Getting back on track - Help please

[Ebor337]

Hello everyone, Nice to meet you.

This is my first post so go gentle with me!

Very happy i found this great board and looking forward to using it over the coming months, years and decades!!!

I am now restarting my family history as have a little time to spare. I had a 2 month dabble around 3 years ago when I was recovering from a major knee op. Then however, I just concentrated on my "Thurston" name and went name hunting back to the easy stuff (1850's) amassing lots of census returns, and branches of the tree, with little regarding for historical context or the finding anything out about the actual people I 'found'. (Starting an advanced diploma in Local History course has really opened my eyes to this)

Now older and wiser (but still a relative novice!) I am going to start again and want to paint the whole picture  . . .

So, knowing that i could easily refind what i unearthed 3 years ago, I've got rid of all my print outs and general gubbins so i'm left with my transcripts from my interviews with my 2 remaingin grandparents (1 from each side - and both losing their memories  ) and some birth/marriage certificates (too expensive to throw!) and it's back to the beginning and ALL my ancestors, not just the ones who share my surname!

Please would you be able to help and answer a few questions for to oil this rusty brain and get me on my way . . . (forgive if my questions wander - found it hard to summarize exactly what I'm looking for!) . . . P.s. I am subscribed to ancestry.co.uk.

*** What would be the most efficient way of finding my grandparents parents? I have my grandmothers and grandfathers, father's names from their marriage certificate and my grandmothers mother's name from interviewing (I have to assume it's correct).

If you can just gently push me down the slope it would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Lee

P.s. I hope to pop in pretty regularly to this great site! 

[Bee]

Hi Lee, Welcome to rootschat 

The most efficient way of finding your gt grandparents really depends on what sort of years you are looking at.

The obvious way is to trace them through the censuses, but if they are earlier then the IGI is a useful source (if used with care) and parish records.

Give a few names and approximate dates and areas and  I'm sure someone on rootschat will set you on your way.

happy hunting
Bee
 

[stanmapstone]

Hi Lee,
Welcome to RootsChat.
You may find this site helpful http://www.genuki.org.uk/gs/ and http://www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html
I am sure many other suggestions will be made

Stan

[ggrocott]

Welcome to Rootschat - lots of friendly folk on here.

As Bee said dates are important - and the censuses and BMD are great for anything after the 1837 mark.  Before that the IGI is always helpful and google is a wonderful tool for finding all sorts of other useful people and websites.

Genuki is also great for all kinds of information and so is Cyndis list.

Have fun

[Ebor337]

Wow guys, thanks for the super quick response times! And thanks for the welcome!

Give a few names and approximate dates and areas and  I'm sure someone on rootschat will set you on your way.

Well that is the problem really, I don't have many dates to go on.  My grandparents were married on 1st July 1950 and it is from this marriage certificate I got their father's names of Albert Ward on the male side and Rueben[Reuben?] Blatchford (who my grandma him believed to be from Devon area) on my grandmothers side.

My grandmother can't remember any other things other than the name of her siblings and her mothers maiden name - Violet Bullock(h?) - possible middle name May.

P.s. I;ve read the forum rules - hope i haven't given away too much info here. 

[g a r]

Hi Lee,

Welcome to rootschat 

When you have a location for your research, pay a visit to the relevant county board here on rootschat.

Usually at the top of the board are useful resources pertaining to that county. They are topics that are stickied (permanently located at the top) You might come across some dead links (which should be referred to the MODS) but you will find a lot of useful info.

happy hunting,
g a r

[Ebor337]

Thanks,

I'm a bit daunted by all the various forums at the moment but i will be sure to spend a lot of time in the county fourms once i've found my feet and know where the focus of my studies will be.

Thank you again,

Lee 

[Bee]

Well that is the problem really, I don't have many dates to go on.  My grandparents were married on 1st July 1950 and it is from this marriage certificate I got their father's names of Albert Ward on the male side and Rueben[Reuben?] Blatchford (who my grandma him believed to be from Devon area) on my grandmothers side.

1950, that's a bit recent, it's a lot easier pre 1900.

If you live in the area where the marriage took place then you could look through the electoral rolls.

Does your grandparents marriage cert give their ages, if so you could try trawling through the births and marriages on Ancestry til you find a possible match for Albert or Reuben, bit of a long shot.

Another idea, what professions are Albert & Reuben on the marriage cert, you could possibly look through trade directories

Just a few ideas that might help
Bee

[ggrocott]

I had a browse on Ancestry last night and found a couple of Reuben Blatchfords from Devon but looked too early to be yours.  Will look again later.