Wednesday, June 06, 2007






June 2007

This month we are pleased to announce the addition of four new datasets that have been added to the current collections on both British and Irish Origins.

Irish Origins:

1831 Tithe Defaulters – These records are the most important evidence we have of the infamous Tithe War 1831-38. All occupants of land were required to pay an annual tithe (or religious tax) of 10% of the agricultural produce generated by that holding. This money was demanded by landholders, irrespective of their religion, and was paid directly to the official state church, the Anglican (Episcopalian) Church of Ireland.

The 1831 Tithe Defaulters index contains over 29,000 names of people who refused to pay their tithe and so started the Tithe War. The people most affected by the Tithe War are precisely those most affected by emigration and the famine in the next generation. This unique record of names, addresses and occupations provides an important genealogical source for Ireland, especially given the near total destruction of the 1831 census. While Tithe Applotment Books cover more of Ireland they do not record occupations, nor do they have the variety of 'observations' included in this Tithe Defaulters Index.

http://www.originsnetwork.com/help/popup-aboutio-tithe.htm

Transatlantic Migration North America to Britain and Ireland 1858-1870
These records are the only surviving ships' passenger lists for ships returning to Britain and Ireland from North America between 1858 and 1870. Because of the threat of an imminent uprising by Fenians and their supporters in Ireland, the government in Dublin Castle required that the major ports in Britain and Ireland submit their incoming ships' passenger lists to them for scrutiny. Consequently these records were deposited at The National Archives of Ireland and are not available at the UK National Archives.

This Index contains all the details recorded on these documents as well as fully correlated list of ships and details of their voyages. Over 42,000 people are recorded most of whom were of Irish, English or Scottish origins.

http://www.originsnetwork.com/help/popup-aboutio-migration.htm

British Origins:

Boyd’s Family Units - The Boyd's London Inhabitants dataset has been extended by the addition of a further 10,000 family sheets, covering more families from the London but also all over Great Britain and elsewhere, including North American families linked to England. The index to new records includes 137,000 names, taking the total to well over half a million names. This collection has been one of the glories of the Society of Genealogists Library, and provides a unique source of information on whole families.
http:www.originsnetwork.com/help/popup-aboutbo-bil.htm
British Origins Library - Children's Employment Commission Part II – FREE!Previously only available for subscribers, the Children's Employment Commission is now free for everyone to view online at British Origins www.britishorigins.com This huge government publication of 1842 contains evidence on the employment of children. Evidence is given by interviews with the employers, adult workers and children, relating to the work and lifestyle conditions. It is an extraordinarily rich and vivid resource of detailed information on early 19th century social conditions in the manufacturing areas of Great Britain and Ireland.