Anthony J. Camp Explained

Anthony J. Camp
Awards:	Freedom of the City of London (1984) MBE (1999)
Website:	anthonyjcamp.com

Anthony John Camp (born November 1937) is a British genealogist and former director of the Society of Genealogists.^[1]

Early life and education

Camp was born at Walkern, near Stevenage, Hertfordshire. His father was an agricultural carpenter and builder, particularly of corn-drying silos for farmers, and his mother worked at Walkern Hall; the family lived at the estate lodge, where Camp remained until his mother's death in 1973, at which time he moved to London.^[2]

Camp was educated at Alleyne's Grammar School in Stevenage, and at University College London, where he took a BA with honours in Ancient and Medieval History.^[3]

Career

Camp has described genealogy as "a very exact science that makes a clear distinction between the facts that have been proved and those that have not", claiming that the distinction between the two can be confirmed by "one's expertise and knowledge of sources".

Having started work at the Society of Genealogists under Sir Anthony Wagner as a research assistant in 1957, Camp became Director of Research there in 1962, and Director (and Company Secretary) of the Society in 1979. He oversaw the first weekend course in genealogy in 1965, and played a major role in development of regular publishing and a bookshop at the Society.

Camp has written numerous books on genealogy, the first being Tracing Your Ancestors (1964). His "Diary of a Genealogist" appeared in Family Tree Magazine from 1984 to 1998. He has lectured in Britain as well as overseas, including in the United States and Australia. Camp played a leading part in the foundation of the Association of Genealogists and Record Agents in 1968, serving as vice-president from 1980 to 2011, and elected a Fellow in 2011. For many years he served as External Assessor for the University of London's courses in Genealogy and the History of the Family organised at Birkbeck College.

Camp was given the Freedom of the City of London in 1984, and was appointed MBE in 1999.^{[4] [5]}

Selected publications

• Tracing Your Ancestors (Foyle's Handbook, 1964, 1966, 1970) .
• My Ancestors Moved (in England or Wales): how can I trace where he came from? (Society of Genealogists, London, 1994) . Previously published as My Ancestor was a Migrant (in England or Wales): How can I trace where he came from (Society of Genealogists, 1987).
• My Ancestors Came with the Conqueror: Those Who Did and Some of Those Who Probably Did Not Society of Genealogists, 1988, 1990) and (Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1990) .
• Wills and their whereabouts: being a thorough revision and extension of the previous work of the same name by B. G. Bouwens (Phillimore & Co Ltd, Canterbury, for Society of Genealogists, 1963). 4th edition Revised and extended, Anthony J. Camp, London 1974, .
• Everyone has Roots: an introduction to genealogy (W. H. Allen, London, and Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1978) .
• Roses in December: some thoughts on tangled roots and recording our memories: an after-dinner talk to the Cambridge University Heraldic and Genealogical Society 24 February 1983 based on another to the Birmingham and Midland Society for Genealogy and Heraldry 18 June 1982 (Anthony Camp, London, 1983) .
• First Steps in Family History (Society of Genealogists, London, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998) .
• Sources for Irish Genealogy in the Library of the Society of Genealogists (Society of Genealogists, London, 1990, 1998) .
• An Index to the Wills Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1750-1800 (6 volumes, Society of Genealogists, London, 1976–1992): vol. 1 (A-Bh, 1976) ; vol. 2, Bi-Ce, 1977) ; vol. 3 (Ch-G, 1984) ; vol. 4 (H-M, 1988) ; vol. 5 (N-Sh, 1991) ; vol. 6 (Si-Z, 1992) .
• Royal Mistresses and Bastards, Fact and Fiction, 1714-1937 (Anthony Camp, London, 2007) .
• On the City's edge: a history of Fann Street, London (Anthony Camp, London, 2016) .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Camp . Anthony J. . Anthony J. Camp . Anthony J. Camp - MY BIOGRAPHY . dmy-all . n.d. . 2021-09-30 . Anthony J. Camp.
2. Web site: Anthony J. Camp - Diary of a Genealogist, 1820-2010 The background, foundation and development of the Society of Genealogists and genealogy in London. Anthonyjcamp.com. 24 October 2020.
3. Web site: 2010 'Best Guesses'. Camp. Anthony. 2010. Diary of a Genealogist.
4. Web site: Anthony J. Camp - MY BIOGRAPHY. Anthonyjcamp.com. 1 December 2017.
5. Genealogical Standards of Evidence: A Guide for Family Historians, Brenda D. Merriman, Dundurn Press, Toronto, 2010, p. 16