Every month the fibiwiki moderators chose an article, image and project to feature on the frontpage of the fibiwiki. Fibiwiki is a website about British India that anyone can edit.
This month’s featured article, image and project are:
Readers might be interested in the following announcement from MPPP – the Penang City Council.
A notice from Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang (MPPP – the Penang City Council) was published in the Star paper dated 1st Sept. 2010. MPPP who is maintaining the Register of Burials, is now undergoing an exercise to update the register of burial rights. MPPP requires all the personal representatives and family members of the deceased buried at the Western Road Christian cemetery to provide them the following details:
i) date of purchase of the rights of plots,
ii) name & address of the applicant,
iii) name & address of the current personal representatives iv) evidence of the fees paid for the purchase,
v) the plot number in which the right is exercisable,
vi) the name of the deceased buried (if any),
vii) any lawful assignment or transaction of the right notified in writing to the MPP and viii) any documentary evidence of rights acquired.
Please provide the above details to MPPP on or before 30th Nov. 2010 to Pengarah Perancangan Pembangunan, Majlis Perbandaran Pulau Pinang, Tingkat 11, Komtar, 10675 Pulau Pinang.
Please click here to download the full notice from MPPP.
After many enquries from the public, the MPPP had issued another notice on 15 Sept, that, it will not re-possess the burial plots. Please read about it at their website.
via Penang Diocese – The Official Website of the Diocese of Penang, Malaysia – 2010.
The following new records have recently been uploaded to the Ancestry.com website and contain references to military personnel who served in India.
Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972
This database contains lists of more than 1.5 million officers, enlisted personnel and other individuals entitled to medals and awards commemorating their service with the Royal Navy and Royal Marines between 1793 and 1972. The original medal rolls were compiled by the War Office and are housed at the National Archives of the UK in Kew, Surrey. The rolls include medals awarded for British campaigns and service in Europe, India, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere during the height of the British Empire and into the 20th century. This database also includes medal rolls from the First and Second World Wars.
Using the Records
While medal rolls do not provide very detailed information, the records can include the name, date, and location of a campaign or service, the recipient’s name, and the regiment or unit name and regimental number. Most rolls were arranged by campaign (or battle), then ship or regiment, rank and surname.
The records in this collection can be searched by name, medal or award, campaign or service, service date, ship name, and service number. Volumes may also be browsed by medal and medal roll.
About the Medals
Medals were instituted by the British Army in the early 19th century for officers and other ranks for participating in a military campaign, and clasps indicated service in a particular battle. The Waterloo Medal of 1815 was the first campaign medal issued and was awarded to men who took place in the battle (or their next of kin).
Lists were submitted by ship, regiment or unit for persons entitled to receive certain medals or clasps. There are three types of medals in this collection: for campaigns (or battles), for good conduct (or long service) and for gallantry.
UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949
This database contains lists of more than 2.3 million officers, enlisted personnel and other individuals entitled to medals and awards commemorating their service in campaigns and battles for the British Army between 1793 and 1949. The original medal rolls were compiled by the War Office and are housed at the National Archives of the UK in Kew, Surrey. The rolls include medals awarded for British campaigns in Europe, India, Egypt, Sudan, South Africa, West and Central Africa, China, the Middle East, and elsewhere during the height of the British Empire. The collection does not include WWI or WWII medal and award rolls.
Using the Records
While medal rolls do not provide very detailed information, the records can include the name, date, and location of a campaign or service, the soldier’s name, and the regiment or unit name and regimental number. Most rolls were arranged by campaign (or battle), then regiment, rank and surname.
The records in this collection can be searched by name, campaign, service location and date, and regimental number. Volumes may also be browsed by region, campaign, and regiment or unit.
About the Medals
Medals were instituted by the British Army in the early 19th century for officers and other ranks for participating in a military campaign, and clasps indicated service in a particular battle. The Waterloo Medal of 1815 was the first campaign medal issued and was awarded to men who took place in the battle (or their next of kin).
Lists were submitted by regiment or unit for persons entitled to receive certain medals or clasps. There are three types of medals in this collection: for campaigns (or battles), for good conduct (or long service) and for gallantry.
UK, Citations of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914-1920
This database goes a step beyond medal rolls by providing researches access to more than 25,000 citations for recipients awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Great Britain’s second highest military honor for noncommissioned officers and enlisted personnel, in the years surrounding the Great War. These citations, which often appeared in the London Gazette, give a short summary of the actions that resulted in the award’s being given.
The citations include awards given to forces from throughout the British Empire: Australia, the British West Indies, Canada, India, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Rhodesia, and South and East Africa.
Using the Records
Records can be searched by name and regiment, corps, or unit. However, the citations typically include initials rather than first name.
The video recording of this excellent talk given by Wendy Pratt (FIBIS Member) and Peter Bleakley at the FIBIS Spring Lecture meeting 22 May 2010 is now available for viewing in the members area of the FIBIS website on the presentations page.
Ancestry.co.uk have made the following announcement
We’re excited to announce that from 7th -14th November 2010, you can search and view the original historical documents from our three most-used military collections completely free.
We’re making the following collections free-
- British Army WWI Service Records, 1914–1920
- British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920
- British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
The free period will end on Sunday 14th November at midnight so make sure you get all your searches done before then!
Look out for more information this Sunday.
We are planning a new exhibition stand and are looking for suitable photographs to represent various stages and aspects of the period of British involvement in India and the part our families played there.
Do you have any photos (or sketches) of relatives, places of interest or activities that we could use? We are looking for anything that proclaims, “(Families in) British India” without the need for captions or explanation.
Topics of interest could include:
Conditions:
You must own the copyright to the photo and be willing to allow us to use it for this promotional purpose.
Photographs should be in jpeg format:
Email as an attachment to transcriptions-coordinator@fibis.org
All submissions should be received by Friday 19th November 2010
The British Library will be holding their monthly, free, introductory training sessions in family history on the following dates in early 2011:
Wednesday, 12 January
Thursday, 17 February
Tuesday, 15 March
Wednesday, 13 April
As always, they start at 11.00 and last about one hour. To secure a place those interested should contact hrs-training@bl.uk
FIBIS member, Chrissy Wellborne, contacted me as she thought readers might be interested in the opening of ’The Lord Ashcroft Gallery’ at the Imperial War Museum, London on the 12th November 2010. Chrissy’s Step Grandfather, Maj G.M. Rolland, IA’s VC and African Service Medal won in Somaliland, 1903 is part of this collection and will be included in the display.
From the Imperial War Museum website.
Date: 12th November 2010
The Lord Ashcroft Gallery
The Lord Ashcroft Gallery is the first major permanent gallery to open at Imperial War Museum London for ten years. This new gallery will house the Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, proudly presenting the world’s largest collection of Victoria Crosses alongside the 48 VCs and 31 George Crosses already held by the Museum.
Visitors to the Lord Ashcroft Gallery’s Extraordinary Heroes exhibition will discover the personal stories behind each medal on display in a state-of-the-art space filled with interactive touch-screens, multimedia platforms and original interpretation. The new gallery will examine the concept of bravery and the personal stories behind the award of the medals. Alongside the precious medals will be many objects on display for the first time as well as newly commissioned artwork, film and photography.
Find out more here
Read more about the heroes behind the medals in an extract from Lord Ashcroft’s new book as well as an interview with Lord Ashcroft.
Free admission. Visitors may experience a short wait at peak times.
Every month the fibiwiki moderators chose an article, image and project to feature on the frontpage of the fibiwiki. Fibiwiki is a website about British India that anyone can edit.
This month’s featured article, image and project are:
Readers might be interested in a new website funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. The Colonial Film website features films from the British Film Institute, the Imperial War Museum, and the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.
From the Colonial Film website
This website holds detailed information on over 6000 films showing images of life in the British colonies. Over 150 films are available for viewing online. You can search or browse for films by country, date, topic, or keyword. Over 350 of the most important films in the catalogue are presented with extensive critical notes written by our academic research team.
The Colonial Film project united universities (Birkbeck and University College London) and archives (British Film Institute, Imperial War Museum and the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum) to create a new catalogue of films relating to the British Empire. The ambition of this website is to allow both colonizers and colonized to understand better the truths of Empire.
