Poor journalism or research?

[Jayson]

Did anyone else catch the genealogy series that the Daily Mail ran recently?

The last article, by Andrew Wilson, ambitiously stated that one could trance one’s ancestry - without the intervention of dusty archives - at the touch of a button. 

Having spent more hours than I care to admit to in them the revelation that one can now successfully and effortlessly presumably go back through the generations without the inconveniencies most researches have to bare I was intrigued to learn where I’d been going wrong all these years.   

The article told the story of Diane Gow’s research which seems to have been excited by a story perpetuated in the paternal side of her family that her great granny – Madeline Constance a seemingly ordinary lady who lived in a terraced house in Belfast – came from an aristocratic background.  Not impossible by any means.  The major breakthrough we are told came via a newspaper cutting revealing the identity of Madeline’s father who was Nicholas John Clinton Browne, a sea captain.  But why she couldn’t find this information through BMD or whether she’d even looked there we are not told.  Diane discovered through findmypast.co.uk that he had died at sea in 1883.

More research on the computer led to even more spectacular discoveries.  Diane was definitely on a roll here! Not only was great granny connected to the aristocracy but royalty too.  Wow! Madeline’s grandfather was one Sarsfield Vesey Browne and through this impressive gentleman’s lineage Diane revealed to her readers that King William III and Mary II are her nine-times-great-grandparents and that the present Queen is a cousin and that the late princess Diana is also related.

Hang on a minute … everything I’ve ever read about King William III and Queen Mary II tells me that they died without issue.  Isn’t that why Queen Anne followed William and Mary because there was no heir?

At the end of the piece, and rather ironically, Diane is quoted as saying to her friends that it is all documented in “black and white.” All this satisfyingly proves to me that I haven’t wasted my time in Record Offices up and down the country.

Jay

[mlrfn448]

Hi,
Not sure that the normal BMD index includes deaths at sea.
They are on a separate index, which is on FindMyPast.
Of course, this does not explain the remaining discoveries,
Regards

[GR2]

I like dusty archives  .

However, I've never seen any actual dust in them  .

[RJ_Paton]

In part the article is correct in stating that far more is now available through the internet than ever was before unless one was prepared to travel and spend time in those dusty archives. Personally being able to look and sometimes touch these original records is far more fulfilling than finding some transcribed entry on my computer screen (although some of those do have their own wow moments  )

William III and Queen Mary did die without issue according to all of the history books I've read so I don't see how anyone can claim Mary as an ancestor although it is possible that William had children as he was reputed to have had several mistresses - possibly that is the correct line of research.

[AnneMc]

I must say that searching on the internet is another good tool but it not the be all and end all.. You still need to look at the orginal records to confirm what you have found.  Just last night I was searching on the familysearch site and I came across births and marriages that I think are my family, but I need to check the orginal records for the final proof.

Besides I like doing the searching in archives and old parish records.

cheers
anne

[Guy Etchells]

I like dusty archives  .

However, I've never seen any actual dust in them  .

Must be looking in those new fangled archives.
Take a look in Wakefield's Registry of Deeds.
But go prepared with a face mask and gloves to protect from the dirt and dust.

The reading rooms may be as bright as a new pin but many archives have store rooms where the documents are wraped in brown paper or in boxes to protect from dirt and dust.
Cheers
Guy

[acorngen]

I concur with Guy having not stopped sneezing the last time I was in the registry of Deeds. What made me smile at the Op's post was when he mentioned ireland because as we know most of the records that we would normally use were destroyed during the riots and subsequent burning of the archives in Dublin.  So we have a magnificent jump there all because of a family story.  I am sure we all have these stories in our family.  For example I am still trying to connect the Thomas WYATT who attempted to free Mary Queen of Scots to my line.  So far all my Wyatt's have been Cof E and no sign of Recusants anywhere so its highly unlikely I will find that connection.  If I could find that connection then I can take my line right back to the conquest as this line is heavily documented.  Who knows as one person once told me they had gotten to jesus I may be able to

Rob

[RJ_Paton]

In comments posted on the Daily Mail webiste following this article a poster DeeGee of Belfast (possibly the original subject of the article) posted a clarification concerning the claimed Mary Stuart relationship

The Mary Stuart and William referred to as Gt. Grandparents in the article, are Mary Stuart and William Sarsfield, brother of Major General Patrick Sarsfield ( 9XGrand Uncle), of Wild Geese fame. William of Orange is a first cousin 11 times removed, he was son of Princess Mary Henrietta Stuart and William ll von Nassau Dillenburg. Princess Mary Henrietta Stuart was the daughter of Charles 1 Stuart, and Henriette de Bourbon ( 11XGt. Grandparents).

- DeeGee , Belfast, United Kingdom, 22/9/2012 20:02

Daily Mail Article

DeeGee's own account of her research

[clearly]

Maybe I am just cynical but here we have an article or series of articles about genealogy in the Daily Mail and they all mention Find My Past -- the same company that was giving away credits in the same paper.
As a former journalist,  I'll bet a pound to a penny that the articles were recompense for the free gifts. So far as I can see there is no mention of the basic tenet of genealogy "check the original source". This would be against the interests of a wholly internet based company.
Perhaps the Mail could explain the bias toward FindMyPast to at least preserve some editorial integrity.
Personally I thought the articles were reasonable...if you were a complete beginner.