At which point do you admit defeat?

[Brewins girl]

Such a lot of encouraging advice from contributors, and the lighthearted 'defeat, delegs, dearms, debody' (thank you Guy) reminds us that this should be enjoyable, even if frustrating at times. I have little to add other than to mention the British Newspaper Archives ad a useful resource, although they may not go back early enough for some

[mijath]

While I will never admit defeat when it comes to brick walls beyond 1700 (a very rough threshold), when it comes to brick walls in the 1600s I have to concede that the records might simply not have survived - if they ever existed in the first place.

[coombs]

One website said that only a minority of people left wills but I disagree as it was more common than people think. If it was not for a lot of my yeomen, local businessmen, farmer and tradesmen, and sometimes ag lab ancestors it would be much harder to establish links prior to 1800.

[andrewalston]

One of my ggg grandmothers never named the father when my gg grandmother was born. To compound matters, she forgot to register the birth. The baptism only mentions her Single Woman status.

No hint from a later marriage either. She died of consumption a couple of years later, and Mary Ellen was raised by the grandparents.

So that is one I have admitted defeat on.