Genealogy Chat

Great idea - don't have anything to add at present, but adding this so I don't lose the thread!! Trudy

Great idea Andy. Glad someone tipped me off about this! My tip comes from a lecture at the FHS Fair in London in April regarding baptisms in London. Maybe everyone already knows this but I didn't so I hope it helps someone. If you have searched unsuccessfully for a baptism (pre 1837) to prove/find a birth don't be disheartened as there will almost certainly be a record of it somewhere especially if your ancestors were working class like all of mine! I was convinced I had royal blood! lol In London and other large cities the working classes used to have their children, and themselves, baptised late on Sunday afternoons and were prepared to wait hours to have it done, because the baptism certificate gave them a proof of place of birth and was their passport to poor relief. Without the certificate they could not get poor relief. When I can dig out my notes I'll add a few others but hope it helps someone or at least gives an insight into researching ancestors in London. Daisy

Giving this a nudge before it gets lost, as there's potentially loads of useful information that can be added to this.

Great idea, Andy! I have a collection of very early marriages (1550 to 1837) which covers the parishes of the former Middlesex (it has nothing for inner London) It's extracted from Phillimore's, isn't complete and can only be searched by the GROOM's surname but I'm happy to have a look for anyone who might have a pre civil reg brickwall that might get at least a small crack in it with some marriage info! Send me a PM with details rather than filling up the thread with requests! Lou

I got the inspiration for starting this thread after seeing Grampa Jim's one for Newbies. The assumption being made for this one, is that you're on your way with your research....you know what the LDS stands for, you know how to order certificates, you know about census etc. The purpose here is for anyone to, for example, suggest hints for those of us stuck with brick-walls, expand on say, what Boyd's Marriage Index is and what it offers, help with parish records etc... I hope this makes sense, I know I for one get confused from time to time with the endless sources of information out there, what they exactly offer in terms of information and their coverage (both geographically and time-wise). Therefore, hoping this thread will serve as a kind of collection point. Anyone want to start?