Findmypast Adds Thousands of Brand New Records and FREE Newspaper Pages

The following announcement was written by Findmypast:

With new British Army and English parish records, amazing family discoveries await this Findmypast Friday. And in case you missed it, over a million newspaper pages are now FREE to explore.

British Army, Royal Engineers 1900-1949

Findmypast have completed this collection with over 130,000 new tracer card records, the majority of which cover personnel who served World War 2.

Soldiers from the Royal Engineers in Europe, 1945.

Each record includes an image of the original tracer card or cards documenting a soldier’s movements within and between regiments. Most men have one card but some have multiple, with text on both the face of the card and the reverse.

The amount of information listed varies, but all records include the man’s first name/s, last name and army number. Many men also have their date of enlistment and or date of birth included.

Service records for men who served with the Royal Engineers, and indeed with all corps from 1920, are still with the MoD. Tracer cards essentially provide a headline summary of service through which a man’s movements can be tracked.

British Army Service Records

Findmypast has further expanded this must-search military resource over 6,000 new Chelsea Pensioners’ discharge documents.

This record from 1794 lists the soldier’s name, birthplace,

occupation, regiment, reason for discharge and more. 

View the full record.

 

These discharge papers are some of the oldest records available within this vast collection, allowing you to trace your military ancestor’s life and career way back to the 18th century. Including both transcripts and images, they record the servicemen’s birth place, the length of service, and why the soldier was discharged.

Essex Parish Records

In partnership with Waltham Forest Family History Society, Findmypast has also added over 43,000 new transcripts to their existing Essex baptism and burial collections. 

 

These latest baptism records cover the parishes of:

Leytonstone, Holy Trinity, 1825-1907

Waltham Abbey, Waltham Abbey & Leyton Wesleyan Circuit, 1803-1837

Walthamstow, Marsh Street Congregational Church, 1787-1837

Walthamstow, St Peter-in-the-Forest, 1844-1916

While the burial records come from:

Chingford, St Peter & St Paul, 1813-1963

High Beach, Holy Innocents, 1884-1985

Leyton, St Mary the Virgin, 1813-1984

Leytonstone, St John the Baptist, 1834-1979

Waltham Abbey, Paradise Row Baptist Churchyard, 1825-1857

Waltham Abbey, Waltham Holy Cross, 1813-1878

Walthamstow, St Mary, 1813-1979

Walthamstow, St Peter-in-the-Forest, 1845-1949

Baptism and burial records are essential for jumping back through the generations and expanding your family tree. Discover your Essex connections in these newest additions.

Newspapers

13 new titles have joined Findmypast’s ever expanding newspaper archive, including:

Athletic Chat covering 1900-1901, 1903 and 1905-1909

Berthold’s Political Handkerchief covering 1831

Boxing World and Mirror of Life covering 1894-1904 and 1907-1924

Brief covering 1877-1878 and 1880-1882

British Mercury or Wednesday Evening Post covering 1806-1812, 1814, 1818-1821, and 1823-1825

Cape and Natal News covering 1858-1870 and 1879

Fonetic Nuz covering 1849

Golf covering 1891, 1894-1895, 1897 and 1899

Labour Pioneer (Cardiff) covering 1900

Pilot (London) covering 1808-1813

Representative covering 1826

Weekly Times (London) covering 1832

Whitehall Evening Post covering 1801

While additional pages have been added to the following 22 publications:

Cavan Weekly News and General Advertiser from 1893

Constitution (London) from 1820-1823

Crewe Chronicle from 1888

Croydon Observer from 1863

Dundalk Herald from 1882

Hampshire Advertiser from 1923-1934

Instructor and Select Weekly Advertiser from 1809

Kilrush Herald and Kilkee Gazette from 1900

Larne Reporter and Northern Counties Advertiser from 1873

London Moderator and National Adviser from 1814 and 1820-1823

Lowestoft Journal from 1913

Manchester Daily Examiner & Times from 1872

Northern Weekly Gazette from 1911 and 1917

Pontefract Advertiser from 1874 and 1897

Saffron Walden Weekly News from 1890 and 1990-1992

Sleaford Gazette from 1888

Sligo Chronicle from 1856

Standard of Freedom from 1848-1849

Tailor & Cutter from 1889 and 1911

Weekly Free Press and Aberdeen Herald from 1891

Wisbech Chronicle, General Advertiser and Lynn News from 1888

Wooler’s British Gazette from 1820-1823

Over one million FREE newspaper pages

In case you missed the big announcement earlier this week, in partnership with the British Library, Findmypast have made over a million newspaper pages completely free to search and explore.