Quickest result from an enquiry

[Tickettyboo]

In the course of my research I send lots of emails to various organisations/ archives/cemeteries etc etc.

I never actually expect an answer, but work on the theory that, as per my beloved Granda's advice,  Shy Bairns get Nowt - i.e. if you don't ask you 'definitely' will never know.

Sometimes I don't get an answer, that's fine, I understand that the people concerned have other duties and may not have the time to help.

Sometimes I get answers months later, I am appreciative that those concerned have taken the time and effort to reply.

Sometimes I am very impressed, as I get answers within the hour/day/week of my enquiry.

I always mail back and thank them for their help.

The other day, I hit a new record for speed of response to an enquiry.

I had emailed a cemetery in Delaware asking if they could tell me 'where' in their cemetery a twiglet had been buried in 1912.

2 minutes later I got  reply giving me the section and plot number.

I was utterly amazed, and very grateful for the info :-)

The kindness of strangers never ceases to delight me :-)

Boo

[Mart 'n' Al]

A twiglet...?

Martin

[Tickettyboo]

A twiglet...?

Martin

Appears on my tree but not in the direct line - not a branch, not far enough out of the line to be a leaf, so its a twiglet.

though admittedly its not the serious, proper, genealogical term , but I have never been accused of being either serious or proper :-)


Boo

[Pennines]

Boo -- I think it's a great term! And well done on getting such a speedy reply. No wonder you were impressed.

My 'biggest' response to an enquiry was from Dublin Military Archives. I was researching my deceased mother in law's family for my Irish husband. I had obtained a death certificate for her father (who no-one in the family knew anything about - she never spoke of him).

The death cert revealed he was a Soldier in the Irish Free State Army. I wrote to Dublin Military Archives to see if they held any records -- to my amazement, after sending proof of his descendants, I received 43 pages of his Military Record. This was completely free.

I did ask if I could at least make a donation to their organisation, as I could not believe the trouble they had gone to --- but received a reply saying they had no facilities for donations!

I did reply suggesting that something was put in place to receive donations - as I so wanted to acknowledge, in a meaningful way, other than words, just how efficient and generous they has been. 43 pages -- free!

[Mart 'n' Al]

Ah, thank you for the explanation. I was remembering the episode of Mr Bean when he snapped a twig off the tree outside his window and dipped it in Marmite.

Martin

[Tickettyboo]

The death cert revealed he was a Soldier in the Irish Free State Army. I wrote to Dublin Military Archives to see if they held any records -- to my amazement, after sending proof of his descendants, I received 43 pages of his Military Record. This was completely free.

Great result and, as I said, its down to the kindness of strangers. I love it :-)

Boo

[Tickettyboo]

Ah, thank you for the explanation. I was remembering the episode of Mr Bean when he snapped a twig off the tree outside his window and dipped it in Marmite.

Martin

That's a telly thing , isn't it?
I'm afraid I don't do telly, not even sure which buttons to press to make the picture appear.
Though, to be fair, I think ours is broken as the only thing it seems to have on it is sport as t'other half knows the secret of the buttons (and it always has dust on it, I am too busy looking for burials and baptisms and stuff to do dusting)

Boo

[goldie61]

I think my quickest result was from the Prudential Insurance company.
After spending weeks and weeks, (not to say months), for a reply from National Records of Scotland, and certainly several weeks from The National Archives, I was not hopeful for a reply from 'The Prudential Archivist' - yes, they actually have dedicated archives department!
I know my father had worked for them many many many years ago.
Within a couple of days of sending off an enquiry, I got a reply - which included scans of his actual  work records. Comments like "Smart, alert, and should do well", and "decent type" written about him at various interviews. Brought tears to my eyes! 
And again, they didn't want any payment or contribution.

It is so nice to come across that sort of thing.
It restores your faith in people a little. 

[dowdstree]

The quickest reply I have had was from Dundee City Archives, Burials Department when I was enquiring about the grave location of my great aunt. Sent an email in the morning and I had a reply first thing the next morning. I sent the lady an immediate thank you and asked about a baby who had only lived for 17 hours and I had no idea of where she was buried. Within a couple of hours she replied giving me the information I needed.


Dorrie