RootsChat.Com
Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Mogsmum on Saturday 16 September 06 11:22 BST (UK)
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I've not been using this Board very long, but I have found a wealth of information and people incredibly generous with their time and willingness to share information.
I have read some (admittedly not all) of the Beginners topics and even though I've been researching for about 8 years, I'm still finding out things I previously didn't know.
What has become apparent (perhaps not here so much as with other similar boards) is that with a new series of 'Who Do You Think You Are?', more and more people are taking up their research and are experiencing more difficulty than they imagined.
Of course, there is no way of knowing how many 'celebs' the BBC might have begun researching only to hit the brick wall we all know is going to be there.
But I just wondered whether it would be helpful to newcomers, to have a 'sticky' on the beginners page which points out that it isn't all 'plain sailing'? That we mere mortals do not have a team of researchers working behind the scenes on our behalf, that we do not have the luxury of a 'tame' Archivist standing by with the very Parish, Company or Workhouse record we might want and that the PRO is seldom as deserted as when Robert Lindsay visited?
I know the 'Mods' here do an excellent job and I'm happy to put my hands up if someone says 'we already do say this' - and admit that I clearly haven't found that bit yet. And, of course there is also the very valid point that people are naturally enthusiastic to find out what they can and so jump in without necessarily reading the Beginners pages.
But, maybe something along the lines of 'Research can take years' or 'It may be harder than you think' would help complete newcomers to understand that it is the digging around in dusty corners to eventually unearth someone which turns us (well me anyway) into a sad fanatic!
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Good point, well made Mogsmum!
I will sticky it for you! ;D
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Well ... it was just a suggestion.
Thanks for that. Post-It Note at the ready then! :)
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Hi
Here, here well said.
I have been researching my tree for 34 years, and i am still learning new things and find this web site a god send.
So thank you all Roots chat.
I have traveled many wrong twists and turns in my time and would i am sure have many more Grey hair's if not for the friendship and help from here.
William James
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Well said all of you,may it be so 'til I pop's me clog's,lot's of work to do yet!
Goggy. ;) ;D
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I took over researching my mothers side of her family from my late grandmother. I took over researching my Dad's side from my other late grandmother. I am sure both would be Rootschatters today.
Just about every time I log onto to this site (Rootschat) I read about a new research tool, read about a new site to research, learn or re learn history and the like.
I am very appreciative of the people that "MOD" the boards and all that respond to my postings. Hopefully my "wee" bit of knowledge helps others.
yn9man
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I've been researching my family for thirty years - and have just discovered an uncle that no one told me about! A "non-person". I know they did that sort of thing in Stalin's Russia, but this is ridiculous.
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Research may not always be easy but never give up searching. There's loads of information to be found. You may come across useful items in auction houses or in skips waiting to be taken to landfill sites. I came across a few pages on the website of the Friend's School, Lisburn, Co. Antrim yesterday. FSL History Department were given a rusty old tin box in the mid 1990s that had been retrieved from a skip. It contained photographs and letters sent home from the first World War. (see Ireland Antrim Resources 1914-1919. Lisburn's Dead - Link). Some archives have cardboard boxes full of uncatalogued and unindexed records ... well at least that's the case with several thousand wills made by Irish soldiers prior to heading to France to fight in WWI. I'm quite certain Ireland's not the only place where such a situation exists.
Christopher
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Hi
Newbie to board and hold my hands up, i jumped in asking questions before i checked out the beginners section. So apologies for any unnecessary questions i may have asked that i will find answers to in this section.
First visit to day and been off\on all day. Such a brilliant site and such helpful people.Thanks to all who have helped so far and may help in the future. Hopefully as i go along i may be able to help others.
Off to read and learn now!
Thanks everyone.
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Welcome mytree
and don't worry about any unnecessary questions, you have an excuse, your first day, some of us don't have that excuse any more just senior moments and forgetfulness ;D ;D ;D ;D
Enjoy Rootschat :)
Kerry
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Hi,
Just joined this site having just started to look into my husband’s origins and mine.
I have managed with lots of luck to have gone back to the early 1800's on some links in just under 2 weeks, but this is where the fun begins!
What were our ancestors playing at, no helpful census data before 1841 and how inconsiderate to be born illegitimate!! ;D
It seems to me that even with census information it is often a best guess to start with before finding other clues.
I have a feeling that this is going to be a hard slog and I need to get organised.
I think that I need to read the beginners board for helpful hints!!
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Welcome Midlandslass! :)
If your hubby's folk are from the Midlands you have access to some great free BMD resources there.
If there is anything we can do to help, please give a shout!
kind regards, Arranroots ;)
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Hi MidlandsLass ... welcome to a wonderful site ! There are people sitting all day at their laptops just waiting for you to pose a question, and racing to help you ... so do ask anything you want to know or how to find things ! Have a great time with us.
I agree its not all easy, but when you suddenly get a whoosh back 100 years or more, my goodness, is it exciting ! And you never know when that 'whoosh' is coming ...
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I trust you will believe me.
Yesterday I was asked to research the Major family tree for a family friend. All he new was his grandparents cam from Kempsey Worcs. I have already got a family tree back to 1685!
So sometimes you just strike lucky.
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Over on the BBC Family History message board, we get a number of newbies each time a new series of WDYTYA starts. Some stay the distance, but most seem to disappear when they realise how much work is involved.
I realise that the programmes can't show every minute of every search, but the way it's done is very misleading, they should make it clear just how time-consuming & frustrating it can sometimes be when you don't have a tame expert on hand!
Betty
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But we DO have tame experts at hand ... they are RootsChatters !
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I would like to add to Mogsmum's original point by saying that I have heard Nick Barrett give an excellent talk about (amongst other things) the way that television presents our little hobby. Of course it is condensed, watching someone researching is probably not much up from watching paint dry, so it has to be viewable to a sizeable audience - some of whom will not be remotely interested in genealogy.
However, the down side is that apparently there are a large number people out there who think that they can wander into the Family Records Office and ask for their 'brown envelope'. :o
Perhaps better that than not generating more people to the subject...
John
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I certainly second what Betty says about the BBC FH message board! We've had more than one person who thinks it is backed by a team of 'BBC experts', and one of them was taken aback by all of the strange 'nicknames' who were answering the query!
Unfortunately, that board doesn't have a 'sticky' facility; we have to keep bumping our 'Message to new members' to the top.
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Haven't tried the BBC FH message board. I didn't know about it.
For whoever is looking for a census in UK before 1841 - well there isn't one you have to go to parish resisters before that.
At least in Australia we have an 1828 census which is great as country not settled very far outside Botany Bay by then.
Good Luck
Janette
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For whoever is looking for a census in UK before 1841 - well there isn't one you have to go to parish resisters before that.
Not totally true I am afraid, there exist a number of earlier censuses than the 1841 although they are obviously not as useful to the family historian.
For example, i have used the 1821 & 1831 censuses that have survived for Marylebone and the 1831 for Hammersmith. They quote each property with the surnames & occupations of the head of the household and the numbers of others at that address.
I have also used the 1829 Poll of the 'hamlet' of Hammersmith.
There is a booklet called 'Pre-1841 Census & Population Listings in the British Isle' by Colin Chapman, listing all the surveys in the UK from the middle ages.
http://www.lochinpublishing.org.uk/Pre%201841.htm
John
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What you learn here! Did not know that there were earlier censuses, so I Googled
"Pre-1841 Census" and found an 1801 Census in Yarmouth, and bingo! a new relation!
Thanks, John!
meles
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Well done Meles! ;D I've got some 1821 and 1831 for a village in Sussex and that too allowed me to see some of relations a bit earlier!
Kerry
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I've got some of the early ones for parts of London (found OHs ancestors on it) and, a great prize, one of 1792 for Balmaclellan in Scotland.
Gadget
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This looks useful:
Census Schedules & Listings 1801-1831
An introduction & guide.
http://www.essex.ac.uk/history/Staff_Research/working-papers/MW-RW-BM.pdf
It lists what was taken & where, & where copies can be found, for many counties.
Betty
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Wow, fantastic reading! I only joined yesterday but this topic has taught me loads, not least of which is that my eleven years of family research makes me a mere beginner lol! I certainly never knew there were earlier censuses. Thanks everyone.
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Actually - not a new relation.
Why should I think William Brock carpenter b. 1780 Yarmouth was anything to do with William Brock journeyman carpenter b. c 1780 Yarmouth? ::)
It's like one of those jigsaw puzzles where the picture is baked beans. Damn pieces can go anywhere...!
Rant over. Feel better now. :)
meles
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Over on the BBC Family History message board, we get a number of newbies each time a new series of WDYTYA starts. Some stay the distance, but most seem to disappear when they realise how much work is involved.
I realise that the programmes can't show every minute of every search, but the way it's done is very misleading, they should make it clear just how time-consuming & frustrating it can sometimes be when you don't have a tame expert on hand!
Betty
well, i logged in and said that ive traced my tree back to 1540 in scotland.
then some smart arse piped up and accused me of getting it all off the internet and thought he was giving me advice, err been there, done that
anyway, not it isn't that easy, i began with one name, and very little info.
the best advice is to take your time, and keep on checking and cross-referencing, and go to the churches and look at their records.
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Hi peteseaton
There's nothing wrong with getting your info off the internet anyway so blow that smart arse a big raspberry ;D ;D
Now as parish registers are made more available online it is feasible to get back a long way without stepping outside your front door, just not as much fun ;D
When I started 3 years ago I got a lot of my tree from the IGI etc online and have spent the intervening years amending, correcting and adding to. It was a good place to start and totally agree with your about taking your time, checking and cross referencing.
Kerry
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Ooohhh no no Pete, not that board, this is the real BBC Family History Board
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbhistory/F2233810
I hope we have got better manners than that on there!!
;D
Betty
Over on the BBC Family History message board, we get a number of newbies each time a new series of WDYTYA starts. Some stay the distance, but most seem to disappear when they realise how much work is involved.
I realise that the programmes can't show every minute of every search, but the way it's done is very misleading, they should make it clear just how time-consuming & frustrating it can sometimes be when you don't have a tame expert on hand!
Betty
well, i logged in and said that ive traced my tree back to 1540 in scotland.
then some smart arse piped up and accused me of getting it all off the internet and thought he was giving me advice, err been there, done that
anyway, not it isn't that easy, i began with one name, and very little info.
the best advice is to take your time, and keep on checking and cross-referencing, and go to the churches and look at their records.
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I've just had a look - blimey, what a ....robust... lot they are!
We're much more polite and (with one or two exceptions) sensitive to others' views ;D
meles
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there are so many boards, BBC, Family Tree mag, but i do find Genes Reunited's tree a bit sexist as it won't let me add the wives of my Gt grandfathers beyond 1700 ?? :o
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Well I don't know about WDYTYA but the internet has certainly boosted genealogy.
My cousin started researching my Dad's side of the family 40 years ago. She spent most of her money and all of her holidays travelling about Australia looking in old churches, graveyards and dusty government offices, went to England and Wales, met lots of friendly people and had lots of fun.
I've been following her vicariously for thirty years, keeping all the updates she sends to all of us who are interested.
Then seven years ago I got my own computer and discovered the internet.
I have duplicated all her forty years of research and then some, not just my Dad's side but my Mum's as well. But I've never been to England or Wales and I've never visited a dusty government office and I'll never meet all the wonderful people she met. (except on RootsChat ;D )
I enjoy every minute of internet research, hate dead ends and brick walls, love chatting on genealogy forums and don't ever expect it to be easy.
Who'd ever want to take up golf as a hobby?
Cheers,
Leonie.
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This looks useful:
Census Schedules & Listings 1801-1831
An introduction & guide.
http://www.essex.ac.uk/history/working-papers/MW-RW-BM.pdf
It lists what was taken & where, & where copies can be found, for many counties.
Betty
Thank you for the link Betty unfortunately Wolverhampton, Ledbury, Tibberton, Tamworth and Droitwich (my main areas of research) not on there lol - just my luck! :D
Don't let anyone knock Internet research! - I don't have the time or the resources to travel around the country doing reseach as much as I would like to do it that way
And of course Rootschat is brilliant! - another pair of eyes on a problem has cracked a lot of potential brick walls for me (or me going braindead over a problem) - and going back to Internet research as much as I love you all if I didn't have Internet research I'm afraid I just couldn't afford to drag you all around with me to help ;D
Willow x
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You can get a good soaking playing golf or even trekking around graveyards looking for information about your ancestors. Research conducted by browsing through material in libraries, museums and public record offices as well as on the internet saves you from getting a chill following a good soaking 8)
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Genealogy certainly isn't a "quick-fix" hobby; it takes a lot of time, sometimes going over the same ground to fix errors etc.
I have seen first hand a person stroll into my local family history society library and ask for his family tree during his lunch break! Television programmes like "Who Do You Think You Are?" can only benefit our hobby in the long run, if only by making governments and authorities more aware of not destroying our heritage. Here in Australia, our archives have had "clean-outs" in recent times to save room on their shelves; also, our census records are destroyed once the data is collected.
As for the internet, it is a boon for those at a distance, and for the more seasoned researcher; however it can be a trap for the novice.
Darren
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At the WDYTYA Live show on Saturday while we were waiting in the queue a young lady came around with a simple questionnaire asking what we were advice we needed so they could match the expert to the question. The lady in the queue behind me said
"My mother is English and I don't know who my father is". We were all rathger stunned. Clearly this lady expected the expert to discover the answers in her alocated 30 time. Needless to say the young helper suggested she did a little research of her own first.
I did wonder if seeing the programme made her think the professionals at the show would be able to discover background to her life for her as they do for the celebrities :-\
And also on the point of finding answers and new research, as a result of purchasing a little book on WWII at the show written by the editor of "Ancestors" magazine, I emailed him with a question for which out expert didn't know the answer, seems the editor doesn't know either but is going to do some reserch of his own and run an article in the August or September edition. Lovely man ;D ;) and what a result!
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ooh ill take a look, another stone unturned :D
Ooohhh no no Pete, not that board, this is the real BBC Family History Board
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbhistory/F2233810
I hope we have got better manners than that on there!!
;D
Betty
Over on the BBC Family History message board, we get a number of newbies each time a new series of WDYTYA starts. Some stay the distance, but most seem to disappear when they realise how much work is involved.
I realise that the programmes can't show every minute of every search, but the way it's done is very misleading, they should make it clear just how time-consuming & frustrating it can sometimes be when you don't have a tame expert on hand!
Betty
well, i logged in and said that ive traced my tree back to 1540 in scotland.
then some smart arse piped up and accused me of getting it all off the internet and thought he was giving me advice, err been there, done that
anyway, not it isn't that easy, i began with one name, and very little info.
the best advice is to take your time, and keep on checking and cross-referencing, and go to the churches and look at their records.
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Hello,
Been reading the site & agree with everything said. My husband & I are each "doing" our own tree. Sometimes he steams ahead & at others it's me. I find that you come to the brick wall & stall sometimes for weeks & then suddenly come across the very person you are searching for. Is it possible that not all information comes up each time you log onto the census or BMD sites?
Does anyone else find this?
Great site, by the way, nice to hear from likeminded people.
Penilelly
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Hi Pennilelly and welcome.
Is it possible that not all information comes up each time you log onto the census or BMD sites?
Does anyone else find this?
Great site, by the way, nice to hear from likeminded people.
Penilelly
New information gets onto the internet every day. Most genealogy info is being transcribed from census forms and parish records by volunteers. You have ordinary people like you and me reading antiquated hand-writing and copying it into computer programs, so it's slow going.
Leonie.
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Its getting quite exciting at the moment finding out what new information set has been launched on the web somewhere. It seems almost daily. All power to the fingers of the volunteers. :)
Kerry
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I'm knew to this board, I just registered this evening. I'm hoping to find out some information on my grandfather, whom I never knew and I've come to a standstill in my research. My mother was illegitimate so this makes it harder to trace a person. I have the name and date and place of birth, do I post it here or on one of the other message boards? A bit confused.
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Hi ponygirl and welcome to Rootschat!
The best thing to do is to start a new thread of whichever county look up request board your grandfather came from, ie if he was from Sussex the Sussex look up requests board, then someone who has information for that county may be able to help you.
Good luck with your searches. :)
Kerry
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Hi ponygirl
That was exactly the problem that I had when I started researching my family.
If I can be of any assistance to you please let me know by personal message.
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Puterman ... I'd remove the email address if I were you ! Otherwise spammers will get you by the hundred !
Its much safer to use the RootsChat PM system ... Private (or Personal) Messages ... click the little green scroll on the left to send one to someone ... but I think you have to have 5 or so 'proper' postings before that system can work (again, to stop spammers)
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Puterman ... I'd remove the email address if I were you ! Otherwise spammers will get you by the hundred !
Its much safer to use the RootsChat PM system ... Private (or Personal) Messages ... click the little green scroll on the left to send one to someone ... but I think you have to have 5 or so 'proper' postings before that system can work (again, to stop spammers)
Thanks, I would not have thought that they would get anywhere with so many topics, but I have taken your sage advice.
Best regards
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You've made my day !
Someone's taken my advice !
WOW !!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I've just started my research... the topic title says it all! :)
Looks like a great resource of people and info on here...
Speak to you all soon at some point no doubt!
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Welcome to Rootschat Stewart :)
You're right Rootschat is a great resource and any questions you have someone will be able to help.
Kerry
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I just found your Web page while surfing for "Springburn, Glasgow"
articles/websites. I have held a longing to find out a bit more of my 'family history' only to be thwarted by "Time Limitations" 'buying search time, etc., and getting nowhere.
I will search your site for 'Springburn' threads and I thank you for being here for us 'need to knows'
I have a wee website called "Springburn Place" and if any of your searchers are interested? they may find a 'name' they have on their search list on our pages.
http//springburnplace.proboards50.com/index.cgi forum no longer exists 2013
Looking forward to some reveals, if you don't mind, I'll post a 'Link' of this site on my website, thank you.
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Hi Jim and welcome to Rootschat! :)
You would probably be better to post on the Lanarkshire board here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,102.0.html
Just click on "New Topic" and post.
Jean
PS. I'm sure that your website be of use, you can add the link to your profile. Have a look at the help pages: http://www.rootschat.com/help/index.php - this should help you to get around the site.
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I have just come across a relative who resided in Scotland. Rootschat seems to be the only forum that has any effective connection with Scotland. Fortunately I have found the site and hope to become involved.
Dave
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I just have to say
WOW
The info here is overwelming and the people in chat are helpful. I look forward to assisting others!
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Hi all, i have only been searching for a few months and am sill getting nowhere. my father was an only child an is my only living relatve tha could help me, i have no idea who my moher was and my father wot give me any information. where doi start as i have searched for his name and all i get is (returned zero good matches even though i know the full name and date of birth.
can anyone help
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The 1st place to start is with your own birth certificate. This will you your mother's name. If you don't have it you can order a copy from the Government Recordsd Office. http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/
You can do the same for your father.
Rog
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That is, if you're in England. :D
If you're in any other country you need to apply to your state records office.
Most record offices are on-line, so try a google search.
Leonie.
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HELLO
IM STILL TRYING TO GET USE TO THIS
HOW DO I GET HELP ON WHAT IM SEARCHING FOR
I DONT KNOW MY WAY AROUND THIS SITE CAN ANYONE HELP ME PLEASE
IM POSTING ON WRONG POSTS I THINK
REGARDS
FRANKIE S
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Hi Frankie
If you go to rootschat.com you will see Beginners and How to Use Rootschat at the top of the list of boards which is a good place to start.
Basically if you want to ask for a look up in a certain county each County under England - Genral has a look up board.
Best regards
Kerry
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I notice you're in Ireland Frankie, if you're looking for Irish ancestors there is an Ireland board where you can post.
At the very top of this page, in fact, every page, is the RootsChat.com logo, under that there's buttons for [Welcome] [Home] etc. Click on [Home] for the home page. From there you can navigate the forums and threads. eg; Common Room, Beginners, England etc.....
Best of luck. :D
Leonie.
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hello all, im new to the site today. im having a lot of trouble finding the date of birth of one of my ancestors, i am now wondering if a birth certificate was required in 1896 when getting married. could anyone help me please
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Hiya Nannyloulou
Welcome to Rootschat!
I dont think you had to produce a birth certificate to get married (I dont remember having to show mine when I got married either}
Have you found the couple post marriage in the 1891 and 1901? If so it might be worth posting on the relevant county board the information you do have so someone can have a look for futher information on the person you want
Good hunting!
Willow x
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Hi, just joined this site today, and am not exactly computer literate! Hope to be able to navigate my way round it and hopefully learn some more info. about my family and my husband's family. Seem to have hit a brick wall at the moment.
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Hi exredhead,
welcome to RootsChat.
We all have brick walls, that's why we come here. :D
If you have a few marriage dates and birth dates plus some names to go with them, post them here to start with and someone will give you a hand.
Please DON'T post names of any living family members without their consent.
Best of luck,
Leonie.
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I certainly agree that research isnt "easy"... but, at times its like a flow of info then BANG!... no further... for a while, then I either stop... for a lil while, till something crops up and re fires me, or i transfer to another family line... but yup, families were so inconsiderate! why didnt they know that we were all gonna get pc's and be able to go lookin to find out what they had for breakfast that morning before they went off to the coal mine back in 1821! LOL
What bugs me w my lot, is why cant they keep there names!!! lol, I have a Beatrice, who is actually a Bridget Catherine... even tho, (even her own daughter knew her as Beatrice!) a Bridget Sheldon, who is probably a sheldon sherdon, shiridin sheridan or churden...
And a grandad who is Thomas Alfred of 1904, but the 1911 census, has all his family where they should be, right street, house number, family members... but the first born, 1904, yep right year .. is John! LOL
all that said, I love tracing my tree, maybe its because i never knew My grandparents.. as to dads line, well... dont think i'll ever get far there.. as im a .... SMITH!
Midlands here too btw (Wolverhampton)
and of course, now I do have more leads that i need the archives for, woohooo.. but there open in feb and yep, it is feb right now.....so of course the archives now open mid march lol
But this sight has been wonderful and took me a lot further than i thought on the trickier sides, where I was hitting a wall, others here came forward and brought there bulldozers along with them, only to find the hidden family members waving at me from the other side of the wall lol
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cheers
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I've only been with Rootschat for a tiny little while and already have had loads of help and info and even found myself a grandfather dating back to 1599 :) :) plus lots of other help.
Now to find grand-dads wife !!
Thanks Rootschat :)
Keep chatting
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Hi,
New too this site only joined today and agree researching isn't always easy as I have just found out. I have been pottering along quite nicely tracing my paternal surname and have hit a wall and don't know how to go about tracing it further. The problem is I have traced the line back to the 1841 census and just recieved the marriage certificate for my relation but the fathers surname is different to that of my ancestor, any suggestions on how to tackle this problem would be greatly appreciated.
Dee
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Hi Dee
Welcome to Rootschat - you'll find everyone on here very helpful and very knowledgeable as well. If they can't help they often know who can!
Post all the details on the relevant county board and I'm sure you'll soon get an answer.
Good luck
Jan
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Thanks :) Jan
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Hiya Dee
Welcome to Rootschat!
If the brides suname is different to her fathers it might be she was married before
Willow x
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I am going to suggest that this isn't the best place for newcomers to post their queries - please try the Beginners board if you aren't sure where to post your new thread.
I'll lock this now, so that new requests don't get overlooked.
Kind regards, Arranroots ;)