If You Had a Time Machine

[Kiltpin]

If I had a time machine I'd also have passenger lists to and from the UK be kept from 1600.

Also airline passenger lists. I have dozens of people who disappear from one place and turn up a thousand miles away. 

Regards 

Chas

[Flattybasher9]

I would go back to Belgium, 14th April, 1918 and find out where Muriel's Great Uncle, Frederick Bruce's (291830 Gordon Highlanders) remains were located, so we could take them home to Skene churchyard, to be with his mother and the rest of the family.

I lost no family members in WW1 or WW11.

Malky

[coombs]

As a final thing I would go back and ask how ancestors with a rare surname connected to ones listed in records further back which seem to skip 2 or 3 generations.

For instance a Thesius Soap born circa 1690 in Suffolk (estimated age from marriage date, but cannot find a baptism), and how/if he connects to a Thesius Soap born 1590 in Suffolk (whose ancestors open up a gateway). But you had to try and fll the 2 or so generations inbetween.

I have a John Dister born c1580 in Suffolk, and there was an Allen Dister who died in 1537 in Lavenham. How and if the two of the connect is a mystery.

Same with my ancestor John Coggeshall born c1582 who was Mayor of Orford, Suffolk. The Heralds College says he was the son of Roger Coggeshall of Fornham St Martin. A Roger Coggeshall died in 1541 in that village, but you have to bridge the gap on how he related to later members.

[clairec666]

I would love to see more information about occupations recorded on parish registers to help with our pre-1837 research.

It's great when you come across some older registers which record as much information as possible - for example, I've got some from the late 1700s which include the mother's maiden name on baptisms. And then on the flip side, some burial registers are just a list of names, no ages or anything, so I guess my best use of the time machine is to get some extra information on those records!

[jim234j]

Since I can only have one although there are quite a few deceased direct ancestors I want to ask questions, I would ask my g g grandfather where he was born who his parents were and where is wife was born and who her parents were.   The reason is I am dealing with the names Johnson and Brown in the Tynemouth area

[Guy Etchells]

If you had a time machine what would you change to make modern research easier.

I would: 1. Have made census enumerators be more specific than Ireland/Scotland/England etc as place of birth for people who'd moved to around.
2. For occupation they would have to say where eg miner would say which pit they worked in at the time of the census/registration
3.  Scotland to keep the 1855 style certificates where parents place of birth was recorded on their children's birth certificates.


Disclaimer: I know there's no such thing as a time machine.  I know the records that exist are what they are and we have to work with them (I have done for over 20 years), I know even if we could go back I would not have the power to change the above.  However I am human and I am prone to having a few wistful moments when I think what if....

If I had a time machine, I am afraid I would have to whiz between the past and the present to ensure any change I made did not have unexpected consequences.
Imagine if it was possible to do as in 1. above (1. Have made census enumerators be more specific than Ireland/Scotland/England etc as place of birth for people who'd moved to around.) and that stopped an ancestor moving and finding their husband or wife), I might not even be born (alright you lot at the back I know you think that would not be a bad thing)

Perhaps I am going too deep here but every action has a reaction and we could set off many unexpected events by meddling.
Cheers
Guy

[Finley 1]

YEP

For every 'singular' action   -  There are ........  'Re-actions'


xin

[pharmaT]

Guy, if you go back to my OP you will see that I added a disclaimer that this was more a wishful thinking regarding what information we wished was available in records not something that I thought was actually possible.  HTH

[Guy Etchells]

Guy, if you go back to my OP you will see that I added a disclaimer that this was more a wishful thinking regarding what information we wished was available in records not something that I thought was actually possible.  HTH

Yes I did note that which is why I wrote "Perhaps I am going too deep here".

I would also ask do you really think if I had a time machine I would be flipping between the past and the present to see if my meddling had caused any change, no! I would be checking some facts and laying huge bets at the bookies to even consider what my meddling in the past may do.
Cheers
Guy

PS this is more feeble humor before anyone bothers to post anything