| As so many people are interested in family
history, here are a few ideas and links to help you get started.
Some hints for beginners:
- Talk and listen to family members and friends.
- Remember that country borders as well as place and family names
can change; there can be numerous alternative spellings.
- Don't give up. You will go down wrong paths, come across brick walls
and dead ends - try to see this as part of the fun (or at least part
of the learning curve).
- Be prepared to pay for copies of certificates, photocopies of entries
or listings, etc
- Share your information. Your search may help someone else - and
vice versa.
- Make use of the internet to find others with a similar interest
or who are looking for family in the same part of the country.
The following is a very short list of some of the many web sites which
may help you find out more about your Polish family members.
WEB SITES IN ENGLISH
(OR WITH ENGLISH AS A LANGUAGE OPTION)
GENERAL:
o Cyndi's list - this is a list of links arranged by country.
Go to the alphabetical listing and click on P, then on Poland - there
is a lot of information but many of the links go to Polish-language
sites. http://www.cyndislist.com/
AUSTRALIA
o The National Library of Australia can assist with general reference
enquiries and can undertake single searches of the Australian Electoral
Rolls (19th century onwards) and the Warsaw telephone directories for
most of the years between 1931 and 1939. The reference staff can be
contacted via the Library's "Ask Us" service: http://www.nla.gov.au/infoserv/askus.html
o The National Archives of Australia has plenty of useful fact
sheets, holds naturalisation papers as well as migrant selection documents
and has some of its records available online through its RecordSearch:
http://www.naa.gov.au/
o New South Wales has births, deaths and marriages online: http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/search.htm
ENGLAND
o Births, deaths and marriages in England and Wales: http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/
o British Library: http://www.bl.uk/
o UK Archives (former Public Record Office and Historical Manuscripts
Commission): http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/
o Family Records Centre: http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/
o School of Slavonic and East European Studies (London University)
has a great deal of information as well as good links on its site: http://www.ssees.ac.uk
o The Family History Project is part of the History Channel.
It has good tips and suggestions: http://www.thefamilyhistoryproject.co.uk/
o Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum has exceptional archives
pertaining to Poles outside Poland during World War ll. At the moment
they can only be contacted by post:
Dr Andrzej Suchcitz,
The Polish Institute and Sikorski Museum,
20 Princes Gate, London SW7 1PT, England
o British Ministry of Defense and the RAF (This information was supplied by Mr Greg Lewicki)
Service records of Polish veterans of WWII (Polish Army In Exile) are held by the British Ministry of Defense and the RAF. These can be accessed only by the veteran themselves or their widow or next of kin (or with their permission). The Ministry will provide a form applying for a Certificate of Kinship. Contact is polishasstdisoff@northolt.raf.mod.uk and you will require a Death Certificate of the ex-serviceman (if applicable), Marriage Certificate (for widows), Birth Certificate (children of the ex serviceman if widow is deceased) and /or any other documents supporting proof of kinship. Once proof is established, records will be supplied for a fee of 30pounds (about $75).
The best way to obtain Birth/Death Certificates is in 2 steps.
1. Go to ancestry.co.uk and name search (free) for the relevant person. You will need to know the county in which they died, and make sure names are spelt fully and correctly. Print the results of the search which will include County, Register number and Entry number (vital info).
2. Go back to the ancestry page and go to the General Registry Office (GRO) home page (blue circular logo) and apply/purchase the Certificates. If you can't proceed past the order submit page, it means you haven't entered the register number and entry number from the previous search. Tip: if you don't know the exact date of death, leave it blank as long as you have selected "yes" to entering the register and entry numbers.
The certificates will cost 7pounds each and you can order and pay online. Once received, forward your Kinship form and Certificates by mail or fax to the RAF and they will send the service records!!
USA
o Polish Genealogical Society of America: http://www.pgsa.org/
o Immigration History Research Centre: http://www.ihrc.umn.edu/
o Federation of East European Family History Societies: http://feefhs.org/
POLAND
o Polish State Archives: http://www.archiwa.gov.pl
o The Archives of Polish Emigration held at Torun University
consist of material donated by Polish émigré organisations
and prominent individuals: http://www.bu.uni.torun.pl/Archiwum_Emigracji/
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