Genealogy Chat

Hello Rosemary, I have visited the Mansfield LDS centre since posting this message and was disappointed with it. The lady who dealt with my enquiries was rather rude, ordered the wrong census areas, and twice sent me letters adressed to the another person regarding their census orders. By the way, I actually live in Ravenshead so I get into Mansfield at least twice a week. Thanks for the advice about the library and thanks to everyone for your suggestions. Pam

Hi Pam, I live in Mansfield, I haven't used the LDS Centre but I know people who have and they have found them very helpful there, give them a ring and ask them if they have any information that may be of help to you, they should be able to let you know. I have been told that the library on Angel Row holds a lot of records Good luck with your searching Rosemary

An extreme example. If you live in Kathmandu and there is an LDS Family History Centre nearby you can research your relatives anywhere in the world ! The system is that Centres will order any films from the main Library at Salt Lake. The Library Catalogue is on-line at the Churches web site, same site as the IGI. If it has been filmed then you can, in most cases, hire the film for 1 or 3 months for a very nominal fee and look at it at the Centre. There should also be a list on the web site of Centres in your area. Diane

Thank you Ros, I'll give it a try then Marian

Is the IGI held on fiche at LDS centres just the same as the online version, or does it have more records? Marian (thinking of travelling to one)

Me again. Just saw the posting and had to add that I was able to get to our LDS Centre a couple of weeks ago. Was given a grand tour; the gentleman who showed us around was extremely helpful. We were invited to use the refrigerator and microwave if we ever wanted to stay through lunch! I ended up finding mention of a will from 1796 for a William Vaus. "Vera" from GC offered to help me order it and it turned out that it WAS for my ancestor which confirmed all of his children and his wife's name. So it definitely was worth going to the LDS - thank you Vera and LDS! (Can't wait until I have time to go back!!!)

Hi Pam. I've just sent you an email. Thank you VERY much!!!!

Lisa, Just let me know the names you are looking into and I will see what I can do. I lived in Crawley from the age of 2 in 1954, which is 8 miles from Horsham until I moved to Nottingham in 2000. I know Horsham quite well. I am visiting Sussex in the school half term ( my 17 year old daughter is still at school) and have the whole week to really go to town on my research so visiting Horsham and Shipley should be no problem, provided my kids haven't put me in an old folks home by then ! Pam

Thank you very much Pam. I shall sit down soon and see if there is anything else I could try (for the Vaus family). Long ago, someone in the family took the time to write down names, dates and relationships and when we compared this to LDS records, it was almost identical. So, I was fairly happy with that branch, as it took us back to pre-1748. We hit the typical brick wall, and I chose to search other branches rather than get frustrated. My family lived in Shipley and possibly Horsham. Thank you very much for your very generous offer. Pam, I volunteer for the Scouts and we hold adult meetings at the LDS Church. I've met many LDS members. They are the nicest people ever. That is another reason I am going to try the Centre again -- perhaps both of those people just had "problems" that day, which may account for their crankiness. I wish you the best with your searches.

Thanks for that Lisa, are you still researching Sussex family? I am planning a visit back home in February and am going to local records centres etc then, can I do any look-ups for you? Pam

Hi Pam. I don't know about the UK, but 10 (15?) years ago, when my dad volunteered at the LDS Centre (in California) they had of course local records on site. They sent away for Sussex and Surrey records for us. It took about three weeks to arrive and cost (US) about $3 per roll. Don't remember how long we could use them. Perhaps that was also three weeks. The records were WONDERFUL. They showed copies of the original documents and included burial records. I was thrilled to actually see my ancestors' signatures. I very rarely can find burial records online for the LDS site. Also, in a few cases, notes were made in the margins of the records -- something that you can't find online. (Note: I don't know if you can still view original records. They did have a copier there, so we received copies of the records -- perhaps 10 cents a page.) I am getting up enough courage to try our Centre again (not the same one my dad used). The first time I went, they were extremely helpful and nice. The second and last time I went one man was very nasty and the other person was not helpful or friendly at all. I've stayed away since, solely because of them. High time I go back and try more researching. I wish you the best!

I live in Nottingham but am researching my Sussex family, is it worth me going to the Mansfield or Nottingham centres? Do all LDS centres hold the same information or are they county dedicated? Also, what exactly is at the centres that I can't get online? Many thanks..............Pam