Should I give up?

[jacquelineve]

 After researching for nearly 10 yrs on one particular branch  of my tree, I was recently contacted
by a direct descendant.. very happy, but also tinged with sadness..as my father ..who would have been over the moon, passed away a few days later.
     
   The person who was in contact, is
 a "trained social historian"and  said that my research was
wrong..even though I supplied her with info from birth/marriage.death certs....parish register
records..census ..and newspaper reports.
        I have asked for her evidence supporting her claims...and am quite happy to admit that I may
have been on the wrong track, but so far nothing.I suppose in a way I'm bowing to her "superior
knowledge "of the chartist movement", but all my research leans towards illig. children, who made up names for their fathers when marrying. All so simple!! as far as I'm concerned.
        What should I do?
Jackie
     

[weste]

Don't know what she means by trained but it does n't necessarily mean she's right. Perhaps she was hoping for Certs from you?

[[Ray]]

Hi

My immediate reaction was/is "scam" or trying to illicit £ for "research work".

If the info is free, treat it like all other free info and review it carefully, being prepared to reject it.
If the info is "chargeable", reject it "out of hand".

I feel sure that there are RootsChatters who will check, all or some specific, details from your tree info should you ask.
Even checking this info from another source.

Did I forget to say the word "free".

Ray
 

[jacquelineve]

Hello Ray
             Thank you for replying.
I know she is a genuine desc. of this family, but just wish she had followed up her research, or at
least passed on what she had found.

Jackie

[jacquelineve]

Weste
              Thank you for replying.

I think I was just too happy to hear from someone desc. from this branch of the family.

Jackie

[3sillydogs]

I have also had relatives tell me that my research into a particular "family legend" will lead to nothing.  It didn't, but along the way I uncovered things that I suspect they would rather have stayed "buried"  ( I have the wills, docs etc to prove it)

So it may just be that your research has skirted close to truths that they don't want to know about.  You could perhaps try once more to see if she will share her work and show you where you went "wrong"

As Ray said if you post queries on here there are plenty of helpful folk who can help you out.

[Finley 1]

Why - Give Up -

you may be right and she may be wrong.

Up to you but I would want to prove myself right

xin

[bibliotaphist]

I would say that in order to prove your research wrong, a "trained" social historian should be able to provide roughly as many words of argument, and refer to roughly the same number of sources, as you took to establish your research argument in the first place.

If they haven't provided that information, then stand by your research until proved otherwise!

[groom]

I agree with others on here. Until she can prove beyond doubt that she is right and that you are wrong, I would take what she says with a pinch of salt. It could be that the reason you haven't heard back is, that after receiving details from you, she realises that SHE was wrong and doesn't want to lose face by admitting it.