Genealogy Chat

Im really totally miserably fed up. I have brick walls (not garden fences) all round and I cant find anything to go on any more. All the dead ends have marriages prior to 1837 so no go there. My Norfolk lot are lying in their graves larfing at me trying to find them prior to their first kiddie and my London lot cant decide whether to spell Dixon with an s a ck or just an x. How am I ever going to find them? I might even have to do some proper paid work or, god forbid, housework at this rate.

heather - i got to that, put it all to one side for quite some time and thought ''Stuff you!'' i've been loking thru it , dad now wants a copy ( yes dad...) and have actually found , with the help of others on here a bit more info, which i am not convinced was there before. it has renewed my enthusiasm for a bit dont give up jess x

Oh dear Heather you do sound fed up. Post some of the names and dates that would give you a break through and I will have a search for you. Georgina.

Ive tried Georgina, they are all pre 1837 registration and I dont know where to look now. Ive put a few queries on records board but people just find the stuff I already have (kind of them but ..) I gave tons of stuff before christmas to a guy on one line on here and he promised some certs and stuff which would have given me a distraction, even if not the people I really am interested in, but despite two emails to him, I have had nothing (though I noticed he had added all my hard work to his tree). Im waiting for 3 certs, but not on lines Im particularly interested in (hubbys). Ive had his GGF Guards record come last week. So that bit of excitement is used up. I need a fix and there isnt one around.

Heather, Do not despair - you are not alone. I've had 3 for 18 years! One (Irish family) has been partially solved since I joined GR last September and managed to make contact with a fellow member - we worked on this together and managed to unearth a few more pieces of the puzzle. Another, I think, may be solved by searching Non-conformist records - tried everything else. The third one is a strange, non-existant place name in 1851 census. For years I have chased up every reference in the county for this surname, and every single one leads back to my man - not a single sniff of a sibling or parent or cousin. They are NOT brickwalls, merely intellectual challenges, which must be solved by looking outside the box! I know loads about some of my other families, and I'm sure you do about yours, too. Jay

Well, I am looking through your tree.............and..................I cannot see the wood for the tree(s)....!! Am not offering my services (lol) at the mo, because hubby is DUSTING round me, having invited an Indian relation over for ''Tea'' because he is related to Mahatma Ghandi. Flippin' heck, as if I can get my head round all the English, Welsh and Scots rellies, without these really tricky ones from India!! Have just been practicing my Italian looking up Guiseppe Creci for someone! LOL - Now practising my Gujarti ....LOL (never even passed my French O level!) Back later.........(can't see the screen for flying dust!) Merry xx

Hi, Heather - I should think that all your 'mystery' people are out there looking for mine - and that they are all having a good laugh at us both!! Please don't give up - give us some names and we will see what we can do. All you need is a flash of inspiration.

there you are your hours on here are 24/7 as a help any question answered manager, wage to be arranged. lol lorraine

There are some good Norfolk websites, and of course there is the rootsweb Norfolk mailing list........... :-)

Thanks for the offers guys, but I am talking Berlin walls here, there doesnt seem to be any leads at all, without travelling the country and looking at parish records and then I am not sure whether I could sort these lot out without fathers names. There is nothing left to look up on ancestry, Ive done that to death, even collecting similar names born same area just in case there is a connection.

Try me, try me

Bless you Joy, but I honestly cant think of anything to ask that has a chance of having an answer. Thats why Im miserable. The ones I thought may be people could help with I put on records and it brought up nothing new unfortunately. Ive down the Norfolk Websites to death. Ive emailed Norfolk FHS asking for a research recommendation as I have no way forward with the Norfolk lot at the moment.

.......... and rootsweb mailing list?.......... and rootschat site?

Heather. You say your brickwalls are like the Berlin Wall.......but look what happened to that! There's always hope!

LOL Natalie!!!!!! I have a sledgehammer and need something to BASH!!! Merry

Heather... don't give up...you're a positive thinker... I know you've helped me and probably loads of others...just keep helping others and maybe one day when you least expect it....one of your walls will crumble. Cheer up :0))))

Hi Heather, Have you tried looking at the online Wills held by the National Archives site at Kew? You can find some early ones on there sometimes. I found a book at our local library printed by our local 'Domestic Buildings Research Group - Surrey' in 1986 for, that gave references to early probate records that are not on the Kew online records. Is there a similar group in the area that you are researching that may have access to records you need? The title of the book was called 'Index of Surrey Probate Inventories 16-19th centuries'. Which surnames are you looking for in Norfolk and around what time period/villages? Could they have moved into Norfolk from another county and by concentrating on Norfolk you may be missing ancestors who were possibly from elsewhere in the country? The 'WDYTYA' boxed set for the 2005 series gave a disk for Parish records, but I think it may be the data that is in it came from Ancestr)y and may be no different from what you have already. If you let me know the main surnames you are looking for in Norfolk I can try and have a look over the next few days. Work is pretty hectic at the moment but I will try for you to see if it brings anything new up. I've learnt loads from your postings (and Merry's and Jess's) if you can get fed up, what hope is there for us fairly new starters! Keep trying! Good luck! Claire

Many thanks guys, dont worry, I wont commit kami kazi?? No, the name is absolutely Norfolk origin and Norfolk specific - Ive gone through about 100 parishes looking for a marriage with no luck. Considering the wifes name is as rare as a snowball in hell in this part of the country in the 18th century it should have popped up quickly but no. The thing is I think I have the next generation back from them but of course that cant be proven without the link to that couple. Im sure the stuff is out there its just Im too thick to know where to look. I keep remembering something Brenda (Phoenix) said to me once, which she had been told by a super duper professional sleuth 'If you cant find them, you are looking in the wrong places'. Aint that the truth. Done rootsweb, rootschat, norfolk roots, done NA wills and online docs. Horrible I know, but I could scream when people put messages, 'Ive hit a brick wall with my Nan born 1902'. Oh god, help me, Ive just seen another one but 1907 - hold me back. I keep thinking that Familytree2006 had a facility to pick up anything on your tree that could be traceable - but not sure if its on every edition.

Heather, You can't give up if you've only done 100 parishes in Norfolk - come on, girl, Norfolk has a HUGE list! Shall i send you one of my Norfolk missing links to research at the same time??? Jay

Heather whereabouts in Norfolk do you need to look still? I'm up in Norwich thursday friday looking through Dickleburgh, Tvetshall, Billingford and Diss so if you want me to add a search for you onto the list I'm sure I can squeeze you in ;o) Zoe