Genealogy Chat

Hello again Sarah,

I've just had a look at the website of Scottish company you mentioned, to see what they provide for your money.

Well, I don't think the price seems greatly unreasonable.
Just under £300 for the twin tree. Break that down to an hourly rate....even if it's £20, that's only 15 hours research time. We ALL know how long we can spend looking for something - and then checking/double checking it. I guess they're doing it all from the comfort of their front room.

They say the objective is to trace back as far as possible - normally to the late 1700's. Well, that's (usually) fairly straightforward if you have Ancestry and no awkward b's in your family!...as long as you can trace them back to the 1841 Census and on BMD's - no need to go off to County Records Offices and/or trawl parish registers. THAT would be a much higher hourly rate, the last time I enquired with a London based company, going to Kew for an ER's search started at £35 per hour.

Then they reckon on £150 for certs. Well they have to verify, if not for themselves, for the client.

Then the cost of the album. Which they fill up with
Family Charts,
Family Facts,
Picture Pages (if pics are supplied)
Topical News / Events
Census Reports
Detailed Source File.

So, all in all, for just under £500, you get a basic tree (on both sides) presented very nicely in an album, along with extra background info, charts, probably a name background & coat of arms, and any pics you've sent them.....Bingo!

I am changing my job, as of today!!

K

I agree with you Penny about people on here helping, but Sarah said she has not got time.

Would it be good if she gaves us the basic details and then leave it to run. Just to see how long it took us.

We all love a challenge afterall

:-)

I dont think anyone can predict how far back they can get, ''just like that''. What happens if they stumble? Say ( for instance) its uncovered that a person is illegitamate, surely the line stops there, which could end one line there & then. I'd like to know what sources they use and what resources they can access.

I'm almost sure people here could get ypou started if you provide what info you have to start with.

Give it a go, wont cost you anything!

I also think it is possible. I traced 7 legs of my family back to the 1841 census in less than 2 weeks.
I printed out loads of stuff and had many certs back to the late 1800's anyway. Luckily many of the families didn't move far from their roots. The ones that did were the people I knew the most about, ie my grandparents and great grandparents.
Ok, I have had little bits and pieces to find since then, but have not had to buy any certs so far.
Don't forget, these people do this for a living so can find things out quicker than most of us.

With all the conflicting opinions on this post, I bet you don't know what to do.
Just do what you feel best. I am sure she will love it.

Cheryl :-)

Like Janey, I'm also not that skeptical for the most part.
However, although I can see getting back to the 1700s without too much bother, 1700 itself does seem more problematic. There's just too much that's not indexed, and I don't see the hours in that fee for much trawling thru unindexed OPRs, so it'll be a question of luck as to how indexed the needed OPRs are.

I wouldn't be too influenced by RobG's calculation. A lot depends on how easily one can reliably get back to 1911. In my case, my mum and two aunts had my grans' maiden surnames as mid-names, and two other aunts had their grans' MSs as mid-names. I already knew all this, so with just 2 certs I knew all 8 of my g grandparents, and could easily follow folk on the censuses to get back to ancestors born around 1800.

Maybe I'm just lucky, but even with having to send off for certs in a serial fashion, I'ld have thought 12 weeks was adequate - I'm guessing the company has had experience enough to give a reasonable estimate of the time they'll need.

I am not quite so skeptical, myself.

With it being a corporation, it may have freelances in various locations who do actual parish records searches, if the tree branches back out of the more modern location. On the other hand, retaining a more traditional one-person researcher might get a more personal touch with more attention to detail. Either way, I wouldn't assume poor service.

We've all seen examples of inadequate service on the boards here, but surely there are people and companies who do provide good service. Maybe asking for some references with the quotes would be a good idea? I'd certainly do some researching myself at the same time, so you have some basics you can check what you're given against.

Twelve weeks doesn't seem like such a short time to me, as long as they don't run into somebody like my name-shifting gr-grfather! (I don't know what my mum's cousin here in Canada was charged by a pro in England for searching, unsuccessfully, for that one some 30 or more years ago. It was a truly impossible task, without databases and such.)

Deaths can be hard to find, and death certificates aren't as essential to most searches as are births and marriages.

I hope you got my PM, Sarah -- since you came back to the thread shortly after, I assume you did. ;)

I'll be stunned if it's anywhere near accurate beyond her grandparents. You know that old saying, "if it sounds to good to be true"... I'd be very, very wary of anyone saying they can get a whole family tree done, accurately, in 12 weeks, back to 1700. In fact I'll go as far as to say it's simply not possible and you'll be wasting your money. It'll be a family tree all right, but it sure as hell won't be accurately hers!

One thing that I would absolutely insist on is that every detail on the tree is sourced as to where that info came from. That way, at least it can be double-checked.

Wow back to 1700 in a few weeks maybe they find a tree on ancestry to copy?

Well if thats what she wants and it is all pretty I am sure she will like it

jax

It would be interesting how they intend to "do her fathers line & her mothers line and use the certicates to confirm the information" when they have quoted enough for around 15 certs. If they are as thorough as they claim, that's around 2/3 generations (5 for each couple - parents, g-parents, etc - 2 x birth, 2 x death, 1 x marriage). Simplifying things, I know, but seems like big holes in their promises.

Thank guys,
I know she wants a tree because she has been going on about it for ages and ages but has never had the time to do it and we can't see that happening in the near future or at all. I certainly haven't time to do one for her as am still working on mine when I can - plus working & having 3 young children doesn't give me any spare time. Both her parents passed away about 30 years ago as well as an aunt she was very close to. Her husband, daughters and her cousin/aunt that she does have left think that she will absolutely love it and that it would be a much nicer/personal present than vouchers or suchlike as she doesn't really need anything.
I have only spoken to this one company so far. I think he said that they go back to about 1700. They will do her fathers line & her mothers line and use the certicates to confirm the information etc. You can also give them photographs to include in the family tree album too.
I am definately going to find out more info before booking it and speak to different companies and get some different quotes. I just thought i'd ask the question on here to see if anyone knew any other good companies that do it. What we are actually going to end up doing is giving her a certificate/voucher from the company that we go with to say that it is being done as it is far too much to get done so quickly.
I know how rewarding it is to do it yourself and solve the mysteries etc but some people just do not have the time to do it. If we can get a the main tree done then any more investigating into uncles/aunts/ancestors/different family lines etc she can do it herself.
I think she'll love it.

Sarah
:-)

Jax, I agree. Most of us will agree that we have done our trees because we want to.
We have all probably had a few stumbling blocks along the way, but feel great when we solve a mystery.

Maybe you could do a little research for her, type it out nicely and present it in a folder and then maybe pay for a years subscription for her to trace back further herself. Maybe she would enjoy that more.

Whatever you choose, I am sure she will like it

Cheryl :-)

How many generations do they intend to go back for that price? Thats of course the family is easy to trace??

Has she said she wants her family tree done for her?

Maybe she would like to do it herself ?

jax

I don't know that I agree with doing a tree for someone when they haven't asked for it, Some people have no interest in family trees. Some get quite upset when they find illegitimate births in their family. Also the fact that this company says that they will produce a family tree (actually 2 trees if they're doing both parents) in 12 weeks makes me suspicious. How accurate is it going to be?

When you say cheaper or quicker, do you mean you want to present her with the finished article on her birthday in July? ouch!!!

I wonder how much they'll give you for £289 - on two people? The £150 would buy 15 certificates if you or I ordered from GRO, but I wonder if they put a mark-up on that. Hmmmm I'm wondering if they'll just make a tree up out of the certificate info.
I would get quotes from several companies before you decide to go ahead, checking how much work they are doing, and what exactly you get back.

Don't, whatever you do, go for the quickest.

K

Once you have built your own tree most recommended is Ron at
www.genealogyprinters.com ...

Hi Sarah,

I think it would mean much more to her if you spent the time finding out the research yourself.
When I first started I had a free trial with ancestry and with details to hand of relatives born in the early 1900's I managed to do 7 legs of my family in that time.
Once I had sorted through all of that I then had a free trial on GR where I found bits I had missed.
Ok , I am sure I could find out more if I tried, but I was amazed at what I found out in that time.
People on here are great at solving mysteries.
If I was you I would have a go first.
I only have a standard membership so cannot help you.

Good luck I am sure they will love what you give them, whether it has been done by you or someone else.

Cheryl
:-)

Morning everyone!! hope u r all well.
It is my sister in laws 50th birthday in July and we are all going to club together and get her family tree done for her. We are going to do a twin one of both of her parents. I have had a quote from The Family Heritage Company in Bigger, Scotland which works out at £289 for twin tree. Then about another £150 on top of that for all the certificates. Then another £39 for album. Estimated time of delivery is 12 weeks.
I also might try 'Trace your ancestors' which is in Framlingham, Suffolk near me - but their website is down at the moment. : 0 (
Do any of you guys out there know anyone else that does it cheaper or quicker???
Thank u!!
Sarah xxxx
<3