Genealogy Chat

LOL Cheryl, I love the name clicky pencil. The name is propelling pencil !!!! I learnt that the year of the coronation when my sister had one for her gift from school, my infant class were given a mug and toothbrush :( I was always jelous of her pencil LOL The list of things to take is very good. I also take a few sheets, one for each name I'm going to research, It's marked out in years and quarters from 1837 to 1979 so as I search a quarter I can cross it off. I tick the qtr box the record was found too. On the back of the sheet is a list of registation codes for each county. Not sure who gave me my first copy, someone at a record ofice I think! It's useful so you don't end up searching the same years for the same person later if you run out of time on your visit. I also write on if it was B M D I searched. If anyone would like a copy PM me your e-mail address and I'll happily send you one to print your own. Daphne

I was able to go over to Belfast last November after waiting a couple of years and planned meticulously(?) before hand rather than being totally overwhelmed when I got there and feeling like a child in a sweet shop or headless chicken!! I had a bright pink hard back notebook (so when I left it lying around I could still find it, even when I'd mislaid my glasses as well!) I listed EVERYTHING I knew about each person from Ireland on a page each. A list of parishes, a map of where they all were stuck inside. A list of Churches and what denomination. I also took a ring bound note book to put all the notes I took, several pencils (extra which I kept in the locker with a pencil sharpener with lots of change) I wish I'd taken an A4 sized magnifying sheet, PRONI's leaflets made good fans as heat was awful. I had a list of things I wanted to confirm by looking at the baptisms and marriages in the parish registers, so made a priority list to work through. I also scoured the on-line database to see what other things they had that might be worth looking at and wrote another list in case I had any time left. As your travelling a long distance like I did its well worth planning ahead. I was lucky and spent four days researching. I got there on the Wednesday with about an hour and a half to spare before closing which gave me time to register,be given a readers card. I had to be interviewed and they showed me briefly around. it was at this point I felt overwhelmed, I had a try at finding in their catalogue and ordering a film. By the next day when I arrived I didn't feel so 'new' and daunted. I don't know if you are going to the RO several days but I found it useful to go through my notes each night and transfer them into my 'pink' notebook. Then make a new list for the following day. Admitedly I was on my own NO husband or children and it was pouring with rain all four days I was in Belfast so I had nothing else to do. I came back with thoughts of next time I go I'll look at..... and I'd like to visit......but happy that I'd done all I could. Are you visiting any of the places were your ancestors lived? I often use the postcodefinder on the Royal Mail site to search whether houses and streets are still in existence. Google can often bring up all sorts of snippets, I found one of my ancestors houses sale with pictures! Have a wonderful holiday, Teresa

Hi Cheryl Re 'clicky pencils' I use these but when I went to Kew had to take the rubber out as not allowed then all the spare leads inside fell out so beware Clare

Asprin :)

I always use 'clicky' pencils - the ones with loose lead in them and a rubber on top that you press down a few times to show the lead... I am sure they have a proper name but hope you all know what I mean! They are always sharp and less messy than sharpening normal pencils all the time! Lol! Cheryl :o)

I think everyone else has covered the main points. I always make sure I have just these things: A list of individual targets, varying in importance, which I cross out when I've done them. A pencil and notebook! (most record offices don't allow the use of pens at all) A print-out of the family I'm interested in researching A little bag full of 50 pences (depending on whether you can use a fiche printer to print out copies). Most all be realistic. I just spent a week at the Gloucestershire office and I didn't really get around to half the things I wanted. Once you get there you'll be amazed at the sheer amount of potential documents to look through, so just make sure you get what you went for. And enjoy it! It's really great fun!

This is such a great thread, thanks everyone who has contributed - I've been lucky so far (i guess) in that everything I've needed has been available online (albeit rather difficult to find sometimes!) but i've now got to the stage where I need to go the RO, thanks to this thread I now feel a bit more prepared! Thanks all Laura x

Thank you Gwyneth that was fab! Can't wait to go now - I'm already excited!!! Carole (typing very excitedly on my mum's keyboard!)

Nudge for my big trip in May. Thanks for all the great advice.

Nudged for Carole.

Great thread.....lots of info

Thanks, that is the sort of advice I need. ann Glos

Nudge

Hi Victoria Use this link http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/ and choose the county you are interested in. This will give you links to the various local record offices.

Nudge for me too!

Nudge so I can find it again. Great advice. Thanks all.

Can someone tell me how to find out where a local office for an area is please? Victoria

Nudged for myself so I can find it again - too much information to take in at once!

Birth Marriage and Death certificates are held by the GRO (General Record Office). As far as I know, the original certificates are held in Southport as this is where they are sent from when you order on-line. You can't view the full entries themselves personally, but have to order a copy of the entry from the register based on the GRO indexes that are kept in various record offices or online at places like 1837online. The £7 fee for a certificate is essentally only a glorified photocopy of the original entry kept in the central registers, and if you want any more than that, your best bet is to pop down your local Spar shop and run off a few photocopies yourself at 5p a pop or just use a scanner to do it yourself on your PC.

Hi Every one I am planning to take a trip to london office can you get photo copies of birth certs or do you need to order them and if you can get photo copies what is the differance in the price . I have so many that i would like to get and photo copies would be ideal for brothers sisters ect if they were cheaper . Although i would want the real thing for key members of the family . I hope you do not mind me asking this question on your thread Thank you Diana