Learning Welsh/Family History > Could > someone recommend a source to help get me started? I am planning a trip to > Wales this summer and would love to have a little understanding before > leaving here. See post summarising available resources from briony. It may now be possible to get the 'Teach Yourself Welsh' 1991 edition in the U.S. - personally I find it a lot better than the 'Living Welsh' version. If you can't get the new one, I'm sure some kind UK based soul on the list could arrange for a copy to be purchased here and posted to the US - or you could even try one of the bookshops directly. (I usually use either Siop y Pethe in Aberystwyth or Oriel in Cardiff - addresses in briony's message - note an error in the address for Siop y Pethe: the town 'Aberystwyth' should come before Ceredigion!) Better/alternative/additional option: does your trip to Wales allow sufficient time to attend a residential course for a week, say. There are a lot available these days, (some are mentioned by briony) - I have been several times to another one at Coleg Harlech, an excellent course in a lovely place. This year it should be from Sat 24th - Sat 31st July (the week before the Eisteddfod). Price is about 200 uk pounds for full board and tuition. I have met a number of Americans there. Details from Y Cofrestrydd (The Registrar) Coleg Harlech Harlech Gwynedd LL44 2PU Tel +44-766-780363 > I haven't had the chance to review the list members but if there are any > from Wales I have another special request for them. I've tracked my family > back to Owen Owen who married Emma Pritchard in Caenarvon in December of > 1840. Are there any genealogical socities in Wales that might be able to > assist me in tracing the line further back? > > I'd appreciate any help. Thanks. > > Tim Owen You may find it interesting getting back before 1840, as that was when the civil registration began. Have you used the Mormon IGI at all, which might help. The biggest problem will come when you discover that perhaps Owen Owen's father was called Owen Thomas, and his father was Thomas David....the Welsh patronymic system can be a bit of a pain! However, try Gwynedd Family History Society, c/o Mrs J Hinde Cwm Arian Penysarn Fawr Penysarn Sir Fo+n Cymru Also, a new book has just been published. 'Welsh Family History - A Guide to Research' ed. J Rowlands and Others, pub. by Association of Family History Societies of Wales, ISBN 0 9520727 0 X. (Distribution by the Federation of Family History Societies, The Benson Room, Birmingham & Midland Institute, Margaret St, Birmingham, B3 3BS). Price 9.95 ukp. Quote from the cover..... "Researching Welsh history can be fraught with difficulties for those who are unaware of, or unfamiliar with, the very different (from England) social, cultural, religious and linguistic circumstances which have prevailed in Wales...." "This is not a 'how to do it' book. The principles of genealogical method...apply as fully in Wales as in other contexts. These aspects have been written about at length elsewhere and are not repeated here. Instead this book is a compilation of contributions by a wide range of authors. Some of the contributions are by authors with direct experience of researching Welsh ancestry; others have been written by authors with a detailed knowledge of the historicalk background to Wales." Nigel Callaghan (ncallaghan@cix.compulink.co.uk) or: Nigel ap Gwenffrewi ferch Taliesin ap Daniel ap Thomas Mordecai of Llantrisant - which is as far back as I've got!)