No 38: Latest "Gwreiddiau Gwynedd Roots"

The latest edition of "Gwynedd Roots - Gwreiddiau Gwynedd", the journal of the Gwynedd Family History Society, arrived a couple of weeks ago and is full of interesting and informative articles and news items. The Spotlight this time is on "Gwynedd and the sea" with articles relating to the rich maritime heritage of Gwynedd. As I have no close ancestors who have been mariners this is an area where I haven't done any research although I know the general history.

Of the packed 64 pages there are 30 pages of articles dealing with the maritime connection many dealing with characters and events from the beginning of the nineteenth century. A couple of the articles feature letters written be people on voyages and there is also one on letters of the keeper of the South Stack Lighthouse 1853-59. There's an article going even further back on "Maritime Gwynedd during the Middle Ages" and an article by the Society's President, Dafydd Wigley which deals with one of his great grandfathers, Capt. John Humphreys, and the ship "Langdale".

These, and the other articles, are enjoyable to read but for the family historian they are very informative in that they give the sources of the information and describe how they have gone about doing their research. Anyone who has a mariner as an ancestor will find many references to libraries, archives and websites where specific information regarding maritime activities can be found.

There are also many other articles, news items and readers letters. Some of these are in response to articles in previous editions. My wife, Margaret, for example wrote an article on the Closs family from Llanberis, to which she belongs, in the Autumn 2008 edition. A member from Northampton has written in with some very useful additional information, some of which was new to Margaret. This again underlines the point that I've made previously that if you publicise your family connections then there is always a chance that someone who is also somewhere in your tree will see it and make contact. This has happened to Margaret with a previous article that she wrote in Gwreiddiau.

An article on "Gwynedd Heraldry" has been written by regular contributor, Ian Thomson. In the last couple of Blogs I'm talked about the Roots Web lists and Ian is one of the people who regularly respond to people's queries and the width and depth of his knowledge never ceases to amaze me.

All the articles are written by members of the Society and I've also contributed an article on the 1911 Census which basically covers the main points of what I've written previously in these Blogs. Many of the readers will, of course, not read the blogs but one big advantage of the blog is that the images can be seen much better on the screen and they can easily be enlarged in order to be amble to see the small print on the Census Forms.

I take this opportunity of wishing all the readers an enjoyable Christmas and a healthy and enjoyable year in 2010 and I attach my Christmas Card showing the currently used Churches and Chapels of Caernarfon.

The Gwynedd Family History Society meetings for the next four weeks are:
Bangor, 5 January (first Tuesday of each month) 7.00pm at the Quakers Meeting Hall, Dean Street: Bryan & Heulwen Jones, "The Oragon Trail"

Caernarfon, 28 January (last Thursday of each month) 7.00pm at the The Library, Lôn Pafiliwn: Parch Harri Parry, "Meddygon Dafad Wyllt"

Dolgellau, 7 January (second Thursday of each month) 7.00pm at the Royal Ship Hotel: Dorothy Pritchard, "Dyddiaduron Bryn Ifan"

Conwy, 11 January (second Monday of each month) 7.00pm at Capel Ebenezer, Abergele Road, Old Colwyn (please note new meeting place):
Peter Brindley, "The Vicar, the Prince and See"

Llangefni, 21 January (third Thursday of each month) 7.00pm at Capel Smyrna, Ffordd Glanhwfa: Workshop in Llangefni Archives

Pwllheli, 15 January (third Friday of each month) 7.00pm at Capel Seion, Lon Dywod:
Hywel Roberts, "Anffawd fawr fy hen daid"