WDYTYA has a lot to answer for

[Familysearch]

To be honest, I have been "doing" my tree for years. But I don't think I would want it to be any other way.
I have really enjoyed the digging and delving - and finding out how to use computer searches. My research goes back to Somerset House and handwritten ledgers. It keeps my brain active.

The rewards are that now we have computer imaging so many of the records I could not afford years ago, are there now for a more reasonable sum!

Yes, I do watch WDYTYA, but just in case they show something I haven't thought of (highly unlikely these days with Roots chatters on the case!)

I take everything on Ancestry with a very large pinch of salt!!

FS

[BillyF]

" I don't blame WDYTYA, although they do give the impression that it's all so easy. I blame Ancestry's TV adverts that tell you to just enter your name and your family history will open up to you (or words to that effect). "

How very true !

" They " also don`t point out, the repetiton of names through the generations, especially in Scotland, very confusing at times. I have managed to combine 2 generations in the past !

[coombs]

I have been beating the James Smith, tin plate worker, (born c1792-1849) (stated not born in county of Oxfordshire in 1841 census) brickwall with a sledgehammer for years and admit a few cracks are starting to appear which gives me hope. He may be linked to the Smith and Hawkes family of Marsh Gibbon, Bucks. When he married in 1819 a Hannah Hawkes was a witness. Her mothers sister wed a Joseph Smith in 1786. In 1841 a Thomas Smith was a tin man in Marsh Gibbon. Nothing concrete yet but a ray of hope.

I think if WDYTYA did it all for me it would take the fun out of it I agree.

[Pelican]

As a library assistant in a family history society I had a highly amusing moment. There had been a lot of Ancestry adverts in the previous few weeks. One day a lady came into the library, joined and then walked across to me by the computers and asked  "Where do I put my name?" She was shocked when I told her it was not as easy as that!

[Rosinish]

Who needs "How To" books now we have Rootschat!"    The guidance is invaluable.

Philip

I agree as we've all seen bits on WDYTYA which don't add up & if I recall the Kim Cattrall episode was 1 of such?

However, I think Ancestry have more to answer to with their exaggerated adverts as is recognised in the initial post.

Annie

[IgorStrav]

However, I think Ancestry have more to answer to with their exaggerated adverts as is recognised in the initial post.

Annie
[/quote]

I agree Annie, but you have to sympathise.

Not so enticing an ad if they said:

"enter your relative's name here and you will find you need the answers to many questions you never thought to ask; lots of records which may or may not belong to your family; names spelled differently, ages misreported, mistaken birthplaces; mistranscriptions on our site and census entries you can't read; mysterious relatives who come from and go to nowhere; and lots of people who tell you it's a waste of time....."

 

[Rosinish]

   Agree!

My bugbear is they don't actually mention having no Scottish images for anything

I often see people who are researching their Scots ancestry saying 'I've found nothing on Ancestry'!

Annie

[coombs]

If ever they do get round to releasing Suffolk records on there, then I will be very busy. "Who will you discover?" as the ad says? Well depends where in the UK your ancestors lived as some areas are poorly covered such as Bucks, Suffolk and Notts. At least Ancestry often release records in bulk than in stages such as FindMyPast, where the parishes you want are "coming soon".

[Josephine]

I love this type of show but I'm always amazed at how easy and fast it all looks.

When I started researching my family tree, I was surprised by how many people assumed that everyone's full tree was held on file at LDS HQ. I guess now they assume it's on file at Ancestry HQ. Just as some new researchers assume that, if it isn't online, it doesn't exist.

On the other hand, a number of my expensive, well-researched trees are online at Ancestry, etc., thanks to cousins who uploaded it all without my knowledge or permission. So anyone researching those lines will find it super-fast and easy.

 

Regards,
Josephine