Genealogy Chat

getting prequsts for look ups in my messge box is irritating especially when it says REPLIES ON THE THREAD ONLY. When it is a 'newby' i tell them how to put a reply on a thread but it can be very hard not to sound patronising- its all a learning curve - jess

Jess Same happens to me. I have put on my heading replies on the thread only. Still gets loads of personal messages asking for lookups. I even got one yesterday asking for a lookup nothing to do with the subject I can look up. I think people dont read all the heading. On my NBI thread I have stated that the index is far from complete. I have had messages insisting they must be there and am I looking in the right places. When I reply and tell them that the index isnt complete, they said'Oh I didnt realise' I have now written out a little message and saved it in Word to explain how to put a message on a thread and not by personal message. Then I can just copy and paste rather than keep re-typing the same thing again and again. Margaret

Jess I think I have occasionally been guilty of asking for the same look-up twice, because I was having a senior moment (or two!). But I understand your annoyance. Especially with posters who say 'how come auntie Blossom's birth cert says XTZ instead of BTW?' and after 3 or 4 people have explained 'often certs said BTW because...' and then they just ask the question again. Or you put up a thread saying 'I can do this lookup but not that lookup' and then several people post 'that lookup' requests!!! Sometimes I go on the REcords Board and see the poster and think 'not you again' and don't waste my time. Still, there are more appreciative souls here than not. nell

Margaret The trouble is with that, if they do not read the heading where it says messages on the thread only. Then they will not see all the info that you have suggested. It has been said before, some people see the word LOOKUP and start asking before they even read what the person is offering. I noticed a thread the other day where someone was asking for advise as they were visiting the National Archives for the first time, and someone asked them to look something up for them. Bl***y cheek!! They werent offering a lookup, but asking for advise. There comment was ignored. I wouldnt have ignored it. Margaret

I see Grandpa Jim's Tips for Newbies has been nudged up by some kind soul. Hope it does the trick, but I doubt it very much. As has been said already people just don't read the WHOLE thread they just see the word LOOKUP and woweee, something for free. They are always the same people asking for lookups, it's one thing after another. Their trees are probably further back than mine. I've been guilty of misunderstanding threads before so now I try to be very careful before I ask for anything that's offered. I am a bit too embarrassed though I would hate it if people thought I was always asking someone to spend valuable credits on MY research. I ask for lots of advice and have been very lucky to get it but actually asking people to spend money on my behalf I find a bit awkward unless it's offered. I have NEVER put up a thread asking will someone do a lookup. I don't mind doing Ancestry and 1837 for people, I've done loads, I get Ancestry for free at the moment with my FTM and I usually have 1837s in hand but now I'm careful who I offer to. There are some people on this site who really are generous with their offers and they know who they are, they've helped me with lookups off their own bat and I've been very grateful. I will try to help them whenever I can with pleasure but the 'regular', no. Jan

Heather I think I may inadvertently be the cause of the disappearing thread you mentioned? I noticed that someone had posted three identical messages, one after the other. I assumed that it was 'slip of the finger' because the page was having a go-slow - I have done it myself! Later in the evening I noticed that all three posts were still on the board but had got separated and I put a message on the Top one, suggesting that the postee deleted two as there were replies to all three messages. The postee promptly did this - sorry, its my fault for interfering and OFFERING UNWANTED ADVICE!!!!!!(LOL) I should really have emailed you (and the other Repliers), however, the damage was already done and you had done the look-ups. I AM sorry! Marjorie

Veronica, thanks for that, it's very much appreciated and you are more than welcome. Jan :-))

Hi Marjorie, no problem - actually I dont think it is the same one as I think I know which one you are talking about! Dont worry please.

I recently did a look up of a family for someone as he couldn't find him in 1901, so I when I found him I traced him right back and additional family to 1871. This took a couple of days of my time which I didn't mind doing, I emailed him all my findings including reference numbers for ordering certificates and he emailed back 'thanks'. I was livid he could have put, thank you very much etc etc. I didn't have the guts to email him back saying is that all I get. Am I right to feel a bit anoyed.

Hi Jess, Sorry for the way you are feeling at the moment but keep up the good work and let it pass you are a god send you have helped me a lot , god bless and thank you.