What interesting things can be found at Woodhorn?

[MaryThorn]

As it's half term and I'm only 20 minutes from there I thought I could combine a trip to Woodhorn with the family records section too.

Have managed to find out quite a bit about mine and husbands family on line (thanks to some unusual known names and tradition if following those names down the line), but am still drawing a line in a few places.  Namely my great grandads family, too common a name to confirm on census.  I thought that by checking the marriage certificate of my g grandad and grandmother their parents might be listed.

Also trying to find out some information on my husbands family, his Great great grandad came from Isle of White but worked for the coastguard on the northumberland coast. Will this information be stored at Woodhorn?

Anyone any other suggestions for what I should look at when there and what sort of price it will cost?

Many thanks.

[Tickettyboo]

Coastguard records seem to be held at the N.A.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/coastguard.htm

A marriage certificate or an entry in a parish register, for England & Wales, will only tell you the fathers' names and occupations, they won't mention the mother.

Can't advise re: Woodhorn as I have never visited, but this page from their website will give you an overview of what they hold that could be useful
http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/family-history/

If you give us some details (names and dates etc) for the people you are trying to find) people will see what they can come up with from census returns, bmd, parish registers, newspapers etc which may help you find the right records when you go to the archives.

Boo

[c-side]

You won't find a marriage certificate at Woodhorn - they are only obtainable from a Registrar's Office but if they were married in a C. of E. church in Northumberland then the record held will be an exact copy.  You would need to know the church though.

My advice would be to go and see what there is - way too much to list here.  Take some research with you but be prepared to have your first visit more of a fact finding one.

You will need to take some ID with you and register at reception (in the main foyer) before you go up to the search room.

Christine

[hatofthecat]

Do they have Wifi yet at Woodhorn ?  Was a bit of a pain in the proverbial to find they didn't when I was there the other year 

[Tickettyboo]

I've found, in other places - not been to Woodhorn, that as long as I can a 3G signal on my phone I can tether that connection to use a laptop (I'm useless at using the phone on the web for family history stuff, screen and keyboard nowhere near big enough for these aged fingers !)

That, or a mifi / dongle, could be a workaround anyway if you can't get wifi -always assuming you can get the signal :-)

Boo

[hatofthecat]

"3G signal on my phone" ...that was missing in action too Tickettyboo, had to walk a long way down the corridors down to the museum bit of the building to get any decent moby signal so my usual tether/mifi options went out the window too (Vodafone and "3" networks).

[Tickettyboo]

oh dear :-(

Sounds like the only option is to resort to pencil and paper :-) or do they have pcs on site that you could use to access what you need?

Boo

[c-side]

They certainly have PCs but I don't know about wifi.  Is there nothing on their website?  If not I'll ask next week.

Christine