How far sideways are you researching?

[Biker]

I don't go sideways too much unless I spot someone who looks a bit out of the ordinary (sadly not often in my lot!) then I'll do as much as I can.  But I really try to stay disciplined and concentrate on one or two families at a time otherwise I'm all over the place and totally disorganised    I do sometimes find myself suddenly researching a marriage witness's  family, the last one turned out to be the local gravedigger and totally unrelated.  Think I must have needed a break from my lot so it was a bit of fun

I should be much further ahead than I am I sometimes feel, but frankly I'm still getting to grips with my direct line and associated individuals and spend most of my time with verification and doing research on the people I've already claimed and still know relatively little about.

I'm also a bit of a social history buff with a special interest in Victorian working class London so on the side I'm always doing research on where my families lived and the social conditions  ...  


Jonathan  

[Olly]

I've gone sideways when I've been stuck on main branches.

It's kept me going while I wait to get over the brick walls and its interesting finding out what and where the various families did and went.

One sideways piece of research has been so well done by someone else that I've enjoyed putting all the bits together that belong to me.
The Bulmer from Yorkshire family have been extensively researched and I'm quite proud to say that I belong to one bit of it - I've found lots of links from all over the country - and I'm still going.

All my paperwork is at home and I have nothing published on a website - I'm not that computer minded, but I'm always willing to share what I have with anyone who has a genuine interest.
Regards, Olly

[liverpool annie]

I don't know how you can't get "sparked" Jonathan!!!
I guess I must be "butterfly minded " or something - because I can be in the middle of serious research and I see something in the links that command my attention - and I'm off to the races!! or it reminds me of something I have read previously and I have to go back and find it ....!!
I guess us women are so used to doing more than one job at a time -  that it comes easy -  having 25,000 balls up in the air!!  

Hi Olly !

[1000xlch]

Hi All

I research sideways a lot and collect every twig and branch in order to go back because you hit brick walls very quickly going straight back.  I have had lots of contacts on Genes Reunited  within 3 days of posting and had 2nd 3rd and 4th cousins.  I have an extensive 7 years and 12,600 people on the tree and quite happily share the info with other researchers which are connected.  Likewise I receive lots of info from them as well.  I do not put living relatives on the web at all post 1901 unless they give me permission to do so.  I love having a blitz on one line of the family at various record offices etc and see what fruitful outcomes and further net searching does.  It is very addictive and a quest to collect the vital info which will be lost forever if we do not record it.  It allows me to see myself in a 3D world and how I relate to everyone in it.  You are never lonely doing Family History!

John Rowley

[Jane Eden]

Hi

I have found out today how easily things can be overlooked. I started just over a year ago and went to mums and raided all her cupboards, drawers and loft for anything I thought I might use. I have been back today and found many relevant things that didn't seem important then plus a pack of old photos that I had missed.

Funny my house is getting full and all her cupboards and drawers are tidy! I have only got to reraid her loft now.

My mum and dad were both only children so to say I have no aunts, uncles or cousins I cannot believe how many relations I have got.

Jane

[JillJ]

The Bulmer from Yorkshire family have been extensively researched and I'm quite proud to say that I belong to one bit of it - I've found lots of links from all over the country - and I'm still going.

Hi Olly,

That's interesting!   Do you have Dorothy Bulmer, born before 1521, daughter of Sir Ralph Bulmer and Anne Aske?   Dorothy married John Sayer of Worsall and they had seven children.

Jill

[Nick Carver]

My g/f came from Hull where my dad was born. G/f died young and his wife took the children back to Gateshead where she came from. They lost touch with the Hull side of the family and I feel like I have no roots as a consequence. When as a result of my research I found three brothers moved to Hull from Norfolk in the 1840s, I decided to try and trace their descendants to find some modern day relations.

I am sure many of us are branchng out sideways when we reach our limit in the direct line. It is down to the thrill of the chase and getting hooked on family history. I have found numerous 2nd, 3rd, 4th and even 5th cousins as a result and am in touch with a number of them. Finding another one who is also into family history is what keeps me going. It's a real spark.

[wheeldon]

Wow - what a responce!  thanks evreyone it's been realy interesting reading your views and just how far you will go-the skys the limit is seems!  I often get sidetracked and go down a different avenue but have to keep myself in check as I'm not very organised and get confused as to where I am upto and how the various names connect to my famly and  I only have a hundred names or so, never mind thousands!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again everyone - and good luck with your never ending research!

[lizdb]

Hi everyone
I would say that it is imperative to do a bit of sideways research in order to verify what you find. If you focus on one line it is easy to get the 'wrong' person. This is because so often the same names are used within families. So , for example, if a John Bloggs has 2 sons - for example William and John (William was probably his dad's name) and they both married in the same area and each had 2 sons, they could easily both call them William and John. Therefore there would be 2 William Bloggs's and 2 John Blogg's with probably similar years of birth, and similar places of birth.
If you dont do any 'sideways' reseach, and so are unaware of your ancestors siblings and their families, it is SO easy to latch on to the wrong one - especially if it is an unusual name. You say to yourself well, there cant possibly be TWO Horatious Ponsonby-Smythes born around 1860 in Suffolk!Even though the birth years are a few out, and they give a neighbouring village as there place of birth. When of course, there are two, who are cousins.
Just a friendly word of warning!