Genealogy Chat

The National Burial Index, do you think it's value for money? Would you recommend everyone to get it..............speaking now of those newbies to genealogy, who can't get around checking different parishes, cemetery's etc? Your opinions would be appreciated, thankyou! Jen

I bought version one. Two CD's, 5 million burials....one match with my tree! Easy to use. I upgraded to version two. Four CD's, 13 million burials......three matches to my tree! Flippin' nightmare to use!! Each disc covers a period of years.....You have to put in ''Disc One'' every time you use the discs, even if this doesn't include the date you want.....then swap to the right disc. The four discs come in a fold-out box about 3 feet in length (well, nearly)....this falls off the desk all the time and leaves nowhere for anything else!! I hardly use it now. Merry

NBI is free to search online at the Family Records Centre and other archives. Best to check if the areas and periods you want are covered before you fork out. nell

Thanks Merry.................... Avoid AT ALL COSTS THEN LOL! Jen

That's the way to go then Helen......... Thanks Jen

I think much of it (all???) is on Family History Online which is pay to view, but the records are very cheap. You could see a hell of a lot of NBI entries for the cost of the CD's and not have to keep changing discs all the time! https://www.familyhistoryonline.net/login/login.pl Merry

Certainly sounds like a lot less hassle Merry......Thankyou! Jen

You dont have to keep changing the discs. You can install them on your hard drive. Then all you need to do is keep disc one in the CD drive. It is expensive, but I have found quite a few rellies on it. It is especially good when pre- 1866 the age isnt on the GRO death indexes. The age, except for early dates, is usually on the burial register. I managed to work out which cert I needed more than once. Dates of burial against quarters on the GRO index. I will probably buy Version 3 when that is released. Margaret

I purchased just the Berkshire BI and boy did I find loads of my husbands side, yet on the the NBI there were only 3!!!! On the disc I got I also got, in some instances, wives, abodes, and children that I never knew had existed. If a family have stayed in one area for a 100 years maybe, like me, it's worth purchasing the county one for £15 or there abouts. Kim

On the individual county BI's, would you get more info than say on IGI or Hugh Wallis? All the info for that county in fact? Would anyone know this please? Jen

There are not many burial records on the IGI. I know the Hampshire Burial Index is ''complete'' to 1837, not inc the Isle of Wight, but don't know about others. Merry

Merry, Would the same apply for the individual county Birth Index though? Would there be more or roughly would you be getting the same? As IGI & Hugh Wallis do appear to have a great number.of births and marriages! Jen

Jen IGI and Hugh Wallis have only really concentrated on birth's and marriages. But the individual county deaths CD's can tell you quite alot. Merry where are you? you can explain better what I mean. Kim

Don't worry Kim, Merry may have left the boards now but could be back tomorrow. I do know what your getting at though Kim. It sound as though it would be worth buying individual NBI's................I will give it a little more thought. Probably start off with one and see what happens.............how much sucess I have lol! Will be interesting to find out if the birth and marriages would contain more entries though? Thanks Kim, Jen