RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: GreySquirrel on Sunday 07 November 04 16:53 GMT (UK)
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Hello everyone...
I've been wondering about British Origins for a while and would be interested in others' experiences and advice... Is it worthwhile? Is it hit or miss, or does it have records which are good no matter which area of the country you are interested in? Basially: what do you get for your money (especially that you cannot get elsewhere)?!
Thanks!
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Very quiet on this post, so I thought I'ld reply to myself with this thought...
If no one on RootsChat is using British Origins, they're a goner.
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HI GreySquirrel,
It's seems there must be a boycott against threads about Origins lately (if you know what I mean ;))
Anyway, this thread may answer some of the questions you posed...
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=14745.0
Amy
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Grey Squirrel,
I paid Origins a fee for viewing material over 72 hours. Having taken your money, they then explain that you need to download a free viewer from another website...
Well, I tried for about 20 minutes but just couldn't download the viewer. I emailed Origins and told them I wanted my money back. They replied asking what the trouble was (although I'd told them!). I emailed them again asking for a refund - but no answer. That was about a fortnight ago.
Enough said?
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Leofric
I also paid Origins a fee for viewing material over 72 hours which I thought was good value but on accessing the site 3 days after I paid I was informed that I was unsubscribed. Contacting them I was advised I should have used the next 72 hours after payment not as I thought over a period of time. I did go back into the site but couldn't see any explanation that it was to used within the next 72 hours. Did I miss something or did I presume too much? I sent an e-mail explaining that I look after my frail elderly mum and cannot plan when I can do research. I received an e-mail today from Jane Hewitt but no refund only an offer to extend to a month. Didn't say what cost was involved. I'll try to find out.
Juddee
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Oh dear, that's not very encouraging, is it... has anyone had any good experiences on British Origins?
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I've got the monthly access.
I haven't had any trouble with them, but I will be cancelling my account at the end of the month. I haven't found any info for anyone I was looking for. Personally speaking, I think it was a total waste of my money. I also think that the price is a bit steep for what they actually have ( and have not) got on there.
Also the access bit to the British origins Pro, and Irish origins. I personally think this is a bit of a rip off. Take for instance if I search on the last name Quarman in British pro, it finds 77 results. a lot of those results are from some persons website in Aus, 7 of them are from Bristol pubs web site , basically the results are what I can easily find myself ( which I have) if I just use a google , or any other search engine.
I had 27 results from the Boyds marriage, and saved those.
It's ok if you want it for the 71 census of Glamorgan, London, Middlesex and Wiltshire images, which I don't need.
It may be of use to many people ( I don't know), but personally speaking I think it was total waste of my hard earned cash, and I personally would never recommend it to others.
Oh well I'll live and learn, next time I'll learn to ask around for other peoples opinions first before I fork out for access to anything again. :(
This is just my personal opinion of it.
:)
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Oh dear, that's not very encouraging, is it... has anyone had any good experiences on British Origins?
I've only used the site once, but it popped up with a marriage licence that otherwise I'd probably never have found (two Suffolk ancestors who got married in London). I then had to pay £10 to get a photocopy of the licence.
Whilst it was expensive I could have spent ages and never found the marriage (it isn't on the IGI). So worth it in my case, but maybe I was just lucky.
Pete