RootsChat.Com
Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: kazzam on Friday 04 January 08 10:30 GMT (UK)
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Hello i have a question about research
can anyone tell me how far we can research without
having to buy certs?
for example ...... i am researching my grandfather who apparently
was born in birkenhead workhouse tranmere in 1879
i managed to contact the wirrel archives by email
who kindly replied with answers confirming this alas i didnt find out why he was there
in the first place no mothers name because the vital records were missing
In a case like this is it only possible to get the information needed from a birth cert
or can this be researched in the area of question ie. Birkenhead/Tranmere
I have tried to find him on census lists but so far nothing I do know he was sent
from Birkenhead union school at the age of 12 to be an apprentice fisherman
but nothing whatsoever about his family background and living miles from Birkenhead
impossible at the moment to visit the place in question :(
just so frustrated at the moment but any help along the way is very gratefully recieved
Happy new year to all :)
Kazzam
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I found a lot of my relatives by going through church records
baptisms, marriages and burials, so I had no need to buy
certificates.
I later found a relative that had researched through births,
marriages and deaths and we had both come to the same
results but following two different approaches.
While I went to the local churches in question, alot of church
records are available at the county record office.
Jinks
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Hi Kazzam,
You can find two topics under Online Resources in the
RootsChat Lexicon / Topic Catalogue (click here) (http://surname.rootschat.com/lexicon/lex-index.php)
You'll find details of various websites where you can carry on researching,
without leaving your chair, and many of the links provided are to free databases. :)
Hope this helps,
Bob
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I think at some stage you have to buy a certificate (or two).
In this case I would get the cert, as you don't live near to the parish records etc. and it's your grandfather too.
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Your earlier threads about him are here:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,188255.msg922020.html#msg922020
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,188458.msg926239.html#msg926239
Did you try looking for a death of his mother? Did you ask the archives about that?
I wonder whether burial indexes would list his mother?
Have you tried looking for "male" + surname in case he was given his first name later?
kind regards, Arranroots ;)
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Sorry, but I really do not think that you are researching unless you do buy certificates as well as look in the original records. There are many imponderables in this game and you have to go to original sources and often buy certificates to be SURE that you are on the right track.
Good Luck!
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When I started tracing my family I was still in junior school
and could not afford the price since then I have bought
certificates but only when necessary.
I have inherited my Maternal Grandparents Family
certificates since starting (the originals).
What do you before certificates do you give up?
Jinks
If you cannot afford to buy certificates does not make you
less of a researcher it just makes in that much more
interesting often finding births and death you would not
have know about other wise i.e. between census listing
birth/death of child.
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Before certificates you have to go to Parish Records, wills, etc etc.
Not all are online so this is when it gets interesting and requires travel and time. So I am concentrating on sorting out our 19th century lot as well as I can before going back further.
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Thank you all for your replies i have tried many of the options
you have suggested i got no joy looking for the death of his mother
so maybe i will have to send for his certificate of birth
i just wanted to get as much information as i could
before i did this so i get the right one
Sorry if i have repeated anything i posted before but i was curious as to wether
i could go in a different route to the ones i have already taken
thanks to you all for the help
Karen
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Hi Karen,
I know it can be very frustrating, especially when funds run out and you get a cert and its the wrong one!!! might as well have burnt my money!!!
I'm currently at a standstill as I need to buy a whole load of certs before I can continue and will have to wait until funds are available.
One tip, is that if you are short of cash, is that its usually easier to find the correct marriage certificate and more can be done with one of those and the census. But you will need birth certificates after a while.
To try and make sure the certificate is the correct one, then contact the local registry office direct. They all vary (check with the area you are interested in on these boards, I'm sure someone can tell you) but some will e-mail and say if they have the certificate or not.
For example: I am having a nightmare trying to find a Henry Taylor born circa 1853 in Prescot area (Lancashire) there are so many that I bought 2 and they were wrong. Instead I was told to contact the registry offices involved (4 of them, unfortunately!!) with his name and the parents name (I am pretty certain of the mother's name as well as the father's due to the census) and ask them if they have anyone who matches this. Though they will generally only search 5 years for you.
3 of them e-mailed, with one giving me the parents of all the Henry Taylors in their district. Which was great, but non fitted.
Finally I am having to write to the final one (liverpool) as they only do postal enquires. They only check if you send a cheque, BUT if they don't find it they will send the enquiry on, or return the cheque.
I haven't done this yet, but at least, even if nothing comes up, I haven't wasted any more money. If I do get the cert, then it will be the correct one.
Sorry, bit of a waffle, but its a way of making the pennies stretch a bit further.
Hope that helps.
Cindy
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Hi Cindy
thanks for that hun it has helped a great deal :D
thank you all for your help
karen