Genealogy Chat

Hello Gwyneth and thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I'm fairly new to genealogy and so I was interested to read your comments. I too had wondered about the size of a microfiche reader and my lack of spare cupboards to store one! I think I'll hang on a little while for now and think about it. As I said, I'm quite a newbie so I'm sure there's plenty more I can be getting on with just now. Thanks again for your help, Gwyneth - with best wishes, from Beryl

Some fiche produced by family history groups are transcriptions of parish records. They can be very useful but are not a substitute for seeing a filmed copy of the actual register. Fiche readers are large and you would need to consider whether you would use one much, once you had read your purchased fiche. Personally I wouldn't have room or need for one. Gwyn

Hello Jennifer and thank you so much for your reply. I'm fairly new to genealogy and so I was really interested in what you've told me. Thanks for taking the time to reply. Maybe I could add a microfiche machine to my Christmas list this coming year! Thanks again, with best wishes from Beryl

More and more records are coming out on CD, but it will be a long time befor they are all digitised and a lot pf parish records can be bought from Record Offices on mocrofiche. Most libraries allow the use of their readers for the public to read their own fiche, but personally I would be lost without my own fiche reader, having collected several hundred microfiche over the years, it was one of my best investments. Jennifer

Hello Keith Thanks for your reply. I think I'll do as you suggest and have a word at our library before I order anything. To be honest, I've never heard of anybody owning their own fiche machine before. I suppose it's a good investment if you find you're able to buy quite a few records on fiche - nice and cosy at home rather than in a draughty library, especially at this time of year! Thanks again, Keith - with best wishes from Beryl

Hi Beryl, Before you order, it may be worth having a word with your library to see if they allow viewing of personnal fiche. Some may not allow it. Fiche viewers can be purchased, somewhere between £50-100 I believe for a second hand one.

I wonder if anyone can help me, please. I've just been looking on the Doncaster Family History Society website where they advertise booklets etc to buy which I think for my research would be really interesting. However, some of the records they have to purchase appear to be sold on fiche rather than on disc. (I think I've read the details correctly.) I've used fiche machines at our local library, but I was just wondering if I ordered a record on fiche, how would I look at the information myself. Would I have to buy a machine or would my library allow me to look at it on their machine. Thanks in advance to anybody who can help. Best wishes, from Beryl