Genealogy Chat

Many thanks - but I have visited the NRO (by the way, you can get lunch next door at the council buildings in the employees canteen!). Im sure the info must be there its just Im not much cop at finding it (see previous postings on this thread!!). Glad you enjoyed it there. Afraid cant eat crab or any shell fish - am totally allergic! I think you are all incredible people to take the time to try and help me. Selena, bless, have I done your lightermen for you? I know where my mum and dad went to school, and my nan - posh fee paying academy - and I have the school governors reports for my GGF school? I even have my dads reference from his headmaster when he got his first job bless him (1927) - carting sherry by hand through London - he told me once going over Tower Bridge, it was so icy and snowy, the cart ran away with him and when it hit something, he went over the top of it and landed in a heap. A policeman came up to him (dad must have been about 13) and said 'Are you allright son?'. Dad said to me, I wasnt worrying about me being allright, I said to him 'Are the bottles ok?' Oh bless I miss him so very much.

Heather I've just skimmed your thread and it hasn't leapt out at me that you visited the Norwich Archive. Like you I had pretty much exhausted the web. I spent a week in Norwich which has a really fabulous new archive centre complete with very helpful staff and the best facilities (except of course where lunch is concerned). I found it one of the most enjoyable of research experiences and extremely fruitful. In addition to finding marriages, baptisms and deaths that do not appear on any websites or transcriptions I was fascinated to see the originals and read some of the additional notes that the priest had made in margins. One in particular told of the sadness of burying a 15 year old boy who was very loved by everyone in the parish. He died tragically when hit by the sail of a windmill. I'm sure you'll find some links or records of interest and a trip to Norwich isn't so bad. Sounds like you need to get out, stretch those legs and leave the barren world of the internet behind for a while. And while your up there go up to Salthouse on the coast and get a good plate of fresh crab inside you. Simon

Oh guys, you are all so thoughtful. 1. Yes Cath Watkins is my cousin x 6 or something - we share Edward and Liz as GGPx4 and are in constant contact. Its interesting because Caths GGMX3 is Mary, who is the sister of my GGFx3 Jonas. Jonas was a witness at Marys wedding and vice versa - and they didnt know that nearly 200 years down the line their descendants would be talking across oceans to each other about them. 2. Re proof they are a couple - I can stand in front of their gravestones and read their names and those of their kids (and I often do - its only 3 miles down the road from me). I have a settlement certificate for 1763 when they moved from Ketteringham village to the next parish - half a mile down the road, East Carleton - at that time, there is no mention of children only 'any child or children as they may have in future'. So I am guessing at 1763 as a marriage date. 3. Oh, I got really excited by the Dereham death find, but silly me was thinking youd found a Liz Selby not Horstead. But no, I havent got that one, so that is exciting. I am wondering just who she is though. Aged 65 - so born 1730'ish, could be a sister in law to my Edward? I will contact Mid Norfolk FHS at East Dereham - the Horsteads are in a circle round Wymondham/Norwich covering Attleborough/Hingham/Great Ellingham/Costessey/Dereham/Old Buckenham etc. The other big (and only) contingency is in Aylsham, north of Noriwch. I am very grateful to everyone.

When I get completely stuck with a problem I find it sometimes pays to go back to square one and than think again around the problem. If you can't find the marriage, how do you KNOW that Henry married Elizabeth Selby.....in other words did they marry at all, or could she have been someone else?? Peter

http://meltingpot.portland(.)co(.)uk/family/watkins/d0000/g0000039.html#I82 Family tree of Catherine Mary Watkins appears to include your couple, although no marriage recorded. Is this someone you are in contact with?

I have two wills for the Horsteads - only because Bridget was a bit of a tart and then her (illegitminate) daughter. (Something to learn there isnt there - the bad girls have all the fun and dosh) None of the rest had any dosh Brenda. And dont forget I am useless at looking things up. I was telling Kate, last time I went I spent 15 minutes staring intently at a microfilm of Latin hymns - simply because I thought it was the right film for a parish I wanted and having crept to a man to put in on for me, I had to sit there smiling and pretending it was just what I wanted!

Heather, I've been there, I know how you feel. I was in two minds about renewing last week (for the 3rd year) as I thought there was no where else to go. Everytime I think of giving up, some new lead crops up or some new contact is made that gets me going again. Here's a challenge - We both have Rotherhithe ancestors, same time same place, same profession lighterman/Waterman. I have a feeling in my water that their paths crossed. Can you find a connection, have a look at my tree if you want? Have you researched any ancestors education? I would love to know what schools my lot went to, get the photos of the building etc, but don't know where to start. Well Girl - are you up for it? Selena

You need a nice day out in Norwich, girl. There are thousands of Norfolk wills and it's very confusing because there are so many different courts. There are some big computer indexes, bound in green, some Norfolk Records Society volumes, bound in red, and some Norfolk and Norwich Genealogical society books, bound in dark blue. Find a table and work through the indexes, to see if there are an Horsteads there. A GR contact looked at a will for Stody, because she recognised the name of the village, and lo and behold our mutual ancestors were mentioned! I know how hard it gets - well, when I met you it was the first time I'd done some proper research in Norfolk since before the fire of 1994! - but don't despair. Just as you think there really isn't anything left to discover, another site goes online and there is lots more to play with.

What a dope, thought I had put the parish, thats looking out the blinds cos I thought I heard hubby pull up! Sorry, its Harleston with Redenhall. But all those you mentioned would be handy as they are all near the area Ive found Horsteads. Dont do it specifically though, only if you have the fiche out for you. Damn, it WAS hubby!! Check in later1

Heather did you want me to look in a specific parish or in the ones I'm doing already? Z

Bless Zoe, but I think there are something ridiculous like 400 parishes in Norfolk! If you can fit just one in - though Im not sure if Ive already done this one - if you could find any marriage for Elizabeth Selby to Edward Horstead c1763. I have a note that I found a Mary Horstead getting married there in 1701 and also a Sarah Selby same year. As Selby is such a rare name - and Horstead not common, even in Norfolk, I was hoping that the connection would be there. But please only take a couple of minutes on it as I cant even remember now if I checked last time. Many thanks.

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

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

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.

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

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))))

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

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

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

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.