Topic: Family Tree Searches

[kesey]

This is another one she has just sent.

https://familysearch.org/search

[damian]

I got back to about 1783, my great great great great grandad. I can't get any further back than that though - getting to there was fairly easy because my dad, grandad, great grandad, great great grandad, and great great great grandad were all called George, but before then the name changed to Thomas. Unfortunately I've not had a great deal of luck getting back from there.

It took ages to get back to where I have. The main problem was that my Dad was born and brought up in Liverpool, as were his parents, all around the Toxteth and West Derby area's, so researching wasn't too difficult. We found a marriage certificate for my grandparents so got their parents details from that, however, it all came to a full stop, I couldn't find any links around the area.

Then on searching further a field I found a family with very similar names to those I'd found, which seemed common back then (i.e. for names to be passed down - see above). However, they were all between 2 tiny villages in Cambridgeshire (then Huntingdonshire) called Covington and Catworth. I still was a bit unsure, but then suddenly found a census record for one member of the family in Liverpool which showed he was born in Covington - there was the match Found quite a bit more after that, and visited Covington to see the church. Met a couple there who invited us in for a cuppa, and they said a family with our name lived in the village until very recently but have now moved away, which was a shame. Came stuck again around 1783 - my Gx4 Grandfather was from a bit further afield again (Stevington in Bedfordshire), and I can't find anyone else around there.

I really need to get back into it again, but am drowning in work at the moment so am not getting the time.

[JerseyKloppite]

I have a full family tree tracing my Jersey back to 1480, thanks to the very hard work of another branch of the family. I should see if I can go back further...

[damian]

Good site I've just found - http://www.freecen.org.uk.

As the name suggests, free census information, though I've not sure how extensive it is, and doesn't seem to include images, but lists everyone in a household.

[John C]

I got back to about 1783, my great great great great grandad. I can't get any further back than that though -

Same mate. I spent quite a lot of time on it but I did have excellent help from L12.

I found my gt gt gt gt and gt gt gp's had 6 and 8 kids so there's still strands for me to explore. Its a good job many of them were girls or it would take years.

The most interesting thing I found about it so far is that during the 1800's they were all agricultural labourers. There was no factory's or industry.

Fucking mad that I'm telling you via a keyboard that will transit the info though wire and the air.

Through the fucking air, haha.

[damian]

Same mate. I spent quite a lot of time on it but I did have excellent help from L12.

I found my gt gt gt gt and gt gt gp's had 6 and 8 kids so there's still strands for me to explore. Its a good job many of them were girls or it would take years.

The most interesting thing I found about it so far is that during the 1800's they were all agricultural labourers. There was no factory's or industry.

Fucking mad that I'm telling you via a keyboard that will transit the info though wire and the air.

Through the fucking air, haha.

Same here actually with agricultural labourers. A couple worked on the railways and some on ships, which my Dad finds interesting because he's always had a big interest in boats, but has never known why.

Since seeing this thread I've done a bit more searching, and think I may (fairly big may) have got back to the 1600's. I found a load of familiar names in a place called "Manea" in Cambridgeshire, looking on the map its just down the road from Covington (saying that, it probably wasn't "just down the road" in them days ). At first I thought it was just coincidence, common name and all that - until a link with Covington itself came up. Still fairly vague but I think I may have opened a lot more up - problem being there are a lot of records to now go through and try and link up.

[John C]

Have you ever actually been in to a records office mate?
I think that will need to be my next move and I was wondering what the procedure was and what you did in there.

[Sir Harvest Fields]

Id like to look into this. Ive not got a very English surname so shouldnt be too hard but fucked if i can find anything. Any ideas?

[damian]

Have you ever actually been in to a records office mate?
I think that will need to be my next move and I was wondering what the procedure was and what you did in there.

We've been to the records office in Huntingdon which helped us get back a bit in that area. I can't remember the exact process we went through now - you don't usually have to book, just turn up. At Huntingdon there were a load of books for the different towns and villages, in there are lists of names. They sometimes contain the transcription, though more often it contains a reference to a microfiche that you stick in a machine they have there and you can look at the original record. We spent a day in there.

We're hoping to go to the records office in Liverpool ASAP to research more in that area.

I'd recommend having a list of names and locations ready when you go so you've got something to concentrate on, otherwise its quite easy to go off on a tangent.

Something I noticed last night that was interesting was that my great great great Grandad was born in Covington, he married my great great great grandma who was born in Liverpool, but they lived in Covington. In those days (around 1840-1850 they will have got married), how on earth would they have met up? Its not as if she would have moved to Covington for work and met him there - I can only assume he went to Liverpool for work, met her, then they both moved back. I need to find out more about that.

Id like to look into this. Ive not got a very English surname so shouldnt be too hard but fucked if i can find anything. Any ideas?

I'd start with www.familysearch.org - its free and does contain a lot of useful info, including the names of parents. If you can get hold of birth/marriage certificates they often contain useful info such as parents names (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl allows you to search and view some records, though to get the actual certificate you usually have to order from your local records office/council).

Because the above sites are free to search you can gather quite a bit of information from there and once you're confident its correct you can then register with somewhere like Ancestry.co.uk and get the census records and start gathering even more info - they contain all the family names which is helpful. I'm not too such I'd register with ancestry initially due to the cost and having little information to go on, though their searches are very good.

Also, if you're not already I'd recommend joining www.genesreunited.co.uk - you can build up your family tree on their and can store loads of info on your family members - without this I would have got lost ages ago.  Other members can also contact you if they think there is a link to their tree (they only see the name, location and birth year of your ancestor in searches). If you get a link saves you a lot of work

I've only managed to get back on my fathers side of the family because he's been most interested in it and managed to give me a lot of info (plus the fact his ancestors were lazy and kept giving their sons their own name) - my wife wants to research hers but her family aren't interested in helping her so got nothing much to go on, which can make it difficult because its a lot of guess work unfortunately.

[Sir Harvest Fields]

Thanks Damian. Appreciate that. Ive not seen Karl about to talk to for a while else id have asked him

[John C]

Something I noticed last night that was interesting

I know what you mean mate. There's nothing exciting in mine except my gt granddad seemed to be an elusive fucker and then died age 37. His wife had 7 kids, one died age 3, one in the war and her husband died early. Hard lives.

My gt gt gd also seemed to move to the whole family Birmingham at one point so he could work in a copper mine I think.

Started to look at my mums side now and my cousins had warned me that it would be hard. We think there may have been a name change or a sharp exit out of Sussex for some reason. I'm completely stuck.

[Tsar Kastik]

I've got a subscription to Ancestry if anyone needs to look something up. Also access to quite a few old newspapers via http://infotrac.galegroup.com/galenet/lancs?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Finfotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F0%2F1%2F1%2Fpurl%3Drc6_TTDA%3Fsw_aep%3Dlancs&cont=&msg=Current+Session+Expired&sw_aep=lancs&sserv=no...

loads of fun to be had on there.

[damian]

I know what you mean mate. There's nothing exciting in mine except my gt granddad seemed to be an elusive fucker and then died age 37. His wife had 7 kids, one died age 3, one in the war and her husband died early. Hard lives.

My gt gt gd also seemed to move to the whole family Birmingham at one point so he could work in a copper mine I think.

Started to look at my mums side now and my cousins had warned me that it would be hard. We think there may have been a name change or a sharp exit out of Sussex for some reason. I'm completely stuck.

I've not been able to research much of my paternal grandmothers family as I believe my great grandmother was an illegitimate child and nobody seems to know the fathers name, nor do we know the name of my great great grandmother, so stuck on that side of things.

My mums side have also been difficult - my gran is interested and keeps asking my parents if I've managed to find anything, but she's not really of any help herself, seems to want me to do it all. Once I've exhausted my dads side of the family I'll probably start on them - its not helpful that she doesn't have internet.

One thing I've always wanted to find but can't is photos of my fathers side of the family - they didn't have many. I've got a couple of my grandmother, but there was only one of my grandad and we think it got torn up my his late sister after she had a drink and a falling out with my father. I have got one somewhere, but its very very faint - I've tried improving it in photoshop but my skills aren't great. 

[John C]

my gran is interested and keeps asking my parents if I've managed to find anything, but she's not really of any help herself, seems to want me to do it all.

Get as much exact detail as you can off her mate. My 91 year old aunty has an extraordinary memory and gave me loads of info. The first time I took notes I was writing down what she'd called her relatives rather than what they were born as.

[John C]

Also access to quite a few old newspapers via http://infotrac.galegroup.com/galenet/lancs?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Finfotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F0%2F1%2F1%2Fpurl%3Drc6_TTDA%3Fsw_aep%3Dlancs&cont=&msg=Current+Session+Expired&sw_aep=lancs&sserv=no...

loads of fun to be had on there.

What does library barcode mean for that mate?

[meff]

I've got a subscription to Ancestry if anyone needs to look something up. Also access to quite a few old newspapers via http://infotrac.galegroup.com/galenet/lancs?http_rc=400&class=session&sev=temp&type=session&cause=http%3A%2F%2Finfotrac.galegroup.com%2Fitw%2Finfomark%2F0%2F1%2F1%2Fpurl%3Drc6_TTDA%3Fsw_aep%3Dlancs&cont=&msg=Current+Session+Expired&sw_aep=lancs&sserv=no...

loads of fun to be had on there.

Likewise for FMP, I can access Chelsea pension/army discharge records, Board of Trade Merchant service cards (some have photos), Manchester collection etc. etc.
Happy to do searches or lookups for anyone bitten by the bug.

[DJBrenton]

A couple of points about record offices/county archives. To get full access to many of them you have to register which means you'll need a couple of proofs of ID. Once you have your registration card, it gives you access to most other record offices in the country so the easiest thing to do is join your local one first. Additionally, many have a high demand for microfiche readers so you might have to book a slot  before visiting.

Some are as easy as just turning up, others aren't so check on the web before planning your visit.

[Tsar Kastik]

What does library barcode mean for that mate?

Sorry for coming back so late John, I wandered off soon after posting that.

The library barcode is a unique 12 figure number that you are given when you join the library; you simply enter your number in the box for access.
You don't have to make a visit to the library to join - it can be done on line  http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/atoz/a_to_z/service.asp?u_id=938&tab=1  and you can do it wherever you live in the country. I found out my GG Grandfather got a very lenient 6 months in Exeter castle for smuggling booze and duffing up some Customs men.

[John C]

Ta mate, I've registered for Lancashire although its Cheshire I need to search. Their equivalent fails to connect.

[Tsar Kastik]

John, although it's Lancashire libraries, the newspaper archives they hold cover the whole country and even overseas stuff (though I think it's rather skimpy)

[damian]

I don't suppose anyone knows where I can get hold of military records free do they?

I have an ancestor who was born in Liverpool in around 1856. I've got his census records for 1861, 1871, and 1891, but can't find anything for 1881. In 1861 and 1871 he was living with his family in Covington, Huntingdonshire, then his family (all 10 of them) moved to Toxteth, but he disappeared. He then reappears in Liverpool in 1891.

After a bit of hunting around I found a record on familysearch.org with the correct name and year & place of birth. I'd like to find out a bit more, but it seems you have to pay for the records - is there anywhere where you don't have to pay?

[L12]

I don't suppose anyone knows where I can get hold of military records free do they?

I have an ancestor who was born in Liverpool in around 1856. I've got his census records for 1861, 1871, and 1891, but can't find anything for 1881. In 1861 and 1871 he was living with his family in Covington, Huntingdonshire, then his family (all 10 of them) moved to Toxteth, but he disappeared. He then reappears in Liverpool in 1891.

After a bit of hunting around I found a record on familysearch.org with the correct name and year & place of birth. I'd like to find out a bit more, but it seems you have to pay for the records - is there anywhere where you don't have to pay?

Pm me with as much info as you can ,will give it a look

[damian]

Pm me with as much info as you can ,will give it a look

Thanks very much, got the email which clears things up a little

I actually remember seeing them now many years ago (not in person, obviously ) - when we went to the records office down there I distinctly remember his kids names, George Henry and Katie (in the 1891 census), so I'll have to hunt through all the notes I took down then and put it all together. I didn't realise at the time how closely related they were (i.e. my great great uncle).

I'm supposed to be doing some work but this has got me intrigued now

[John C]

Thanks very much,

L12 is ace, isn't he!

[damian]

L12 is ace, isn't he!

He certainly is Saved me a lot of time - the great great uncle I was trying to find who I thought had joined the army after disappearing from the census in 1881 hadn't in fact joined the army - he had moved down the road to another tiny village with his wife - now got quite a bit more info from the area thanks to L12 and its opened a lot more up.

[damian]

damian, does this mean anything to you - or am I barking up the wrong 'tree'?

Yeah, John was my great great uncle. He's the one that I thought had joined the Army, but then L12 sent me the same census record which is what has opened everything up around that area again.

I initially thought all the Cox's had moved to Liverpool before then, but then speaking to a guy we met by the church in Covington who invited us in for a cuppa, he said that some lived around there until fairly recently - this really confirms that our family did stay in the area.

Thanks.

[MrGrumpy]

I've seen my late grandmothers entry in the 1911 census, at that point she was the youngest of 4 surviving siblings (the census shows my great grandmother had already had 3 miscarriages), 3 more would be born later. I have also seen my great grandfathers WWI service record. Going further back would be dificult, my family only arrived in the UK at the start of the 20th century.

[Harrier]

I'm interested in building my family tree, going to ask my nan and grandad on what they know about their ancestors then head into my local library when I get the time, don't really want to pay a website to find out about my family, whats the best way of getting information?

[John C]

I'm interested in building my family tree, going to ask my nan and grandad on what they know about their ancestors then head into my local library when I get the time, don't really want to pay a website to find out about my family, whats the best way of getting information?

try a BMD search for your area mate.

When you gather info, obtain as much as possible. Full names, potential addresses, approx dob, death or marriage and any other family members. Names of brothers or sisters.

[John C]

Hey L12 mate 


I've started on my mums (fathers) side of the family now which has been attempted before, my cousin hit a brick wall as our gd or gt gd may have changed his name while living in sussex. I have my gd marriage cert with his father on but we can't trace him in a certain area where we think he lived.


Any advice?

[Tsar Kastik]

John, I don't know if the Sussex directories that can be accessed on this site are any use to you


http://www.historicaldirectories.org/hd/index.asp


hit the 'find by location' box and then Sussex on the map that pops up

[Harrier]

try a BMD search for your area mate.

When you gather info, obtain as much as possible. Full names, potential addresses, approx dob, death or marriage and any other family members. Names of brothers or sisters.

Thanks will do mate 

[John C]

emailed you L12, cheers.

[John C]

I've subscribed to Ancestry.co.uk but I've also found Cheshire cgi very useful.

Is anyone aware of a similar site for the Brighton and Sussex area - my gt gp was from there and I'm struggling to trace him.

Cheers all.

[L12]

I've subscribed to Ancestry.co.uk but I've also found Cheshire cgi very useful.

Is anyone aware of a similar site for the Brighton and Sussex area - my gt gp was from there and I'm struggling to trace him.

Cheers all.

Hey John C still at it, it can be very frustrating at times. If you could come up with either your gd's birth date or service # getting a service record would be relatively easy, costs 30quid for a search through army personnel centre in Glasgow, there are 2 forms next of kin and general, the record would show next of kin and address of, either that or a trip to National Archives, keep plugging away you'll get it eventually, cheers

[Tsar Kastik]

 John, there's a fair old selection of 'directories' on Ancestry covering the years 1840 to 1938. Did he have a trade, or was he posh enough to have a phone? Even if not, there should be a name index in them - I haven't looked yet.

[John C]

Hi L12, just revisiting it after a bit of a break away from it. On my grandmothers side, which was one of the first bits of searching you did, I found a tree that goes back to the 1300's through her dad - amazing

John, there's a fair old selection of 'directories' on Ancestry covering the years 1840 to 1938. Did he have a trade, or was he posh enough to have a phone? Even if not, there should be a name index in them - I haven't looked yet.

The person I'm trying to trace was my gt gd, he was a Lieutenant in the 20th Hussars before he dies before 1920, so you'd have thought it would be easy but I can't find anything out about him. I've emailed the army but I must be going to the wrong place.

[L12]

If I remember right there is a death index for 1919, s. lpool which may possibly be your grandad, it would be worth a tenner to check it out, if it is his record you should get some idea when he was born.
Sometimes you have to work backwards.
Also there are some Brighton & area directories on ebay, don't know how helpful they would be,, they may be expensive.

[Tsar Kastik]

John, I'm just posting this link up, not knowing a blind thing of what I'm doing, you might already have it, or it might be useless, but...

Before you hit the 'click on the index' button on the right, notice that there's a 20th Hussars and Brighton mention in the comments.

http://armyservicenumbers.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/20th-hussars.html

[Tsar Kastik]

John, have you tried something like this. Enter the name and sift through - you never know. WO364 also has possible rescords of interest.

I'm glad you asked your query 'cos when I found that link I tried out it's search facility and discovered something very interesting re someone in my tree.

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_q=wo363&x=33&y=19