Alternative sources

[Andrew Tarr]

If you can do, if you live near to them or can arrange a weekend away or week away or so to go to a county or more where ancestors lived, ie to go to the RO, then a good thing to do is visit some villages where ancestors lived in that county then tour the churchyard or local cemetery and look at every name on every legible headstone ..

That is always worth doing, but so often gravestones are illegible or - worse - tumbled over.  Some parish churches have compiled graveyard registers, and some (even better) put them online.  One in Suffolk gave us a copy of a spreadsheet.

An ancestor of mine came from a long line of Tydemans in Earl Stonham.  The graveyard was scattered with Edmunds, none of them one I could identify with.  Family habits can be difficult.

[coombs]

If you can do, if you live near to them or can arrange a weekend away or week away or so to go to a county or more where ancestors lived, ie to go to the RO, then a good thing to do is visit some villages where ancestors lived in that county then tour the churchyard or local cemetery and look at every name on every legible headstone ..

That is always worth doing, but so often gravestones are illegible or - worse - tumbled over.  Some parish churches have compiled graveyard registers, and some (even better) put them online.  One in Suffolk gave us a copy of a spreadsheet.

An ancestor of mine came from a long line of Tydemans in Earl Stonham.  The graveyard was scattered with Edmunds, none of them one I could identify with.  Family habits can be difficult.

What I love is how a lot of the Suffolk churchyards are right in the middle of the countryside in very peaceful churchyards, well away from crowds, noise and traffic. Yes I have seen graves that are covered in moss and ones that have eroded away, and even some toppled over. You never know if the weathered ones may be some of the ones you are after.

[Andrew Tarr]

Yes I have seen graves that are covered in moss and ones that have eroded away, and even some toppled over. You never know if the weathered ones may be some of the ones you are after.

The best material for gravestones is north Welsh slate.  I have searched an Anglesey graveyard -  unsuccessfully - but many of the Victorian stones looked freshly minted.

[coombs]

I read that Cumbria has good stone which hardly weathers.

Another good source is noting down names of war memorials or rolls of honours in churches.

[Guy Etchells]

So how many took up your challenge, Guy? I don't recall seeing any such sites in my internet travels.

Unfortunately very few.

Roy Stockdill replied saying "I am saddened to hear you say that your suggestion met with little
> response from family history societies. In their defence, I might
> point out that most societies already do a good deal of work in
> indexing censuses and other projects, etc, and have been doing so for
> many years. And of course the problem is the eternal one of finding
> bodies to carry out these projects! We are all volunteers,
> after all. However, you have a good point, undoubtedly.
>
> I will be attending the six-monthly General Meeting of the Federation
> of Family History Societies at Colchester at the end of this month
> and I would seek your permission to read out your message at the
> meeting as part of my report in my capacity as FFHS Projects
> Director. May I? I feel societies should be made aware of such
> feelings."

Which of course is all true but what they seemed to not understand that by giving just one page of photos and transcriptions they could attract distant and overseas members to their website who in turn may purchase the printed transcriptions they all produced at the time.
I.E. the online page would act as a loss leader for more sales.
A point not lost on Janice Wood the Projects Coordinator for the City of York and District Family History
Society who stated "...However, I do take your point, Guy, that the Society could produce just one
of these publications on the internet, which would, of course, be of benefit
to anyone researching in that particular area, but this could also serve as
an 'advertisement' to show what is available from the Society. I will bring
this matter up at our next Committee meeting."

I do not know how many now have online transcriptions (and/or photos of M.Is.) available but it may be worthwhile visting the website of FHS in your area of interest just in case they have something availble on or off line
Cheers
Guy

PS Even the thought of getting 700 extra views (which was not bad at that time) on their website in 3 days which is what my page generated did nothing to enthuse the FHS

[Deirdre784]

I've only found a handful of ancestors with an actual headstone but if you are lucky enough to know where your ancestors are buried AND if the local authority have detailed records then they can be a fantastic source (esp when so many children died young). Local authorities vary hugely in their helpfulness and / or charges though.

I've found many church burials in online records but not explored any church grave records to see if anyone else is buried in the same grave.

Sadly, as with most of the headstones, I've found very few 'family' deaths in the newspapers until more recent times.

[pinefamily]

Which of course is all true but what they seemed to not understand that by giving just one page of photos and transcriptions they could attract distant and overseas members to their website who in turn may purchase the printed transcriptions they all produced at the time.
I.E. the online page would act as a loss leader for more sales.
A point not lost on Janice Wood the Projects Coordinator for the City of York and District Family History
Society who stated "...However, I do take your point, Guy, that the Society could produce just one
of these publications on the internet, which would, of course, be of benefit
to anyone researching in that particular area, but this could also serve as
an 'advertisement' to show what is available from the Society. I will bring
this matter up at our next Committee meeting."

I do not know how many now have online transcriptions (and/or photos of M.Is.) available but it may be worthwhile visting the website of FHS in your area of interest just in case they have something availble on or off line
Cheers
Guy

PS Even the thought of getting 700 extra views (which was not bad at that time) on their website in 3 days which is what my page generated did nothing to enthuse the FHS

That was my first thought too; it comes down to money, or loss of it. I understand that these societies are not businesses, and rely on income from memberships and sale of transcripts, etc., but I agree with you Guy that just one graveyard or cemetery transcribed, photographed and put online for free would be more beneficial than not.

[pinefamily]

My kids were used to outings to graveyards..sometimes incorporated into the annual family holiday

I can relate to that, Larkspur. A day spent looking for the grave of one set of my great grandparents in a rather large suburban cemetery was rewarded with lunch at McDonalds when my kids were younger. One of them even asked when we were doing it again. 

[Beeonthebay]

I've had great luck just this week with Find A Grave for somebody who died in the USA, I hadn't been able to find the marriage to his second wife but on the transcription it gave the former name of his wife as well as the married name in that American manner.    So that will come in very handy.

I've had a bit of luck with online resources such as Toxteth Park Cemetery in Liverpool finding 4 family members in the one grave and years ago I got an MI from Cheshire FHS which although quite convoluted to work out at first was a real find and tied up many relationships.  The unusual thing about this one is that all the people in the grave are females, that's also now on Find A Grave (not added by me).