I'm doing an Archive crawl.

[duckweed]

I'm so excited. My husband has promised to take me to 2 of the Archives I need to go to next week. One archive I've wanted to go to for 4 years as it is the only one that has the parish records I need. Copies on the internet only go to 1846. I'm going to our local one so 3 archives in the week. I now have contacts with 5 people who branch into mine so I could provide enlightenment for us all. Am I a sad person? I can't seem to make my family understand the thrill of family research. It's like being a private eye doing an investigation.

 

[gibbo]

And what a thrill it is. I woke my hubby at 4am one morning with the exciting news that i had received in a email. Needless to say he just grunted so i waited until the sun come up and rang my mother. At least she acted excited!! Have fun at the archives and hope you find some interested stuff.
gibbo

 

[Sunscreen]

Hi

Enjoy your crawl through the Archives! and don't worry there's lots of 'sad' people - I´m one of them.

We moved to West Yorkshire & I've found out my Grandmother who I never knew, lived 15 mins from here & I have an Uncle who's house we pass regularly (haven't been in touch as it could cause problems!) but its a great feeling to find out these things

Pat

 

[leefer]

Just watch your knees..crawlings bad for them...best of luck.

 

[benny1982]

Hi

Sometimes I share a great family tree finding and others just go "Oh right". :'(

Ben

 

[duckweed]

I told my husband I had now discovered Kemp was in his family. All he said was "I know someone with that surname who was awful to me at school, I hope we are not related." That's the strongest reaction I've ever got. No reaction when I told him he was related to a major Sheffield Chartist or one branch of his family owned all the estates around. Vague interest when I told him he was probably related to Florence Nightingale. A shrug of the shoulders when I confirmed a family legend. What do I have to find to stir my family?

 

[benny1982]

I hate it when relatives brush off any non English ancestors. I told my aunty of a Scottish ancestor and she said "Well that connection has worn well off by now". Sorry but no. He is my 5xgreat grandfather, her 4xgreat grandfather and a 64th of her and a 128th of me so we have Scottish blood whether we like it or not. I am very proud to have a Scottish ancestor. It would be boring to have all 100% English ancestors.

I have French Huguenot ancestry and very likely some distant Irish ancestry.

 

[p.risboy]

I hate it when relatives brush off any non English ancestors. I told my aunty of a Scottish ancestor and she said "Well that connection has worn well off by now". Sorry but no. He is my 5xgreat grandfather, her 4xgreat grandfather and a 64th of her and a 128th of me so we have Scottish blood whether we like it or not. I am very proud to have a Scottish ancestor. It would be boring to have all 100% English ancestors.

I have French Huguenot ancestry and very likely some distant Irish ancestry.

I know the feeling Ben and Co. But it is 'our' hobby for most of us. My brother's hobby is Golf, and I'm so not interested in Golf.
We can't force ourselves on others, even if they are our family. But yes, a bit of enthusiasm wouldn't hurt.
We do live 'in the past' don't we.

Steve.

 

[benny1982]

I know the feeling Ben and Co. But it is 'our' hobby for most of us. My brother's hobby is Golf, and I'm so not interested in Golf.
We can't force ourselves on others, even if they are our family. But yes, a bit of enthusiasm wouldn't hurt.
We do live 'in the past' don't we.

Steve.

Hi Steve

Often we annoy the living for our constant obsession with our deceased ancestors.

Ben

 

[duckweed]

In our case it's my husbands ancestors. I started it originally because he said he knew so little about his family.

 

[JMR]

Hi All,

I think the reason I drive my lot mad is because I talk about these dead rellies as if they were living and they take up such a lot of time in my life. To each their own I say! I would try to be polite and be interested in golf, if I had a visitor whose hobby it was (thank goodness I don't know anyone). I have to admit though, at our house a passion for the dead is growing. I was met at the door the other day and asked by my daughter and granddaughter if they could open my letter, because if looked like it had parish records a birth certificate (they'd held it up the light) and a photo. We were all equally excited with what was inside! It's just a matter of time - the addiction will get them in the end!

Jill

 

[crankypants]

G'day

Yes I have a really understanding husband “NOT”. When I wish to share some exciting news about his family tree he says to me, how long is this going to take, then half way through, me explaining my fantastic news he starts making snoring noises which he thinks is hilarious. Doesn’t hurt to tell him all his ancestors were all listed as “idiots” in the census.

cheers
crankypant

 

[p.risboy]

G'day

Yes I have a really understanding husband “NOT”. When I wish to share some exciting news about his family tree he says to me, how long is this going to take, then half way through, me explaining my fantastic news he starts making snoring noises which he thinks is hilarious. Doesn’t hurt to tell him all his ancestors were all listed as “idiots” in the census.

cheers
crankypant

lol:2fun: :2fun: :2fun: .

Oh Crankypants, how could you say that about your dear one. Still funny though.:biggrin: :biggrin:

Steve.

 

[leefer]

I told my husband I had now discovered Kemp was in his family. All he said was "I know someone with that surname who was awful to me at school, I hope we are not related." That's the strongest reaction I've ever got. No reaction when I told him he was related to a major Sheffield Chartist or one branch of his family owned all the estates around. Vague interest when I told him he was probably related to Florence Nightingale. A shrug of the shoulders when I confirmed a family legend. What do I have to find to stir my family?

Tell him there has been a history of woman poisoning there hubbys on your side...that might stir him!

 

[JMR]

Tell him there has been a history of woman poisoning there hubbys on your side...that might stir him!

...and then tell him "but none of them were ever convicted!!!!"

 

[duckweed]

2 Archives done and one to Go. At least I didn't find anything that meant I would have had to rewrite present family tree. As usual solve some mysteries and find some mysteries to be solved. How different local archives are. Poshest I think is Lincoln of the 4 I know. Sheffield is very good but some of the microfiche machines are very creaky, but they are getting replaced. Rotherham is very small but excellent equipment. Doncaster is sited in an old school and little has been done except to turn a couple of classrooms into archive reading rooms. However lovely staff and the Local Family History have carefully transcribed thousands of records and catalogued them so easy to research. I felt sorry for Doncaster as the building gets very hot and they are in 2 rooms in one building of a collection of school buildings which are mainly boarded up. Maybe the council could get someone to give their building a coat of paint and a few fans at least. Despite it all they were extremely pleasant and helpful. I'd have gladly given them a donation to the refurbishment fund. Rotherham was the dearest place for a photocopy. Doncaster can't do copies. Lincolnshire have a good computer search system for surnames. Doncaster has a good old fashioned card reference system which isn't much slower really. Sheffield archives have surnames index listed on microfiche or card so you can search for someone on the census and many parish records have a surname index but not all. So its very variable generally. What's your local archive like?

 

[JMR]

Hi Duckweed,

Glad you had a really productive time of it! I have no idea yet what my archive place looks like as I live in Aus and haven't ever seen it. Mine would be the Bradford Library, which I'm told is huge, but has very helpful staff. I will find out in December when I come home for 6 weeks or so, as I intend to visit and see what else I can find!

I have to say that what you've described doesn't sound at all like my cup of tea! I've always said that I wouldn't be so addicted to FH if I couldn't find most of the information on-line. I know I'm disgrace!

I have enough meltdowns when I hit brickwalls as it is, my blood pressure wouldn't stand doing it hard at the basc level of research as well!!!

Cheers,
Jill

 

[p.risboy]

Hi Duckweed,

Welcome back. Now how about the gossip, have you 'digested' all the info you've got so far.
Jill's(JMR) busting to tell her other half all about it.:2fun:

Steve.

 

[JMR]

Yes, time to spill the beans as Steve says!

 

[duckweed]

I'd like to say I'd made some major breakthrough but not yet anyway. The trouble with searching by internet and using no original sources other than census is that you can't find much out before 1837 and you have to rely on other people's research. I have lists of names still to put in context and found part of the family is yet at another local archive Nottingham. Oh why didn't the ancestors stay still for at least 20 years. One branch went in and out of Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire. They must have been constantly on the move. I have made contact with someone from NSW Australia who shares part of the same tree and it is a pleasure to share my finds. I always welcome anyone who shares my tree as it gives me someone to talk to about it. I didn't make Sheffield archive but that's my home one so I will have to go there after my son has finished his exams and I don't have to be there to reassure him.