£25,000 for your own WDYTYA

[downside]

I read in last weeks Sunday Times that you can now purchase your own WDYTYA for a mere £25,000.  It has been organised by Sue Hills who is a director on the BBCs WDYTYA.  The costs include research and stays in country house hotels as you get a 5 day trip back into the past to visit the locations where your ancestors lived.

I'm sure this is a bt of a limited market.  If you won the lottery or came into a small fortune would you be tempted to buy this kind of product?

[liverpool lass]

No thanks! If I had that sort of money I'd use it to do my own research, at my own pace! Now if it was free..........

[Dancing Master]

The man got very little for his money. according to the paper.   What is the saying " A fool and his money are soon parted"

I was in our Local history library yesterday, and the archivists and experts said they detest and hate when this programme is on  the TV as it gives [u]some [/u] people the totally wrong impression of how to do their family tree and there are no such things as instant trees which they expect to find after watching this programme.

Apparently they turn up in droves asking for their family trees.

[LizzieW]

I mentioned that on Hack's Daily News or something like that postings the other day. It seems that amateurs often "miss" things or give up when it gets too hard. 

Apparently one of the pitfalls that we fall into, is taking at face value what is shown in records, such as having a marriage listed as Reysham, Norfolk.  Apparently there is no such place, so the "experts" checked other places in Norfolk for the particular family and surprise, surprise, came up with Reepham! 

I'll stick with Rootschatters I think, even though for the £25,000 you do get a tour of where your forefathers lived, in a chauffeur driven Mercedes.  The person behind this new company is a director on Who Do You Think You Are, so the research is the same as done for the programme, without the TV cameras.

Lizzie

[Dancing Master]

You could have hired a chauffuer driven car for a fraction of that
 
along with any amount of certificates  on the minimal information they found.

[7igerby7he7ail]

Give me £25,000 and I will 'research' anyone's tree and of course show them the [ahem] results traced back to William the Conqueror or back to Adam and Eve for an extra £25,000. [Ladies and Gentlemen I have seen such 'trees'] all er 'professionally' researched

Why take all the fun out of things, it has taken me 18 years to get where I am in the family trees, travelling many a mile, spending many a pound, visiting ancestral homes, churchyards. And they want to fast track it all in a week?

Wave your wallet and get instant access!!

Thats why I NEVER give anyone but family and close cousins access to my research. [ I have the bare minimum on sites]
People want an instant tree so they can tell people about 'their' research.

IF I had that kind of cash, I would visit all the distant shores of my gene pool and take a long time about it.

[charlotteCH]

If anyone in Australia or with Australian connections  cares to pay $25,000 AU there is a dedicated group of experienced researchers who will find your ancestors and guarantee you'll have at least one convict in your tree.

Not only will you receive a fancy tree hand drawn but a memorable [very] experience visiting many of the places your ancestors lived, and cemeteries where they are buried,  and where you may well wish you were buried.  You'll be accompanied by all the skilled researchers and chauffuer driven in a large vehicle with a fridge full of wine.  The researchers guarantee this.   This trip  will be the experience of a life time and something about which you certainly inform your descendants.   Maybe you will even decide to inform a wider audience through the media and the courts.

In view of the good service offered and the anticipated rush of clients, it will be on a first pay basis via cash or verified credit card.
Don't miss this opportunity as it is a steal.

Your friendly research team look forward to hearing from you.

Charlotte & Co.

[trish251]

If anyone in Australia or with Australian connections  cares to pay $25,000 AU there is a dedicated group of experienced researchers who will find your ancestors and guarantee you'll have at least one convict in your tree.

Not only will you receive a fancy tree hand drawn but a memorable [very] experience visiting many of the places your ancestors lived, and cemeteries where they are buried,  and where you may well wish you were buried.  You'll be accompanied by all the skilled researchers and chauffuer driven in a large vehicle with a fridge full of wine.  The researchers guarantee this.   This trip  will be the experience of a life time and something about which you certainly inform your descendants.   Maybe you will even decide to inform a wider audience through the media and the courts.

In view of the good service offered and the anticipated rush of clients, it will be on a first pay basis via cash or verified credit card.
Don't miss this opportunity as it is a steal.

Your friendly research team look forward to hearing from you.

Charlotte & Co.

My neighbour just dropped by - so far I have researched 4 branches of her family - one was a first fleeter, one a runaway sailor from the Shetlands. The most recent a family from the Isle of Sheppey. She did pay me for the 4 certificates/transcripts I purchased to help with the search.

Guess I will have to give her the bill for the remaining $24,930 next time we meet 

I fear the internet is robbing the "professional" genealogists of their livelihood - rather like my candlemaker gg grandfather who lost his career with the advent of gas and electricity

Trish