Genealogy Chat

I am really struggling with one branch of the family and know that I should leave it and start another bit before I go completely bonkers - but it just keeps niggling at me and I can't leave it alone. Am I the only one that does this or is it a common problem!!!?

Yes I have had the same problem but what I did was go and look at another branch of the tree then go back to it then you can look at it with fresh eyes and then you find them

Hi Andrea, no you're not alone, i've had that a couple of times. Quite recently, i've had one particular line which I was going round in circles on, although I'd managed to go back from these people a few hundred years, I couldn't find out very much about their lives. I contacted, and visited all sorts of libraries, archives departments and so on, but nothing, suddenly, I remembered that I hadn't made one particular contact, got in touch with that library, slightly rephrased the wording of my query, and that seems to have done the trick. Don't give up on a line, perhaps take a break from it for a bit, work on another line, and maybe you'll find a different way to think about your query. Best of luck John

Is this something you can share - maybe others can help you? I do know the feeling, but quite often, I ignore the stumbling block and move to another branch of my family. When all my family are halted for whatever reason I go to my husband;s lot. When you return, sometimes the answer is there - you just didn't see it, or you can find a solution. nell

Yes share if we can help we will. I had a huge block that needed clearing the other day and everyone came to my rescue, I'm sure we could give it a good try. (That's if this b----- machine will stay switched on--my dear cousin, who I met through family tree searching, is coming to 'refomatt' me later today, whatever that means!!) lol

Hi Andrea, Its annoying and tiring when you get a block, usually i walk away then go back to it the next day, or try to do work on another branch of the family, it usually sorts itself out when you least expect it to

Had this problem for approx 2 years now(it is a pain). Have a bit of a blank from 1901-1910, so you are not alone-all we can do is hope for some kind of breakthrough. x

I have same problem with my great x 2 grandparents, I have managed to get a lot of info on her but he is another story, changes his age and birth place on censuses so having trouble getting a definate for his parents. Can't help but keep having a go now and then to see if i have missed any little clue that might help Linda

I have the same problem Andrea with one of my grandfathers....wish I'd known him because I think he lived a lie all his life......nobody of his age on the census before 1901...only ten years older. Can't find any proper parents. I keep having to go back and have another go I've told people on here 'that's it, finished' several times, then I start again. Jean Just thinking of Carol being reformatted.....sounds painful

Andrea, we all get this I am sorry to say. Have you tried posting a thread on here, that usually works for me. Gloria :-))))

Hi Andrea I am doing research on my four immediate families, when I hit a brick wall, which is often, I do some bits for friends who 'can`t be bothered to do it themselves, do not have the time, do not have a computer' They are overjoyed when i give them a bit of their history, I can then go back to my own sure that I will not smash the darn computer. Kathlyn

It's good to know I'm not the only one. I have asked for help with this particular branch on here many times (Flannagans!!) - trying different ways round it - but they really don't want to be found. However, hubby is also giving me grief to leave them alone for a while and then go back as he is sick of me talking about them!! I did actually stop doing my tree for over a year as this particular branch was driving me nuts. 4 months back in and I am at the same point again with the same branch!! I guess I will just have to move on. I have been contacted by someone today with a connection on a different part of my tree, so hopefully that will keep me busy and stop me going bonkers / trashing my PC / getting blind drunk every day / driving my husband mad / boring you lot to death!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks all. You're a great bunch.