Genealogy Chat

I would like to add the Electoral Rolls are in Parish name order, very few are in address order. I have looked from 1911 when only heads of house were able to vote. No ages given they are only added when they are able to vote reaching the given age at that time. Heads of House usally men all men over 21 around 1923 Women over a certain age never found out what that was but about 60 Women over 21 1928 now all over 18 This does full in with what I have found when looking for my families. I do believe there are ealier ones but have never looked. Irene

if you know roughly where they would be born you could check local papers archives for birth announcments, not everyone did this of course but you could strike lucky. Kim

Here in Perth ,Western Australia, I go to the Cemeteries Board online site and get the date of death -then to the newspapers in our State library to read the death notices. In NSW there in an online BDM site, similar facilities in some other States, not always free. Has been a great help in tracing living families -in fact, easier than getting back to UK origins before the days of online census. Do you have any similar facilities in the UK to use? Beverley

Maureen, Electoral registers do not give ages, just names, but if you find your James Smith it should name his wife and anyone else in the family over 21. Contact Greenwich Records at--oops- they have moved and my address is out of date! Try in google. They were at Myceni Road but are now in Woolwich somewhere! If you can find the record office and give a year and address they should give you the names. What relation was your James Smith on the death cert? I assume he was a son of Smith? Have you found anyone on the 1901 to give place of birth and occupation? I think that is the only way you can trace a Smith!! Wendy

I've found a trawl through the Probate Calendars for particular surnames has been quite rewarding (available at some main Record Offices) and has turned up several relatives still living at addresses they were at in 1901, who left wills. When you find a name you recognise, you just fill in a form with the details of name, their address, date of death and date of probate and the office where probate was granted, pay £5, and the will is sent through the post within 4 working days. The will may provide details of relatives that bequests were left to, giving you info on who else was still alive at a given date! Even when the address given in the Probate Calendar has not been the same as on 1901 census, I've found some relatives because executors of the wills have been inlaws whose names I recognised from earlier marriages within the family. When you find someone this way, you also get the date of death that you may otherwise not have had. Barbara

Maureen, Yes I meant old electoral registers. It all depends on where it is and how helpful the library staff are, but I have regularly e-mailed South Shields library for look ups which are sent almost by return! You must have the full address of course and the year. Some areas have libraries with local history departments [like South Shields] and some areas you need to contact the record office [as in Chelmsford where I live]. They will look up a straightforward request. Check the record office and library of the area you are interested in and ask for help. Wendy

I am doing much the same as Gary - although not spent quite so much yet! The main advantage of doing this via 1837 online as opposed to going to a family history centre is that any pages I have looked at I have also printed out - this has proved useful to look back on and to fill in some gaps that I had not be aware of before. I think this hobby can be as expensive as you want it to be. I work full time so going to a centre is not always that easy - using the internet in this way has allowed be to persue my hobby without interfering with everyday life. Hubby is asleep while I contact the ancestors overnight!

Gary is right to an extent the money goes sometimes without you realising it, it floods or drips but it goes. Its surprising but if you add up 1837online, 1901 census (the bits ancestry havent got), Ancestry for the year, the certs themselves, travelling to places (Records Office etc.,) Printing pages off the internet (my printer eats the ink up) It all adds up, but I think on the whole its cheaper than a lot of other hobbies out there. The difference is we come away with our own private history, there is no other hobby that will tell you so much about yourself and where you come from. If I had not delved into family history I would not know about the many of the occupations and professions that are gone now, the treatments and illnesses that affected people in the last 100 or so years, our peoples way of life, none of this is taught to children instead we learn about the Romans & stuff that is less meaningful. Because like most my people my lot were not the gentry we learn how they had to work so hard for so little, and some then end up on the scrap heap which was the local Workhouse. I have learnt so much in this hobby its been worth every penny spent. I struggle with the people born later than the earlier ones, its ridiculous but agree with you after 1901 they are difficult to trace, I am hoping the 1911 census will come out before the given time to help with those closest rellies. Pat x

Many local record offices hold the GRO index for the whole country! You can consult them free. It takes time to plough through many years but it can be done -I have done it and found a few living contacts as a result. Also don't forget electoral registers. If you have an address the local library or record office will often look them up for you. Wendy

If any of them were In Trade or were Gentry, they might appear in one or other of the Directories in http://www.historicaldirectories.org/ You probably won't get in at the moment (see time of message!) - I've just got a "too busy" message. Christine

Gary, That is a LOT of money!! Was there no other way to do it - as mentioned, surely spending a week in the Records Office in London would have been cheaper!!! Sam

Gary Hope that wasn't all at once!! As you say very rewarding. If I know what I am looking for but not the years I go to London. Not so often these days as time is short. Going in November 1st time for a year. So plenty to look for. Irene

i did exactly as Irene said, i spend £350 on 1837 onlie and dowloaded every page from 1837 to 1980 on the 4 names of my grandparents, and found 300+ family i had no idea about, then did all the electroll rolls at the library, this is not a cheap hobby by any means but very rewarding

You're welcome, Good Luck Irene

brilliant Irene thanks. elaine:))

From 1911 it is not to hard too find siblings, if you have the time and or money. You can either visit the FRC in Myddleton Street London or ask your Local FRC if they have or can get the indexing. Some do so its worth asking. Or you can spend your money getting the indexing pages from 1837 on line. .10p to view a page and 4 quarters per year, but you can save each page. Again chances are you may have to spend .60p per year but if you have a common name it may get a bit more expensive. The indexing after 1911 started to put the partners surname in marriages, this makes cross referencing much easier, if you really wanted to know the first name of that partner all you have to do is look in the same quarter of the same year, the one that matches all the details is the one. Also the births have the mothers maiden name in the indexing. Chances are no two people have the same names in a given period of time you can always have a ? if they are in a different district as they could have moved. If you know the distict try looking at the Electoral Roll Books for that district for this you will have to go to that FRC. Not forgetting that women didn't get the vote until 1928, some of the older women were on but not sure of the age they had to be. The period between 1901 and 1911 will be a bit harder until the 1911 census comes out only 8 more years to go. Good Luck Irene

Thanks Jeanie, that is exactly where I am at . elaine:))

Very Hard. I cant find the names of my grandfathers siblings yet have names going back centuries! Obvious things like birth certs and asking living members. My mother can't remember most of her paternal Uncles/Aunts!! Will watch this post with interest.

I am having real trouble trying to find relatives in the Manchester area after 1901, any tips please? elaine:))