Genealogy Chat

Is there anyone out there who at any time has thought why do i bother? How many searches does it take, how many hours? It's hard when you have nothing to go on and your family seem to have lived in their own little world without any one ever knowing them. Yours sincerely A dispondant Grandson who can not trace a his history from his mothers side!

Nicholas Dont give up yet, alot of us hit brick walls from time to time, well most of the time. Have you any family that you can ask names places etc have you got your mother and fathers birth and marriage certificates you can find out grandparents names etc. then you can go on from there. Dont give up it`s good fun. Debbie

Nicholas Don't give up. There are loads of us out here who may be able to help; just look at Julie Lehner's query dated earlier today. Within half an hour some kind sole had found the information she had probably spent days looking for. Sometimes, it just needs a fresh approach. Post the information about the ancestor you are trying to trace on this board, and I wouldn't be surprised if you have a bit of luck by the end of the day. Best wishes Suzanne Orpington Kent

Nicholas. To add a bit more encouragement to the other messages, I started my research in January knowing practically nothing. Both my parents are dead and the only grandparent I knew was my mother's dad who died in 1966. I have managed, with perseverance, to get back to GGGG grandparents (1840's)on some lines. When I hit a brick wall, I leave the research alone for a few days and just read the tips boards on this site, making notes as I go along and checking out websites. Yesterday I spent and hour and a half and £5 on 1837, searching for the marriage of my paternal GGG Grandparents. Not only did I find the marriage but also both their birth records. So - the moral of the story is - if I can do it, anyone can!!! Keep your chin up!! Lynne Sale

Hi! Just to reiterate - 'the don't give up'! I hardly had any information at the beginning of the year and am now back to GGGG grandparents! Try speaking to family members about names of grandparents, great grandparents and any of their siblings (great aunts & uncles etc). I have got a lot of information this way, which makes it far easier to identify if you have the correct household on the 1901 & 1881 census. Also try to get hold of any certificates (birth, marriage etc) as this takes you back to the next generation. You can then try to find them on the census. Also use the FREEBMD web sites to get GRO references - this makes getting hold of certificates easier (also see other messages on the tips board for getting info from local libraries etc) Also, it may sound a bit obvious but try typing in the surname you are reseaching & then 'family tree' or 'geneaology' on web searches. I did this for one of my Nan's maidenname (Snowsill) and a I found a web site with part of the tree already done, plus I've made a new contact for sharing information! Don't give up though - it becomes addictive after a while. A quick 10 minutes on the web soon turns into a couple of hours! Also, the more I have started doing, the more it triggers the memory of other relatives - so keep at it! Good luck to all! Natalie, Surrey

Nicholas - please don't give up. Have you a copy of your parents' marriage certificate. From this you should be able to find a lead about your maternal grandfather, ie name and occupation. Sometimes you find that those who acted as witnesses could have been sisters, cousins etc. and not necessarily just the bride/groom's best mate. Look them up on Census returns too (the witnesses I mean) that could indicate a part of the country to concentrate on. AND REMEMBER - there is always someone out here who will be able to offer some suggestions for your next move. Happy hunting Hazel, Dalgety Bay