Genealogy Chat

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I full agree with you - I'm still battling with options - know the best choice :-) :-)

Well, now you know what all the excitement is about the 1911 census on Ancestry :)

Perhaps it would be as well to remove the hyperlink to another thread? (as that thread no longer exits).

Hi Susanne - the collective 'we' and 'old members' really refers to those of us who joined this site before it held many records.

I only became interested after a radio article about the release of the 1901 census on line, which I accessed via a pre-paid card purchased from the library. This site was also mentioned, and it was one of the early 'hot matches' to my embryonic 6 person tree who guided me to other subscriptions sites for research.

GR has developed considerably since those days, and now hold many, many more records. It is considered by Brightsolid, the owners, to be a relatively inexpensive jumping off platform for people starting on their journey of discovery.

However, as I'm sure you will agree, as we become more experienced, we do need to explore other record collections, not held (as yet?) held by this site.

Most of us are having to economise, which brings us back to our pleasure that A* now have transcribed 1911, meaning that we may, if we choose, reduce the number or levels of subscriptions to other sites. ;-)

I've made no comment on this thread because some of the comments I felt almost verging on abusive - an unwarrented personal attack.

All the comments about a collective we and old members - don't understand what that was for.

For anybody to write 'This seems a needless thread' is not helpful to anybody. All threads are important to the people who start them. I'm a tough cookie but it would scare some people off.

What has my experience got to do with anything - You learn something new everyday

I was only voicing my opinion and asking a question. There was no hidden motive nor was I telling anybody they are wrong.



:-0 :-0

Well i really dont think its a right or wrong which search engine you use that suits your own particular searches.

I joined Genes way back was before 2003 that they say as i was looking for family before the 1901 was released.
In those days genes didnt hold any records and any contacts were through Hot matches. After asking for info from members who had subs ,remember Jess Bow Bells bobbing dog anyone? I decided to take the bullet and sign up for Ancestry and away i went.
When the 1911 came on line i bought credits to search and later tried FMP .

I still have both subs and have found each has their own merits..
Just had a BIG find tho on Ancestry 1911 which found my dads future stepfather in Madras in the cavalry with his younger brother and from that found the younger bros Army record on Ancestry . These arent on Genes or FMP SO each site has its own merits

I dont think it does any good to tell people where they should sub too or which site is better that others. Depends what you are looking for . :-(

Someone has reported it...dont know why as it was only a duplicate on this thread.

Your post is still there you must have double clicked

I note that my message has been requested for a review. Could someone please explain to me what this means.
Thanks

I'll tell you why I am "excited" by the 1911 being on A ****.... (even though I have already paid to look at some of it on the 1911 site) and that is because A****** has had parish records for London for months that GR has not! That means I can now look at one set of records and then jump to the 1911 without having to change sites :)

Plus, the search facility suits me better there.

And! ...by and large the A******* site is not plagued by all the errors and breaks in service that GR has been prone to for months on end,

Olwen,

You are perfectly correct when you say that everybody has a right to their own opinion.

Just as a matter of interest there are other sites that permit discussion on their message boards. One being www.rootschat.com (Membership is free) which has many message boards including some very useful ones offering very "Localised" information. Unlike GR the boards at that site are monitored via moderators which can help to prevent threads from becoming abusive or too personal.

As a relative newcomer can I say that everybody has a right to their own opinion and nobody has a right to tell us we are wrong.

I do think GR has the best site for these discussions. Do any other sites have these type of discussion as I cannot find them.
Everybody is so helpful and I have learnt such a lot from them.

I did start on GR and have the platinum subscription for 6 months, but found the tree extremely difficult to use and print. I then purchased FTM and have a free 6 month premium with Ancestry so I use both. I will renew with Ancestry as I find this suits my needs better and will have a basic subscription on GR if only to read all the message boards. That is MY decision and others may decide to go the other way. BUT nobody is right and nobody is wrong.

Thank you Olwen xx

This seems a needless thread


Susanne, you for one may be very happy with GR's 1911 ........ which is in fact FMP's version, or so I believe.

GR certainly did not do its own transcription of the census (nor of any other records)


BUT you only joined in 2007 .................. those of us who are longer time members remember when GR did not carry any records at all.

We all used other sites to obtain information ..................... and many (if not the majority of us) still much prefer those other sites.


That is not to say that you are wrong, or we are right

It does mean that we all have the right to use the sites we like, and to promote those sites that we think are best because they suit our needs better, or we find them easier to use.

It does not mean that anyone has the right to disparage anyone else's choice, or say "you are wrong and I am right"

...... which is what you have just done!


For what it is worth, I took a subscription to the original 1911 census site when it first became available

http://www.1911census.co.uk/

Any records that I looked at were saved on that site for future reference ..... and they are still on there, so I can go back and check records that I originally dismissed but may now be re-thinking.

FMP then got the right to carry the census ........ but the original search engine is much better than the one on FMP. Many people with fmp subs got into the habit of using the original site's free search to find what they were looking for, then turned to fmp to see the details.


Me? I have no sub to fmp, nor any longer to that original site, but I do use the free search ability to get basic information.


Like so many of the longer-term members of GR, I have only the Standard membership .............. we had found most of the information from records on other sites by the time GR started carrying them, and did not find GR's records any better than what we had and saw no reason to upgrade.

Like so many of us, I do have a sub to ancestry, and will see how their transcription of the 1911 compares with that original site ...... if it is better, then I will use it. If the search engine is not better, then I will continue to use the free search on the 1911census site, and perhaps confirm details on ancestry, if I can replicate the search.

We ALL know that transcriptions vary from site to site, depending on how good the transcribers were ............... and how well they could read "old" handwriting.



But please, Susanne, stop telling the rest of us how wrong we are!



I think many of us are at least as experienced as you are .......... but would never dream of making the big deal of it that you do.



sylvia

Well I for one am very pleased about Ancestry as I have found my grandfather at last correctly transcribed. I have a sub to the 1911 on FMP but have never been able to find him despite extensive searching.

On Ancestry he has his correct surname and on FMP he has the surname of the head of house which is completely different.

Now there speaks a man who knows these things....... ;-)



Susanne, have you ever read Jonesey's 1911 tips thread? It's an excellent aid to getting as much out of the 1911 as possible.



I am just wondering if you are a professional researcher by any chance?



Cx.

Just adding my two pennoth.

Access to the 1911 census came first via www.1911census.co.uk which is powered by Find My Past and which probably has a better search engine than the Find My Past version. You can search for free but to actually view the actual census you have to "Pay as you go".

Find My Past were I believe the first site to offer subscription access to the 1911 census. Once again this can be searched for free but a subscription is needed to view the actual census.

Genes Reunited then offered access via its Platinum (Most expensive and created for the purpose) membership or by the purchase of "Credits"

Ancestry is currently adding the 1911 census access to which is included at no extra cost to its members.

I have no doubt that access on each site will be slightly different from its competitors. Some aspects will be better than others and some worse. I cannot speak about access to the 1911 census via GR as I have not used it but having experienced access via all the other sites I find them all to be perfectly adequate. Most serious, experienced researchers will in all probability already have a subscription to either Ancestry or FMP so those who have chosen Ancestry will no doubt be grateful that it is being made available to them.

KenSE,

I think it most unlikely that the Brightsolid folks as you describe them are the ones who have RRd the posts. Only yesterday GR stickied a thread on the Find Ancestors board which includes references to Ancestry.co.uk (Free two weeks free trial available), Familysearch.org, Freebmd and even advocates www.gro.gov.uk as the place to purchase certificates from.

Maybe it's the Brightsolid folks, who are helping get the site working, who have taken exception to Ancestry references.

If it's supposed to be a different subject, referring to the other thread was hardly sensible

GR's versions of records are by far the hardest to search..........but no doubt you have your own reasons for praising them.

And.........GR do not have any of their own records, anyway!!!!!!

But, I shouldn't be saying all this to such an experienced researcher as yourself......apologies

Sorry Susanne - my reading of your post was 'why are people excited that Ancestry have it' after which you (rightly) pointed out that GR also hold the records. :-)

GR haven't bothered themselves in the past about discussions (favourable or otherwise) of other sites, so it does seem a bit strange that threads and posts are being removed now.

"And now Joy's post on another thread giving an Ancestry link has been RRd."

not often have I been RRd ;-)

The other site that I mentioned apparently has 23 counties - http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/


I joined genes reunited before it had genealogical records, so for census I looked at the Mormons' free 1881 census, the original official census site, and at free census http://www.freecen.org.uk/ and I have searched fiche and film in records offices.

Competition is healthy :) and discussion of other sites has not only been allowed by genes reunited but has also been encouraged :)

So you think the records are easier than FMP?

I used the records on GR for the first 6 months but had to subscribe to ancestry to find my family as GR does not give you the option to search by first name only as far as I am aware or any sort of wild card searches.

Anyway I have FMP aswell and I can then correct any transcripton errors which then get changed on GR

Flick

Pointless.....your opinion
I started a new post because GR 1911 census is a difference subject to Ancestry 1911 census.

At the moment is better than Ancestry - probably the same records as FMP but easier to manipulate.

Just a thought does GR allow such flagrant promotion of Ancestry - surely it is competition

Lindsey - point noted - didn't think of the pay as you go members

KenSE - fully agree with you - I download all the 1911 census from GR - it is quick and easy. Then upload them to other trees. :-) :-)