RootsChat.Com

I'll hold my hands up and admit it - I'm a "freeloader". I don't expect to have these free weekends, but when they come round, of course I'll make use of them. Usually I pop down to the library to access Ancestry and Findmypast, but I'll access it at home this weekend.... wouldn't you all do the same? I've subscribed in the past, can't afford to right now. It's an expensive hobby so I try to do as much as possible for free.

I'm not someone who wants something for nothing. I transcribe parish records and offer to do look-ups at local cemetries.

Surely Ancestry and Findmypast are shooting themselves in the foot by offering so many free weekends? Yes, the point is to attract new subscribers. But the majority of their subscribers are going to be existing ones who renew every year (as we all know, this is a hobby you can't quit!) So maybe they should stop chasing potential new customers and respect their exiting ones...

Agreed. I will be a happy freeloader this weekend.

It might just be me, but I can't seem to find the "Free access".  Is it just for people in UK?  When I try the UK site, I don't see the option.  A link anyone?

Yes I cant see any information on the website yet. I think it will turn up nearer the weekend. I always get notified by email of the free access, and then it turns up later on the site.

If you have been wanting to access this book, but cant because of cost (£400!), or your library doesn't have a copy, I have found a workaround (sort of)

Click the link below to go to google books

https://tinyurl.com/zyyrj6f

On the left hand side of the screen, you will see a box with a GO button next to it. Clear any text that is in the box, and then type in your surname, and then click on GO.

Look through the results, and click on the relevant page. You can zoom into the text, and then take a screenshot of the relevant entry.

Im not sure if all pages are available to preview, but I found most of my surnames using this method.

Good luck.

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Its not a bad suggestion. Often you will find details of units posting in major newspapers. Sometimes prominent officers are mentioned. Even the smallest detail can help, can it not?

I still don't see how this would help as we have no idea who the family are, or dates and there must have been lots of officers mentioned. Although the negatives were found in Cornwall, we don't even know where the family came from. It would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Surely rather than anyone wasting time, it would be far better trying to identify places from UK photos and then maybe look for a link?

Im not sure you need to know a name initially. If we could find a unit which was there at that time, then its possible to find who was there in that unit. We may be able to find the unit from the uniform type etc.

I dont think there is a set method of how to find out information, all routes may lead to something, even if its very small.

Scouseboy,

May I suggest that you might like to do some searching for newspaper reports in The Times, rather than asking other people look it up? Though as groom says, if we don't know the name of the person, looking in The Times isn't going to get us very far is it? Maybe you can work some of your magic?

Dont understand your tone with ScouseBoy? Its not a bad suggestion. Often you will find details of units posting in major newspapers. Sometimes prominent officers are mentioned. Even the smallest detail can help, can it not?

Hes not forcing anyone to do anything, he is just making a suggestion.