Genealogy Chat

Has anyone used these centres before? I thought I could just order the records I was interested in - I looked them up on the family search website first - ring up the local centre and then go and view them when they arrived. The guy I spoke to on the phone didn't seem to know much about family history, hadn't heard of parish chest records, said I should go in and look at the records they have in stock and booked me a viewer for next week. Surely these will just be the IGI records which I can look at online anyway? Will I just be wasting my time? Any advice? Sheila

Each LDS is different. Some stock a lot of records, some very little; some are open every day, some not, it all depends on the volunteers. It is worth going to see what it is like. Joy

I know the LDS centre in South Kensington London was superb. Just a shame I live in Leicestershire and cannot get down there often enough. They held the Irish GRO Index, the Scottish GRO Index and the England and Wales GRO Index. Plus a variety of Census returns, parish register and directories etc. The staff were also very helpful. But I suppose each LDS centre is different.

Thanks all, I'll go and check them out then and hopefully order the records I am really after. Perhaps the volunteer was just new to it all himself. Sheila

Hi, Check out the catalogue on the LDS site and get the number of the film you need and take it with you. They will know how to order films. Gwynne

I've used the LDS Family History Centre in Liverpool for about two years now and have found a great deal of information there. It is highly unlikely (though not impossible) that the one you have contacted will NOT have the St Catherines Index on microfilm or microfiche. You can get the same information from the 1837 on-line site - but the LDS is free. They have also recently gone on the net to Ancestry, and you can view the census sheets (images) from 1861 to 1901 inclusive. That includes the images from the 1881 census, as well as the transcript which you can see on the LDS web site. Images can be downloaded onto their computer (I should think that all FH Centres will be the same) and obtain printouts. Our local one charges about 5p per printout, and doesn't make a charge for downloading the image. Census data held by each centre varies according to local needs. Films, as someone else has said, cost £2.70 and this is for 30 days - though this can be extended if necessary. Microfiche cost 20p per fiche, and these are retained in the Centre, so you can view them again at any time. To order films or fiche you have to attend the Centre yourself - they don't take orders by phone. Time taken for them to arrive can vary; they are like library books and may be on loan to another centre. Parish records (or Bishops' Transcripts) are on film, and there is a lot of information on them. Image quality varies greatly, and items from (for example) the 1500s to the late 1700s can be almost illegible. Lots are in Latin too! The IGI is held in each centre on CD-ROM, but as you say, that can be viewed on-line. Make an appointment with your local centre, they are all very busy now. You will probably find that others using the centres will be very helpful to you; all were in the same position that you are in. The amount and quality of help you get from the volunteers running the centre will vary; some know a lot, others very little if they haven't been running the centre long. But it's all worth a try, so give them a call.

Sheila I use my local LDS all the time, they are very helpful and knowledgable. I think the reason you got a dusty answer on the phone is that they like you to go to the actual centre before they start trying to help you - telephone enquiries as such are gently discouraged - you can sort of see why, they arent geared up to look up info and give it out on the phone, they are there to help you find the information for yourself.(It is free, after all). Also, at my particular centre, the Manager changes daily, so if you find one who isnt very helpful, go back a different day! Do go though and give it a try. Marjorie