Hi Jill,
Hi Steve,
It's not that I don't see your point, because I do and I get frustrated too sometimes. I wouldn't even be able to research my family history from Australia if so many volunteers hadn't selflessly given up their time to transcribe the records. It's my understanding that especially in the early days this was done by unpaid workers.
I suppose you still can get your information free if you want to take a train in the wet and freezing cold and get to the records office, queue, read microfiche, decipher old handwriting, photocopy records and pay a fee for that, then go to another records office, fill in forms and pay postage for certificates to be forwarded etc etc.
Being the lazy type I am, I can just get it all on line. The generosity of people on-line is amazing. I've only bought 1 certificate, all the rest have been emailed to me. Photos have been emailed to me from all over the world. I have an excel spread-sheet full of 3rd cousins as pen pals, Grand Aunts who make me write real letters to them (that was a stretch at first). It pretty much only costs me a basic Ancestry subscription each year. I'm so grateful to sites like this one and the generous types this hobby attracts, you know, perfect people like you Steve!!!!
Even though I agree the 1911 census is pricy, it's still been value for money and I've only spent 50 pounds for all the information I need for now.
From a very grateful,
Jill :biggrin:
Yes Jill, I agree, I'm being a little git. >
Where on earth would we be now without internet. That alone has been an absolute godsend.
I am fortunate that the vast majority, of my 'family' lived/worked/died in the same area.
Even up to the point when I left my home town, my X5 grandfather lived 5 miles away. And his son's/grandsons etc. closer still.
But until I found that one tiny mistranscription, could not get back further than 1825. Having found that link, within 2 days I have got back to almost 1540. I will say not by my own research, but that of a 'cousin', who has been doing this 25yrs longer than I.
His Ives family and mine, were about 2miles apart. But he still could not link us until last week, when
we(this site) found it between us.
On a more personal basis, my wife who was adopted, could not find her adoption records.
Her birth mother was
Scott, but someone 40 odd years ago had typed
Scorr.
My wife had given up after 14yrs, so i put a post on genesreunited, and within 3 months she had all her records in her excited sticky little fingers.
But there is no realistic chance of tracing her birth family, unless they are of the same mind. I really don't think her half brothers are aware of her existence.
But she is content with what she has, and if a miracle happens. PARTY TIME.:2fun: :2fun:
Steve.
