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Etiquette and Genealogy.

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

SylviaInCanada

SylviaInCanada Report 26 Jul 2010 06:26

I have to say that I NEVER open my tree to anyone now.

I do exchange pms with them to establish whether or not we have a definite link ....... then I send them the relevant parts of the tree.

Plus, for one name, I direct them to two trees that are in the public domain on rootsweb.com. There was a One Name Study done on this name, although the work has since been removed from the ONS site. Those trees on rootsweb contain all the information that was on ONS

Most of my tree, in any case, is not on this site ....... I only have about 132 names on the GR tree!



sylvia

SylviaInCanada

SylviaInCanada Report 26 Jul 2010 06:18

Alexandra

if anyone puts the name of one of your living relatives in the Search Trees facility (dark green band above), the link will be made to you and they could then send a pm (private message through GR) to ask for further information and/or access to your tree.


If you then give them access to your tree, the name of your living rellie will not show.


But hiding names of living rellies does NOT prevent them from showing up in Search Trees

......... and possibly in Hot Matches (does anyone know definitively about that one??)



sylvia

Alexandra

Alexandra Report 26 Jul 2010 01:29

Jan

Thank you so much for your kind words. Don't feel bad about me feeling bad. I feel good! knowing that I know more now than I did yesterday and I feel fine about it. If you have anymore info to write then I'll be watching.
Got my living relative's names off my tree now, but tell me can anyone click the box and find out what's in my 'notes'?
Just wondering.

Thanks again
Alexandra

	JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW

JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW Report 26 Jul 2010 01:08

Hi Alexandra
I'm sorry if I've made you feel like a fool or stupid. It certainly wasn't my intention to put anyone down with my observations and "Etiquette" is probably too posh a word for what is basically just good manners really.

I think Genes can be quite difficult to find your way around when you first join, and I had hoped that this thread would help people avoid some of the more basic pitfalls.

If it's any consolation, I've lost count of the number of people I annoyed in the first few months I was a member. (I still annoy people now....it must be genetic) I'd put up a thread then not be able to find my way back for ages....if/when I did find my way back, the thread would be littered with irate comments about ungrateful people who don't even have the decency to say thank you

I remember asking a question once and I was told "I've covered this on my other thread. Take a look at it"....to which I answered "I'll do that, just as soon as I find out what a thread is" Nobody ever took the time to tell me what it was.

My tree was also littered with living people (mainly my siblings and their children) for about 3 months until I realized that it probably wasn't such a good idea.

There are quite a few people on here who use block capitals all the time, but they don't mean to shout or be rude, they just find it easier.

Good luck with your research
Jan

Alexandra

Alexandra Report 26 Jul 2010 00:14

Jan
I have just read one of your 2 recent emails and I never knew that there was such a thing as Geneology Etiquitte. And I feel a fool. It's taken me quite a while to find my way around Genes Reunited and still can't seem to master it - but I'm getting there. I even get confused at which word to click because what I read it as, is not what I thought it was. And lots of other things which I'm getting better at.
I have only just today written again to the 'help' section in Genes Reunited asking for more advice and help. I asked why I have a lot of emails with names that don't match in my family tree. I now realise that that's nice people contacting me with possible info that I may find interesting in my tree. The ones that I do open and read, (and that sometimes is a feat in itself) I email (well usually) email back. But what shocked me in what you've written and there were a few bits, was that I am happily giving the names of my living relatives. How stupid can one be? I must be on another planet. I take my privicy seriously - or so I thought.
Jan thank you taking the time to again contact me. I am offering my apologies to those who have sent me information and I didn't reply back. I didn't know that it is expected just to send a quick email even if it's to say "sorry we're not related". I will get around to it. BUT (shout) first of all I must go and remove the names of my living relatives.
Thank you Jan, and thank you to the others that have taken the time and bother to contact me.
I've learned my lesson.
Night night

	JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW

JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW Report 25 Jul 2010 23:17

Hi InspectorGreenPen ....you're so right....but hope springs eternal :)

Sorry Robert....I didn't see your wave....but that might be because, although I was born in Jarrow, I moved years ago and now live in Bristol, so if I wave across the river I'd be waving to a stranger in Wales :)

Hi Bridget, I'm sure that there are some researchers that focus entirely on their one name studies....but I am easily bored so whilst I do research the Notman family from time to time, more and more of my energy is put into finding the links between the various Tranent families

SpanishEyes

SpanishEyes Report 25 Jul 2010 19:31

Some good advice on here and Ihave just realised that I lleft some people who are still alive with their names on my tree because a family memeber wanted o get started and I have forgotten to change them So I will do that right away.

I am a bit slow today...if you do a one name study does that mean that you take one name in your tree and only follow that surname??

Off to hide some names now

Bridget

Robert

Robert Report 25 Jul 2010 18:38

Good subject for discussion, Jan.

Waved to you across the river but you didn't wave back!!

Geordie Jock.

InspectorGreenPen

InspectorGreenPen Report 25 Jul 2010 17:56

I don't disagree with your sentiments at all, but the fact is that only a tiny percentage of members, perhaps no more that 1% even, ever read these boards so it is a bit like flogging the proverbial.

I just go back to the member, setting out the facts as I have them and suggesting that they come back with more detail to enable a more detailed analysis.

	JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW

JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW Report 25 Jul 2010 12:43

I'm bumping this up because once again I think there are a few people who may benefit from reading some of the comments written by various people on here.
The reason it came to mind this morning is I received 5 messages from people on Genes

One was from a lady who wanted to know if Andrew had spent time in Ireland.....which Andrew? there are 363 men with the forename Andrew on my tree and many many more for whom Andrew is a middle name.

Three were from researchers asking to view my tree....without saying who they were looking for, or giving me access to their tree's so I have at least a small chance of helping.

And finally there was the one that wanted details on a James (1577 men with that forename on my tree) who had a wife named Margaret (1472 with that forename).

I'd really like to be able to help these people, but they make the job near impossible.
Just a lttle more information would be a great help

LadyKira

LadyKira Report 5 Mar 2010 02:43

I thought it was worth rereading as the same issues keep cropping up.

MarionfromScotland

MarionfromScotland Report 4 Mar 2010 16:38

Was worth a nudge, there are a few of thoughtless rude people out there.

	JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW

JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW Report 4 Mar 2010 16:30

Thank you fo bumping this up :)
Although it is an old one the issues raised are (unfortunately) still current

InspectorGreenPen

InspectorGreenPen Report 30 Jan 2010 11:06

In case people hadn't realised, this thread is actually a year old and hasn't had a posting since last July till it was bumped up yesterday.

LadyKira

LadyKira Report 29 Jan 2010 20:53

n

	JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW

JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW Report 29 Jul 2009 13:56

Just had my Hot Matches which, as always, led to a flurry of PM's many of which brought this thread to mind.

nameslessone

nameslessone Report 10 Mar 2009 09:32

n

brummiejan

brummiejan Report 25 Feb 2009 15:22

Just to get back to the etiquette issue, it does pay to be as specific as possible about what information you require, as it may be obvious to you but not the reader.. I feel very guilty if I post on the "trying to find" board asking if there are any descendants of Fred Bloggs born 1880 or whatever, only to have people give me all sorts of information about him such as census reports! They have gone to all sorts of trouble to find stuff i already had. I do try to say now that I do not need information and am looking for living relatives only.

(I think it would be good if Genes had a section just for contacts, thinking about it).

Jan (diffferent one!)

Jennifer

Jennifer Report 25 Feb 2009 14:04

i think you're right. There must be another way. I just wish I could find it! I honestly think there was some sort of cover-up going on. Hugh Munro 1740 seems to have dropped out of the sky. He must have been fairly well born because he was a Midshipman in 1758 and my brother has the log book that he wrote on board the ship Speedwell and Surprize during the 7 years war. I've tried the NA and all the ADM records I can get my hands on. I've been to Greenwich and I find eveidence of his existence but nothing about where he came from. His descendents have always thought they should have inherited the title 'Baron of Fowlis' but for the life of me I can't see why except for some interesting relics in the family and so on.

	JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW

JAИ *•. from ¸.•*´ JAЯROW Report 25 Feb 2009 00:49

Hi Jennifer
A one-name study is a project researching facts about a surname and all the people who have held it, as opposed to a particular pedigree (the ancestors of one person) or descendancy (the descendants of one person or couple). I have just started mine, and as yet it's not what many would call a "proper" one-name study, because I tend to focus on the Notman family in Scotland, chiefly because I like to have the paperwork and it is easier and cheaper for me to gather records in Scotland
An area study is a study that focus's on a particular geographical area, in my case East Lothian in general but Tranent in particular.
I can't honesty say that I think a one-name would help you with your research into your personal ancestry.
The only reason I started doing mine is I realized that whilst I was gathering information on my own Notman's I had managed to acquire all the death certificates issued in Scotland for the Notman name from 1855-1957...and all of the marriage certificates issued between 1855 - 1932, plus hundreds of births and pre 1855 marriages. It seemed a shame not to do anything with them....hence my decision to do the study.
Similarly I also have copies of all the surviving Tranent Parish Records, so logic suggested an area study.
But the Munro family is huge. The work involved would be immense.....and as I said it wouldn't necessarily lead to you finding out more about your direct line.
There must be another way.
Jan :)