Genealogy Chat

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Joined GR in May and took out a months sub for Ancestry. Hubby is due to retire at the end of this week so I had reckoned 1 month of research and 2 months to get it all together! Not quite gone to plan. I now realise this is going to take the rest of my life. But oh how enjoyable it is. The help given on these boards is incredible. Even my husband now wants to visit places to find where his rellies were! Jennie

lol!!!!!!!! That really made me smile! Have you told hubby yet? Merry

I have been doing my tree for three years and I am no where near complete and my list of the places I want to go etc grows daily. But its a great hobby! I know there are people on here who have been doing their trees for 10x longer than I have, and if it wasnt for these people and their pearls of wisdow, then I wouldnt have got as far as I have in my own tree.

I think hubby has a vague idea. He looks at the growing pile of ring binders by the computer and sheets of paper with names and dates on them all over the house. Jennie

lol Jennie, My husbands hasnt a clue how much I spend on certificates, and when it gets to christmas and my birthday everyone thinks im wierd when I give a list of death/marriage/birth certificates that I want! My house is also full of ringbinders and folders, I really dont know how people cope when they have been doing it for years.

It's the certs bit that worries me now...the post arrives after he's left for work. Either have to intercept the postman or get a PO box number. Jennie

Hehe, Mind you, going to the record office is a great day out, I give my hubby a reel of mircofiche to look at and a list of names and he is well away. (Its alot cheaper aswell)

Jennie You are right - this is a lifetimes hobby (obsession?), as you can never actually finish. There is always going to be another generation back to reach. I have been doing it about 2 1/2 years now, and hubby just glazes over when I try to tell him about my latest exciting discovery. I wish I could enthuse him a bit more about it. If I did not have the lovely people on here to talk to, I think I would implode with my own excitement! Tina

I think that 'the rest of your life' is probably a good estimate!!! I have been researching my family for about three years now, have done pretty well so far but am now stuck on several branches. I can see a good few years more of head-scratching, digging and frustration ahead of me. But am I looking forward to it? You bet!!

Willow I'm impressed that your husband can cope with a list of names. Mine is great at visiting Record Offices but can go through a whole parish then if I say 'Did you see any(surname)?' I get told that he wasn't looking for them, just the one main surname of interest. But surely other names jump out at you, as well. I even remember names I've seen on the boards here and notice them in the parish records. Gwyn

There is no way that I would be able to get my other half to go to a Records Office. I would have to find a Man Creche to put him in to keep him occupied!!

Man creche lol. OH is pretty good at looking the microfiches, even goes off and gets them photocopied without me having to ask! Going around church yards to look at the graves, now thats a different story entirely.

I started family history in the old days of library searches but gave up as there was no way I could keep my children quiet. I discovered Genes about eighteen months ago and have been addicted ever since. My husband has just given up and bought himself a laptop as he is fed up of the amount of stuff I have on the computer and the time I spend on it. However I have recently been contacted by someone who got in contact with me about fifteen years ago through a message in family history magazine and with whom I share an ancestor from about 1750 saying he was pleased to have the middle names of my children now so I have quite a long way to go. From another mother of five.

A rellie of my husband spent 30 years tracing their family tree - before the time of computers - travelled the world visiting cemeteries, churches etc etc.- used snail mail but ended up with a very comprehensive tree which she has given to me. I now try to keep it up-to-date but I feel like I am fighting a losing battle!!! Have found contacts here on GR who have given me more info. to add in. Very rewarding 'hobby' but very time consuming - I love it! I am now doing my Mother's family tree with hubby's blessing & help. Chris

If you renew mid month Ancestry give an extra month for the annual sub-well he did for me when i moaned that I was only half way through my monthly sub. Sounds confusing-sorry. 13 months for the price of 12. Jennie

hmmmn i think obession is the right word, I have been dabbling for 10yrs, got nowhere really, then internet!! then GR, then Ancestry, Wham, gathering all info i can from census, IGI, you name it, I am an ADDICT, ordering certs left right and centre LOL. it is a lifetimes work, just hope the kids'll appreiciate it when i'm dead and gone, or their kids, whatever, I have had a bit of help from peeps on GR, but i find the tips/records side of things to be priceless!! oh happy days!! Julie

Welcome to the club, Jennie - I've been going for 20 years and the more you know, the more you discover what you still need to know. Would like to reiterate what has been said about record offices - combine it with a day out or short break away. It certainly eliminates the need to buy marriage certs - I used record offices a lot when I first started, as all my families lived in small villages rather than towns or cities, and I was amazed at what a lot I could find out in the course of one day Enjoy your new interest and keep hubby hooked! Jay