Phew! That's one big old transcription project finished. Fascinating. Time to put my feet up with a well-deserved cuppa 😃

Busy on a big transcription project for overseas clients. This copy letter is a good example of a Victorian using 200+ words to put his point across, where 40 would have sufficed 🙄😄. I bet the reader gave up half way through!

Although based in Devon, I can undertake many aspects of family history for you in areas all over England and Wales. Check out my website www.dwresearchservices.co.uk or email me at [email protected].

The National Archives research guide on 'Census Records', is well worth a read if you are new to family history research www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-yo... 🙂

Today's top tip! If you are looking to do an online parish search via FindMyPast for Peter Tavy in Devon on the 1851 census, it is entered as one word, so enter 'Petertavy'.

Some excellent house history discoveries were made last week among the many valuation records at The Box (Plymouth Archives). Unfortunately one of the associated maps hasn't survived which really would have proved one theory #preserveourarchives

Another fascinating event for your diaries. On the 14th June we have 'A 1920s Dartmoor Day' to be held at Parke, Bovey Tracey. To buy your ticket and find out more details, please visit the page on our website www.devonhistorysociety.org.uk/event/a-1920....

Our seventh and final speaker for our Placing Jane conference is Dr John McAleer. His talk will consider Southampton and the wider world through the travels of William Ridding. Find out more about wider events celebrating Jane Austen 250: balh.org.uk/events

Hello! We're The London Archives, a free public archive focusing on the history of London from 1067. We look after over 100km of manuscripts, books, drawings, engravings, photos and films spanning 1000 years of London's history! Give us a follow. #archives #history #LondonHistory

Just a reminder, because what better way to use that sugar rush from all those Easter eggs than contributing to our 2025-30 Strategy consultation? This phase is for anyone working in the record-keeping sector. Deadline for responses is 13th May www.archives.org.uk/strategy-con...

🗣️We're particularly interested in hearing from women in ecology, early career researchers, and marine ecologists. To find out more about what's involved and how to apply, click here. ✅Apply today and get involved!

I'm looking forward to it!

Rock Idols: a guide to Dartmoor in 28 tors is out in April. It’s been a joy to research and put together with my husband Alex who has produced some extraordinary and beautiful drawings of the tors. @visitdartmoor.bsky.social @dartmoorac.bsky.social @dpadartmoor.bsky.social @dartmoorcollective.org

As such, we are looking for bold, creative and highly original interpretations of the Flow brief that explore the concepts of movement, change and time and how these have impacted on Dartmoor. Be creative, don't be afraid to experiment and - most importantly - have fun!

Do you have to deal with copyright in a record-keeping context? Our q&a with Naomi Korn Associates will be just what you need! Copyright and Data Protection Q&A Webinar with Naomi Korn Associates. Online - Monday 14th July 2025 - 12.00 to 13.00pm BST Details here: www.archives.org.uk/...

I love the little details that can be spotted when out walking. It is on the back of Court Farm in central Plymstock. The Ordnance Survey maps confirm this addition to the property. The 'B' no doubt is reference to the Duke of Bedford who owned much of Plymstock until 1911.

Support our fundraiser to help a new professional benefit from the brilliant networking and training opportunities at the @araukie.bsky.social's first hybrid conference in Bristol: www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/new... #archives #recordsmanagement

The MBL's R/V Gemma took its first collecting trip of the season last Friday! ⛵ #MaritimeMonday The team collected slipper snails, sea urchins, limpets, crabs, sea stars, and sculpin fish to support visiting summer scientists! 📲 Read more: bit.ly/3WGqGZQ 📹: Lisa Abbo

On Thoughtful Tuesday, we’re reminding you about context this week. The local historian must know a little about a lot of things. #WeAreLocalHistory #LocalHistoryForAll #FamilyHistory #HistoryTips #LocalHistory #ResearchTools

I love the little details that can be spotted when out walking. It is on the back of Court Farm in central Plymstock. The Ordnance Survey maps confirm this addition to the property. The 'B' no doubt is reference to the Duke of Bedford who owned much of Plymstock until 1911.

This building is the Greek Orthodox church and school in Central Road, West Hoe, Plymouth. It was formerly St Michael's Mission Church 😃

Monday building quiz. What and where is this in Plymouth? I know, but do you? 😃

@devonhist.bsky.social Dawlish and the Exe Estuary in the 1920s. The next event in the Festival of Devon in the 1920s programme is a day of talks and exhibitions about Dawlish, Starcross and the west side of the Exe Estuary. See the link below for details www.dawlishhistory.org.uk/programme.html

@devonhist.bsky.social Come and join us on the 2nd April for this fabulous online talk. Non-members welcome for a small fee. Please book via the link www.devonhistorysociety.org.uk/event/torre-...

Just approaching the Cottonian Research Room in The Box on this beautiful sunny day ☀️☀️. A nice variety to look at for customers today - a drawing to photograph, Plymouth school records to look through, and some South Hams house history.

I'm a bit of a time traveller today at the Devon Heritage Centre. Research spanning the 14th to the 20th centuries. Should be interesting 😀

Edrica De La Pole. Read about this fascinating lady, who farmed in Devon in the first half of the 20th century in my recent blog www.dwresearchservices.co.uk/edrica-de-la...

@devonhist.bsky.social Come and join us in the ether on the 18th March for our next Zoom talk. A joint event with the Devon Family History Society who will be hosting it. Please use the link on the web page to book your place www.devonhistorysociety.org.uk/event/devon-...

Family history House history Devon history Document transcription (if you can't read the old handwriting) Document photography Whatever your research need, I can help. Take a look at my website to see the full details of services provided www.dwresearchservices.co.uk

It was great to help out a new client in Bristol by transcribing (and deciphering) a heavily abbreviated 19th deed within a Land Registry file - not knowing what the covenants were was holding up the sale/purchase. Due to the urgency of the commission, I re-jigged my workload to get it done asap. 😀

worth following @dpc-chat.digipres.club.ap.brid.gy for all things #digitalpreservation this is happening tomorrow.

Biologist and academic Jewel Plummer Cobb broke new ground in cancer research and advocated for women and minorities in science. Read more: bit.ly/4gTmtJn 📷: Cobb (left) with a trainee. Credit: Connecticut College, Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives

You may not know this, but approximately 100 years worth of parish register images for Plymouth & West Devon are not yet available online through Find My Past, but are in The Box, Plymouth Archives. Need something checked? Email me at [email protected] for a quote.

#OTD 6 February 1918: The Representation of the People Act gained royal assent. It extended the franchise to men over 21, and some women over 30. statutes.org.uk/site/the-sta... #History #LegalHistory 🗃️

The MBL remembers and celebrates the outstanding legacy of Ernest Everett Just, the first African American to study and work at the Marine Biological Laboratory. Just was an internationally respected researcher who published more than 70 scientific articles in his career. Read more: bit.ly/4gguh7S

Please do follow our wonderful section for Archives for Learning and Education - they've got some great events planned for 2025! @ales-araukie.bsky.social

It's #MicroscopyMonday, so let's take a peek into the 🔬 This week, we have a Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image of an octopus embryo taken at the MBL during the 2022 Embryology Course 🐙 Credit: Ailen Cervino, Nicolás Cumplido, Marta Moreno Oñate, and Ivan Ferreira

It's a beautiful day in Devon - sunshine at last! What a great start to the year. A group of really interesting wills to transcribe, and commissioned to help a local organisation to apply for funding to catalogue and care for their internationally important archive. 🌞🌞

The application deadline for the MBL's 2025 Biology of Aging course is on the horizon! 🗓️ Get your applications in by February 7 for this immersive, research-based course. Read more: bit.ly/4gXsQMN #ScienceStartsHere

Looking forward to our talk from @joesaunders1.bsky.social on Local for Family History at 2.30 this afternoon #FamilyHistory #Genealogy #LocalHistory

Another succesful research trip to The Box research room today for a client. A pity that I nearly got overcharged in the shop for a half-day photography licence. Just as well I'm a regular visitor and knew what the fee should be 😉

Budgeting for beginners Online -11 & 12 Feb AM Our ever popular course targeted at anyone who is new to budgeting. More info/booking: www.archives.org.uk/...

Looking forward to our Zoom talk on Apprenticeship Records form @richard-holt.bsky.social tonight

Family history research. Do you want to know who your ancestors were, where they originated and what they did? I am an experienced genealogist and history researcher with over 25 years under my belt. Check out my website www.dwresearchservices.co.uk. We may even find a skeleton in the cupboard 😃👀

Made it! As you can see, I got through the flooded and snowy plains and arrived safely for a research trip. Public transport by GWR and TFL excellent. Can't wait to get stuck in to a variety of interesting documents about the Plymouth area 😃

A very Happy New Year to you. What a beautiful day in Devon. Thinking of research projects for 2025? You might need some assistance. Why not take a look at my website to see the range of services that I offer dwresearchservices.co.uk. look forward to hearing from you 😃

It's great to now be a member of the Devon Chamber of Commerce and have the support of a wider business community. If you're a sole trader or small business in Plymouth (or wider Devon) it's worth looking at the benefits and support you receive for a small investment.

Very best wishes for the festive season to all my followers. Thank you for your continued support and have a very happy New Year!

We've had some fun with a client's family history this week. One brick wall down. It took some doing, but we got there. It put a smile on our faces. Documents don't always survive - destruction or damage through flood, fire, insects, or war. But sometimes we get lucky with some lateral thinking.