GSV@home

As a member of the Society, some aspects of your research can be done from home. Where possible, the GSV is making this easier by enabling resources and services to be accessed through the Internet or email.

GSV@Home – learn all about it – download the podcast

GSV Website

From our home page at www.gsv.org.au you can login as a member which takes you to the Members Area featuring:

GIN — GENEALOGICAL INDEX OF NAMES

This currently contains over 3.5 million entries with over 62,000 images or documents attached (mostly relating to Victoria). Records are added on a regular basis. It includes school registers, government gazettes, local histories, hospital records, cemetery records and much more. In some cases, links to sources and documents explaining the background of the source and abbreviations, etc are included.

LIBRARY CATALOGUE

The online Library catalogue describes over 120,000 books, CDs, DVDs, microfiche, microfilm, maps, articles and pamphlets held by the Society. Over two thousand major Internet resources are also catalogued with a link to the website.

The catalogue includes indexes to thousands of articles from local and overseas journals held by the Society. These articles range from personal family histories and local knowledge, updates on the availability of records to major articles by eminent genealogists and transcripts of records.

GUIDED RESEARCH

This currently covers the Australian states, British Isles and New Zealand. It is accessed though the Members Search Menu. Rather than using the catalogue — which often produces large quantities of results — we have selected the most useful records for beginning research in a new area, with emphasis on GSV and Internet resources. Further areas will be added over time.

VICFAMILIES

Members are encouraged to submit details of the Victorian families they are researching to the VicFamilies database. Currently there are over 43,000 entries. Data may be extracted from most modern genealogical programs, or by using Excel or Access software to create a *.csv file. Detailed instructions are available on the website.

SCOTTISH GAZETTEER

The gazetteer contains over 3,000 entries showing the parish and county with references for the 1841 and 1851 census microfilm reels held in our library. We also hold the 1861 census for Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

PODCASTS

For those unable to attend our varied Thursday talks, many talks are recorded and made available as podcasts for hearing/viewing on MP3 players or a computer. Some podcasts include handouts. They may be selected by choosing Podcasts on the Members Search Menu.

RSS FEEDS

RSS feeds alert you to new items of interest in the library. With RSS feeds you can ‘subscribe’ to areas of interest, then be notified when a new item for that place or topic arrives. We do offer a ‘New in the last week/month’ feature in the library catalogue, however, you have to remember to visit the site regularly and view all the new items. With RSS feeds you are automatically notified.

Research Services

eRESEARCH

Society members can submit a free eResearch query for a look-up and short answer on one topic or person. The query must be on an eResearch form available on the website. The reply and an attached scanned image, where practical, will be sent by email. Your next query may be submitted on receipt of an answer.

If a member does not use email, a postal request form, accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed DL envelope for return mail, may be submitted. When prints are required an estimate of costs will be given.

Members who reside more than 100km from Melbourne may also have up to two hours free extended research per year on a topic which includes a few copies. You will be invoiced for extra copying and postal charges if required.

EXTENDED RESEARCH

Extended Research is also available for members at $25.00 per hour and for non members at $40.00 per hour. This includes some copying and postal charges. An estimate of costs can be provided. An application for Extended Research may be made by post, email or personal appointment. Please provide membership number, telephone number, postal and email address.
Payment for Extended Research must be in advance by cash, cheque or credit card (Master Card, Visa). Credit cards, PayPal and bank deposit are available through the online shop on our website.

TRANSCRIPTION AND TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENTS

17th and 18th century documents (e.g. wills, deeds) can be transcribed. Latin translations are also available. The cost for members is $25.00 per hour and for non members $40.00 per hour.

VICTORIAN PROBATE PAPERS 1841–2002 AND VICTORIAN INQUEST PAPERS 1840–1985

We will obtain digital copies of these papers from Public Record Office Victoria (PROV) for members at $30.00 and for non members $43.00. Printing and postal charges are extra.

CONSULTATIONS

An appointment can be made for one hour with a research consultant. The cost for members is $25.00 per hour and for non members $40.00 per hour.

GSV Mailing List

This is for the discussion and sharing of information about the Society, such as new products available for sale, education programs, seminars; for the Society to communicate with members or other interested people; for you to communicate with the GSV about issues of interest and relevance and for members (and non members) to share information and research needs.

Publications

Ancestor, the quarterly journal of the GSV, can be browsed in the members area of our website. Editions from March 2008 are available.
This month at the GSV is a monthly calendar that is available from reception. Also available is a monthly eMag that is emailed. If you would like to receive this send a request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Bookshop Bulletin is sent as a weekly email and is available on request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Online Shop

The online shop link takes you to our secure site where you can purchase books, CDs, computer programs. You can also pay for: membership, research, seminar fees and a full range of our services. Members receive a discount on books and CDs when signed in to their account.

A complete range of products and services are available.

Social Networking

Follow us on our Blog, Facebook and Twitter.
 

Documents Online

Documents Online now available to library users ...

The Genealogical Society of Victoria's latest major acquisition is free downloads from The National Archives (UK) Documents online service. Documents Online allows you online access to The National Archives (UK) collection of digitised public records, including both academic and family history sources.

Normally most of these records cost £3.50 per document, however, the Genealogical Society of Victoria now has available to members (and others for a day member fee) this great resource. Normal costs for printouts apply, but you can download to your USB drive/memory stick, etc.

This complements the free access (within the Genealogical Society of Victoria) to other online resources such as Ancestry, Findmypast , the Origins network and Burke's Peerage and Gentry Online.

The National Archives is the UK government's official archive, containing over 1,000 years of history. They give detailed guidance to government departments and the public sector on information management and advise others about the care of historical archives. There are over 270 million records available online Including the following of interest to family historians on Documents Online:

WW1 Campaign Medals

WW2 Seamen's Medals

Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills 1300-1858

Death Duty Registers: country court' registers between 1796 and 1811

Victorian Prisoners Photograph Albums

Registers of Seamen's Services

Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)

French Muster Rolls

Royal Naval Division

Victoria Cross Registers

Recommendations for Honours and Awards (Army)

Poor Law Union Correspondence

Aliens Registration Cards

Domesday Book

Combat Reports, Second World War

WW1 Airwomen's Records

Royal Naval seamen's Wills 1786 and 1882

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve: Records of Service, WW1

WW1 Women's Royal Naval Service

RN Officer's Service Records

War Diaries

Royal Marines Register of Service

Registry of Shipping and Seamen, Movement Cards

Royal Hospital Chelsea

Early Irish Maps from State Papers c1558 - c1610

RAF officers' service records 1918 - 1919

Guest Area

As a service to those who are not yet members of the society we have a range of resources available to assist with your research.

The Free Trial Name Search is a limited version of our Genealogical Index of Names (GIN), further details can be obtained from our Research Services.

Members receive our quarterly journal Ancestor, use of the library, discounts on many items and additional online features including:

• • Full catalogue entries.
  • Genealogical Index of Names (GIN), contains nearly 4 million entries to references in our library and elsewhere, is available for members only. GIN comprises the LINX indexes held in our library, some with images. However, not all entries are included for copyright or commercial reasons. Data is added regularly. Members may use our free eResearch services in many cases to obtain further details of entries.
  • Use our RSS link on the Members Menu to be advised when new material is added.
  • Guided research may be used to filter the many records in the library catalogue and present the user with only the major records on particular places and topics with some background information and tips for beginners. This is the best starting point for newcomers to genealogy or a region.
  • 'New in the last week', and 'New in the last month' will enable members to keep right up to date with library acquisitions. Or use the RSS link to target new specific information.

Visiting the Library

• • In addition to the books, microforms etc library users have access to subscription services such as Ancestry, FindMyPast, British Origins and Burke's Peerage Online

  • Additional databases not included in the Genealogical Index of Names (GIN)

  • Extensive range of searchable Australian digital resources eg, directories and gazettes

  • Assistance and guidance in using our records

Check the catalogue for full details

British Origins Network

British origins network is now available to library users. British Origins offers access to English genealogy collections online,

including unique English ancestor records and maps of England and Wales, featuring England and Wales Gazetteer maps, Boyd's marriage records, burial records, court depositions, 1871 Census, apprenticeship records, wills plus the 1841 England and Wales Census.

Also available is Burke's Peerage

Research Guides

Some Research Guides are provided to assist researchers to find the most useful records in the GSV when they are beginning a particular topic. The first Research Guide is on passenger records. There will be many other records in the library to pursue such as ship's diaries, information on particular ships etc which can be found in the library catalogue.

Getting Started

Research Process - England

Research Process - Ireland

Research Process - Scotland

Passenger records at the GSV

Researching Australian military personnel