Merits of Ancestry?

[bel_jon68]

Can anyone advise me as to whether it's worth signing up (ie PAYING) to use Ancestry.com?  I have managed to extract quite a bit of information during a two-week free trial, but there are areas such as Historical Newspapers that contain my ancestors' names (apparently) that I can't access unless I pay.

Most of my ancestors are linked to Wales, apart from one English branch.

Any comments/advice would be gratefully received.  If I did decide to pay, I would of course offer free lookups in due course.

[PaulineJ]

Hmm, not much of a free trial if there are bits that cannot be accessed, or maybe that collection is in an altogether different subscription package.


Pauline

[EJ]

I am also considing using the Ancestry free trial and, like you, most of my ancestors are Welsh and I wondered just how much information I'd be able to find.

Also, have you had any problem with cancelling your free trial (ie. any problems with your credit card still being debited)?  Did you notify them by email?

EJ

[CannibalNZ]

For what it is worth I joined and then cancelled with no problems at all.  Very efficient.

[bel_jon68]

EJ:  I somehow managed to get a two-week free trial without giving any credit card details, through a promo on another website (but can't remember which, sorry).  I now keep getting emails from ancestry telling me they've found various people on my search list, but to access the information I need a paid subscription.

CannibalNZ:  Thanks for the positive comments.  I might try the seven-day trial when I know I've got a few days to make best use of it.

[Romilly]

I am also considing using the Ancestry free trial and, like you, most of my ancestors are Welsh and I wondered just how much information I'd be able to find.
EJ

Hi there,

One side of my family are all in Wales too...& I've found all sorts of stuff on them in Ancestry.

I went from trying the "Pay to View" to the 3month option, & then decided that the annual subscription was the most cost effective one. I signed up for the Annual option when the "Lost Cousins" site were offering a 20% discount on it.

No problems cancelling things with them, - so long as you email them in advance.

Cheers, Romilly.

[casliber]

You can always use ancestry free at an LDS centre to see if you like it, though computers are busy at my local centre (Mortdale in Sydney) and ned to be booked beforehand.
Cas

[mnmilt]

Hi,
A word of caution regarding the Historical Newspapers database on Ancestry.  The database isn't a transcribed database but they have used some software to scan the pages and look for words that look line surnames.  Sometimes that works and other times the result is off.  For example, I researching the name "Sellens."  Often I get results for the word "sellers" or "sellings."  As you can imagine that can be frustrating and take some time.  Having said that, you will sometimes find a diamond in the rough so it is well worth the effort.

Regards

Mark

[julianb]

I base my judgment as to whether to use Ancestry.co.uk subscription on the basis of their england and wales census data. Anything else on Ancestry I would view as a bonus, but not worth paying for.  I have had a a subscription for about 15 months and have found little through the other resources (ie other than census and BMD info).


Having said that, I've found Ancestry brilliant value for money, even though some of the census transcriptions are a source of frustration (and amusement once I have solved them).

JULIAN