Has anyone ever Paid for reasearch

[wivenhoe]

If you have a clear direction for your research, a genealogist would be useful to you. If you are just generally confused, then a genealogist would be an expensive way to bring you clarity.

Who / what are you researching?

[Kaybron]

As I live in Australia and all of my past relatives were born in England I have relied on researchers frequently. My grandmother has been my brick wall and I paid a researcher to try and find information about her.  She was not able to provide anything other than what I already knew and in her last report stated that some people did not want their background discovered and my grandmother was probably one of these.  She was able to look through records that I would not have been able to look through and provided quite extensive reports for me and suggestions as to where I could further look if willing to spend money.  I have also used a researcher from the Sussex area who was able to partly answer my brief. She did provide a quite extensive report and gave an insight into what living in Sussex in the mid 1800s was like.
   
I also use a couple of researchers to hunt up newspaper reports for me, quite often an article where there has been an inquest by a coroner and this has been reported in the paper.  These have been quite simple where I have simply given the researcher the date of death of the person and they look through relevant papers at the archives.  I have found this to be very helpful and well worth the money.
 
My most successful researcher has been a person in Canada.  He was fantastic and well worth the money spent.  He was able to find out what happened to a great Aunt and her husband and also their child.  The great Aunt moved to Canada in 1926 and it was very difficult to find out when and where she died. He was able to find newspaper articles, access death records and provided me with a will. He also was able to find out about their adopted child and details relating to his wife and children.  A great researcher who was persistent and determined to find out what I wanted to know.

I do conduct extensive research into the researcher beforehand to make sure they are well qualified to complete research.  Although I have paid quite a bit over the years I do not mind paying for research where I am able to receive a professional and comprehensive report of findings.  Another person is really looking for something, maybe something very small but significant, that I have missed.

RootsChat has been helpful and I have posted a few requests on this forum which have resulted in successful outcomes.

Regards Kaybron

[goldie61]

If you have a clear direction for your research, a genealogist would be useful to you. If you are just generally confused, then a genealogist would be an expensive way to bring you clarity.

I think this is the important point.

I have paid for research several times, and have always been pleased with the results.
Twice in Scotland, at the NRS to obtain copies of sasines, (I had all the reference numbers prior to the visit), and to search some kirk session minutes. Also a few times in England at Record Offices - in Lancashire particularly to search the Earls of Derby’s land records; and a couple of other record offices where I paid for their own researchers rather than somebodyelse to go in and do it (I found this usually works out cheaper!).

This was because it would have been impossible for me to visit the various archives.

I think the trick is to do as much research as you possibly can yourself, and then to be very specific if you do go down the researcher route.
I contacted several researchers prior to any visit, got their costs, asked if they were able to do the specified work, and then set a limit on how much I wanted to spend. You get a feel for those who might be helpful and reasonable, and those who wouldn’t.

IF you are looking for Irish records, you need to be confident they do exist, as has been mentioned. As you no doubt know, there are a lot of missing records.

[jaybelnz]

You have to be careful though!  A good while ago there was someone posting on Rootschat in regard to a member of my family! Thinking this person was a relative, I gave her A LOT of my info, including some family photos and certificates !

It turned out, from  a pm, that Unfortunately, or more probably fortunately,  I learned this person was actually a professional researcher!!  Too late for me, I'd already given it to her - freely and happily!  Preying on the kindness and integrity of genuine RC members, while this relative of mine would have been forking out money to her, left right and centre!  I had previously requested that she send me her client's  (my relative's name and email address), so I could send her more info directly! No response the first time, but after another couple of tries, eventually she sent me the name and email address!  I nearly fell off my chair when she said in the email that "by the way" she was a Professional Researcher.  I sent a quick email to my relative, and told her about it, and recommended her to urgently drop the charlatan, and send any more family enquiries, either to me, or become a member on RC where she would never be asked for research payment, but would be given the best level of assistance and more, from clever, honest people, whose aim is to help and assist people, and not rob them blind.   I still get angry about it.... so yes, please be sure that you are dealing with a genuine accredited and registered researcher, if you're thinking about going down that pathway!

So, YES, we certainly do have to be on the alert!!

[barryd]

A professional researcher is beneficial to those who have no time/inclination for genealogy but have money to pay for the service.

[Lady Di]

A few years ago I employed someone who professed to be a (registered and recommended) researcher.

Basically I wanted research done on a specific person prior to 1780 in Herts. I received some "lovely" census (the 1911 was particularly impressive!!) Also received copies of a militia list which he knew I had... I even received a recommendation to buy a copy of a specific document from the archives. (Said doc was actually dated 1853 and had been donated by ME to the archives.)

He charged £100 to prove that he had no idea what "research" actually meant.

There's a BIG difference between a "look up" and doing "research"

Anyway, it taught me a lesson 

[Rosinish]

I have paid a transcription agent in NSW, to obtain birth and marriage certificates from UK for me.

Possibly could have done it myself, but the person was recommended by the NSW BDM people as an authorised person.

Sorry a c, but why would you pay someone outside UK when the price would probably equate to someone in UK getting a 'copy' rather than a transcription?

I feel those people take advantage of peoples whereabouts & yes, for a transcription you could probably have done it yourself?

Annie

[goldie61]

A professional researcher is beneficial to those who have no time/inclination for genealogy but have money to pay for the service.

That's a bit harsh barry! And unnecessary.
Not really within the ethos of Rootschat I feel, which is a site to try and help people with their genealogy problems.

I spend a great deal of my time doing genealogy, and do not have a lot of money, but sometimes there is no other way.
All the things I have paid for have been things that are not available on the internet (and probably never will be).
There are millions of documents in thousands of depositories in the UK that will never be digitised.
And if you live 12 and a half thousand miles away, how are you supposed to get to them?

[Rosinish]

A professional researcher is beneficial to those who have no time/inclination for genealogy but have money to pay for the service.

I agree but there are 'professionals' out there who aren't 'Professional' (I've read many stories) & will feed the enquirer with rubbish, knowing/not expecting their work will ever be questioned!

I would like to know what gives people the title of 'Professional' as I'm pretty sure (well, I know) there are many non-professionals on RC who are much better than the 'Professionals'?

My brother paid a 'Professional' for a direct line tree (not too expensive) prior to realising I was doing our family history (we live 100s of miles apart) many years ago but there were flaws which I sorted out myself!
If I had opted to believe what my brother sent me when he realised I was doing our family history, I'd have a huge brick wall to this day but as it happens when he sent me his info. from the 'Professional' I had already found inconsistencies from different sources although I couldn't quite work out the facts (complicated at the time) but I did find the truth & the problem was 2 people with same forenames being classed as the same person!
Their surnames were different but both had been living in the same house (aunt & niece) & the 'Professional' had assumed the person in my 'direct' line had assumed the surname of her relative (married sister) which turned out to be just that, an 'assumption' rather than fact.
I was on top of the world when I eventually discovered the truth/facts which was quite a task at the time, believe me 
I believe thoroughness in my own research was key as my brother didn't have the time nor knowledge of how to 'do it' i.e. thought it best left to a 'Professional'!

I will add, the 'Professional' did state he 'assumed' his outcome to be the case but with the tree provided to my brother there were no references to where the info. was found i.e. nothing I could check/relate to & my own research through SP (scotlandspeople) was the answer, all downloadable for d's (pennies) i.e. it does pay to have a bit of knowledge of how to do your own research.

Annie