Millions of family history records move online

Millions of records detailing family history in Guernsey have been digitised and made available online.

The States said the project, which provides "unprecedented access to the Bailiwick's rich history", was a collaboration between local groups and the genealogy company Findmypast.

The collection features 210,000 pages of archive material from the Greffe records, parish church registers, conveyance documents and World War Two identity cards.

The originals will continue to be preserved at various archives on the island.

The project was led by the Bailiwick of Guernsey Digitisation Partnership, a steering group consisting of representatives from the Priaulx Library, Island Archives, the Deanery of Guernsey, La Société Guernesiaise and the Greffe, which is the island's official court office and registry.

It will include Greffe records, baptisms, marriages and burials records from parish church registers - some of which date back to the late 1500s - and identity cards from the German occupation of Guernsey during World War Two.

The project, which is only available to Findmypast subscribers, will also include registers from Alderney and Sark.

Steve Foote, chief executive of the Priaulx Library, said: "This project has been driven by a shared passion for preserving and sharing our history, and we want to thank all of those who have helped to make it possible."

Vikki Hart, island archivist, added that the digitisation was a "major achievement".

"By making these important documents available online, we are ensuring they remain accessible to researchers worldwide, while also preserving the originals for our future generations."

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