Beds
Family
History
Society

PO Box 214, Bedford MK42 9RX
http://www.bfhs.org.uk
Patron: Miss Patricia Bell, BA, FSA
President: Kevin Ward, BA (Hons), M Ar, Ad, MAE, County Archivist
Registered Charity Number 281677

NEWS

Society launches Parish Records on CD

The Bedfordshire Family History Society is pleased to announce the first batch of Parish Records on CD. Each CD will cover one of the ancient parishes, also used as the basis for census districts, and will contain images of the transcripts of the registers up to 1812. These will gradually replace a number of sets of records previously issued on microfiche, and in addition will carry photographs of the church and village, a description of the parish from a C19th Kelly's directory, and searchable indexes of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials. Also, where available, Monumental Inscriptions from the churchyard and other burial grounds will be included, and a scanned copy of the relevant book from the Bedfordshire 1851 Census Index. For more details of parishes available and prices follow the link. These CDs are available from our online shops Parish Chest and GenFair.

New Meeting Room arrangements for Members Meetings at Mark Rutherford

The society holds monthly Members' Meetings, usually on the first Friday of the month, at Mark Rutherford School, Bedford (except in August). The meetings are held in the Drama Theatre (situated at the other end of the school to the previous venue). The Drama Theatre has recently been re-decorated, and refurbished with new tiered seating and lighting; this now gives us more seating in pleasant surroundings. The Bookstall carries a wide range of books for you to purchase and the Library contains books and other material for members to loan. Both of these facilities are available at all members' meetings. Please click on the link to the left of this message marked, Future Meetings and Events for a list of our Members' Meeting dates.

Journal Indexes

Previous Journals of the Society are available on microfiche – but do they contain any articles of interest to you?  To help you, we are putting the indexes to previous volumes on the web site.  There is now available a searchable alphabetical index to those surnames referred to in articles in volumes 1 to 16.  Surname Index

Each journal volume covers a period of two years, and is available on a separate fiche, or the whole set may be purchased at a reduced rate. The full set of journal indexes is also available on microfiche.

This online surname index will exclude any substantial published name lists, such as census transcriptions for institutions or Members' Interest profiles. 

Further details of the microfiche for sale are listed in our Publications List. They may be purchased from the Society, or ordered online from our two outlets: Parish Chest and GenFair. 

Bedfordshire Wills 1531-1539 transcribed by Patricia Bell

This publication contains transcriptions of the Probate Registers (books 3, 4 & 5) from the Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedford, held at the Bedfordshire and Luton County Archives. It is fully indexed by Personal names, Places and Subjects. An invaluable aid for Local and Family Historians and students of Tudor England. Contains 353 wills in 230 pages.  (Click front cover to see bigger image)

It costs £7.70 including P & P in the UK and £8.35 Overseas including P & P (to order see below).

Bedfordshire Parish Poor Law Papers 1622-1834. Reprint

This book contains a surname index of names of people that appear in surviving Bedfordshire Poor Law documents, held at the Bedfordshire and Luton County Archives. It also contains an alphabetical list by Parish of Poor Law documents that survive. The book is A5 in size and contains over 200 pages of information. (click front cover to see bigger image)

It costs £8.05 including P & P in the UK and £8.75 Overseas including P & P.from :--

We have two online bookshops to buy fiche, books, membership and CD's. Genfair and The Parish Chest. The Parish Chest can be found by following this link and click on Family History Societies on the right.
Genfair can also be found by following this link and clicking on Browse Titles by Supplier and then Bedfordshire Family History Society

Do you want to know how to get hold of a copy of BEDS. PRIME CD-ROM Bedfordshire Parish Registers Index (Master Edition)? Follow this link

Search the Bedfordshire Family History Site. Type in your word in the box below and click the button.

Brian Payne