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Findmypast Weekly Update

This week, FMP’s military collections and newspaper archives are boosted with 2,858 new service records and over 200,000 fresh newspaper pages.

  • British Royal Navy & Royal Marines Service and Pension Records, 1704–1939
    Years covered: 1842
    Records added: 1,385

  • British Army Service Records, South Wales Borderers
    Years covered: 1891, 1914, 1915
    Records added: 1,473

  • Newspapers
    FMP gets its newspapers from the sister site, the British Newspaper Archive. Here are the BNA additions in November. The earliest starts in 1751; most are from the second half of the 19th century.
Newspaper Title Location Number of Issues Years Covered
Irish Independent Dublin, Republic of Ireland 20,915
1891–1920, 1922–1925, 1927–1938, 1940–1959, 1974, 1986–2009
Islington Gazette London, England 11,786 1856–1918
Peterborough Evening Telegraph Peterborough, England 10,927
1949–1970, 1986–1987, 1989, 1991–1997, 1999–2004
Bradford Daily Argus Bradford, England 7,720
1893–1895, 1898–1910, 1912–1915, 1917, 1920–1923
Waterford Standard Waterford, Republic of Ireland 6,651
1863, 1866–1872, 1874–1880, 1882–1886, 1888–1897, 1899, 1901–1920, 1926–1953
Salisbury and Winchester Journal Salisbury, England 6,622
1751–1752, 1762–1763, 1765–1769, 1772–1773, 1775–1778, 1780–1782, 1784, 1786–1789, 1799, 1801–1805, 1807–1812, 1814–1815, 1817–1918
Banffshire Journal Banff, Scotland 5,961
1845–1911, 1914–1920, 1948–1989
Evening News (Waterford) Waterford, Republic of Ireland 5,415 1899–1920
Warder and Dublin Weekly Mail Dublin, Republic of Ireland 5,094
1822–1877, 1890, 1897–1902, 1909–1924, 1926–1929, 1931–1938
Winsford & Middlewich Guardian Winsford, England 3,995
1875–1911, 1916–1918
Lloyd’s Weekly Newspaper London, England 3,831
1842–1912, 1914–1917
Pawnbrokers’ Gazette London, England 3,724
1838, 1840–1849, 1860–1894, 1900–1902, 1904–1909, 1914–1931
Norfolk News Norwich, England 3,695
1845–1897, 1899–1911, 1914–1918
West Cumberland Times Cockermouth, England 3,683
1874–1875, 1877–1891, 1893–1897, 1899–1915, 1917
Portsmouth Times and Naval Gazette Portsmouth, England 3,510
1850–1896, 1914–1920
Bedford Record Bedford, England 3,459
1877, 1879, 1889, 1897–1911, 1913–1920, 1924–1965
Roscommon Herald Boyle, Republic of Ireland 3,368
1859–1884, 1886–1906, 1908–1920, 1922, 1924, 1928, 1931, 1944, 1953
Southern Times and Dorset County Herald Weymouth, England 3,193
1852–1866, 1870–1886, 1889–1896, 1898–1910, 1912–1920
Aldershot Military Gazette Aldershot, England 3,060
1859–1870, 1872–1920
Cambrian News Aberystwyth, Wales 2,556
1863–1868, 1874–1896, 1898–1910, 1912–1918
Glossop-dale Chronicle and North Derbyshire Reporter Glossop, England 2,502
1859–1861, 1869–1896, 1898–1911, 1913–1918
Cumberland & Westmorland Herald Penrith, England 2,496
1869–1895, 1897–1918
Buckingham Express Buckingham, England 2,453
1865–1895, 1898–1912, 1914–1915
North Devon Gazette Bideford, England 2,444
1856–1870, 1884–1909, 1912, 1914–1918
Exmouth Journal Exmouth, England 2,428
1869–1913, 1916–1918
Hampstead & Highgate Express London, England 2,275
1872–1911, 1914–1918
Cannock Advertiser Cannock, England 2,222
1878–1893, 1897, 1900–1909, 1914–1924, 1951–1955
Willesden Chronicle London, England 2,128
1877–1913, 1915–1918
Walthamstow and Leyton Guardian London, England 2,120 1876–1916
Aberystwyth Observer Aberystwyth, Wales 2,112
1869–1885, 1887–1896, 1898–1910, 1914–1915
Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser Wolverhampton, England 2,030
1830–1866, 1868, 1914
Drogheda Advertiser Drogheda, Republic of Ireland 1,888
1897–1926, 1928
Tottenham and Edmonton Weekly Herald London, England 1,873
1869, 1874, 1877, 1879, 1889, 1891, 1899–1918
Dromore Weekly Times and West Down Herald Dromore, Northern Ireland 1,873
1905–1929, 1931, 1940–1949, 1952
Kings County Chronicle Offaly, Republic of Ireland 1,850
1845–1874, 1914–1920
Cornish & Devon Post Launceston, England 1,821
1877–1896, 1900–1911, 1914, 1916–1918
Isle of Wight County Press Newport, England 1,739
1884–1911, 1913–1918
Orcadian Kirkwall, Scotland 1,674
1854–1869, 1901–1918
Leominster News and North West Herefordshire & Radnorshire Advertiser Leominster, England 1,650
1884–1910, 1914–1918
Empire News & The Umpire Manchester, England 1,649
1884–1895, 1897–1911, 1914–1918
Newtownards Chronicle & Co. Down Observer Newtownards, Northern Ireland 1,633
1873–1879, 1881–1900, 1914–1918
Blaydon Courier Blaydon, England 1,606
1905–1909, 1914–1929, 1940–1949
Warminster & Westbury Journal Warminster, England 1,547
1881–1895, 1897, 1899–1908, 1914–1918
Pontypool Free Press Pontypool, Wales 1,535
1859–1896, 1898–1903, 1905–1909, 1914–1918
Boxing World and Mirror of Life London, England 1,510
1894–1905, 1907–1924
Pearson’s Weekly London, England 1,474 1890–1918
Tyrone Courier Dungannon, Northern Ireland 1,453
1880, 1885, 1888–1889, 1891–1909, 1914–1918
Bo’ness Journal and Linlithgow Advertiser Falkirk, Scotland 1,452
1884–1891, 1914–1920, 1940–1952
Harrogate Advertiser and Weekly List of the Visitors Harrogate, England 1,384
1854, 1860, 1865–1866, 1872, 1877, 1880, 1889, 1918–1920, 1988–2004
Irish Homestead Dublin, Republic of Ireland 1,353 1896–1922
Bournemouth Times and Directory Bournemouth, England 1,319
1889, 1919–1920, 1930–1950
Cork Weekly Examiner Cork, Republic of Ireland 1,284 1896–1920
St. Marylebone and Paddington Record London, England 1,259
1914–1925, 1927–1929, 1940–1949
Hants and Berks Gazette and Middlesex and Surrey Journal Basingstoke, England 1,253
1892–1910, 1914–1918
Fife News Cupar, Scotland 1,147
1875–1877, 1879–1890, 1914–1920
Uttoxeter Advertiser and Ashbourne Times Uttoxeter, England 1,146
1896–1911, 1913–1918
Finchley Press London, England 999
1895–1909, 1914–1918
Cumberland Evening News Carlisle, England 878 1914–1918
Dromore Leader Dromore, Northern Ireland 878
1916–1920, 1978–1984, 1986–1992
County Express Stourbridge, England 840
1885–1891, 1897, 1910–1918
Whitehaven Advertiser and Cleator Moor and Egremont Observer Whitehaven, England 755
1891–1893, 1905–1906, 1909–1915, 1918–1920
Rushcliffe Advertiser Hucknall, England 718
1888–1889, 1896, 1898–1909
Loughborough Herald & North Leicestershire Gazette Loughborough, England 709
1880–1891, 1893, 1916
Irish Society (Dublin) Dublin, Republic of Ireland 686
1889–1894, 1917–1924
Shamrock Dublin, Republic of Ireland 672 1884–1896
Yarmouth Mercury Great Yarmouth, England 653
1880, 1884, 1889–1892, 1897, 1899, 1911–1912, 1915, 1917–1918
County Courts Chronicle London, England 502
1847–1870, 1885–1896, 1914–1920
Enniscorthy Echo and South Leinster Advertiser Enniscorthy, Republic of Ireland 466
1905–1906, 1910–1912, 1916–1920
East Essex Advertiser and Clacton News Clacton-on-Sea, England 460
1889, 1900–1905, 1912, 1918
Jewish World London, England 442
1877, 1889, 1898–1899, 1902–1904, 1907, 1917
The World London, England 427 1914–1922
Chatham, Rochester and Brompton Observer Chatham, England 366 1914–1920
Offaly Independent Tullamore, Republic of Ireland 364
1910–1911, 1914–1918
Boxing London, England 327
1909–1913, 1917–1918
Craven Herald Skipton, England 310
1876–1877, 1879, 1889, 1897, 1916
Brighouse Free Press and District Advertiser Brighouse, England 303
1914–1918, 1920
Connaught Telegraph Castlebar, Republic of Ireland 257 1914–1918
Haltwhistle Echo Haltwhistle, England 254 1914–1918
Heckmondwike Herald Heckmondwike, England 260
1889, 1990–1993
Citizen (London) London, England 202 1914–1917
Horwich Chronicle Horwich, England 168
1889, 1914–1916
Skegness Herald Skegness, England 142 1914–1916
Western Express Bideford, England 111 1917–1919
Midland Free Press Kettering, England 104 1914–1915
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Critique of LAC’s AI Position Statement

A document dated 6 November 2025 outlines Library and Archives Canada’s strategic approach to integrating artificial intelligence into its operations. The key messages are:

  • LAC embraces AI as transformative for making Canada’s documentary heritage more discoverable and accessible
  • Four guiding principles: Transparency, Fairness, Human-in-the-loop, and Trust
  • Three strategic pillars: (1) Making collections discoverable through enhanced metadata, (2) Building trust in information by combating misinformation, and (3) Partnering for innovation across sectors
  • LAC positions itself as a responsible leader in the GLAM sector, aligning with government-wide digital transformation priorities

The Critique: All Talk, No Show

While establishing a foundational ethical framework is important and necessary, LAC’s document fails to move beyond this preliminary stage. Instead, it reads as if assembled from a corporate buzzword generator—or worse, written by the very AI it claims to be thoughtfully deploying. Here’s why it falls flat:

1. Zero concrete examples: The document mentions “pilot projects” and “concrete actions” but provides not a single specific example. What metadata was enhanced? Which handwriting recognition tool did they test? What were the results? We get platitudes about “accelerating workflows” without evidence that anything has been accelerated.

2. Principles without teeth: The four principles sound admirable until you realize they’re unfalsifiable. “Human-in-the-loop” and “Trust” mean nothing without specifics: Who reviews AI outputs? What happens when bias is detected? What are the actual protocols?

3. Strategic pillars built on air:

  • Pillar One promises to “explore” and “pilot” metadata creation—but no timelines, success metrics, or examples of what they’ve actually created
  • Pillar Two claims LAC combats misinformation but offers only vague “educational resources” with no description of content or reach
  • Pillar Three celebrates partnerships without naming a single AI partner or collaborative achievement

4. Responsibility theatre: The repeated nods to government policies (Digital Ambition, Policy on Service and Digital, etc.) feel like box-ticking rather than meaningful accountability.

5. The irony is deafening: A document about transparency that reveals nothing. A commitment to “showing” how Canadians can engage with heritage that only tells us they’re thinking about it. The lack of self-awareness is almost impressive.

What’s actually missing:

  • Specific AI tools or technologies being used or evaluated
  • Measurable outcomes and lessons learned from any pilot project
  • Budget allocations or resource commitments
  • User testimonials or impact data
  • Honest discussion of failures or limitations
  • Timeline for implementation

This reads less like a position statement and more like a grant application—designed to signal virtue and alignment rather than demonstrate competence or achievement. For an institution tasked with preserving Canada’s documentary heritage, the complete absence of documentation about LAC’s own AI work is remarkably on-brand for government opacity.

And in case you’re wondering, I did use AI to assist in composing this critique.

As a service to LAC, I then asked AI to draft a likely rebuttal. Here it is, unedited.

LAC’s Likely Rebuttal

Re: Concerns Regarding AI Position Statement

We appreciate the thoughtful engagement with our AI position statement and welcome the opportunity to clarify its purpose and scope.

On the Nature of Position Statements

This document was intentionally designed as a strategic framework, not an operational report. Position statements articulate vision, principles, and direction—they establish the “why” and “how” of our approach before diving into the “what.” Detailed project reporting would be premature at this stage and risks creating false expectations about work that is still exploratory and evolving.

On Transparency and Timing

We acknowledge the desire for concrete examples. However, responsible innovation requires careful evaluation before public disclosure. Many of our AI pilots are:

  • Still in active testing phases, where outcomes remain uncertain
  • Subject to privacy and procurement considerations that limit what we can share publicly
  • Being developed in partnership with vendors and institutions under confidentiality agreements
  • Dependent on federal approval processes that govern public communication about emerging technologies

Premature disclosure of specific tools, vendors, or methodologies could compromise competitive procurement, create vendor lock-in, or raise unrealistic public expectations.

On Alignment with Government Priorities

The references to federal policies are not “box-ticking”—they represent mandatory compliance frameworks for all federal institutions. The Directive on Automated Decision-Making, for instance, requires algorithmic impact assessments before deployment. Our alignment with these frameworks demonstrates due diligence, not bureaucratic theatre.

On the Scope of This Document

As explicitly stated in the introduction, this position statement does not attempt to address all impacts of AI. Issues including copyright, legal deposit, and definitional questions around creation are being worked through separately with government and GLAM sector colleagues. A comprehensive document covering every dimension of AI would be unwieldy and quickly outdated.

On Substance Over Spectacle

We respectfully disagree that concrete examples are the only measure of serious commitment. The foundational work of:

  • Auditing legacy metadata for quality and bias
  • Establishing ethical review protocols
  • Building staff capacity through training
  • Developing partnerships with peer institutions

…is inherently less visible than launching a flashy AI tool, but it is no less essential. Rushing to deploy AI without this groundwork would be the truly irresponsible path.

Looking Forward

We commit to more detailed public reporting as projects mature and move from pilot to implementation phases. Future communications will include case studies, metrics, and lessons learned. However, we will not sacrifice careful planning for the appearance of momentum.

Our position statement is meant to signal readiness and commitment, not premature victory. We invite continued dialogue as our work progresses.

Translation: “We’re a government institution. We write frameworks, not features. Check back in 3-5 years for the progress report that will say we’re still exploring opportunities.”

The above translation paragraph was also composed by AI.

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TONI on Ancestry

Researchers with Ontario roots have reason to celebrate: The Ontario Name Index (TONI) is now available on Ancestry, significantly expanding access to this valuable resource.

For years, TONI has been available only through the Ontario Genealogical Society website. While genealogists familiar with OGS knew to search there, the collection remained relatively unknown to the broader community of researchers who might benefit from it.

Two Versions, Different Scopes

The Ontario Name Index is a comprehensive database spanning records from 1812 to 2023, created by OGS volunteers and launched in 2011. Now it exists in two locations with different record counts.

Ancestry’s collection contains 7,656,896 records—all those that OGS volunteers have transcribed from original sources. The version on the OGS website at https://ogs.on.ca/toni/ is substantially larger, with 14,668,724 indexed records.

Why the difference? According to Mike More, who leads TONI, the OGS website includes records that were incorporated with permission from other sites. While OGS can host these records, they don’t have the rights to share them on platforms like Ancestry.

What You’ll Find

The index draws from diverse sources including birth, marriage, and death records, newspapers, censuses, government documents, and family histories. Entries typically include the individual’s name, county and township, record type, year, and repository location.

While the collection doesn’t contain images of original records, it serves as a crucial finding aid, pointing researchers toward the repositories where original documents can be accessed.

A Practical Approach

For researchers, searching this might mean a two-step strategy. Start with a familiar Ancestry search. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, check the OGS website directly, as additional records may fill in the gaps.

 

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LAC and Internet Archives Canada

A recent post about the LAC Annual Departmental Results Report for 2024-2025 included information that

A new partnership with Internet Archive Canada (IAC), announced in June 2024, contributed another 2.8 million images by March 2025. The collaboration focuses on copyright-free publications from the 1300s through the 1920s, making rare historical materials freely available online. The initiative has already processed over 14,000 publications.

Updated information from LAC is that as of October 2025, 20,254 publications have been digitized, generating 4,320,900 images.

Information on the digitized catalogue will be shared once the material becomes publicly available through the IAC website. There’s no target date.

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Repeat: LAC Annual Departmental Results Report for 2024-2025

Library and Archives Canada has released its Annual Departmental Results Report for 2024-2025, revealing a year of significant digitization achievements alongside persistent challenges in request processing and facility standards.

You’d think the report would warrant inclusion on the main page under Updates. It isn’t. That’s a pity, as some significant progress is being made.

Preservation: Nearly Perfect Performance

LAC met seven of eight targets for its core mandate of acquiring and preserving documentary heritage. The single shortfall involved maintaining proper environmental standards across all preservation facilities—a critical measure for protecting analog collections from deterioration.

Digitization Reaches Seven-Year High

The department’s most notable success came in digital access. LAC digitized 10 million images from its collections, far exceeding its 6.5 million target and marking the highest output since 2017-18.

Two major projects drove this achievement. The Day Schools Project alone accounted for 5.8 million digitized images, including textual records, photographs, maps, and architectural plans documenting the Federal Indian Day School system. This material provides crucial documentation for researchers and Indigenous communities seeking historical records.

A new partnership with Internet Archive Canada, announced in June 2024, contributed another 2.8 million images by March 2025. The collaboration focuses on copyright-free publications from the 1300s through the 1920s, making rare historical materials freely available online. The initiative has already processed over 14,000 publications.

Despite these gains, LAC met only four of eight indicators for providing access to documentary heritage—the same performance level as the previous year, suggesting stagnation in some access measures.

ATIP Backlog Shows Improvement, But Remains Below Target

Processing of Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests continues to lag, though the department has made measurable progress. LAC completed 66% of requests within required timeframes, up from 55% the previous year but still short of its 70% target.

The backlog affects researchers, journalists, and citizens seeking government records—a tension between LAC’s role as both guardian and gatekeeper of public information.

Looking Ahead

The report also details ongoing preparations for Adisoke, the joint facility that will house LAC and the Ottawa Public Library’s central branch when it opens.

The complete Annual Departmental Results Report for 2024-2025 is available, but buried on LAC’s website. To get there from the LAC landing page, follow the chain Library and Archives > About LAC > Transparency and reporting > Reports and publications > Departmental results reports.

 

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TheGenealogist adds to Great War Casualty List

TheGenealogist has added 1,090,293 records to its Great War Casualty List collection, completing the War Office lists and taking the total to over 4.5 million records!

This final addition covers the period from 8 April 1918 to 4 March 1919, officially concluding TheGenealogist’s coverage of the original War Office Weekly Casualty Lists.

This comprehensive release contains names derived from the official weekly lists published at the time, along with later corrections where available. The records are fully searchable and include key details for those who served.

  • 🔍 Searchable Detail: Search by Name, Rank, Regiment/Unit, and (where recorded) Service Number.
  • 🩺 Casualty Type: The lists record the specific nature of the casualty, such as Killed, Wounded, Missing, Prisoner of War, and Died of Wounds.
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LAC Departmental Results Report 2024–2025

Library and Archives Canada has released its Annual Departmental Results Report for 2024-2025, revealing a year of significant digitization achievements alongside persistent challenges in request processing and facility standards.

Preservation: Nearly Perfect Performance

LAC met seven of eight targets for its core mandate of acquiring and preserving documentary heritage. The single shortfall involved maintaining proper environmental standards across all preservation facilities—a critical measure for protecting analog collections from deterioration.

Digitization Reaches Seven-Year High

The department’s most notable success came in digital access. LAC digitized 10 million images from its collections, far exceeding its 6.5 million target and marking the highest output since 2017-18.

Two major projects drove this achievement. The Day Schools Project alone accounted for 5.8 million digitized images, including textual records, photographs, maps, and architectural plans documenting the Federal Indian Day School system. This material provides crucial documentation for researchers and Indigenous communities seeking historical records.

A new partnership with Internet Archive Canada, announced in June 2024, contributed another 2.8 million images by March 2025. The collaboration focuses on copyright-free publications from the 1300s through the 1920s, making rare historical materials freely available online. The initiative has already processed over 14,000 publications.

Despite these gains, LAC met only four of eight indicators for providing access to documentary heritage—the same performance level as the previous year, suggesting stagnation in some access measures.

ATIP Backlog Shows Improvement, But Remains Below Target

Processing of Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests continues to lag, though the department has made measurable progress. LAC completed 66% of requests within required timeframes, up from 55% the previous year but still short of its 70% target.

The backlog affects researchers, journalists, and citizens seeking government records—a tension between LAC’s role as both guardian and gatekeeper of public information.

Looking Ahead

The report also details ongoing preparations for Adisoke, the joint facility that will house LAC and the Ottawa Public Library’s central branch when it opens.

The complete Annual Departmental Results Report for 2024-2025 is available on LAC’s website.

 

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This Week’s Online Genealogy Events

Choose from these selected free online events. All times are Eastern Time, unless otherwise noted. Registration may be required in advance—please check the links to avoid disappointment. For many more events, mainly in the U.S., visit conferencekeeper.org.

Tuesday 11 November (Remembrance Day)

2 pm: Ottawa Virtual Genealogy Drop-In, from OGS Ottawa Branch
https://ottawa.ogs.on.ca/

2 pm: Unlocking French Archives: a guide on how archives are organized and what you may find on MyHeritage, by Marine Soulas for Legacy Family Tree Webinars and MyHeritage.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/unlocking-french-archives-a-guide-on-how-archives-are-organized-and-what-you-may-find-on-myheritage/

7 pm: Exploring Library and Archive Canada, Navigating the new Website, by Ken McKinlay for OGS Lambton County Branch
https://lambton.ogs.on.ca/events/lambton-nov-11-meeting-with-ken-mckinlay-exploring-the-archives/
Wednesday 12 November

7 pm: A Holocaust Testimonial: My Father’s Story, by Phil Emberley for the Historical Society of Ottawa.
https://www.historicalsocietyottawa.ca/activities/events/eventdetail/186/16,17,18,19,20,21,22/a-holocaust-testimonial-my-father-s-story

8 pm: Researching Your Colonial War Ancestors, by Michael L. Strauss for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/researching-your-colonial-war-ancestors/

Thursday 13 November

6:30 pm: Effective Use of Ancestry.com, by Scott Lee for Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center.
https://acpl.libnet.info/event/14654802

Friday 14 November

2 pm: Researching Your Norfolk Ancestors, by Nicholas Dixon for Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/researching-your-norfolk-ancestors/

Saturday 15 November

10 am: The First World War Beyond the Western Front, by Mike More for OGS Kingston Branch.
https://kingston.ogs.on.ca/events/kingston-branch-meeting-november-15-2025-mike-more-on-the-first-world-war-beyond-the-western-front/

 

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Ancestry adds Suffolk, England, Gaol Records, 1791-1878

This database contains 115,573 records from houses of correction across the County of Suffolk, England,  primarily from receiving books at Ipswich Gaol, with additional material from Beccles, Bury, and Woodbridge. If you had Suffolk ancestry in the period, I do, and given the population of 327,240 in 1851, there’s a fair chance of finding a miscreant.

I found a namesake of my two-times-great-grandmother, convicted of prostitution. If it had been mine, I’d know, from the surprisingly detailed biographical snapshot, details beyond the basics of name, age, and offence, such as:

  • Physical description (height, hair colour, eye colour)
  • Birthplace and residence
  • Occupation and literacy level
  • Religion and marital status
  • Father’s name, birthplace, and occupation
  • Complete timeline from warrant to trial, sentencing, and release

The receiving books sometimes recorded even more granular details, including which school an inmate attended, the amount and type of clothing they possessed upon admission, and whether they had prior convictions. Lists of confined inmates might note the work performed behind bars and comments on behaviour.

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5 Realistic Advances in Family History by 2045

I asked Google Gemini to suggest five undreamed-of, but realistic, advancements in family history over the next 20 years.

Before dismissing these, pause and consider whether you’d have predicted the current state of the art in 2005.

Here’s the response:

1. AI-Driven, Global Record Synthesis

What it is: Artificial intelligence will achieve a near-perfect ability to not only transcribe handwritten, fragile, and foreign-language records, but also to synthesize them into a unified, verified life story.

  • AI will automatically cross-reference information (names, dates, locations, and relationships) across billions of records worldwide—census, parish, military, land, and migration documents—regardless of data quality or linguistic differences.
  • The system will suggest and validate family connections with high statistical certainty, effectively building and error-checking vast portions of your family tree automatically, replacing hours of manual record hunting.

2. Whole-Genome Genealogy 🔬

What it is: Current consumer DNA tests analyze a tiny fraction of your genome. In the next 20 years, whole-genome sequencing will become the norm and affordable, unlocking unprecedented genetic genealogical detail.

  • This will allow for the identification of shared segments even with extremely distant cousins (10th+), vastly increasing the size of genetic match pools and breaking down long-standing “brick walls” in earlier centuries.
  • It will also lead to high-resolution mapping of ancestral migration routes, tracking lineages not just to a country or region, but to specific historical villages or tribal groups thousands of years ago.

3. Immersive Heritage Experiences (VR/AR) 🗺️

What it is: Virtual and augmented reality will transform how you interact with your family history, moving beyond flat screens to three-dimensional, sensory experiences.

  • Virtual Reality (VR) will allow you to “walk” through a digital reconstruction of your ancestor’s home, neighborhood, or village, built using historical maps, photos, and records.
  • Augmented Reality (AR), accessible via a phone or smart glasses, could overlay information onto real-world locations—standing in your great-grandparents’ hometown, you’d see historical photos or record snippets tied to the buildings around you.

4. “Digital Twins” of Ancestral Data 💾

What it is: Genealogy platforms will move beyond simply storing documents and start creating dynamic, interactive digital avatars or “twins” of your ancestors based on all available data.

  • This twin could be an AI-generated biography that automatically updates as new records are found, complete with a timeline and historical context (e.g., placing their life events against major local or world events).
  • Future tools may even use voice synthesis and deep-learning models to simulate your ancestor’s voice based on historical recordings from their time/region, allowing for an interactive, conversational experience with your past.

5. Ethical Frameworks for Shared Genomic Data 🤝

What it is: As DNA testing reveals increasingly sensitive information (health risks, unexpected parentage), a new, widely adopted ethical and legal framework will be established for genetic and historical data sharing.

  • This system will use blockchain or similar secure, decentralized technology to give individuals granular control over who sees which specific parts of their DNA data and for what purpose (genealogy, health research, law enforcement).
  • This shift will be necessary to balance the powerful capabilities of whole-genome analysis with the fundamental right to genetic privacy and consent, ensuring the continued growth and trust in the field.
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Sunday Sundries

Miscellaneous items I found interesting this week.

The law is changing for carbon monoxide alarms

Selected Items from the latest Documentary Heritage News

National Archive of Ireland launches search for Irish people who are 100 years or over to tell their stories
http://www.irishstar.com/news/ireland-news/national-archive-launches-search-irish-36184722

UK National Archives – The A–Z of the Royal Navy Captains’ letter project: D to M
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/explore-the-collection/the-collection-blog/the-az-of-the-royal-navy-captains-letter-project-d-to-m/

People have had to move house: Inside the British Library, two years on from devastating cyber attack
http://www.the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/british-library-strike-cyber-attack-b2855495.html

British Library chief executive steps down amid strike action
https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2025/11/british-library-chief-executive-steps-down-amid-strike-action/

WWI letters reveal how social club lifted morale
http://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ceq0xw0e58wo

Do You Speak Cat?

Thanks to the following individuals for their comments and tips: Anonymous, Diane Brydon. Gail, Glenn Wright, Teresa, and Unknown.