Genealogy Chat

After a break of several years I've blown the dust of my files (I use the term loosely!!) and got back into doing my family history.

Back then I had an elderly 2nd cousin who was able to tell me lots of information about her family members, I really felt as I was putting flesh on the bones so to speak, yet as the tree has expanded I have nothing more than a collection of births, marriages and deaths and maybe occupations/locations gleaned from censuses.

There is no family history to speak of and I feel so frustrated when I watch Who Do You Think You Are and realise just how litle I know about my family, those professional researchers/archivists always manage to turn up the most amazing facts.

Maybe it's my ignorance about not knowing where to look for say, which schools they went to, were any of them apprentices, who were their employers, did anyone have an obituary published, etc etc.

Ah well, I guess we all hit these bricks walls every now and again - I'm just feeling a little hemmed in I guess!

:-(

I completely agree with you- what is the point of a list of names! There is lots you can do though. My ancestors are a pretty humble lot but I have learned lots by investigating their occupations, where they lived etc. You can look at the history of a street or even a house where they lived. And finding living relatives has proved a goldmine.
I also find having a magazine gives me ideas. I favour My Family Tree personally.
Jan

I agree, although you need the names etc. to get started.

You could try joining the local Family History Society - they are usually a mine of information.

Also local newspapers sometimes have snippets of info about a family member.

Well, thank you one and all - my spirits have been lifted by your suggestions.

I do indeed pick up a family history magazine or two when I'm back in the UK, but can't really justify the annual subscriptions, so it'll have to remain an 'as and when' purchase.

I've exhausted asking the elderly ancestors as they're are now long gone, and whilst many family members knew of my genealogical interest, they each failed to retain any family paperwork, despite my requests.

Maybe I have a new learning curve to tackle in knowing where to look for records that are now online, hopefully I can call on people here to point me in the right direction.

Thank you for your input, it's much appreciated.

Try posting (free) in rootsweb mailing lists, and in
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php
http://www.familytreeforum.com/index.php
http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/forum/index.php

Don't know if it helps, but I concentrate on one branch of the family at a time. I find great-grandparents a good place to start, not too distant so they seem more accessible somehow. Look for anyone who has even the slightest thing out of the ordinary - maybe they married in an unexpected place, had a slightly unusual occupation etc. Once you start on an investigation you will be surprised how it takes on a life of its own!

For example, my great-grandfather was a carriage lamp maker from the age of 12, becoming a motor lamp maker later in life. This immediately reflects what was happening in vehicle manufacture, so is interesting from that point of view. It isn't a very common job, so I investigated a bit more. On checking where he lived, and google searching for possible manufacturers in the day, I found what was almost certainly his employer.

If you haven't found all your census info. I would recommend you do so, this is one way you might find something which sparks your interest and possible lines of inquiry.

Jan

I joined a FHS but found that all they do is have a guest speaker, books for sale , a cup of tea and a raffle but no one to talk to that could help me find more history of my ancestors. They meet once a month but I stopped going after 3 months.
Phyll

If you are within the dates of censuses, ie 1841 onwards, then you have a residence and where someone was born. Certificates give peoples occupations. From those pieces of information, local history should be able to offer some info.
If you are lucky, pre 1837 Parish Records might record occupations, so the same thing applies.
Local directories, such as Slaters, list addresses and occupations. They also help to build up a picture of how people lived.

I do a lot of reading around the history and background of the time. A lot of my ancestors (and OH's ancestors and son's ancestors) were Londoners and there are a lot of history books on London. That's been really helpful - just getting the feel for what life was like.

I have some from the East End and a few from Chelsea and Westminster so it's good to have the variations as well!

Occupations are great. I know more about gunmaking now than I did 10 years ago - and I'm a crack shot to it must be genetic!!

Maps are wonderful as well - lots of councils have old maps online which are worth looking at. Kent for example has maps going back well into the 19th century.

At the moment I'm re-reading Dickens just to get the flavour of what life was like "back then".

Jill