I’ve recently been getting back into researching my Family Tree … well, more my kids’ family tree as I’m using them as the focal point and going back into both Akra’s and my family history.
It’s a project that works well for my temperament – something that’s easy to pick up, get totally absorbed in, then put it down again for months/years until the interest comes back – no backtracking and “catching up” due to the time the project was ignored is required.
There’s something very satisfying about searching records databases to try and find a particularly elusive ancestor and finally being able to prove that you are related. I suppose it’s a natural extension to my Google Fu. It’s also fascinating to uncover family stories that would otherwise have been forgotten and to feel that you have a place in a wider narrative that is still being told.
I’m very lucky that I have an uncle, cousin and mother-in-law who also have an interest in family research, so I’ve been able to cadge a huge amount of data from them with minimal effort. As a result, I’m enjoying focussing on the detail – trying to find photos of old residences, getting certificates together, looking up where people lived on a birds-eye view map – and finding out about the people that don’t overlap with their previous research.
Anyway, I thought I’d post a bit about what tools I’m using – nothing new to experienced geneologists, I’m sure, but might be useful to someone starting out:
- The software I’m using on the computer is Synium’s Mac Family Tree – it’s not the most recommended out there (most seem to rate Reunion for Mac – an all singing/all dancing and highly expensive piece of software) but after downloading the trials for several packages, Mac Family Tree was the one I found most intuitive, working in a very visual way that I found easy to pick up and makes it a pleasure to use.
- I’m registered with Genes Reunited but only so I can connect easily with the data my other family members have already researched. I bit the bullet and paid for Ancestry.co.uk, mainly because I found using their search facilities much easier and more likely to find matches.
- If you’re trying to keep costs down though, I can recommend FreeBMD (a free service to search birth, marriage and death records), FreeCEN (free census records) and FreeREG (free parish records). There are two important things to be aware of these sites: 1) don’t confuse the ancestry.co.uk advert at the top of the site which looks like it’s part of the search – it’ll take you to a registration page for a free trial to a different site which is very confusing; 2) not all the records have been transcribed yet.
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission site is also very useful if you suspect any of your ancestors died in one of the World Wars – again, a free search.
- Finally, the 1911 census is now available on the official site in association with the National Archives. Am rather annoyed that this hasn’t found its way over to Ancestry.co.uk yet and you have to pay per view any census records. I can only assume that it’ll find its way over there eventually.
6 responses so far ↓
1 Ys // 22nd Jan 2009 at 10:14 pm
I always think I’ll get round to doing this. I know my mother’s brother has done a lot on that side of the family but on my father’s side I’m not sure if anyone’s gone into it. One day that “one day” will actually be today! ;)
2 Getting Copies of Certificates // 24th Jan 2009 at 10:24 am
[...] iTunes ← Geneology [...]
3 GoodTwin // 26th Jan 2009 at 10:43 am
I’ve been doing my tree for about 15 years on and off – more off than on. I was lucky that my Grandpa left a lot of information and photos and had an unusual surname, plus my mum’s cousin (step, by marriage) has done all their side as well.
Some records simply aren’t there to be found – my ggrandfather was apparently married twice but there’s absolutely no record of the second one…
4 Pewari // 26th Jan 2009 at 10:45 am
Yes, I think some of it is that the indexes don’t appear to be put on the internet post 1916 (or at least not the ones I’ve searched for – presumably to protect living relatives).
If you know enough definite details though (like exact dates, location etc) you can still apply for the certificates via the GRO.
5 GoodTwin // 27th Jan 2009 at 10:48 am
This would have been circa 1901 and I’ve searched the books physically (when I first started I wasn’t online even if the records were!)
It could be that the record was never transcribed to central records, but I really don’t think the record is there to be found. My Nan was always a little cagey about her family; she didn’t get on with her MIL very well (“wasn’t good enough for the family”) and I suspect illegitmacy was the cause. The other skelton in the cupboard was that apparently ggrandfather used to be a bit violent and his second batch of sons got together one night and threw him out, whereupon he disappeared (no loss, I feel) but it leaves me completely unable to trace his death record either!
6 Nancy Wrigley James // 11th Nov 2009 at 5:17 am
Thanks for all the tips/suggestions. I agree, it is a life-long project that you can pick up/put down at will and not have to worry about catching up. They are all just still waiting for you to find them.
(my niece Sylvia Wrigley sent me your link)
My addition: I wrote to my Mother’s old address (she lived there with her Father as a teenager) to see if I could get some ‘now’ pics to go with my ‘then’ shots. I got a great reply, with pics of how the old place looks now. The lady was overjoyed to see the 1930′s look of the place as she had worked hard to try and restore it and often wondered about the original builder/owner. It was a fun exchange all done on a lark.
I’ll chase down some of your supplied links.
Thanks!
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