Author Topic: Joining a family history group  (Read 4989 times)

Offline LizzieL

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Joining a family history group
« on: Saturday 18 November 17 12:47 GMT (UK) »
I have recently joined our local U3A (University of the Third Age) and am interested in joining the family history group that they run. I contacted the group leader and she said she would send me a form to be completed and returned before I join. I was expecting a form asking for my contact details and a short questionnaire with general questions about my research - how long, resources used / aware of, country / county of research etc. However when the form came today, it was an Ahnentafel wanting details (dob, place of birth, marriage date and place, death date and place (as applicable) of myself, my parents etc going back to my 2 x great grandparents.
Why would a family history group leader need all that information before I join? I am now a bit wary of giving all these details, even just year of events.
What does anyone think?
Berks / Oxon: Eltham, Annetts, Wiltshire (surname not county), Hawkins, Pembroke, Partridge
Dorset / Hants: Derham, Stride, Purkiss, Sibley
Yorkshire: Pottage, Carr, Blackburn, Depledge
Sussex: Goodyer, Christopher, Trevatt
Lanark: Scott (soldier went to Jersey CI)
Jersey: Fowler, Huelin, Scott

Offline PaulineJ

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 18 November 17 13:24 GMT (UK) »
I'd be asking why they want those details.
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Offline Ray T

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 18 November 17 13:33 GMT (UK) »
As a one time faceless bureaucrat, I was always taught never to ask for information that you didn't need.

Offline Billyblue

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 18 November 17 14:34 GMT (UK) »
As a one time faceless bureaucrat, I was always taught never to ask for information that you didn't need.
Yes, but these people are presumably all 'amateur' and 'volunteers' ???
Maybe they are wary of people wanting to join and expecting everything to be done for them.
As a long time library assistant in our local FHS, I can tell you that the stories are legend of the number of people who walk off the street (never mind about joining up!) and ask along the lines of "my people came from xx - what detail can you give me".  Sometimes without even giving a name!
Our research officer once received an enquiry "My grandparents lived in a white house on stilts in Brisbane. Can you please send me a photo of the house"
As this could have been half the houses in Brisbane at the time, it was some time before we could all stop rolling round the floor laughing, when said RO told us about it  ::) ::)  ::)  ::) ::)

I'd agree with Pauline.
But do join if you can - in our FHS we often do have some come in and start talking, only to find there's someone in the library who's related to the same family, so suddenly both parties have found a new cousin etc.   :)  :) :)

Dawn M
Denys (France); Rossier/Rousseau (Switzerland); Montgomery (Antrim, IRL & North Sydney NSW);  Finn (Co.Carlow, IRL & NSW); Wilson (Leicestershire & NSW); Blue (Sydney NSW); Fisher & Barrago & Harrington(all Tipperary, IRL)


Offline Ray T

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 18 November 17 16:38 GMT (UK) »
Amateurs have even less justification in asking for un-necessary information. If you are asked for something irrelevant, suspect a scam.

As I'm sure you know, people in the public sector are asked all sorts of stupid questions - I was once asked for information about a particular building an "aircraft hangar spotter" had seen whilst driving round the M60! There are ways of dealing with such people.

Offline frostyknight

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 18 November 17 21:12 GMT (UK) »
I would not give that much information just to join a group. Definitely excessive. Why do they want all that info? Also where is it stored, who would have access to it etc? I think it raises all sorts of data protection issues if nothing else. I don't know what country you are in, but are there privacy/data protection laws in place? If so, it would seem that they are in breach by asking those questions.

Offline Ayashi

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #6 on: Saturday 18 November 17 21:17 GMT (UK) »
I joined a group once, online, and was asked to be specific about where I lived. I refused and duly got immediately banned. Not sorry.

Offline suey

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #7 on: Saturday 18 November 17 21:25 GMT (UK) »
I would not give that much information just to join a group. Definitely excessive. Why do they want all that info? Also where is it stored, who would have access to it etc? I think it raises all sorts of data protection issues if nothing else. I don't know what country you are in, but are there privacy/data protection laws in place? If so, it would seem that they are in breach by asking those questions.

I agree, just imagine what someone could do with all that information, especially as some of your family are presumably still alive  :o 

Is there no other local family history group that you could join ?
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Sussex - Knapp. Nailard. Potten. Coleman. Pomfrey. Carter. Picknell
Greenwich/Woolwich. - Clowting. Davis. Kitts. Ferguson. Lowther. Carvalho. Pressman. Redknap. Argent.
Hertfordshire - Sturgeon. Bird. Rule. Claxton. Taylor. Braggins

Online coombs

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Re: Joining a family history group
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 18 November 17 21:32 GMT (UK) »
I would think that they are asking for too much info. I would just discard the form and try a FH group that does not ask for extra details that can be a touchy subject and personal.
Researching:

LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain