Genealogy Chat

Since I can't offer lookups and information about British websites, I thought I might contribute by offering suggestions to those just starting their research. Listen to family tales but don't rely on everything you hear. I spent 10 years trying to find an ancestor only to find out that "Guillaume Vaux de Monfort" (who supposedly changed his name to William Mumford while briefly living in England) was actually William Vaus, (who's family lived in England at least 100 years). A Vaus descendent ended up marrying a Mumford. So much for Grandpa passing on the family history! Don't rely on certificates. One relative (who was underage) lied to get into the Canadian military and then during the next war, made himself younger to join again. One ancestor "changed" his date of birth so that he and his wife were closer in age. Can't find an ancestor? Several of my ancestors used their middle names on official documents. Similar spellings -- could be your ancestor. One ancestor is written in the church records as Vans, not Vaus (and this was fairly recently). Go on your instincts. While visiting my hometown, I found a headstone for George Ibbotson, that had strange information on it. Took a photograph as I knew I wouldn't be back "home". Brother laughed that I was so desperate that I was taking photos of just anyone. Turned out old George was our ancestor who had remarried and our family didn't know where he was buried, nor of his second wife. Don't throw away information. Started researching 25 years ago. A family tree that another Mumford descendant (living in Ontario) sent me may actually turn out to be MY family (trying desperately to receive proof of our connection). Had I thrown this away, I would have never have been able to put the puzzle pieces together. Hope this helps someone from making the same mistakes I have made.

The mistakes you mention are so easy for the beginner to make. I would add, dont take for gospel what is transcribed on censuses either, particularly ages and the spelling of names. Way back then, quite a few people were illiterate, so the enumerator who was probably barely literate himself, just wrote down what he heard, and not very legibly either, which doesnt make it easy for anyone transcribing. Always check with the original, or a film of the original if you dont have scans. On one of mine, my g grandmother Dinah was listed as Daigh. Ages on marriage certificates can be a minefield, as the OP said. Wives tended to be older than their husbands, so she might knock a few years off, and he would add a few years on to make it look more palatable. Back to spellings, a friend of mine from Ireland, has 6 sisters, and their surname is spelled differently on all their birth certificates. The story is, that it depended how drunk father was when he registered them.

Thanks for that it has made me feel a lot better. I often work on my instincts, sometimes I canot say why I think someone is connected, I just feel that it is the right link. Same when sending for certificates. Its actually quite spooky that there is only one certificate out of all the certs and wills I have sent for that have not turned out to be of my family. Is it feminine intuition, or my ancestors speaking to me from beyond the grave? - (If so can they please tell me when Selina Alice Powell was born!!!!) The hardest thing though is convincing family they are wrong in what they have remembered! Must admit the ages on census really phased me when I started out as I thought you had to take them as gospel, but once I got talking to other fmaily hunters I realised that you had to make judgement calls. I have found that if something is logical, it is probably correct.

No matter how long you have been doing this, you learn something new every day. Also, when you have a definate birth year, dont be afraid to look forward for parents marriage as well as back Skeletons in cupboards springs to mind, and I have found quite a few.