Family tree

[skyep]

Is there an organisation I can approach, who I can pay to trace my family tree. I have a collection of birth certificates/ marriage certificates but wouldn't know where to start. I live in the Manchester area.

[Sammy Snake]

You could probably pay a researcher to do it but it would cost an absolute fortune!

It is easy (and far more satsfying) to do it yourself. It still isn't cheap, you will need to purchase more certificates at �7 each, and will need to subscribe to or buy credits from one of the family history websites.

Start with your parents, their birth certificates will tell you who their parents were, then you can look on the GRO indexes for the marriages of their parents (unless you have these certs already).

Then get the marriage certs, these will tell you how old these people were when they married, enabling you to get a year of birth and get their certificates.

You should probably by then be far enough back to start looking for them on the 1901 census (and before).

Try www.ancestry.co.uk (subscription site which has census info 1841-1837 and full GRO BMD indexes which are free to search)

www.freeBMD.org.uk (births deaths and marriages 1837 - c1914 - not complete)

www.rootschat.com (free message board where you can post requests for information)

www.familysearch.org (extracted baptisms and marriages for c1600 - mid 1800's - not complete)

[skyep]

SammySnake - Thanks for taking the time with all your information! I will follow that up, what is a GRO index?

[shammydodger]

In addition to everything Sammysnake has said, one of your first actions, before you consider throwing money at a professional genealogist, ought to be to join genesreunited.co.uk for about �10 per year. Post what you know about your family on the site, and wait for people to contact you. I would be extremely surprised if you don't get some useful results.

Make sure you don't post any details about people who are still living.

[skyep]

Shammydodger - Thanks for that tip!

[skyep]

SammySnake - Sorry , GRO index, just sunk in, I'll get there in the end!

[rogerr]

I recently was the administrator for my Dad's cousin's will.
The bill for tracing all surviving relatives was nearly �12.000. Admittedly the company were based in London and it took nearly 2 years to complete, but I thought you should know how expensive it can be.

[dot.hawkes]

The work done by a professional genealogist is great value for money. Based on the information provided by a client, an experienced researcher will be able to use all sources accurately and efficiently. Negative results can be as useful as positive ones in some cases, as eliminating possibilities only gets you nearer to the correct ancestor. There is a difference between someone who says they can research your Genealogy using the Civil registration Index and Census Returns available on the Internet, and someone who says they will research your Family History using those sources and the far more interesting sources such as Probate Records, Parish Records and Quarter session records, all of which add meat to the bare bones of a simple Pedigree chart that is ostensibly just a list of names and dates with the odd birthplace or baptism thrown in.

[skyep]

Thanks dot

[Peter Pedant]

Dot and I dont usually disagree
I would do it yourself
It is a useful learning/teaching exercise and will give you skills - Dot will help and so will I - that you never thought you needed but then use everyday !

[dot.hawkes]

Hi sky and peter

I don't think i am necessarily suggesting that sky uses a professional researcher, especially for establishing his genealogical lines, this can be done over a period of time using the Internet and as long as you are able to confirm each generation to be accurate in at least 2 sources, then that is fine. It is the family history that may require a greater knowledge and familiarity with the vast array of sources. I am a strong believer in hands on meticulous research in the Local Study Centres (attached to main Libraries) and County Record Offices. The primary and secondary sources in these places are invaluable and can open up areas of research that can greatly add reality and interest to a genealogy and tansform it into a family history.

The only problem is that many amateur researchers may feel out of their depth delving into these unfamiliar sources, as i did myself at one time. There are however useful publications sold by Family History Societies and Family Tree Periodicals, that explain in clear terms where to locate the records, in what situation you would need to use them, how they were collected and compiled and in what form they are now available. The only commodity really required to access these records is ultimately 'time', and that is the one aspect of the research people find most difficult.

[skyep]

Hi Dot/Pete, yes I do feel out of my depth, however it's something I have always wanted to do. I suppose if I get more organised, I will get a bit further. By the way I'm a she :0) My dad has all the certificates, my daughter did find some extra info out, then we came to a halt. Are there any local family tree organisations in Manchester that get together & do this as a hobby?

[rogerr]

I have used ffhs.org.uk/general/members/england
and have contacted a few helpful people.
Dot-- re your statement that geneoligists can be good value for money, I think �12,000 was a rip off, bearing in mind that they looked through modern records that are much better than they were years ago.
See above post

[skyep]

rogerr - thanks for your input !

[dot.hawkes]

Locating living relatives for the purposes of probate would be expensive, I cannot comment on the research done by a London based firm of solicitors.

skyep you need :
http://www.mlfhs.org.uk/
They meet every month in manchester and have a research facility in Piccadilly gardens.

[skyep]

Dot - Thanks for the web address, seems to be just what I was looking for!