FreeBMD

FreeBMD is a UK-based charitable organisation initially founded in 1998, and established as charity in 2003 to create a free to use transcription of the indexes to Births, Marriages and Deaths for England and Wales from 1837 to date.

History

FreeBMD was founded in 1998 by Ben Laurie, Graham Hart and Camilla Von Massenbach, with the intention of creating a searchable version of the GRO indexes of England and Wales. The three founders were joined in 1999 by Dave Mayall, and the project became a registered charity in 2003 [cite web|url=http://www.freebmd.org.uk/trust.html|title=FreeBMD Trust Deed|accessdate=2008-05-05]

In 2005, FreeBMD absorbed the formerly separate, but closely allied, projects FreeCEN and FreeREG, bringing all three projects under a single trustee body, whilst retaining autonomous day to day management.

As of May 2008, FreeBMD has transcribed around 150 million records, which represents the overwhelming majority of Births, Marriages and Deaths registered from 1837 to 1920.

Activities

FreeBMD is engaged in an ongoing project to transcribe the General Register Office of England and Wales indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths.

In recent times, it has also expanded into census and Parish Register transcriptions (under the names FreeCEN and FreeREG respectively)

Publications

The organisation publishes material only via its websites, which contain free searchable databases of all transcriptions to date.

Membership

The organisations facilities are available to all without the need to become a member. Those who transcribe data for the project sign-up for membership on-line, in order to allow access to the relevant facilities.

Awards

In 2007, FreeBMD was awarded the Prince Michael of Kent Award by the Society of Genealogists. cite web|title=Society of Genealogists makes prestige award to FreeBMD|author=Society of Genealogists|url=http://www.sog.org.uk/files/pr-20070628_award.pdf]

External links

* [http://www.freebmd.org.uk/ FreeBMD]

References