Genealogy Chat

I have been searching for a marriage of John Houghton and Matilda Whitlock both born around 1830. But I cannot find it anywhere too many to search on 1837 as do not know year, the youngest son was born about 1862 but dont know whether there were more children before, have tried ringing around my local register office and Hampshire record office but they cannot help as I do not know the year. Have tried freebmd and igi but nothing. Please can anyone tell me where to go from here. Debbie

Debbie There is an 1856 marriage on the IGI for a Matilda WITLOCK and a John, but the surname is different. Could the name have been changed? I know I had a lot of trouble with a marriage entry because my ancestor was an actor and kept changing his name. Just a thought!

please dont be put off by the rude reply from james weatherall, I have found most people are happy to help and I think he didnt take the trouble to read your request as you certainly were not asking him to do your work just where you moght go next good luck sandra

This research is not always easy. You say there are too many to search on 1837. Rubbish. If the parents were born in 1830 and the youngest child was born in 1862, you only need to search between about 1850 and 1862. A mere 12 years. Witlock (not forgetting alternative spellings) cant be that common over that period. And if you think that is too much to do you may as well give up now because I don't know how you would cope looking up a Parish Register from 1530 to 1837. This site is not here to do your Genealogy for you, but so that researchers have a forum to exchange information and to form links. Jim, Gosport.

I am sorry that Sandra found my comments rude. Yes I did read the message, and was responding to the statement that there were too many to search on 1837. I have had to spend hours in distant parts of the country poring through old records to find what I have, and I freely share my research wherever it is needed. There seem to be a variety of people using this site, some serious Genealogists, some who simply dip their tree in the water and hope to snag something, and those who are seeking a lost living relative. I happen to belong to the first group, and it would be neglectful of me not to point out that success often comes as a result of effort. Jim, Gosport.

James Thank you for your very rude reply. I spend a lot of time on the net and on the telephone looking for info. And I am very serious about it. The trouble I have is I have 2 young children one at playschool for 2 hours in the morning. so not much time to travel to the nearest records office. and then I have a child at school so I have 2 hours in the afternoon before I have to pick her up. and I have no one to look after them and I would not want to take them with me. The messages lately I have seen have been saying there are a lot of people here to help so post a message and see what they can do. I have refrained from doing this for a long time. but as I was having a bit of trouble I thought I would give it a go but soon as I ask I get moaned at. God you really dont know what upset you have caused me now I will not ask anything else. Thank you for your patience. And thank you to Sandra and Rosalind

I agree with James, too many people mainly those new to genealogy expect everything to be online. I started my family tree when my children were very small. You just have to be patient, it takes a long time to find some things. It is not possible to find all of your info from the net. Original documents have to be looked at. Margaret, Burton on Trent

Margaret I have researched a lot of my tree and I have quite a collection of documents I dont expect to find it all from the net. I am very serious about this but very disheartened when I am getting moaned at for a question people are always asking. I read the questions everyday and so far people have helped them in the right direction that`s all I was doing.

If I have upset anybody, I apologise. That was not my intention. However that doesn't alter the fact that a Family tree will not usually drop into someone's lap without them having to do a lot of hard work and research. Jim, Gosport.

James That is what I am trying to say I dont expect it to drop in my lap just like that. And I have spent a lot of hard work on my tree you are making out that i`m just a quick visitor and forget about it tomorrow. which is not the case I suggest you dont ask for anybodys help in the future otherwise I might say the same to you,

Debra My comment wasn't meant as a personal attack on you. You only have to read some of the questions that keep cropping up on these boards to see that there are people out there who do expect everything to be on the net and are horrified to think that they may have to spend hours or even days staring into a microfiche reader in a library or county record office. Margaret Burton on Trent

Forgive me? Jim

James I suppose I better had. Debbie

Thanks Debbie, Now lets ask if somebody out there has access to 1837online and can lookup 1850-1862 for you. Jim

Debra Do you have any idea where in Hampshire? I have a few credits left if I can be of any help regards Kim

Kim It`s nice of you to offer but I couldn`t let you use your last credits on me. I`m sure there are some others in your family that you need to look up. Thank you very much Debbie

Debra, I have spent the last 4 years researching 5 different names in England, Wales & Ireland, my family think I am "loco", and so many people on this site have helped me, now its my turn. PLEASE JUST TELL ME THE AREA!!!!

Kim Ok please dont shout I give in it`s Southampton, Hampshire. Thankyou Debbie

Hello Debbie and Kim I had a quick look last night, whilst checking some of my own ancestors. It's definately NOT 1855 or the March and June quarters of 1856. Hope that helps. Suzanne Paris Orpington Kent

To those who say that you should not expect to find everything on-line I ask "Why not?" Official bodies in charge of what, after all, is a part of the nation's heritage seem content almost to rely on the technology of the day the record was created. OK, some records are on microfiche or film, but in the 21st Century we should be aiming higher than a fuzzy image of something written with a quill pen. The impetus for online access is coming from voluntary bodies of amateurs with the government trailing thirty years behind, when it spins that it wants Britain to be in the forefront of internet technology. What is the point of them plugging broadband when they can't be bothered to put stuff on there to access. The same applies to all our laws, the stationery office is happy to sell you a copy of an Act, but if the population is expected to comply with every law, why isn't it all available online. And, yes, I am willing to do the legwork, but I have just been down to Hythe in Kent to locate the church where my great grandfather was christened to find that the records from there have been forwarded to Canterbury cathedral, which I will have to arrange to visit on another holiday. Fortunately Kent is the next county, but for someone in the North of England or overseas it might be an impossible task. Here endeth the rant.