Genealogy Chat

I love my new-found hobby of genealogy, so I find it odd that there's so much grumbling on these boards. Surely the thrill of overcoming obstacles beats the satisfaction of getting an easy answer. Some of the comments I read sound like 'I couldn't bother with a decent meal because it takes too long to cook'. Top of the list of grumbles is the waiting time to receive certificates. When I send off for a certificate I then put it out of my mind and concentrate on other lines of the family tree. The regular comment that astonishes me most arises when a television programme boosts interest in family history. Instead of being delighted that more research will result in more chances for us all to find a match, people complain that it will increase the time for certificates to arrive. Duh? Surely that's a small price to pay for increasing your chances of finding new info?

I love it, too, Paul .... totally and utterly addicted, and have been so since 1999. Joy

Joy, I hope you're referring to genealogy!

Gave you a smile, didn't it ... :-) ?

Paul - you are quite correct. Great post. I started doing this FH tracing back in February as a result of WDYTYA..........as I saw it was rather easier than when I had an initial go 20 years ago as a teenager. I was initially really keen and found lots of links and certificate details, but the wait from the GRO was at that point about 1 month. Obviously it's eased now - but with another series of WDYTYA, it's going to increase. Hopefully another mass of people will be encouraged to start looking and of course this could result in lots of new links and names for everyone else. All in all, it's great there is another series, but that wait for those ordered certificates is at times a frustration. The GRO might well have more staff in place this time for all the extra certificate business they will get in the coming weeks.

What would the great British public be if they couldn't have a grumble about something? Anyway totally love this hobby, it's fastly becoming a bit of an obsession, guess I'm in good company though.

I am grateful to programmes like WDYTYA, as that is what started me looking into my family history and a few months down the line, I am totally addicted! My problem is not the waiting time for the certs to arrive, but the waiting until I have enough money to buy all the certs I want! I'm finding that other expenses like food and bills are preventing me from getting the certs, not waiting times.LOL Lynn

Good post Paul - nimbyism comes in all shapes and sizes. We can't expect to enjoy our hobby/pastime/addiction and not let anyone else in. :-) Keith

Couldn,t agree more Paul. I have little more than 500 in my tree at present and was directed on one ancester by two very helpful guys on this board, but the rest I found myself and very satisfying it was too. Moaners are for general not our board. Rod

i go to my local studies library every week, although i have totally exhausted most to do with my family, but ilike to scan victorian newspapers for interesting stories, what i will say about the last long wait for certs, i do not belive the tv programme had hardly any influence on it, watching the increase in newbies in my library for the first series, yes it was packed out with newbies, although most drop off when faced with hours of trawling micro fisches, but when the second series came on, ther was hardly any new faces at all coming, in fact some saturdays it was deader than at any time in lhe last 3 years, but what had happened and at the same time was Ancestry put the BMD indexs that had previously cost hundreds to view at 1837 on line for free and i know because of this i was ordering 10 to 20 a week, it was this that caused the back log this time around not the tv program and i dont think they will have the impact of the first series

Paul I agree, no grumbling allowed!!! I love this genealogy lark - it's not just about finding my ancestors but all the other things it has opened up for me. I research their background lives giving me insight into their jobs and ways of life. I visit where they lived, allowing me to visit places I might never have thought in a million years of going to - and some lovely places they have been too. There is so much about his hobby other than just certificates - although they are an essential part of it, I just wish people would also realise they can order from the local registry offices too and so spread the load (or perhaps I shouldn't wish that!!!!). Snowdrops PS - It's so nice seeing so many men on here at the moment too!

I've been waiting 12 years to order some certs.......I don't suppose a few more weeks will make much difference! I HATE cooking. That's nothing to do with this hobby, though! Merry

I will fight to the death to defend my right to a good moan and grumble - I'm British, for God's sake. I'm mostly past the certificate getting stage and have to wait, sometimes months, for my latest PR marathon to arrive at the LDS. But, its like a treat when I get it and it totally absorbs me for weeks. I doubt if the GRO will get more staff in readiness for the next onslaught - its not quite as easy as it sounds. For a start, they need training. They must have a finite number of photocopiers, which limits production even if they are going 24/7. The GRO is a government body, funded from OUR taxes and must work to a budget - how cross would we all be if they were LOSING money on our behalf. And what do you do with all these extra staff when the demand dies down again? Do as I do - order from local ROs wherever possible (and save someone's job!) OC

Here here OC, if I feel like a moan about Genealogy stuff, nobody at home is interested so I can only vent it on here. I won't be told that I can't do it, nobody is forced to read posts.

Sue, How do you know what the post is about if you don,t read it??? Rod

Rod Generally you only have to read the first post of a thread to realise what its about! OC

Paul I must admit I get more impatient when I've ordered a cert and am waiting for it, than I do generally. But I agree. The only thing I feel justified in moaning about is finding that records I need have not survived! But that's life. I do get a bit fed up with threads that say, in essence, 'I really want to find this out, but can't be bothered to take out a sub/pay for a certificate/trawl through an untranscribed list/go to a records office'. The answer to that of course is that if you don't want to make the effort, you can't want to know that much. I started off doing everything on the internet and I am still amazed at what I can find with this. But once I took the plunge I found that records offices, local history centres and other archives are brilliant -FREE - resources with a wealth of material, really a treasure trove. OK, sometimes it takes a bit of time to find what you want, but that's part of the experience. And what can beat the thrill of finding that the house where your gt gt grandfather lived is still there, and is now a beautifully kept listed building? Or having a drink in a pub that your gt gt gt auntie once ran? nell

I agree with Nell - nothing like the thrill of a Records Office. OK, you may not find what you went looking for, but believe me, you will find something else just as interesting! And one find leads you to another - and another - OC

I'd better not tell you then, Paul, that I have a good grumble about my 'brick walls' that I just cannot knock down. Grrr, talking about my brick walls, I feel a grumble coming on now, so will exit this thread ..... :-) *doesn't tell anyone that she's still addicted, though*

So OC, you do have to read the post to find out what its about!!! Rod