Genealogy Chat

Angela - no need to feel guilty From your thread - ..... I have sat hours and hours going through BMD's ......ive been searching till 5am most mornings going through the same BMD over and over again without sucess .....I do always say thank u and I really do appreciate all help ive recieved from the bottom of my heart There are many people who don´t make any effort and don´t say thank you - these are the ones that put people off doing any lookups. Its our choice whether we help or not - you get to know the names of the freeloaders - and you then have the option of avoiding them if you wish. I have no problem helping someone who makes an initial effort to find the information.

im a guilty girl :( but I have sat hours and hours going through BMD's and sending for certificates :) I was just stuck on one and im that impatient i was hoping someone would do the hard work for me and find it (ive been searching till 5am most mornings going through the same BMD over and over again without sucess) so I do search too kinda hoping one of my Uncles or Aunts will see one of these messages and get in touch (miracles can happen lol) But I do always say thank u and I really do appreciate all help ive recieved from the bottom of my heart xxxxx Im sad now and feel guilty :( Angie xxx

Leanne/Teresa: please understand that we are not trying to stereotype everyone who requests look-ups. It's people like you, who do as much as possible yourselves and only ask for help when you've got stuck or need a record you haven't access to, who we are happy to do look-ups for. It's just that there are plenty of other people who ask for look-ups on sixteen different threads simultaneously - anything to avoid actually doing the work themselves - and rarely express anything resembling gratitude; I hope you'd agree that it's justifiable for those who offer look-ups to take exception to such behaviour.

hiya, i too have noticed a 'trend' of threads, of people asking for lookups, some have even got 'cute' to the idea, and taken to changing names, and still asking for more lookups, what really annoys me, is when you take the time out to explain how to or where to find info, they say oh yes, i'll give it a go, next breath, there asking for another lookup etc... without even trying to find it out for themselves, (even though youve just spent all that time explaining how) ohhhhhh i could scream at times I might add, i have now also become 'cute', I IGNORE their requests, if somebody else want to do their tree for them, well, that's up to them rant over Julie

Leanne/Teresa Sorry, but I think you have both misunderstood what I was saying on this thread. My gripe is with people who do NOT bother doing any of the research themselves. They will post requests such as 'Looking for John Smith - 1841 - 1901 census'...then a few minutes later 'Looking for Joe Bloggs 1841 - 1901 census'...then a few minutes later 'Looking for...Saucy Sarah 1841 - 1901 census' LOL It might look like an exaggeration but this sort of things does keep happening. The same with asking for BMD look ups when these can be accessed for free. Even the 1881 census can be searched for FREE - but do they do it? No! Sorry if you took it the wrong way - people like yourselves (and me!) who occasionally ask for a look-up or help with brick walls are not freeloaders - honestly - that is NOT what I meant! I think a lot of the problems arise with new members who, quite innocently in some cases, just do not realise how to search for themselves. It's up to us to teach them, isn't it? Otherwise they'll be posting requests for the whole of their tree without ever realising that 'Records Office' board is NOT a group of people employed by the Genes team who sit here all day, paid to do searches for members (yes, I'm sure some of them may think that at first LOL). Hope that's straightened it all out now - Athena

I agree with Leanne. I have asked for help with census lookups now and then, sometimes because I can't see what's in front of me and a fresh pair of eyes do, and sometimes to confirm that I am heading down the right road. People on here have been very kind and helpful, and I have also learned a lot about research through them. As for joining various sites, I am on a very tight budget, with my partner being unable to work, so there is little money left over to spend on my hobby. I can subscribe to Ancestry or order a couple of certificates, not both. What would you do? The certificates win, and I have smashed a couple of brick walls with them. Job done! But it would not have been done without the help from lovely people on here. However, the tone of the first post on this thread will make me think twice in future, I don't want to be seen as a freeloader.

Dont you think you are being a bit unfair on people who do do the research themselves but do not have the acess to SOME of the records other people have. I have done all my own research, I have only ever asked for census lookups which I don't have access to. Once people have found them for me I then use that information to research futhur myself e.g. marriage, birth and death. If you don't want to help us you dont have to. No one is forcing anyone and I always THANK people. I even look up stuff for other people to return the favour. FERN BLACKMAN.

If I type haha, it always comes out ahah!! Merry

LOL means 'laughing out loud'. I prefer to type haha because that's clearer.

If you asked me, Tim, and I didn't respond, then that would be because I didn't see the question! Maybe it was Family Relatives......fully indexed up to 1920? If it was after that, then I have no idea! Merry

I realize that it probably is easier just to give people an answer to a particular query than to explain how it was done, but the former approach just helps one person, while the latter can help dozens or more. As someone who reads many threads but posts relatively little, I’m continually amazed how easily (or at least quickly) some of the more skilful denizens of this board can find other people’s ancestors. I’m always very interested in learning about better search strategies, along the lines that Phoenix mentioned (i.e., look for Jud* born Surrey 1858 - 1862, rather than just Judith born Southwark 1860). I recall asking someone (Merry?) on one occasion how she was able to find a particular birth registration when no year was given and it occurred well after the period indexed by FreeBMD. Apparently, she’s just very good at skimming through the images quarter by quarter – either that, or she doesn’t want to reveal her secret methods. I’d also suggest to people that if the cost of a year’s subscription to Ancestry seems a bit steep, try a monthly membership. In the long run it’s more expensive, but in the short run there’s less of an immediate outlay and you can download a *lot* of information in the course of one or two months. Just my opinion, of course. Tim

LOL Merry

No, Athena!! But it worked! I stopped! LOL Merry

LOL - Merry, you've given me a good chuckle with that snippet - I hope you knew the person well and that 'old bag' was a term of endearment...LOL

I also often use the search facilities for the 1861 and 1891 census on 1837online because you can search by occupation etc etc - Makes looking up the final entry on Ancestry much easier and costs nothing! Merry (Old Bag)

Merry!! You are only as young as you feel!! That`s what my mum used to say. Vanessa

As I keep on pointing out (seemingly to deaf ears) not subscribing to Ancestry is no excuse for not looking. I don't subscribe to Ancestry, but have legitimate access to 1841 - 1891 indexes via the National Archives website, which also gives access to the 1901 index now owned by GR. Although the Ancestry indexes don't reveal every field, they will give the answer to the question posed. There may be too many John Smiths to identify the correct one, but families with less common surnames can often be readily found. As for 1881, there are no less than THREE separate websites, using different search engines and producing the data in slightly different ways. If we want people to improve their skills, we should be asking HOW they have searched for individuals, as well as where. Judith Smith daughter born Southwark 1860 may yield no results, while Jud* born Surrey 1858 - 1862 finds her.

''Middle aged bag'' doesn't sound right though............. Merry

Completely agree with what everyone says (both sides, I like to sit on the fence). Then I go to records and think 'oh, it's so much worse on here for freeloaders!' Never mind helping anyone (whether it's a quick look up or a more involved one for someone who's struggling) BUT, when it's the same one's again and again and again asking for great reams then my head hurts from being hit with the hammer. Snowdrops (who tries to help in small ways when she can)

As I said on General yesterday......someone wrote to me and said, ''Stop doing my tree for me, you old bag'' LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Merry