West Yorkshire Non Conformist records now online at Ancestry

[libby9]

FindMyPast are getting most of the work because of their connection with TNA.  I still think that archives and FHS's are letting people down by using FindMyPast as their search engine is pathetic

I do agree with this statement.  Some people knock Ancestry, but in my opinion it is a more user friendly database than FindMyPast; I also think it's better value for money than FindMyPast.  I first subscribed to Ancestry a number of years ago, then when FindMyPast exclusively had the 1911census I took a subscription with them.  For two years I've subscribed to both sites and do use both, but use Ancestry far more than FindMyPast, FindMyPast has the edge for census address searches and does have some good parish register entries, however, as most of my ancestry lies in Yorkshire Ancestry's West Yorks records cover my own research requirements; I find I use FindMyPast mostly to help other researchers, not for my own FH, which moves me on to another point - Ancestry allow us to post census details etc to  forums, FindMyPast's T&C's don't.

The Ancestry West Yorks nonconformist records are fantastic, and I cannot criticise Ancestry's indexing of them as I feel confident they were not easy records to index.  Most nonconformist records resemble an event 'jotted down' unlike the traditional church records which were entered on individual forms (except the very early ones). 

For me Ancestry offers great value for money.  Yes, some of their transcriptions are laughable, but on the whole it's a great database, and I wouldn't want to be without it - warts and all!

[acorngen]

Libby,

Thanks to Ancestry I am not at a point where I can start searching the address of 2 people entitled to an estate that as been in the Bonavacantia lists for over 10 years.  I today spent an hour in the local library using FindMyPast to see if this would help in my searches and not one of the so called hits on the search engine matched what I had asked of it.  When FindMyPast have records on there that I am desperate for I may consider a subscription but until then I will stick with Ancestry which I have now been using for close to 7 years.

Once you know the nuances of Ancestry's transcriptions you can usually find what you need and I would love them to have an address search but we can't have everything

With regards to WY non conformist records have you seen the non Ancestry transcriptions on the Calverley website? 

Rob

[libby9]

I will stick with Ancestry which I have now been using for close to 7 years.

Once you know the nuances of Ancestry's transcriptions you can usually find what you need and I would love them to have an address search but we can't have everything

With regards to WY non conformist records have you seen the non Ancestry transcriptions on the Calverley website? 

Rob

I too Rob have subscribed to Ancestry for over 7 years and will continue to do so.  I agree that once acquainted with Ancestry's nuances searches aren't difficult to find.  And you are so right, we can't have everything...............FindMyPast allow address searches but they don't always deliver, and with imagination it is possible to do an address search on Ancestry.

The Calverley website is impressive, but most of my ancestry lies in the Huddersfield/Halifax/Barnsley/Leeds City areas.  Again, I find the Calverley website useful when trying to help others.

[libby9]

You might be interested to know that I have put together my own index to the West Yorkshire non conformist records (on ancestry.co.uk) at www.familiesrevealed.com/page10.htm

Thanks so much; it's a great help.  Very admirable.