Just spreading the word - I am have no connection to findmypast etc. Bolding
my addition.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FINDMYPAST.CO.UK TO PUBLISH THE PARISH REGISTERS OF WALES FOR THE
FIRST
TIME
* 8,000,000 records to be indexed in two years
* Records date back to the 16th century
Family history website
www.findmypast.co.uk is making available online for
the very
first time fully searchable indexes and images of the parish
registers of Wales. The project is taking place with the permission of the
Church in Wales and Welsh Archive Services and findmypast.co.uk is working
with FamilySearch International, the world's largest repository of
genealogical records, to digitise the records.
Around 893,000 images containing 8,000,000 baptisms, marriages and burials
from
across Wales will be filmed by FamilySearch and transcribed by
findmypast.co.uk. Some of the records date back to the sixteenth century,
making it possible to find Welsh ancestors as far back as the 1500s. The
records contain entries in English and Latin.
The records will be made available over the next two years at
findmypast.co.uk with
an index search available on
FamilySearch.org. Free
access to the images on findmypast.co.uk will be made available through all
Archive Services in Wales*.
Debra Chatfield, Marketing Manager at findmypast.co.uk, said: "It is
fantastic
that we will be able to make these records available to search
online for the very first time. By making these records available family
history researchers, old and new, can discover more about their ancestors
and where they lived. We are looking forward to working with Welsh Archive
Services and FamilySearch on such an important project for Welsh ancestry
research."
David Rencher, FamilySearch Chief Genealogical Officer, added
"Genealogical
research in Wales has been very difficult for years and the
opening of this amount of data for baptisms, marriages and burials will be a
tremendous resource for those with Welsh ancestry. We commend all of those
who have worked so diligently to make this happen and in such a dramatic
fashion."
Catherine Richards, the County Archivist at Powys and Chair of the Welsh
County
Archivists' Group commented: "We are very excited to work with
findmypast.co.uk and FamilySearch to make our parish registers available
online. Making our records accessible to as wide an audience as possible is
one of the main objectives of Archive Services across Wales. Records of
baptisms, marriages and burials are a major resource for family historians
and can reveal fascinating and surprising secrets back through the
generations."
Findmypast.co.uk was the first company in the world to put the complete
Birth,
Marriage and Death indexes (BMDs) for England and Wales online in
April 2003. Previously these were only available offline on microfiche or in
registry books, at a selected number of locations. This landmark achievement
was recognised in 2007, when findmypast.co.uk won the Queen's Award for
Innovation.
For more information log on to
www.findmypast.co.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors
* If they are not accessed through Welsh Archive Services, i.e at home, a
cost will
be incurred to access the records.
About findmypast.co.uk
Leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk (formerly
1837online.com) was
the first company to make the complete birth, marriage
and death indexes for England & Wales available online in April 2003.
Following the transcription, scanning and indexing of over two million
images, the
company launched the first website to allow the public easy and
fast access to the complete indexes, which until then had only been
available on microfiche film in specialist archives and libraries. The
launch was instrumental in creating the widespread and growing interest in
genealogy seen in the UK today.
Findmypast.co.uk has subsequently digitised many more family history
records and
now offers access to over 750 million records dating as far back
as 1538. This allows family historians and novice genealogists to search for
their ancestors among comprehensive collections of military records, census,
migration, occupation directories, and current electoral roll data, as well
as the original comprehensive birth, marriage and death records.
In November 2006 findmypast.co.uk launched the
ancestorsonboard.com microsite in
association with The National Archives to publish outbound
passenger lists for long-distance voyages departing all British ports
between 1890 and 1960.
As well as providing access to historical records, findmypast.co.uk is
also
developing a range of online tools to help people discover and share
their family history more easily, beginning with the launch of Family Tree
Explorer in July 2007.
In April 2007, findmypast.co.uk's then parent company Title Research Group
received the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2007 in
recognition of their achievement.
Findmypast.co.uk was acquired in December 2007 by brightsolid, the company
who were
awarded The National Archives' contract to publish online the 1911
census, which it launched in January 2009.
About Welsh Archive Services/Gwasanaethau Archifau Cymru
The Welsh Archive Services include: National Library of Wales; Anglesey
Archives
Service; Carmarthenshire Archive Service; Ceredigion Archives;
Conwy Archive Service; Denbighshire Archives; Flintshire Record Office;
Glamorgan Archives; Gwent Record Office; Gwynedd Archives Service;
Pembrokeshire Record Office; Powys County Archives Office; West Glamorgan
Archive Service; and Wrexham Archives Service.
Local authorities in Wales have an archive service holding the historical
records
of local government, the records of landed estates, churches and
chapels, industry and business, trade unions, local societies and private
individuals. The National Library of Wales holds archives of national and
international significance. Each archive service has a searchroom where
records can be consulted free of charge.
Further information about their services and the records they hold can be
seen at
http://www.archiveswales.org.uk/
About FamilySearch
FamilySearch is the largest genealogy organisation in the world. Millions
of people
use FamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more
about their family history. For over 100 years, FamilySearch has been
actively gathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide
and operates over 4,500 family history centres in 70 countries, including
the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Kind regards
Debra Chatfield
Marketing Manager - findmypast.co.uk
Email:debra.chatfield@findmypast.co.uk