For a couple of years I'ved been tinkering with my family history, never really getting that much further than my grandparents. During the past few weeks I have made some real breakthroughs via Genesreunited and Ancestry. Neither of the services is free but they both offer different membership levels depending on how interested you are.
I had gotten to the point where I was spending time and money at the National Archives, that access to all the census records from 1851 to 1901 in a searchable format seemed more cost effective.
It's paying off: contrary to what I had thought my great great grandfather came from Croydon in Surrey. It's likely that he originally went to Liverpool as a merchant seaman and met and married his first wife there and decided to stay. I've also joined the Liverpool and South West Lancs Family History Society, and who knows I might even take a trip up there again, one of these days: there's an intrigue I would like to research!
4 comments:
Well if you do decide to take a research trip to Liverpool, there's a bed here for you!
Thanks for that Ally, will let you know if I get anything organised.
Oh good luck and have fun with your family research. A full membership of Ancestry definitely is worthwhile. Mr Doris and I both got into our respective family history research back in 2002 and haven't stopped since.
Be warned - you do need to buy certificates to be absolutely sure you are on the right path and then you can branch out and find all sorts without having to buy certificates of extended family.
The census are fabulous and Ancestry has most now available online. Once again - worth the fee and saves trips to local archives. Save copies of everything to your computer so you don't have to go and research it again and pay fees again. We have an annual membership!
Loads and loads more available online these days. Great fun!
Oh and have I mentioned all the relations I have had some good chats with and even meetings that I never knew about before!
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