The REED Project

One of the more unusual papers at the forthcomming OGS conference is Patrons and Performances: Finding Connections to the Arts in Early Modern England and Wales to be presented by John A. Geck. It's the kind of presentation I look for as an option when I get tired of the usual genealogical fare. Face it, how many time do you want to hear, and pay to hear, admonitions to "Cite Your Sources"!

The presentation is about the Records of Early English Drama (REED) project. and its free online database about patrons of the arts, their roles in society, and their genealogy. Most of the information is very early for most researchers, from the 12th to the 17th century in England and Wales. There's a keyword search that allows you look for parishes and manors, etc., as well as names. The names are for the patrons and other social elites; you're more likely to find information for a town of interest to you than an individual.

The site is: http://link.library.utoronto.ca/reed/index.cfm

For information about other presentations at the OGS conference 2010 see: http://torontofamilyhistory.org/2010/

Thanks to Jane MacNamara for the tip.