Essex Society for Family History 

Useful Links to other Family History Sites

Essex Record Office

The principal collection of records for the County of Essex is held by Essex Record Office and members should visit their web site for full details of the ways in which that Office can help with your research. The new Record Office in Chelmsford is now open in its new premises at Wharf Road, Chelmsford CM2 6YT. The telephone number is (01245) 244644 but there is no longer any need to telephone before making a visit. The searchroom at Chelmsford is open Monday 9am to 8.30pm, Tuesday to Thursday 9am to 5pm, and Friday and Saturday 9am to 4pm.

Essex Place-names

A useful website for all those researching Essex is the Essex Place-names database which contains names of fields, roads, inns, houses, farms, manors, places, rivers, streams, woods, etc, and names of owners, tenants, landlords, parties to agreements etc, recorded from historic documents such as Tithe Awards, Rental Agreements, Surveys, Maps, Rolls, Inquisitions, Deeds, Charters. The site can be found at 
www.essex.ac.uk/history/esah/essexplacenames/

Essex Churches

A site which is gradually providing a complete record of all the old churches across the county may be found at  http://www.essexchurches.info.
All of the images are free for personal use by those researching their family history.

Essex Freemasons

A site which lists the surviving returns held at the Essex Record Office made by Freemasons Lodges as a result of the Unlawful Societies Act of 1799 may be searched at http://www.southchurch.mesh4us.org.uk/oaths.php

Chris Pomery's book DNA and Family History is an easy to read introduction to the topic of genetic genealogy and how it can be used to help family historians to knock down their 'brick walls' and verify extended family trees. Published by The National Archives in 2004 it has its own website which hosts updated and more detailed resources than the book covers. More information about the book can be found at http://www.dnaandfamilyhistory.com where you can buy your dedicated copy direct from the author for immediate dispatch.

British History on Line

British History Online (http://www.british-history.ac.uk/) is the digital library of text and information about people, places and businesses from the medieval and early modern period, built by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust.

They  have digitised and published two volumes from the Victoria County History of Essex which are available here:

Ongar Hundred - http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?pubid=53
Lexden Hundred - http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?pubid=48

The Essex Society for Family History makes an annual donation to the Victoria County History of Essex to help in the work of recording the history of the county for the benefit of future generations of Family and Local Historians and others who are interested in the County of Essex.

Saffron Walden Cemetery records

Saffron Walden Cemetery records can  be accessed on-line at the Uttlesford District Council website at www.uttlesford.gov.uk - go to "what can I do on-line on this site?" - then to "search the cemetery records".     The service is free of charge and also includes a map of plot numbers.  

Essex Archaeological and Historical Congress

Essex  Archaeological and Historical Congress was founded in 1964 to bring together all the organisations in the country interested in Archaeology, local history and civic life. Today Essex Congress has nearly 100 member groups and actively promotes awareness and study of the rich heritage of the County.  

Federation of Family History Societies

The Essex Society for Family History, in common with the majority of Family History Societies, is a member of the Federation of Family History Societies whose web site may be accessed at  www.ffhs.org.uk/

Society of Genealogists

The Society of Genealogists holds transcripts and copies of many parish registers. Click to view the Essex list.  

Other Family History Societies

The following links are provided for easy access to the web sites of other Family History Societies.

  Sites providing local information about Essex

New to Family History

The Genealogy Guide is a site designed to help people new to Family History to find out how to compile their own family tree. There are useful links to help them with their research. The site provides a step-by-step guide on getting started. It is simple to understand and can be found at http://www.genealogy-guide.org.uk

Ancestor Search is a site, run by a member of the Society, which provides guidance on WHERE to find information on your English and Welsh ancestors which may be found at http://www.ancestor-search.info/HOME.htm

Eastman's Encyclopedia of Genealogy

The Encyclopedia of Genealogy serves as a free compendium of genealogical tools and techniques. It provides reference information about everything in genealogy except people. Look to the Encyclopedia of Genealogy to provide explanations of how to look up your family tree. It will also provide explanations of terms found in genealogy research, including obsolete medical and legal terms.

BBC Legacies WebPages

Legacies’ is the local history website from the BBC, but a history website with a difference. The aim is to scrutinise the same UK history that you can find in any book or website, but to show how this history unfolds across every locality of the UK. The site can be accessed at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/legacies/myths_legends/england/essex