Genealogy Chat

Ang - Been there - Done that.! - That was the first thing I sacrificed when I joined this site and took up this 'hoddy' (addiction ! ?) I noticed that if you didn't dust for a couple of days - the dust settled, BUT, If you didn't dust for a couple of weeks - It was still there. People would come to visit, look a round, and think - god ! - She hasn't dusted for days - when really - I hadn't dusted for weeks. Therefore - Once a month is good !! - If you visit me at the beginning of the month you think I am wonderful and If you visit me at the end of the month - I don't open the door !!!!!!!!!!!! Dea x

i too have a McGuire in my tree (allegedly) through marriage. havnt quite got there yet, we are in the north east of england.

The problem with giving up certificates is that it doesn't help you to lose weight, so as soon as I have found something I can give up to pay for them, I will be getting some more.

Nell, I have that one sorted. Pick up all the census you have printed out - In MY case, LOTS!!! Go into the bathroom and stand on the scales - paperwork in hand. !! Then order all the certs you need. Once they have arrived - go through all the paperwork and tear it up. Go back into the bathroom with just the certs!! I guarantee - you will be lighter.!!! Dea x

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this wonderful thread. I have really enjoyed it. ITV knew what they were doing when they bought you up. You are the best thing since sliced bread. Might I be allowed to offer a couple of helpful suggestions? a) Save money for certs by running after taxis rather than buses, or even hire stretch limos --white ones if possible with cocktail cabinets. b) Why doesn't the GRO have a gift voucher scheme, a la amazon or many other on-line shopatoriums. Just think, an easy option for hopeless present buyers, i.e. the men in your life, and what joy when the e mail pops into your inbox ''So and so has just sent you a certificate gift certificate for x x pounds.'' It'd have to be at least fifty, or they'd look cheap. Well, I can dream. For me, even if I can send off for them, they get lost on the way out here....

Oh yes, good idea about the gift vouchers. Or better still, once the manic rush engendered by Who Do You Think You Are has died down again and the GRO staff are left twiddling their thumbs and drinking more coffee than is really good for them, they could have a Happy Hour once a week maybe. All certs ordered then cost £1. Or maybe a Buy One Get One Free offer - maybe linked to marriage partners. So you order your great great grandfather's birth certificate, and you get your great great grandmother's birth certificate free. Or maybe they could give loyalty bonuses - you know the kind of thing. You get a token with every cert you order and when you have collected say 10 tokens, you can trade them in for a free certificate. Why don't we all just take over the GRO - we have so many good ideas! Tina

If you pay the money Scotlands People ask for the intrnet search you don't need the certificate. My irish ? american cherokee indian GG granny popped her clogs in Glasgow of cerebral apoplexy in1922, it gives the address she died at , her parents names and occupations and mothers maiden name, who was present when she died ie my GG Grandad, what his occupation was and the name of the doctor was---who needs a certificate after all that lot? The only thing it doesn't tell me is what the heck they were doing in Scotland, in their 70's away from all their family in Ireland!!!!! or what happenedto granda who dropped off the face of the earth about then, or if there is any truth to the rumour that runs in the family that she was born in Philadelphia and was part Cherokee---- the womans giving me a cerebral apoplexy!!!!!!! Carol

Sorry - I had forgotten that there are those extremely lucky people whose relatives had the decency to be born/married/died in Scotland! If you have seen the images on-line then of course you have virtually GOT the certificate anyway. I was talking about we poor underprivileged English, who have to save up, send off and wait for the b**** certs! Still, never mind, soon WE will be able to view virtual certs on line too - me, I can't wait for that happy day (2008, was the last I heard, anyone know different?) Olde Crone

Non of mine were born or lived in Scotland, just happened to be there when granny died, why they were there is amystery--I just struck lucky I guess!! Hoe much do you reckon thy will charge for virtual certs? do I ned to start saving today

Actually, I think they should grade the pricing for certs. So, for example, ones which give all the forenames of a person, plus have witnesses with unusual names who are thus easier to trace, and which are legibly written should be more expensive than the bargain certs - you know what I mean, -the ones that are written by drunken illiterate spiders who dance with inky feet all over the page. -marriage certs say 'of full age' give no occupation for the bride, don't mention that the father of the groom is dead and generally don't allow you to move your research on at all. -Death certs that tell you someone died of 'old age' when they are in their 90s, and where the informant is someone you've never heard of -birth certs that just give a village name and just say male or female. nell

I understand the price for downloadable virtual certs will be 3.50 - but who knows? I agree with Nell,and I also think its a rip off to have to pay 7.00 for a wrong cert!!!! Olde Crone