Genealogy Chat

Lots of good advice already but surely we can add more. Another from me is ... Don't be afraid of record offices. I've met a few folk who are really apprehensive about their first vist to a record office. If you've not done research before it can be daunting but go for it anyway. All the places I have been to have really helpful staff and it's been fabulous to visit them. Plus you find out so much. It really is worth overcoming any nerves and talking to the employees who can really help with accessing records and telling you about the more unusal records they hold. Louise

I agree that reminiscences from rellies can be helpful - but they can also be expensive and time-consuming red herrings. I have only recently abandoned the fondly held family belief that my 2 x Gt Grandfather was a Train Driver, drove the Flying Scotsman etc etc. He was not a Train Driver, he was an Agricultural Engine Driver. And my 2 x GtUncle was not in fact a bachelor who died aged 40 - he was a married man who died aged 40, leaving children - no one in my family knew anything about this, though spookily, GtUncles living descendants knew virtually everything about me!!!! And my Gt Grandfather, a Master Jeweller don't you know, turned out to be a Shopman in a Pawnbroker's all his life! I too have been lucky enough to find two books concerning my family. One was published in the 1800s and is considered the Classic Work on my family. It was compiled by an elderly man. It contains: No dates. Virtually nothing about the women of the family. Nothing remotely immoral. I spent a long time trying to check the 'facts' - in fact, it is nothing more than a poorly-remembered collection of anecdotes and he is COMPLETELY wrong about the founder of this family. But I still get emails from people who say 'but its in...'s book'. The other is an unpublished document which came my way by a chance conversation with a wonderful lady at the Blackburn Register Office. I managed to photocopy all 165 pages - as it is unpublished it has no copyright - and it is an absolute GEM. The library assistant remembered the Author, who sat in the library every day for about two years, researching the PRs etc. It contains dates, references (oh!joy!) photocopies etc etc and the icing on the cake for me, he has found the same discrepancies in the original book, and drawn the same conclusions as me. I have advertised in vain for this man - I would like to shake him by the hand AND give him some more information - sadly, I think he must be dead now. Sorry, rambling again.... Marjorie

Marjorie A document does not have to be published to be subject to copright- 'Copyright automatically covers almost all original written works. Although copyright legislation often refers to 'literary works', copyright applies regardless of the quality of the writing. Copyright subsists in both published and unpublished works, and extends to manuscripts, single scraps of paper, and private correspondence.' If I were to write a letter to you, even though you had the letter I would be the holder of the copyright.

Geoff Oh Gawd!! I'm a criminal now, as well as everything else. I have to say, in my own defence m'lud, that I did this photocopying in full view of the librarian and with her permission! I woz led astray, me lud, I'm an ole woman an' I dident know it wuz wrong. Marjorie PS - if I could FIND the Author of this manuscript, I would very gladly PAY him for a copy.

Marjorie You will pleased to know that whatever you post here remains your copyright (if it was yours in the first place!) and you have granted licence to GR to use it if they so wish- '16. Intellectual Property. You acknowledge that all copyright, trade marks, and other intellectual property rights in and relating to the Genes Reunited Service, other than material which is contributed by Members, are owned by Genes Reunited. It is easy to copy material which appears on web-sites, but this does not mean it is legal. Therefore, no-one may copy, distribute, show in public or create any derivative work from the Genes Reunited Service, or any of the material which is found on the Genes Reunited Service, unless properly licensed to do so by (a) us, and (b) where material contributed by one or more Members is concerned, by the Member(s) in question. By submitting any material to the Genes Reunited Service, you: are representing that you are fully entitled to do so; grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-terminable licence to copy, modify, distribute, show in public and create derivative works from that material solely in the course of its processing and display on and through the Genes Reunited Service in accordance with this Agreement; and agree that you are the controller of that material for the purposes of privacy and data protection laws.' The defence that you are an old biddy probably has no standing in a court of law.

Geoff Oddly enough, I had just read all that! I wonder if that means that GR can use, and publish, a rather naughty thread I once was guilty of starting. If so, where are they going to publish it and more to the point, why??? As for my own sins, since the Author of the manuscript appears to be dead (I advertised in the local rag and got no response) I am not expecting a midnight call from the Fuzz. Marjorie

Don't believe anything you discover online, verify it with certs first. I have come across a website which a gentleman has clearly spent a lot of time on, where he shows my ggg-granddad remarrying after the death of his first wife and then moving and starting a new family. Unfortunately, my ggg-gran was still living with my ggg-grandpa and produced another 7 or so kids after she 'died'. I have the birth certificates of her children to prove she was alive! He had assumed that his Alfred X was the same as my Alfred X. I carefully reviewed his sources, and discovered that he had used IGI and census's for everything, but had NO certificates AT ALL. PROOF IS EVERYTHING - without it you have nothing.

Following someone's advice on here re: checking parish records for mistakes that may exist on GRO certificates, I thought I'd visit the London Metropolitan Archives as I live near there to check the original parish records of the marriage certificates I have. Of the seven marriage certificates I have for London, three had mistakes (mainly minor spelling mistakes of names) but one of the spelling mistakes was that my g g g g grandfather was not Eames Keith but James Keith (yes I guess it is probably a variation of the name) but I am sure it would have hindered my research if I hadn't bothered to check the original parish record. I am now definitely going to check all certificates with the parish records to be sure of the correct information. It was also nice to see my ancestors signature (or mark!) Louise :-)

PROOF IS EVERYTHING YES, but unfortunately just because something is in a parish record it doesn't make it true! I had a marriage witnessed by an Edward TOWNHILL and Catherine COXON - a few weeks later Catherine COXON married Edward TOWNING. There were several TOWNHILL entries in the register and the previous census in the village. Fifteen years later, a brother turns up 80 miles away on a census as Henry TOWNIN. Whatever 'proof' you have, there is still the need for a bucketful of interpretation on occasions.

Although certs can be an excellent source of information and help Identify people, please dont take them all as gospel! I had searched for my G-grandmother for many years based on details on her marriage cert, It all turned out that she had lied about her maiden name thereby her fathers surname too. This was to hide the fact that she gave birth to a illegitimate daughter that she obviously did'nt want her husband to know about it. So my Tip is.............. If It dose'nt feel right It usually means It Is'nt, cross reference where and when possible, your persistance will hopefully pay off In the end, as mine did! Happy hunting Lib

My advice is to talk to your relatives while you can! I've lost count of the number of times I have sat here and regretted that I did not ask more (and write down what we knew!) before my grandparents died! :-( Their memories may not always have been great, indeed they may not have been aware of some things so its always best to verify what they can tell you but it gives you a great starting point AND the personal touch that certificates and census' can't add. I have some lovely stories of relatives that are now carefully stored for future generations. What's more I'm sure that they would approve of us bringing our families closer through our research. Sarah

My advice would be to begin with your own birth certificate and baptism and work backwards one generation at a time, confirming with certificates, parish records and any other records you can find. Too many people have made assumptions from censuses and the IGI then tried to 'bridge the gap'. I echo what others have said about the IGI which is very inaccurate in places where my families are concerned. Never add anything from the IGI to your tree until you have seen the original parish records. And I would warn people that genealogy (if you do it 'right') is a very expensive hobby. Gwynne

The best advice I was given was to 'think outside the box'. If you can't find them by using all logical means, begin again and be more creative in your interpretation. Names and dates are not always what they appear to be as we all find out sooner or later. I wish I COULD go to the records offices physically and do research but unfortunately I live out of the UK and don't have that opportunity. So I have to do it all online at the moment, and add to my mileage points by buying certs by mail!!!

It's probably not the best advice ever given, but: Don't Confuse The Issue If you need help to find Sarah Smith's birth in Sheffield in 1840, then ask for that. Describing her relationship to you, her marriages and children and all the places she moved to during her life, and why, will confuse you and the person trying to help you. At best, you'll be so overwhelmed you'll miss an important detail; at worst you'll muddle something up and go off on a complete tangent.

Best tip-.................never presume.

Think I must agree with 'Sarah in the Midlands' with regard to speaking to relatives NOW!!! I've been researching for about twenty years now, mainly on my father's side, having an unusual surname and being interested in it's origin. Having taken an interest a few years ago in my mother's side of the family, I could kick myself for not asking relatives for info whilst they were still alive, which is now gone, possibly forever. My advice would be to make a complete *rse of yourself TODAY by pestering rellies for details, even though they will probably assume you've lost most of the plot!!! Go on, do it now - you know it makes sense! Gordon

*** Just realised I have added to a Phantom Nudger but I'll leave my reply anyway *** In the 1960s I was given a project at school....And to this day the questions I was given to ask my Grandparents still haunt me. What were your parent's names? Do you remember your Grandparents? What can you tell me about them? Do you remember their names? And I remember talking to all four of my Grandparents, writing notes and getting an A* for my report (My one and only ever) and probably an indication to a future obsession lol... Those notes are now long gone :( How I wish I had kept them. So two tips I would now give myself.... 1. Talk to those that are still around. 2. And keep your notes....Throw nothing away...EVER! Chris

Never ever assume anything ................ so, so true! This is a piece of advice that I have ignored (more than once, cos I'm not very good at taking good advice!) and yes, even my most 'obvious' assumptions have been wrong, almost every time!!! I still do it though, I just can't help myself, lol!! Bev x

Best tip I ever had was when my uncle came home after the war with his kitbag full of cigs, I was only 10 and I helped myself to a packet of 10 woodbines and off I went to my friends for smoke in the shed in his garden. 2 cigs later we were both very sick and I was taken home by my friends dad. Stinking of smoke, my uncle gave me a tip 'DONT SMOKE, ITS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH' I never smoked again, and spent the rest of my youth chasing the girls in the area. NOW THERE MUST BE A GOOD TIP THERE? ted.

I was at the point of giving up on my quest to find out what happened to my Gt Grandparents who disappeared after my Grandad was born - then I found this thread by chance! 'Never give up' seems to be the advice..... I was obviously meant to read this! THANKS!!