Check the original records

[charlotteCH]

khp, I couldn't agree more heartily.  Recording the source when you find it is basic- don't make the mistake of thinking that you'll remember and plan to enter it a week later.  YOu forget then retrace your own steps or be in a muddle when you get two apparently conflicting pieces of info.

charlotte

[kerryb]

That is exactly why I keep an Excel sheet of bmd certificates, as very early on in my research I actually reordered a certificate I had already ordered. 

Kerry

[charlotteCH]

Kerry, reordering would really be awful. I have a list of desrired certs and when asked  for gift suggestions at Christmas... oblige with that.   Must say asking for two death certs had an amusing effect.. but the certs arrived!

charlotte

[kiwihalfpint]

That is exactly why I keep an Excel sheet of bmd certificates, as very early on in my research I actually reordered a certificate I had already ordered. 

Kerry

So did I 

[omega 1]

Hi All

I have been reading this thread with interest.

But Certs are`nt always correct.

We got OHs Grandfathers Birth Cert.To cut a very long story short,Mum had told loads of porkies when she registered him.

She gave him a Fictitous Father & used her OWN Mothers indentity

Its a very tangled web!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Omega

[stonechat]

As has been mentioned parish records are not always correct
My gt gt grandfather's baptism has the wrong mother's name. There is a moderate amount of evidence to support this

[kaydoubleu27]

Hello everyone

Thanks for all your hints & tips - very much appreciated. I had to laugh about Charlotte asking for death certs for christmas, thats exactly the kind of thing I would do! Also I have already got a spreadsheet of the certs I have got and those I want. I really do think you do have to record everything as soon as you find it as it may take you ages to find it again - I have so many sites saved to my favourites that it's a bit mind boggling!

I can see that you have to check, cross check etc but does anyone sometimes have to take a 'leap of faith'? For example I have had a niggle about the parentage of my gg grandmother, and although through her marriage cert, census returns and what a lot of kind people on rootschat have found, I'm only 99.9% sure that the person I think is her father really is. Would YOU accept this?

Thanks again for all your help, I'm so glad I found rootschat and hope that one day I will be able to help others in the same way.

Kim

[coombs]

I can see that you have to check, cross check etc but does anyone sometimes have to take a 'leap of faith'? For example I have had a niggle about the parentage of my gg grandmother, and although through her marriage cert, census returns and what a lot of kind people on rootschat have found, I'm only 99.9% sure that the person I think is her father really is. Would YOU accept this?

Hi Kim

What other evidence have others found for you? Were the parents married when the baby was born? Have you got a baptism record?

I think 99.9% is all we have to go on. If you want 100% you will always be frustrated. That is the same with my story which I posted on here. My 2xgreat gran was illegitimate and I am 99.9% sure of who her father was as I have talked it out with many people and they all agree. He is named as her dad in the baptism so I am pretty certain he was plus there are stacks of other evidence such as the circumstances surrounding the illegitimacy. I will never get cast iron proof but I am 99.9% certain I have found her father and I have proven it beyond reasonable doubt. A college teacher and a lawyer said the same thing.

Ben

[kaydoubleu27]

Hi Ben

Her parents were married before they had any children and I have the parish records for that - she also married at the same church.

Her parents had all of their children (apart from 3 when they lived in another parish) at a different church and this is where the doubt creeps in! On the baptism records she is named as Mary Ann, but my grandmothers name was Sarah Ann - but they were both born in the same year. In a later census she is married but her brother is living with her - he is one of the children in the baptism records, the year of birth tie in. He is not living with his parents in that census.

So thats why i have a niggling doubt - would the parish records be wrong? To be honest I have only seen a transciption of them or should I try and see the actual records? Everything else ties up. Like you say maybe I will never get cast iron proof.

Thanks for your input

Kind regards

Kim