Author Topic: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???  (Read 18755 times)

Offline Snurple

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Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« on: Wednesday 05 May 10 11:28 BST (UK) »
Hi everybody

I'm just about to invest in a 12 month subscription to either Ancestry or Find my Past but I can't quite decide which one would be best.

I'm an ex-Ancestry subscriber and was always really happy with the amount of relevant to my tree info on there. Find my Past is new to me and not sure how the two compare. For the record, the biggest majority of my family tree is here in Yorkshire, in the UK.

What are your experiences? Any tips on which one would be the best?

Thanks in advance
Jo

Offline LizzieW

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 11:59 BST (UK) »
There are other threads on this topic, and I think the consensus is, they both have different things to offer.  I subscribe to both as quite a few people do.   ;D

Lizzie

Offline Snurple

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 12:13 BST (UK) »
Thanks for your reply, Lizzie. Much appreciated.

I did try searching for previous threads but couldn't really find much; and unfortunately, a subscription to both would be way out my price range.

Jo :)

Offline Plummiegirl

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 12:50 BST (UK) »
My suggestion would be to subsribe to Ancestry, but try to find the extra money for a 6 month sub to Findmypast. 

Ask for this as a birthday/early christmas pressie from family.  This would be better than bubble bath etc.  :D

I like many of us on here have access to both (costly but worthwhile)

I consider that Ancestry has more records.  Findmypast comes up with better search results & I prefer the printout of census pages.  On Ancestry the original images are often clearer.  Also if I cannot find someone on one site they are usually on the other.   

On Ancestry you can add "comments" but no amendments will be made
On Findmypast if you can show via the original that a transcription error has occured then that entry will be amended to correct entry.  This is usually odd spellings of fairly ordinary surnames  ie I have just come across Harrison as Hairson!


Fleming (Bristol) Fowler/Brain (Battersea/Bristol)    Simpson (Fulham/Clapham)  Harrison (W.London, Fulham, Clapham)  Earl & Butler  (Dublin,New Ross: Ireland)  Humphrey (All over mainly London) Hill (Reigate, Bletchingly, Redhill: Surrey)
Sell (Herts/Essex/W. London)


Offline lookingforold

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 13:00 BST (UK) »
Remember on FindMyPast you can see the C1911 with a subscription, cheaper than seperate visits to the C1911 site.
Snell Brentford cira 1910: Canada cira 1924

Snell; Southampton 1920

Payne: Old Itchen Ferry Village, Woolston, Southampton Cira 1800 to 1930

Price: HMS Collosus & Victory cira 1900

Ernest Cooper; Cornwall, b about 1880 to 1900; Cornwall

This information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk"

Offline mshrmh

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 13:54 BST (UK) »
Just to add that FindMyPast have been advertising 20% off subs in the Times - may just be annual subs, I haven't read the details. They are offering a 14 day free trial at the moment, so you could use that to see how you find the site.

Offline tillypeg

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 14:29 BST (UK) »
When Find My Past offered discounted subs for the 1911 earlier this year, together with access to all their other info, I decided to take up their offer.  I already had a sub to Ancestry (which runs out in a couple of months time) and had decided not to renew that when renewal came around as my local library has the Library version of Ancestry.com.  Library members are allowed half an hour free computer use per day, so I will just go there for things that are not available on FindMyPast, eg the London Metropolitan Archives data, which I have used a lot lately.  Perhaps a library near you would offer the same, though if it's not very handy/close by, that's no good!

There is an earlier thread about comparisons, started on 8th March -  Census & Resource Discussion:- "Objective advice on search sites please" which might help.

Offline Siamese Girl

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #7 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 17:52 BST (UK) »
I have both at the moment but may give up FindMyPast as I've mainly been using that for the NBI. It seems sensible for me to buy the new updated NBI on CD and just use that. Ancestry is useful for the London Parish records for me but really does all depend on your area of research.

Carole
CHILD Glos/London, BONUS London, DIMSDALE London, HODD and TUTT Sussex,  BONNER and PATTEN Essex, BOWLER and HOLLIER Oxfordshire, HUGH Lincolnshire, LEEDOM all.

Offline Snurple

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Re: Subscription...Ancestry or Find my Past???
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 05 May 10 21:07 BST (UK) »
Thank you for all your input.

I've been in contact with FindMyPast this afternoon as it appears that they do not have anything at all for Leeds in their parish register records and can give no estimate of when they expect to upload anything related to that area. As this is my main area of research, and after carefully considering what everybody has to say, I think it's Ancestry for me. For the next 12 months anyway and then perhaps the situation may well be different. I can purchase some PAYG credits for the 1911 and this still works within my budget. Moreso because Ancestry are offering monthly payment terms rather than one annual lump sum.

Thanks again everybody.

Best wishes
Jo