Genealogy Chat

I live close to the Hampshire Record Office, but it is so busy I have to book a reader, and as I work full time, can only go on a Saturday, which, as you can imagine is a very busy time, I'd have to book up at least a month ahead. 1837 is quicker, but I lost 11 credits when I went to use them up (on the last day), but couldn't get on to the site!

With the explosion in Family History it is just as well we have 1837 on line, the FRC in London as well as all the LDS centres and CRO other wise we would all be fighting to get into the FRC in London. If people want to pay good money for 1837 On Line it certainly means that other places may well be less crowded. These days I try to use the less crowded places and keep my money for the photocopies of other documents that I can access at places like the Newspaper Libary and the National Archives, and the CRO that I am interested in. The 1837 may not be good value for some but I am grateful to those that use it as it does keep these other places quieter for me! Janet

Hi I try to go to London FRC when I can get the chance which is not often at the moment, so 1837 is very good value for money in that way. If you know roughly what dates you are looking for its not too bad, then leave the harder ones until a visit to London (or your local Library) must say I have not tried that one. Will have to see if my local holds them. Irene

Hello everyone Living in Canada, I do not have the option of finding the BMD records for England in the local library. The LDS Church has the years up to 1903 or so and hit and miss ones from then on that people have ordered and they have kept. Before 1837 came online I was happy enough to get there, but the times are limited and you have to book a reader in advance ( only so many times per month). I work and getting there at times offered was sometimes a problem. Certainly, money-wise the LDS or FRC ( if nearby) is best, but nothing beats sitting in my own home, a soft drink and snack nearby and my family to look in on occasionally. Wouldn't want them to take too much time from my addiction :o) I will probably continue to use my alloted money there but as yet I have only purchased the minimum at one time. I would not hesitate to buy more if I find it is no longer economical for me to do it this way. Good luck hunting to all Sandra

HI Sonia, oh yes we have lds centres and I have a lot to be grateful for as I started my research there. But as you know that can be very time consuming! Thats the beauty of 1837, it speeds the research up no end. I suppose in someways its a new generation thing - you know you have to have everything yesterday!

I guess I am quite lucky as I use the LDS family History Centre which is about 15 minutes away. If I had to use the 1837 I would be bankrupt with the rotten exchange rate!! The FHC provides me with air conditioned peace and quiet form 9.30 -12md, 12.30 -3pm and 7 - 9.30 Tues to Fridays. Saturdays are from 10 - 4. I give a donation of a couple of dollars each time I go. Do you not have these centres in the UK? Spoilt Sonja in Oz.

Local librbary has BMD's on microfiche but you have to hire a viewer think its 50p an hour or half hour and time goes rather quickly.

Hmm well not all of us live near london! It would cost me more than my years supply of credits to get anywhere close! As to the library, yes my local library has 1890-1940 and further afield I can get the whole lot. But if I was to make a copy of every page I looked at it would cost a small fortune. If I transcribed everything it would take hours if not days! And, with a young family, I find that I can use 1837 when I have five minutes free, where as I have been trying to get to the library since before Christmas and have not managed it yet! :-)

Valerie Thanks for raising the question. I am new to this genealogy thing and I was pondering on the points you and others have made. I would like to take the opportunity to thank those complete strangers, especially Carole, who have helped me so much. You are all a wonderful generous bunch of people. Gerry

I can only use it when I go home for the holidays, so it's never worth me buying huge amounts of credit because the time limit will expire before I use them.

I found a discount code in a Family Tree magazine so bought 25 pounds worth and got 20% extra credits for free. These run out in May and I have about 170 left so far. I have been to the FRC but I find I end up with a really bad back at the end of the day after lugging those ledgers around. Hadn't thought of my local library though. Will give that a go too. Also if you have 1837 online. Save the pages you look at as I didn't and also found myself looking at the same page more than once! Naomi

I'm lucky enough to live within a bike ride distance of our library which has the GRO index from 1837 to 1999. I can spend hours there entirely FREE!! Anne

I've paid the maximum twice. Believe me whatever, it's never enough. But in case you think I'm greedy... each time has lasted nearly 5 months. Compare the value to both the time and the train fare to London.

Thanks for your comments folks, i'm wondering whether to get some or not, as a transcriber I've noticed several of you have said they found better copies of the pages than we get. 45 days worth seems a bit quick in a way, as events in life often whittle away the days, and I know that within the next 45 days i will be away for 15 of them for starters. Val

No need to travel too far. If you have a 'largish' library near you, then they should have the GRO index and it's free.

I went to FRC on Saturday and found this alot cheaper and a more fun method than doing 1837. I was there all day, spent £12 on train and underground ticket and found loads of entries which will help me get further back. I would recommend FRC to anyone who can make it to London and especially if you have lots of holes in your family tree like I did. Karen

I paid the £25 last time. The credits are cheaper the more you buy, so you find they last longer Margaret

I've had 55 for a fiver over 45 (?) days a few times so far, which has worked out about right, but used a fivers worth yesterday, so might go for the £25 for 330 over 120 days option this time.

I bought a lot of five pound 'go's' on 1837 and found i used them up really quickly so in the end last May I paid the sixty pounds. It seemed a lot of money and I didn;t dare tell my hubby, but it felt such a luxury to be able to action a search when I needed it without worrying that my month might run out and I would waste the credits. Recently I have had to draw my belt in research wise, yet because I had my credits I could carry on looking for people as they crop up. I've got about 150 credits left to last me til May so I reckon I have used them wisely. I think one of my biggest mistakes early on was not saving pages I looked at as I have found myself revisiting pages and thus wasting money! But you live and learn!

Have been looking at the various payment/unit options for 1837, and wondered what was the favourite option amongst our members? Did you go for the smallest and wished you had moretime to use the credits, or go for an annual and found you had wasted money? ( I guess this is something of a 'how long is a piece of string' question!!)