Fascinating women's records online for the first time

2-3 minute read

By Niall Cullen | March 6, 2020

Discover and celebrate the amazing females in your family with this week's latest releases.

Just in time for International Women's Day, we've released two brand new collections of women's records that have never been available online until now.

British Army, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps 1917-1920

Uncover details of the remarkable women who served during the First World War with these detailed military records. They've been published online for the first time ever, only at Findmypast. Taken from The National Archives' WO 162 and WO 368 series, the records include:

WO 162/54 women emigrating after the war
WO 162/58 WAAC administrators in France
WO 162/62 lists of female motor drivers
WO 162/65 recommendations for honours and mentions in Peace Gazette

You'll find detailed transcripts and original document images for all of the records. They can provide amazing colour and context for your family tree including next of kin information, medical histories and military service details.

British Armed Forces, First World War Disability & Retirement Payments For Officers & Nurses

Another online first from The National Archives, these records are packed with information on Great War officers and nurses. In particular, you'll uncover details on the pay and gratuities that were given to invalided officers from the three branches of the Armed Forces, as well as nurses' disability payments.

The collection comprises of 40 pieces from six series:

PMG 42 – Ministry of Pensions: Disability Retired Pay, Gratuities, etc
PMG 43 – Ministry of Pensions: Supplementary Allowances and Special Grants
PMG 44 – Ministry of Pensions: Pensions to Relatives of Deceased Officers
PMG 45 – Ministry of Pensions: Widows Pensions
PMG 46 – Ministry of Pensions: Children’s Allowances
PMG 47 – Ministry of Pensions: Relatives of Missing Officer

You can learn more about what's included in each series on the record set search page.

Alongside our new releases, be sure to explore our extensive collection of Women’s Royal Navy and Women’s Royal Air Force records to discover if your family tree is hiding a pioneer of girl power.

England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019

We’ve added a massive 9.3 million additional records to this useful resource which now dates as far back as 1858. This latest update brings the mammoth collection to just over 24 million records.

An official government index for England and Wales, the records include transcripts and images that provide facts on your relatives' deaths and what they left behind. You could find death and probate dates, next of kin details, the value of their effects and much more. Images of the indexes are only featured for entries up until 1996.

Newspapers

This week, we've released two brand new papers and made substantial updates to 12 existing ones. The brand new additions are;

Bradford Weekly Telegraph covering the years 1882-1896, 1898-1899, 1901-1910 and 1912-1917
Ballymoney Free Press and Northern Counties Advertiser covering the years 1870 and 1873-1934

Has your family's local paper grown? Below is a list of historical newspapers that have been supplemented and the years covered;

Burton Chronicle - 1898 and 1901-1906
Brecon County Times - 1871
Truth - 1885 and 1895
Freedom (London) - 1906-1927
Halifax Evening Courier - 1900 and 1910
Blyth News - 1874, 1894, 1905-1908, 1910, 1912-1930 and 1940-1950
Western Evening Herald - 1897
The Bioscope - 1908 and 1910
Brighouse News - 1897
Aberdeen Evening Express - 1972-1974
South Wales Gazette - 1896
Kent & Sussex Courier - 1966-1976 and 1978

Findmypast Fridays live

Have this week's records or newspapers unlocked a new family story for you? Tell us about your discoveries over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using the hashtag #WhereWillYourPastTakeYou?