WALES v ENGLAND - Why such a difference??

[Ninian]

I only started researching my family tree this year and only discovered Rootschat in the last month or so and have only posted about 6 messages (so far!!).  I've posted 2 to Cheshire, 1 or 2 to Lancashire, 1 to Flintshire and 1 to Merioneth.

I had lots & lots of different people contributing to my queries on the Cheshire and Lancashire parts of the site - and very useful they were too. 

Only 1 person responded to my query re Flintshire - but again, it was extremely useful. 

But no-one responded to my Merioneth query!!! 

Looking at the Merioneth & other similar Welsh counties on Rootschat, not only are there many fewer responses to requests but there are very few requests posted relative to other counties. 

I realise that the amount of people interested in Merioneth etc are going to be far fewer than those interested in Cheshire and Lancashire and the like - but the difference seems disproportionate.  There was a thriving population in places like Blaenau Ffestiniog in the 19C and as most of them migrated later to other parts of Wales and England there must be lots of people out there with ancestors from Merioneth.  So why so little interest??  Do all the Robertses, Jones and Davieses (I have all 3) depress people so much that they give up?  Is the Welsh custom of the child taking the father's forename not surname also making people give up? 

I'm desperate to get further back in time with my Robertses, Jones and Davieses - but it's awfully hard.  If the Merioneth etc parts of the site were more active this would be a great source of encouragement ...... I wonder if it's even worth me posting further queries to the site? 

Has anyone any thoughts/ideas?    

 

[behindthefrogs]

Have you tried checking your surnames in the Surnames Interests Table and contacting those who have posted? There seem to be some matches.  I note that you don't seem to have entered your names there.

The link is via "Your surname Interests" at the foot of every page.

David

[Gadget]

Hi Ninian

As one of the North Welsh contingent - mainly looking up - I must admit to not seeing your posting in Merionethshire. I'll go look now. We're all volunteers, helping each other out  and there aren't many of us covering Merionethshire. For example, I could help with the East of the county as far as Llanuwchllyn but not beyond.

The problem is that their are so few requests in Merionethshire that one misses some. Alternatively, it might be that no one can answer your question.

If I can't, I'll say so.

Regards and don't give up

Gadget 

Added - I've just checked and you have had a reply   

[Ninian]

Oh, I just felt a quick moan might help me feel better after another dis-spirting day with the Robertes and Jones!! 

Anyway I'm quite excited that I've got a reply (whatever it says).  I suspect half the problem is that as it is a small area it's not going to be the most active site - so people don't visit it too often - so less messages - so people visit even less and it sets up a vicious circle.

I won't give up.  But I think I've found (or rather I should say, the Registrar in Dolgellau has found!) about 6 or 7 Robert Robertses married to Anne Joneses in a fairly narrow time slot and not one of them is my Robert and Anne!  But onwards and upwards .... 

P.S. Thanks for responding

[Ninian]

Ooops - I only saw Gadget's response first time, have only just seen David's.  Many thanks for that too.

As I said I'm a beginner so I haven't fully explored the site yet.  I did see the Surnames part - but hadn't explored it - being a supreme pessimist I thought with Roberts/Jones/Davies it wouldn't be worth it.  So your advice is very helpful -  I will get on to it.  Thanks

Ninian

[Arranroots]

Hi Ninian

Perhaps another point to consider is that some "specialists" are not around every day and that you might have to be a little bit patient until just the right person spots your request. 

You will know that in the bad old days we had to wait until we had the time and opportunity to visit the record offices in order to get our answers, so even when Rootschat takes a few days or weeks to provide a reply, it is often still much quicker!

I hope you are enjoying the site and finding that the rewards are greater than the aggravations! 

kind regards, Arranroots 

[Ninian]

Arranroots

I totally agree with you.  Unfortunately patience is a virtue which I'm not blessed with - but I'm working on it!.  As you say Rootschat (and all the other stuff on-line) do make everything so quick and (relatively!) easy and I have been amazed at the speed of Rootschat responses in general - if the other parts of the site hadn't offered almost instant and brill responses, I wouldn't have made the comparison with Merionedd - i.e. Rootschat is almost too good!

And I have now had a response to my query that I placed on the Merionedd site - so I shall have to eat my words. 


P.S.  So yes, the rewards do far outweigh the aggravations.

Ninian