsh research to have >some understanding of the social, cultural, religious, and economic >background of the communities in which those ancestors lived. This book >attempts to broaden that understanding, especially for the period prior >to 1800 when most researchers begin to experience difficulties. In >addition, it aims to make readers more aware of some little-known sources >and the special uses that may be applied to the information found in >these sources. The book follows the format of the Rowlands' highly >successful Welsh Family History and is a compendium of contributions by >experts in different fields. Both books have their origins in the >residential courses in family history offered at the University of Wales, >Aberystwyth, since 1986, and, although there is some overlap in the time >periods considered within the two books, there is virtually no >duplication of content. Apart from chapters dealing with aspects of >community life, there are chapters relating to different occupations, >surnames, old documents, maps, estate records, and family histories (the >Vaughans of Trawsgoed, the Pugh family of Llanfair and Llanbedr, the >Lloyds of Ty Newydd, Moris Reignald, Titus Jones, and "Baron" Lewis >Owen). > >Hope this helps! >Dawn Some years back a friend of mine, for whom I had done some considerable research for the Isle of Wight very kindly presented me with "Welsh Family History: A Guide to Research," edited by John Rowlands and others, 1993 edition. If the more modern versions are anything like this, then they will indeed be valuable resource books for Welsh family historians. I can only recommend them immensely to researchers. For Victorian (Australia) researchers, the State Library of Victoria has them on its shelves. By the way, check out their new catalogue. It is amazing. I typed in the word "Welsh," and it came up with 1051 books with that word in the title! I am progressively working my way through the index - am up to 301 at present, long way to go. Some cute books (locked away in the upstairs stack) that I had a look at were "Immortal sails: a story of a Welsh port and some of its ships," which depicted most of the ships in and out of Portmadog (or Portmadoc); "Modern English-Welsh letter writer: for the use of ladies and gentlemen 1897," very amusing with its standard letter from a gentleman breaking it off with his young lady who had been indiscreet, in Welsh and English; and "Land of my Fathers: a Welsh gift book 1915," which was produced in that year with all the proceeds going to the use of the Welsh battalions. In "subject" mode the catalogue when receiving the word "Welsh" popped up my little rag "Genetree," which was a delightful surprise. For anyone who is curious about the massive collection of books the SLV holds you can access the catalogue on-line at http://catalogue.slv.vic.gov.au but I might warn you, several hours later you could still be browsing, having lost complete track of time! Regards Graham Melbourne Oz