RootsChat.Com

Surprised to read a few comments inferring social history has no place in a genealogy programme. I'd say the two are intimately linked. No point researching who your ancestors were and when they lived if you don't consider the history of the times they lived through, surely? The Alex Kingston programme was a highlight of this series but - again - prostitution and how/why it took place in those times is social history. You can't avoid it!

Didn't watch John Barnes. I've learned my lesson on previous WDYTYA episodes that head for the Caribbean. But I think if I had family connections to that part of the world I'd relate to it better. John Bishop with the Warrior behind him in the credits infers maritime history and that's more my bag. I'm looking forward to that one even though I'm not a big fan of the man himself.

Interesting discussion here. I tend to think that anything you put online is no longer 'yours' and it has to be accepted that people may take that information and use it in whatever way suits them. That could entail bolting your ancestors into their tree on the assumption that you're both researching the same people.

I've seen my ancestors in other people's trees, and sometimes it is good to see that my own research matches what someone else has come up with (making me feel more confident I've got it right), and I've seen my ancestors connected to completely incorrect families. In a few cases I've contacted the tree host but it seems very hard to persuade someone that they've got it wrong. They tend to assume I've got it wrong! So all in all I think there's no point worrying about it - if in doubt, don't put it online.

Worse than Ancestry trees are people with personal websites where they proudly display their tree, sometimes with errors. Again, I've tried pointing these out from time to time but never with any success. C'est la vie.

In a few cases, the content of people's trees has given me food for thought and opened up a new avenue I can research myself to confirm/deny. I've also made contact with a few distant relatives using such trees, which again can be very useful. So not all bad. I think it is worth having some kind of sparing online presence so that you can be contacted and can help others (and be helped).

Hi. Your best bet is to establish what speed broadband your service provider claims to offer you at your location. Their website or help desk should be able to tell you. Then run a speed test using one of the many websites that provide this e.g. http://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk/ This will show you what the actual speed you're experiencing is.

If your telephone line is often unclear, there may simply be a fault on the line that is causing the problem. Your provider should be able check that out for you.

It can sometimes be the case that a lot of broadband signals in the same area cause interference with each other, leading to a reduced quality and speed. Your broadband provider should be able to adjust your modem settings for you to reduce the chances of a clash.

In short, talk to your ISP and/or phone company i.e. Virgin in your case by the sound of it.

Hi. I am wondering if there's anybody out there who is familiar with the Hampshire Telegraph archive held, I understand, at Portsmouth Records Office.

The reason I ask is that on this website http://www.customscowes.shalfleet.net/customs_prosecutions%201830%20onwards.htm there is a reference to an item in the paper about John Love who was fined £100 for 'smuggling' in June 1834. I have several John Love's in my tree and a couple were alive at this date, both in the Bembridge IOW (possibly nearby Brading) area.

I am keen to establish whether the John Love referred to in the newspaper is one of my John Loves, if that makes sense.

Is it likely that the newspaper contains any more information than that presented on the website? I.e. might there be an account of the smuggling activities and more details of the man himself (where he was from, how old he was etc).

I'm assuming that nobody has access to the newspaper archive other than going to the record office. I live in the Midlands so conceivably can travel to Portsmouth sometime, but obviously if all the information is already on the website there's no need.

Many thanks,

Mark

Get hold of the birth certificate, that should answer the question over his forename and middlename.