Genealogy Chat

Right, got you now. Its just Sandras subject heading, that she had found her grandad's medal award on the site, I assumed you could look up details etc. Thanks guys. Learning all the time.

Heather Officially, all that is listed on this site is the "Title" of a document. However, the Clerks have been liberal in their interpretation of a "Title" - most Bastardy Orders, for instance, give the names and place of both parties and the child too, which is enough usually to decide if they are "one of yours". Sometimes a complete Will is "in the Title", as are many other documents. In contrast, I am maddened by "The Western Deaneries of the Archdeaconry of Richmond" which give as a title, only one name - don't know what event it refers to, and as my family name covers some 200 documents held by the WDAR, its infuriating! Go and have a look, its free and you never know what you may find.

Heather No, but its a great way to find out what is stored where. nell

So, you cant actually view, download or buy anything on the site?

This is the webaddress: http://www.a2a.org.uk/ and remember, its like an index - you can't see the original documents, though it does give a summary so that you can decide if its worth that journey or phone call to the archive. nell

Pardon my ignorance, but when I put in A2A etc. all I got was a graphics company in New York!!

You also have to remember there is no Soundex on A2A which is a pain - my family name appears on the site spelt in 19 different ways, so you have to be pretty creative in your searching. But it is well worth struggling. Like Nell, I have found some incredibly detailed stuff, including a run of documents spanning a seventy year court case, concerning the ownership of one field! Each side had to produce a Pedigree, which was authenticated by the College of Heralds and went back to before 1600. The Court accepted both of these pedigrees and judgment was eventually awarded - both sides got half a field! I also have a myriad of Removal Orders, Settlement Orders, Bastardy Orders, Marriage Agreements (these are VERY early) tenancy agreements - on and on. I may just have been lucky but honestly, have another look and be a bit crafty in your searching. There is a way to play a wild card, but I can't fathom it, not being very computer literate, you may fare better than me.

No, its not a branch of the NA. It is like a big catalogue of what is in archives all over England - I don't think it covers Wales. You won't always find things of relevance to your family by name. I've only found one entry (but a goldmine!) for one family member. But you can find out other things - for example I found out by typing in the name of a village some of my ancestors came from, that there is a plan of all the graves for the village church, kept in the local records office. Another search I did, after I'd got my grandfather's death cert, which showed the hospital he'd died in. I found the contact for the relevant archive which held his records and they were able to give me a little more information about his stay in hospital. Try looking for places or institutions. You never know... nell

Nell, I dont know if its me age, but when I go to that site I cant see zilch. Where do you go to get the info? I put in grandads surname - got nothing. Is it just a branch of the N.A.? with the same records? Or is it me age?

Hi Nell,I will be going back on later,see if I can turn anything else up..Sandra:-)

Good for you! I found my gt gt gt grandfather Robert Chowns on A2A as a "witness". I got to the records office where the document was held and found it was a case involving his settlement - a great statement he gave which was written verbatim, so as close to hearing him speak as I could get - give info about the pigs he kept and his father in law and how much rent he paid and how the ceiling fell in etc. It confirmed the names of his 3 eldest daughters and was fascinating. I thoroughly recommend the site - you can search by keyword, by a person's name, and you can also ask for documents only held in one locality. nell

read a thread earlier which mentioned this site so i had a look and found my husband's granfather was awarded a medal in the 1st ww,,I was so pleased so thought i would tell you all lol.Sandra