Minimum acceptable proof

[Galium]

One way of cross referencing, if you have copies of original documents is by comparing signatures.  For example I have two cases of a man marrying twice, and in different counties.  By looking at the signatures on the marriage bonds and in the parish registers, I can be confident that it is the same man in each case.
 For one of them, I also have an extra example of his signature from an application to use his house as a place of worship.

[Digihound]

 ;)Hi everyone!

There are so many of you out there who have given such invaluable help. I thought that perhaps the best approach would be to reply to my own post and then everyone would see my reply.

For my own part I've only been looking on a part-time basis only for about ten days, but I've made a lot of progress. I'm sure my journalistic skills (not formally trained but nevertheless investigative) have been invaluable to me - so perhaps I have an advantage over other newcomers.

My biggest problem is that not only am I a past journalist, but I'm also a present perfectionist! Although journalism may go reasonably well with family history research technique, I'm sure that a perfectionist outlook certainly doesn't! I'm sure I will find the many twists and turns extremely frustrating, but - as I've been in the past ten days - I'll be thrilled with every fact I can verify beyond reasonable doubt.

I am already enjoying my new addiction - and the scratching around for every little bit of information. I have taken many wrong turns, but so far bought only one dud certificate. As a novice the most difficult part has been knowing what to accept, and this has been regularly a struggle to me, so I'm grateful for every bit of help I've been given both here and elsewhere.

I wasn't ready to expect the unexpected - but I found it when a key family member appeared in the 1941 census as born in "Foreign Parts"! So now I will likely have to get to grips with international as well as UK ancestry issues!

I certainly enjoy a challenge, but sleep has suffered as a result (I see nobody else has admitted to this here yet!) Perhaps that's because it's a given for anyone involved in genealogy!

Thank you everyone for all the detailed information provided - I shall now print this thread out fully so I can refer to it as I'm progressing.

In the meantime, do take a look at my main thread on Mary Barr 1806 and Stephen Maybury - I'd welcome help there - specially for anyone with knowledge of ships and passenger lists in the early 19th Century.

At the same time I'll keep my eyes skinned for anything I can help with from my 10 days' extensive experience!

Thank you all!

[Guy Etchells]

Hi Guy

Its new to me this! once one has signed in what is route in the website to find these records on family search as your link or is it the S*ciety of Gen*alogists subscription website access to IGI.

http://www.ancestor-search.info/SRC-IGI.htm#access


 Dobby

First please note the correction of a spelling mistake in my posting "my" should read by.

Members of the LDS may log in to the IGI at the family history centers or at home using a password.
This allows them access to the full database. In other words they see all the fields rather than the limited fields generally available.

The link I gave is a scan of a microfiche from the 1992 microfiche version of the IGI used to display the three columns.
Cheers
Guy

[liverpool annie]

I certainly enjoy a challenge, but sleep has suffered as a result

Sleep ?? .... whats that ? .... housekeeping ? .... whats that ? being interrupted by pairs of eyes asking is dinner ready yet ... oooh!  thats so annoying when you're on a roll !!  waking up in the middle of the night with a thought that might work .... even not being able to sleep 'cos your mind is racing ..... ignoring OH's by saying "just a minute" .....

Theres plenty of us who don't sleep ..... mostly for helping others not just our own !! 

Challenge of the hunt .... etc etc ... but apart from that we're all normal people (whatever that is !! ) 

[Guy Etchells]

Digihound, let me put your mind at rest.
I have been interested in family history for around 55 years and can assure you I am a perfectionist.

I do have a rather unorthodox approach to research formed due to the distance I used to live from records.

When I visit an archive library etc. I first check where the photocopier is.
I then photocopy, printout every morsel of information I come across concerning the names I am interested in for that location.
I don’t waste time evaluating any record but copy the lot.
This allows swathes of records to be covered in a short visit.
When I get home I then spend time days, weeks even years checking cross referencing the information.

I surprised a colleague, and family history lecturer, a few years ago when she accompanied me on a trip down to Kew.
I think to humour me she decided to follow my example and a couple of days later I received a phone call in which she revealed that not only had a missing brother of a 17th century ancestor turned up but other previously unknown facts had been discovered. Including a will she dismissed at the time but photocopied just in case.

I also consider my family tree a work in progress all the information on the tree is open to re-evaluation.
Every shred of evidence is used to build up the picture. I am never confident that I have enough evidence to prove a link and constantly seek more.

Do not forget most records used by family historians are secondary records.
The majority contain facts recorded from memory.

There is only one rule in family history – There are no rules.
Cheers
Guy

[dobfarm]

I think the best advice after reading your last post is that? you hold off your research for now and do a bit of study! buying dud GRO Certificates though does happen! must be keeped to a minimum. There are web site like "find my p*st" and LDS also Archive Record offices and Access to Archives (A2A)all have a page for where to start, do and lookout for!

There is a way or claiming part of your money back from the GRO or local register office on dud certs, thus pay £7 for a right cert and only £3 or £4 for a dud certificate.

Marriages certificates and  Parish registers are exactly the a same or info in them and can be obtained from libraries. (about £ 1 plus SEASAE)

only Birth  (Mother maiden name)and Death certificates are needed (Informant and person who was at the death  not always the same person)

[James1950]

I keep three sets of records. One set is where I am sure beyond all doubt as to the accuracy,the second  where I am only satisfied on balance of probabilities. The third records possibilities. As time goes on and more information is discovered possibilities can become probabilities or can be discounted

 

[dobfarm]

I certainly enjoy a challenge, but sleep has suffered as a result

Sleep ?? .... whats that ? .... housekeeping ? .... whats that ? being interrupted by pairs of eyes asking is dinner ready yet ... oooh!  thats so annoying when you're on a roll !!  waking up in the middle of the night with a thought that might work .... even not being able to sleep 'cos your mind is racing ..... ignoring OH's by saying "just a minute" .....

Theres plenty of us who don't sleep ..... mostly for helping others not just our own !! 

Challenge of the hunt .... etc etc ... but apart from that we're all normal people (whatever that is !! ) 

My brother (retired) says we are raving nutters --like walking round graveyards knocking snow of headstones    Boring he says! while he's sewing his dresses day after day for his wife's friend for their rock & roll dancing friends.

Finding that gravestone after looking at hundreds! having a heart attack in the butt! with excitement or sat in yourdeck chair in the hot summer in that graveyard on that hillside wanting to scream to the world of your find.

Maybe my brother is right!        

Dob by

[Digihound]

Hi again,

Thanks again for the extra posts.

I have created a furor! I'm glad to see I'm not the only perfectionist in tow - so Guy, your input has been particularly helpful. And - as I thought - sleep is at a premium for us all!

Just for the record, my only 'dud' was actually not a certificate, but a transcription from the UK 1911 census site, which cost very little comparatively. But I'm glad I said what I did, because otherwise I would not have known about the option to claim back for Dud certs.

Sorry, could you please clarify, Dobfarm - I can get marriage certificates from libraries...? Or do you mean I can get Parish registers that way - which have the same info?

James 1950 - that sounds a very good way of working. I'm using computer software, but where I include information on the system relates to how much certainty I have. So I guess we're operating with a similar style.

Best wishes