Familia is not only intrinsically tied to the history and development of the GSSA, but also its flagship product since 1964. In addition to this quarterly journal there are also various other periodic branch publications,, typically associated with and published by the different branches. Many family registers are shared with GSSA, these are free to download and for use in your personal research.
The GSSA library collection of genealogical books and publications, as well as access to some virtual resources are available and housed within the library of the Heritage Foundation at the Voortrekker Monument, in Pretoria. The eGGSA’s virtual library houses several collections of photographs, as well as other information, drawn from original sources.
The information available through the GSSA is diverse in nature, some of it for free and some of it available through one of the digital shops.
Information that is freely available through the eGGSA libraries include:
-
The Image library collections, including Family Bible inscriptions; Gravestones; Postcards; and In Memoriam;
-
The Transcription library collections, including: Lists of Freeburgers; Cape VOC Muster Rolls; The Hague Freeburger lists; Amsterdam Classis 1655 to 1707; Church & Burial Registers; Cape Town NGK 1653 to 1712; Stellenbosch NGK 1688 to 1794; Church and Burial Registers; Cambridge Crematorium, East London; Passenger Lists; Newspaper Extracts; 1820 Settler Correspondence; and South African Progenitors.
The two digital shops known as the OnlineShop and the WebShop.
-
Through the OnlineShop various collections are digitally available, such as GSSA Collection Familia, SAF/SAG registers, Voters' Roll 1984 and Gravestone Index (2021 Edition); Omnibus editions combining various families into one product; collections related to areas, groups and families (surnames); as well as published books.
-
Through the WebShop individual records can be selected and purchased, instead of the entire collection. Three collections of records are currently accessible in this way, namely the 1984 Voters' Roll, Cemetery Transcripts and the eSAGI database.
Archives contain primary and credible records that are of inestimable value to the genealogical researcher.
-
In order to introduce members to archives; help them to understand how to unlock this wealth of records; mine the information to its full potential, as well as develop and polish their research competencies, Archive Tours, or Archive Crawls, as they became known, are organised during the year.
-
Another very useful service is to be able to order copies documents from the archives through the eGGSA website. In this way the GSSA facilitates researchers' requirement to obtain copies of documents from the South African Archives repositories at Pietermaritzburg (NAB) for Natal, Durban (TBD), Bloemfontein (VAB) for the Orange Free State and Pretoria (TAB) for the Transvaal. Some previously collected images of archived documents are available to search.
Genealogy related products and services on offer.