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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: busybod on Saturday 31 August 13 19:25 BST (UK)

Title: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: busybod on Saturday 31 August 13 19:25 BST (UK)

I'm thinking of buying a subscription to a family history website.  I have got to the point now where all my searches are pre-1837 so I would use it for parish registers etc.  I already have a subscription to Find my Past which to my way of thinking doesn't seem much good to me for parish registers.  My ancestors were mainly from Yorkshire and I haven't been able to find any so far. I was thinking of subscribing to either Ancestry or The Genealogist.  Does anyone have any experience of either?

Busybod

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: JMStrachan on Saturday 31 August 13 20:04 BST (UK)

Ancestry has digitised parish records for parts of Yorkshire - mainly West Riding. Parish records for North Yorkshire and what is now known as South Yorkshire are currently being digitised and will be available on FindMyPast at some point. So it depends where in Yorkshire your ancestors are from.

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: busybod on Saturday 31 August 13 20:09 BST (UK)

Thanks for the info.  My ancestors are mainly from the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: JMStrachan on Saturday 31 August 13 21:32 BST (UK)

Then Ancestry could be very useful. The parish records - births, marriages and deaths - have been digitised, so you can view the original records. Might be a good idea to see if they have a free trial offer or some kind of taster.

I have one line from West Yorkshire and I've found lots of baptism, marriage and burial records on Ancestry.

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: Flora1966 on Saturday 31 August 13 21:36 BST (UK)

I use Ancestry and find it really useful  :)

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: iluleah on Saturday 31 August 13 21:41 BST (UK)

Take a trip to your library and you can use ancestry there for free....... so you can see what they have as far as images of records go and either decide to subscribe yourself or subscribe to another and use ancestry at the library for free

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: Graham47 on Sunday 01 September 13 07:49 BST (UK)

My paternal line is from West Yorkshire and I have found ancestry.com fine. It was a bit difficult to start with, but maybe that's because I did not fully realize what a complicated subject it could be. I have had little trouble finding the bare bones (so to speak) of my maternal line spread around the south of England either. It certainly does what it says on the tin but like others perhaps, have found sites such as ancestry.com are only one useful tool in your 'family research toolbox box', a bit like an adjustable spanner I suppose! 

As suggested, free trials, library editions and even their smartphone 'app' are all handy when bundled together along of course with sites such as this,  ;)

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: busybod on Sunday 01 September 13 14:19 BST (UK)

Thanks everyone.  I'll have a look at Ancestry.  Does anyone know if you have a free trial, when its finished does the subscription automatically begin?

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: aghadowey on Sunday 01 September 13 14:37 BST (UK)

As far as I know, if you do not cancel before the end of the free trial period then you automatically get a subscription (remember they already have your credit card details as that information is required to sign up for the free trial).

Title: Re: Which Website to Subscribe To
Post by: busybod on Sunday 01 September 13 15:12 BST (UK)

Thanks Aghadowey, I'll bear that in mind.