 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
RIGGSOLOGY:
A STUDY OF THE
RIGGS SURNAME |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
GEOFF RIGGS: THE "RIGGSOLOGIST"
 |
GENEALOGY CREDENTIALS |
 |
|
|
Chairman, webmaster and
former Secretary of the
|
Former Chairman, Vice-Chairman,
Director of Internet Facilities, and
webmaster of The Federation of
Family History Societies (FFHS)
Former Chairman and Managing
Director of FFHS (Publications) Ltd
 |
Regional Representative for Wales
and former Vice-Chairman of the
|
Member of the BRITISH GENEALOGICAL
RECORD USERS COMMITTEE
|
Member of THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
ONLINE USER ADVISORY PANEL
|
Member of the GWENT RECORD OFFICE
JOINT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
|
Founder Trustee, webmaster
and former Treasurer of
 |
 |
|
Liaison Officer, Trustee and former
Chairman and webmaster of the
|
Webmaster for the web-site:
|
LECTURER AND TUTOR:
Please see below for details of my talks and presentations.
I've given demonstrations on genealogy & the Internet at branch libraries,
and inaugurated monthly help desks run by Gwent FHS at local libraries.
For several years I led a genealogy class that I'd initiated at a local U3A
and gave help and advice one day a week at an LDS Family History Centre.
|
AUTHOR AND PUBLISHER:
I've written articles for Family Tree Magazine, Family History Monthly,
FFHS News and Digest, and the Journal of One-Name Studies; and
I've formatted and published indexes of the 1861 and 1871 censuses
for Monmouthshire on behalf of the Newport Branch of Gwent FHS.
|
... and I utilise what spare time remains
researching my RIGGS Surname Study
;~)
|
|
|
|
TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS |
|
|
|
|
As far as the media is concerned, I've lectured and given interviews on the BBC Radio Wales "Look
Up Your Genes" roadshow, appeared on the BBC Wales Today TV news programme and on the Channel 4 TV
program &Extraordinary Ancestors". I also acted as a guest host responding to queries on
the BBC web site's Message Boards which accompanied the first series of the TV programme "Who Do You
Think You Are".
I appeared on the BBC Parliament TV channel in 2005 when, as a representative of the Federation of
Family History Societies, I was invited to present oral evidence to the House of Commons Select
Committee on Regulatory Reform, at the Palace of Westminster. They were evaluating the proposed
legislative changes to modernise Civil Registration in England and Wales, some of which would have
placed unreasonable restrictions on family historians. Their Report stated that the points the
Federation put to them were well made and well-informed, and contributed to the reasons why they
refused to endorse the proposed legislation.
I've lectured at seminars and conferences of
the Society of Genealogists,
the Guild of One-Name Studies,
The Halsted Trust,
and the Federation of Family History Societies.
I also give talks and presentations to Family History Societies throughout England and Wales,
and to local history and other organisations in the South Wales area (I live near Chepstow in
Monmouthshire).
These take the form of PowerPoint presentations (using my own equipment, if necessary)
and include the following subjects - the titles chosen being those of UK TV programmes:
 |
|
THE GENERATION GAME
- All about Civil Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths (mainly in
Great Britain, but also elsewhere in the world). How to start tracing
your family through the generations (back to July 1837 in England and
Wales) and possible reasons why you haven't been able to do so. |
|
|
 |
|
NEIGHBOURS (being finalised)
- All about Censuses, Electoral Rolls and Directories ((mainly in Great
Britain, but also elsewhere). How to find where your ancestors were
living, who was living with them, and who their neighbours were; or,
alternatively, possible reasons why you haven't been able to find them. |
|
|
 |
|
AS TIME GOES BY (being finalised)
- All about Baptisms, Marriages and Burials (mainly in Great Britain, but
also elsewhere), How to use the Parish Register entries to help trace
your ancestors and continue backwards before July 1837, and possible
reasons why you haven't been able to find them. |
|
|
 |
|
THE VICAR OF DIBLEY
- The "Parish Chest" material and similar lesser known sources within
the records for a parish contain material that is often overlooked but
can be of great value. Includes examples of Poor Law documents,
parish accounts, tithe maps, quarter session records, tax returns, etc. |
|
|
 |
|
QUANTUM LEAP (sub-titled: TOMORROW'S WORLD)
- How to use the internet to make progress in your researches
(provided you use it with caution, and check the accuracy of the
information it gives you). I also show how I found out about each of
my six great uncles, without leaving the comfort of my own home. |
|
|
 |
|
THE WEAKEST LINK (sub-titled: THE CLANGERS)
- "But it's there in black and white!". The dangers of believing all you
see in print or on the internet, with numerous examples. The answer is
to treat everything you see (or are told) merely as an aid to help you
find the original source of the information wherever possible! |
|
|
 |
|
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION (sub-titled: DUE SOUTH)
- "Putting your ancestors on the map". How historic maps can help you
in your research by plotting where your ancestors lived, what land
they may have owned or rented, and possibly giving you clues as to
where they may have originated from. |
|
|
 |
|
PANORAMA
- "Your window on the world" was the original sub-title of this TV
programme. And that's what the world wide web is. How using the
internet, not for researching your family history but for everyday
purposes, can save you time and money and make life easier for you. |
|
|
 |
|
ALIAS SMITH AND JONES
- or "Thompson, Dickson and Harrison". How surnames evolved, and
their probable origins and meanings: where they came from, how
localised they may have been, and how they may be currently
distributed with a wealth of examples, mainly from Great Britain. |
|
|
 |
|
THE GOONS SHOW
- The "Guild Of One-Name Studies" is THE world-wide organisation for
those researching all persons with a particular surname. Describes
some of the many invaluable benefits it offers to its members, and how
they may be able to help other family historians' in their researches. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
THE APPRENTICE (Conrad Riggs was an Executive Producer !)
- "You're fired ... up!" mastering the craftsmanship of one-name
studies (researching all persons with a particular surname). How to
carry out a study, where to find info, how to record it, and how to
piece it together by linkages to reconstruct family groups. |
If you are interested in my giving a talk to any organisation, please contact me at
geoff@riggs.org.uk so that I can give you an estimate of my travelling costs, etc.
|
|
|
MY RIGGS LINEAGE FROM DORSET |
|
I am the seven times great grandson of
RICHARD RIGGS of CHESELBOURNE, Dorset
and his wife Alice, through the line of descent that is shown below.
He in turn was the probable son of EDWARD RIGGS of Cheselbourne
[who was the only RIGGS in the Dorset Protestation Returns 1641-42]
EDWARD RIGGS (????-1654)
d.Cheselbourne DOR
& his wife (????-1670)
?
RICHARD RIGGS Snr (<1645?-1687)
b.(?) & d.Cheselbourne DOR
& his wife Alice (<1647->1668)
|
RICHARD RIGGS Jnr (1665-1732)
b.& d.Cheselbourne DOR
& his wife Mary (<1676->1705)
|
JONAH RIGGS (1698-1747)
b.& d.Cheselbourne DOR
& his wife Mary (<1706-1747)
|
ROBERT RIGGS (1724-1795)
b.Cheselbourne DOR, d.Dewlish DOR
& his wife Catharine, nee Stuckey (<1734->1774)
m.1751 Puddletown DOR
|
JOSEPH RIGGS Snr (1762-1829)
b.& d.Dewlish DOR
& his wife Ann, nee Bagg (1774-1856)
m.1797 Dewlish DOR
|
JOSEPH RIGGS Jnr (1810-1862)
b.& d.Dewlish DOR
& his wife Mary Anne, nee Penny (1806-1881)
m.1834 Dewlish DOR
|
LEVI GEORGE RIGGS (1849-1925)
b.Dewlish DOR, d.Caio CMN
& his wife Annette Augusta, nee Adams (1852-1942)
m.1870 Clifton, Bristol GLS
|
ALFRED GEORGE RIGGS (1877-1957)
b.Easton-in-Gordano SOM, d.Merthyr Tydfil GLA
& his wife Lucretia, nee Evans (1874-1940)
m.1902 Cardiff GLA
|
GEORGE FRANCIS LEVI RIGGS (1902-1972)
b.Brynmawr MON, d.Newport MON
& his wife Esther Jane, nee Jones (1904-1999)
m.1930 Merthyr Tydfil GLA
|
GEOFFREY TUDOR RIGGS
(1940- )
b.Porth, Rhondda GLA
& my wife Lorraine, nee Edwards (1942-1993)
m.1963 Pengam MON
| | |
 |
| | |
|
| |
DEBORAH LOUISE
RIGGS
b.1969 Woking, SRY |
|
SUSAN VIDETTE
RIGGS
b.1971 Chertsey, SRY |
|
|
|
below
GENEALOGY CREDENTIALS
Use the "Hand Tool" to move around a Chart.
