Genealogy Chat

Are they complete. e.g. if I went to the RO would there be more in the parish records than there are on Ancestry? Ann Glos

From what I've seen on Ancestry, they are very far from complete. Reg

good, that was the answer I was hoping for reg. Thank you Ann Glos

Hi Ann I think you would find more at the RO. The parish registers on Ancestry are not very good in my opinion and repeated a lot. Sometimes you can find parish registers for the area you are looking on line if you are lucky. They still need checking but i've found its a starting point. Cathy

The ones that are on there have pretty much all the details you would find on the parish registers at the Records Office, for example the marriages include the names of the witnesses. However as Reggie says, coverage is very hit and miss so in that respect, they are far from complete. Sam x

Thank you all. Cathy in Pompey now that is a place I recognise - born and grew up in fareham. don't hear it called Pompey much these days. Ann Glos

Hi Ann Been caught up watching Big Brother! Lived in Portsmouth all my life, always call it Pompey! Been to Fareham a few times to the market. Actually thinking of moving to Dorset though futuristically. Cathy

Hi Cathy, mised this last night. I used to work in Cambridge barracks, opposite the Naafi (well it was then, don't suppose it is there now.) still visit Hamppshire as daughter lives near Winchester and sister still lives in fareham. Don't et to Portsmouth a lot. did go there last year when we made a pilgrimage to Milton cemetery where my Grandparents are buried. Both my parents were born and brought up in Portsmouth. So a lot of my roots are there. Ann Glos

Is there a database list of which parishes are covered on Ancestry?

Hi Ann Don't know if the barracks are still there. Whereabouts in Portsmouth were your parents born? All my roots are in Dorset and Wiltshire. My parents now live in Salisbury Wilts. Have you tried Knightroots for parish registers in Portsmouth its very good. Elaine dont know if there is a database for registers on Ancestry dont very often use them. I usually google the parish and have been quite surprised sometimes at what is online. Cathy

I've just taken the plunge in a different direction. The least verified bit of my tree is in Cartmel (at that time in Lancashire) and I found by googling that Lancashire FHS have put the Cartmel Priory baptism/marriage/death records on a CD. So I've splashed out £8 in the hope that I'll get some confirmation of the tree I inherited from long-gone rellies. If I were footloose and fancy-free I'd visit Manchester City Archives which seems to have a comprehensive collection of transcribed parish records. J

John, Lucky to find that then, let's hope it helps you. Cathy My Mother was born and grew up in Jessie Road, was a stalwart of Devonshire Avenue Baptist Church. My Dad was born and grew up in North End, Nelson Road, he attended London Road Baptist church which I don't think exists any more. Although a lot of my 'greats' came from Portsmouth, Eastleigh area (South Stoneham) and Gosport further back my roots are in Derbyshire, Middlesex and Dorset on Dad's side, and in Staffordshire and Somerset on my Mum's side. On my husband's tree (he was born and grew up in Buckfastleigh South Devon) his roots are in Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wales. So as you can see I am all over the place. I have looked at Knightsroots quite a while ago, very good site, wish there was one like it for North Petherton in Somerset where I am stuck at the moment. Elaine I am new to Ancestry so haven't really sussed it out yet but I don't think there is a list of parish registers covered as such. There is a lot on there though and I think it is worth the money. although if you only have a few to look up i have found that Family History online is very good, you pay £5 or whatever and can have lots of searches for that as they only cost pence at a time. Ann Glos

I know Jessie Rd and am not far from North End. I live in Fratton. The Baptist Church in London Rd is gone i think it has been converted into a pub now called The Lanyard. I had ancestors come from Dorset to Gosport and from Wiltshire to Havant to Gosport. I think they moved around more than we give them credit for. Cathy

Ooh, you have reminded me of my driving test in 1962 going over Fratton bridge!!! You get the joys of the football crowds then? And would you believe I have not one rellie that comes from Gloucestershire, although husband has one. Ann Glos

so you cant research anyone locally then! Yes we do get the football crowds which can be quite unnerving when they decide to riot down Fratton Rd and smash all the shop windows. When they played Southampton it was awful, mounted police and all. We tend to stay in! I wonder how much has changed along Fratton Rd since you took your driving test. Cathy

Well they still had the trolley bus tracks in the road then Lol!! (I'm ancient as you can tell!) But the traffic even in those days was quite frightening over the bridge, haven't been to fratton for years, tend to go to Southsea and down the Eastern road to the motorway these days. Mind you when I learnt to drive around there the worst obstacles were the dockyard 'maties' as they hurtled out on their bikes about 6 abreast at lunch times. Ann Glos