Society of Genealogists, Unit 2, 40 Wharf Road, London (2026)

10/08/2026

!! Fraud alert !! We've been made aware of some individuals contacting genealogists and claiming to be investigating heirs for a large legacy. These individuals are stating that they are working on behalf with the SoG. This is not the case. We would never email anyone regarding an heir hunting type activity. Please do not reply to these emails. If you are ever in doubt over whether a correspondence is really from us, please feel free to email us directly using the contact details on our website.

10/08/2026

🌾 Was your ancestor simply recorded as an “Ag Lab”? There’s often much more to their story.

A census entry of “agricultural labourer” may only be the starting point. Join us online for Harvesting History: Agricultural Labourers in Life and Records and discover the sources that can reveal the lives, work and communities behind those brief descriptions.

This fascinating day will explore the men and women who worked the land across Britain and Ireland, including how estate records, farm surveys, rental rolls and other overlooked sources can help you uncover their stories.

You’ll also discover more about traditional harvest life, Irish agrarian unrest, and the exciting National Farm Survey digitisation project at The National Archives.

Whether your ancestors worked farms in Scotland, Suffolk, Essex, Ireland or beyond, this event is packed with practical research advice and fresh insights.

🌾 22 August 2026 | 10:30–17:00
💻 Online
🎥 Recorded – book in advance and watch again until 30 September
⭐ 20% discount for SoG Members

Book your place today: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2614370

09/08/2026

🔎 European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) for Genealogists

How can we uncover the stories of Holocaust survivors and victims when records are scattered across archives, libraries and museums around the world?

Join professional genealogist Risa Daitzman Heywood, CG® to discover how the European Holocaust Research Infrastructure (EHRI) can help family historians uncover hidden stories.

Created as a resource for Holocaust-related material, the EHRI Portal brings together information from over 2,000 repositories across 66 countries. Risa will demonstrate how genealogists can use this free tool through a fascinating case study of the Horn family from Euskirchen, Germany, showing how records from multiple countries and sources can help reconstruct individual journeys.

Learn how to search, filter and interpret EHRI records to enrich your own Holocaust and Jewish family history research.

📅 Thursday 20 August 2026
⏰ 14:00–15:00
💻 Online via Zoom
🎟️ £10 to attend

🎥 The recording will be available afterwards in the Learning Hub.

Book your place: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2677718

09/08/2026

🔓 FREE FamilySearch Workshop: Unlocking the Power of Full Text Search

FamilySearch’s new Full Text Search has been described as a “game changer” – but are you making the most of it?

Join Lucy Reynoldson, Europe North Area Genealogy Expert for FamilySearch , for a free, in-person workshop at the Society of Genealogists Library. Discover the records available, explore powerful search techniques and learn how to access billions of previously unindexed document images.

Bring your own laptop or use one of our library computers as Lucy shares practical tips to help you unlock the potential of this fantastic free resource.

The SoG is proud to be a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, giving researchers access to digital collections that may not be available from home.

📅 Friday 21 August 2026
⏰ 13:00–14:30
📍 Society of Genealogists Library
🎟️ FREE – open to members and non-members

Don’t miss this opportunity to discover how FamilySearch can transform your research.
🎟️ Book your free place: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2951310

Book your place: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2951310

08/08/2026

🔎 Getting Started with Tracing Jewish Ancestors

Do you have Jewish ancestors but don’t know where to begin? Join American Jewish genealogist Rebecca Stanley for a practical introduction to researching Jewish family history.

This talk will explore key strategies for tracing Jewish relatives, particularly those from Central and Eastern Europe. Rebecca will cover historical and cultural context, changing names, Jewish life cycle events, and useful websites for Jewish genealogy and Holocaust research.

With over 20 years of research experience, Rebecca has traced her own family across the United States and into what is now Central and Eastern Europe. She brings a wealth of knowledge and a personal passion for uncovering family stories.

📅 Thursday 13 August 2026
⏰ 18:30–19:30
💻 Online via Zoom

🎟️ Book your place: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2778516

08/08/2026

🌟 Speaker Spotlight: Karen De Bruyne

Say hello 👋 to Karen De Bruyne, our Speaker of the Month!

Karen is a professional genealogist, Society Trustee and popular speaker whose talks bring family history to life through fascinating real-life case studies. She loves showing how genealogy can become much more than a collection of names and dates – helping researchers uncover the stories behind the records.

We caught up with Karen to find out what first inspired her love of genealogy, the ancestor she’d most like to interrogate, and why parish registers will always win over census returns! Read more in the latest Genealogy Gazette.

Now you can hear Karen in action in her upcoming talk:

🏠 The Crèche: Early childcare for working women in Victorian London

In nineteenth-century London, working-class mothers faced an impossible choice: earn a living or care for their young children. Karen explores the remarkable story of Marie Hilton, who founded Mrs Hilton’s Crèche, Infirmary and Orphan’s Home in Stepney in 1871, inspired by the crèches she had encountered in Paris and Brussels.

From caring for just 25 children in one house to supporting thousands of families, Marie Hilton’s pioneering work provided childcare, food, medical care and a safe environment for children who had few protections.

Discover the story of a woman whose vision helped shape attitudes towards childcare, motherhood and the lives of working families in Victorian London.

📅 Thursday 13 August 2026
⏰ 14:00–15:00
💻 Online via Zoom

🎟️ Book your place: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2776990

07/08/2026

📺 Did you see our What's on the Box? feature in the August 2026 newsletter https://sog.org.uk/news/the-genealogy-gazette-august-2026/?

The latest series of Who Do You Think You Are? has now come to an end, with last night's episode featuring Katarina Johnson-Thompson bringing another fascinating family history journey to a close.

If you missed any of the series – or fancy watching your favourite again – you can catch up with every episode on BBC iPlayer.

💬 Now that you've had the chance to see them all, which episode was your favourite of the recent episodes?

Was it Toby Jones, Adeel Akhtar, Harriet Walter, Ruth Madeley or Katarina Johnson-Thompson?

Tell us which story stayed with you the most – and why!

07/08/2026

✍️ What foods bring back your strongest memories? Which shops were part of your everyday life?

The next Writing Your Life Story Club workshop with Dr Janet Few takes place on 10 August, exploring the theme of Food and Shopping.

From family recipes handed down through the generations to favourite local shops, market days and special treats, everyday memories like these can help bring your life story to life.

Exclusive to SoG Gold Members, this friendly workshop offers inspiration, practical writing prompts and the opportunity to share ideas with others as you build your own life story.

📅 Monday 10 August 2026
⏰ 14:00–15:30
💻 Online via Zoom
⭐ Exclusive to SoG Gold Members

If you're a Gold Member, book your place today. Can't make it live? The recording will be available afterwards in the Learning Hub.

Not a Gold Member yet? Upgrade to enjoy this and many other exclusive member benefits.

Find out more: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/1469509

06/08/2026

Last chance to book! Join Jude Rhodes tomorrow for a practical, interactive workshop designed to help you create a CPD record that works for you.

📋 Need to get your CPD log started, or bring it back to life? This session will show you how to use reflective practice to support your ongoing development, whether you're starting from scratch or simply need a fresh burst of motivation.

By the end of the session, you'll have your own CPD log ready to use.

Friday 7 August | 2pm | Online
£15
👉 Book now: https://portal.sog.org.uk/Event/view/2207219

05/08/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Annual General Meeting last week, both in the room at Wharf Road and online via Zoom. It was a pleasure to see so many members taking part in a lively and engaged discussion about the Society's future.

We were delighted to award Fellowship of the Society of Genealogists (FSG) to Alec Tritton and David Rencher, our highest honour, awarded by nomination and vote of current Fellows in recognition of outstanding service to genealogy. Alec has served as past chairman of the Guild of One-Name Studies and the Federation of Family History Societies, and as a former vice president of the Guild. He has chaired the Halsted Trust for over 20 years, leading its conference and education programme. David has done immense work promoting British genealogy across the United States.

We also welcomed two new trustees to our Board, Paul Beecham as Treasurer and Karen de Bruyne, and thanked Ray O'Connell, David Gill, and Heather Nowlan for their years of dedicated service.

Thank you to our President Patric Dickinson CVO, our Chair Ann Radmore CBE, our Treasurer Hayley Hall, and everyone who volunteers their time to make the Society what it is. 🎉

Society of Genealogists

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

09/08/2026

09/08/2026

08/08/2026

08/08/2026

07/08/2026

07/08/2026

06/08/2026

05/08/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Featured

Share