Genealogy Chat

Hi all,

I have just joined, and I need help BIIIG time!

I have decided to try and research my family tree on my Dad's side, but already I am in big trouble as the surname is SMITH! I know it's not the easiest name to play with, and after talking to Dad and getting as much information from him as I possibly can, I checked up on some websites. Wow! there are sooo many.

My questions are:

What is the most helpful of website to visit?

Without birth/death certificates of my Dad's parents (an older sibling of his had them), I cant go any further back than 1909. Where do I go from here?

I dont have any money, and I really would like to try and do something for my Dad, any tips and good sites would be most helpful, as I may have to stop before I start!!!

If you let us know the names of your grandparents and place they were from (plus any dates known) maybe some of us can help.

Sue

Hiya Tracy and welcome to this mad hobby, but if I was you think the £7 for there marriage cert would be the best way back for you as it would give both fathers names and occupations to find them on the 1901 census

Babs

Could you perhaps try to get your dad's sibling to photocopy them for you. Or is this a no no?

Oh brilliant..thank you very much. Any tips are gratefully appreciated.

My grandparents were;

William Arthur Smith born 1-9-1911 and died 8-2-82 and,

Florence Mary Rimell born 8-1-1909 and died 3-7-89

William was from Staffordshire and Florence was from Worcestershire, how they both ended up in Bedworth is beyond me!!

Thank you for the warm welcome, and I hope that maybe one day I can be of help to someone else.

Hi Janet,

Dad doesn't have any contact with any of his siblings unfortunately!

Births Mar Quarter 1909
RIMELL Florence Mary Pershore 6c 376

Well this is grandmother's birth certificate code

OMG....how?.......what?

Now you are scaring me? How on earth did you find that out? And so fast?

I am totally blown away!

I wonder if this is a coincidence or these two were related?

Submitted record on IGI
MARY RIMMELL
Death: 28 SEP 1942

Marriages:
Spouse: JOSEPH PHILLIPS SMITH Family
Marriage: 19 FEB 1919 Pebworth, Worcester, England

FreeBMD site

Sue
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What are all the numbers after the name please? (I told you I was a complete novice and didn't have a clue!!)

If you do decide to order any certificates they can be done via this site for £7 each

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificate/

Sue

Those are the important code telling you the volume and page of the record. You need that to order a certificate

Look at this site
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

I'm so sorry Sue, but what is BMD please? And the site?

Births Marriages and Deaths

You need to read the information on that site

Sue

Thank you Sue, I am so sorry to be a pain!

From 1837 there has been civil registration of births, marriages and deaths. Not compulsory for births at first so some are missing from early years.
That site is not complete but getting close.
Records are arranged in quarter years so January/February and March are March Quarter etc.

Once you know the code for the record you need you can go to that other site and order a copy of the certificate.

Sue

William Smith is harder.
He may have been baptised with the middle name but they didn't register him with it.
These are 3 possibles. By 1911 the mother's maiden name is recorded along with the code but we can't say which is him at the moment.

Births Sep 1911

Smith William Tonks W. Bromwich 6b 1673
Smith William Deakin Wolstanton 6b 210
Smith William Shemilt Wolstanton 6b 147

You wouldn't beleive how helpful you are, thank you.

Have a good browse of sites in my nudged useful thread.
Also read the thread at the top of Tips Board about how to use the IGI.

Have fun.........got to go to bed!

Sue
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