Spending your money on Family research - where are those bargains?

[stonechat]

Having subscribed to Ancestry, and been unable to find some ancestors in 1901 (knowing they might have already left for Canada), I found a possible on Official 1901 site, apparently not listed in Ancestry.
The image showed the wife - husband away - maybe even the advance party to canada, but several children, including a married daughter and two granchildren, so this was worth it.

I agree with both positive and negative comments on 1837online, also TheGenealogist offer similar service.
There is another new site, which does have some indexing in the records - sure I saw the URL on this site!


Bob

[Keith Sherwood]

Trish,
It's just that when my father died a few years ago the solicitor dealing with his probate, etc. wanted to charge my mother truly exhorbitant fees; until, that is, a cousin of mine who just happened to be visiting from Canada - she lectures on aspects of the law all over the world - had firm words with him and threatened him with the Law Society.
The solicitor very quickly more than halved his demands, as he was fearful of the consequences from on high.
Perhaps I should have used other examples than this organisation...
Keith

[trish251]

Not a problem Keith - I was tongue in cheek        but you must have been lucky that the threat worked. Here, it seems to take forever & has to be really way off beam before the society does anything. 

Regardless of the law of "supply and demand" I think we will always find some things better value than others and it seems even among ourselves we see different products in a different light.

Trish

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi again, Trish,
...and it does seem from the comments on this thread so far that it really is much harder, living in Australia and New Zealand, for example, to pick and choose who or what is going to give value for family research from the other side of the world.  I never forget how lucky I am to be able to jump on a train to London, be there in less than an hour and then have my pick of the Family Records Centre, the Probate Office in High Holborn, The National Archives at Kew, the London Metropolitan Archives, the list could of course go on...
Keith

[trish251]

Hi Keith

We have some good resources in Oz - but the distances are rather larger than in UK. I did a "family trip" recently - good excuse for a holiday - but 1 day at the archives or a local family history centre doesn't allow for much research! (We tripped though about 5 of my "family towns" in 8 days.) The best anyone with european ancestry in Australia can do is get back to 1788 without going outside the country & many arrived much later than that.   I also use the LDS centres which are the best resource for events outside of Australia.

But I am somewhat envious of your access to resources. Still saving for the trip.

Trish

[MarieC]

Hi Keith

I just turned green since you reminded us of all the resources you can easily visit...!

I do get to England, now and then, when I can afford to go, as I have family there.  Next time, it will definitely entail a few days in London to visit some of those places!

I'm close to exhausting the resources of the LDS and family history societies here.  Apart from taking chances on a researcher (tricky, as we have seen), getting to London seems to be the only answer!

MarieC

[EmPers]

The best value I've had was a book out of the local library and a train ticket to Kew!

[MaryA]

Reading AmyK's suggestion of the GRO putting people in touch with each other - I don't see the Government doing anything that cost them money and didn't make them a huge profit so I don't think that would work somehow!

What did interest me however was DebPat's suggestion about copy certificates:

Hi, I would like to say that i am sure that for reasearch that a photocopy or emailed scan of BMD certs. would be fine for most folks? Am i wrong? After all what we want is a piece of paper with the info on?!! Does it matter if it is a copy of a copy?

in which case what we need is a cert swap shop?! Where we can list ALL the certs we hold and allow peeps to order a copy of them from us!? That would cut out the middle man! No Payment involved of course! D x

I wonder whether anybody has thought to start a new Board for these "Copy Certificates" as opposed to "Unwanted" ones.  Does anybody else think it would be a good idea, I'd be willing to share copies of those which I have since by doing so I'd be likely to be meeting a relative if they asked for it.

Mary

[the happy granny]

I think the idea of a board for copy certificates is an excellent one............provided the person/spouse etc.wanting it is in the family tree you have researched.
I would hate giving copies to "professional researchers" to save them money!!!!
Sue