Genealogy Chat

Can anyone tell me which ancestry is the best one to subscribe to. I live in NZ and the UK one is quite expensive for us as we have to pay over twice as much in $NZ even with the rise in our $. I have used the US one when they used to have free access for a couple of days on special occaisions! and at family history centres. Is there a lot of difference in what they offer, as my research is mainly UK but sometimes I looked on US sites for people, helped a friend find out about his US father as he was a war baby. So any Kiwis or Aussies out there especially who could tell me which they find the best and if it's cheaper due to the exchange rate being much better against the $US. What with access been taken away from the family history centres and now also not being able to have access to all the BMD stuff they have, I am looking at maybe subscribing to one of them. Thank goodness for the freeBMD, I transcribe for it and maybe more people should think about doing it, to get the info on quicker! For those who don't it's quite easy, if I can do it anyone can!! Thanks Dawn

Hello Dawn, I paid for my Ancestry by asking for money for Christmas and birthdays and using that for my subscription. I have just £79.95 to renew my subs for the year. It does sound a lot when you say it in one breath, but the use I get out of it is so worth the £1.50 per week cost. I mean that is only the cost of a third of a bottle of wine, so just to keep my taste buds working i buy myself a packet of wine gums and suck them slowly. lol lol. Kathlyn

I have an annual subscription to the U.K. Ancestry site which is a Christmas present from hubby every year. For about £1.50p per week I think it's well worth it. I have just looked at their site to compare prices and I can only find the U.K. price and the World Membership which is £199.95, so there is a big difference. The U.K. version is fine for me. Kath. x

Dawn, I just don't know how you can do anything without Ancestry especially for England & Wales. I know it sounds expensive but it's only about the cost of a magazine every week. To be able to follow people through all the census returns is fascinating. You have unlimited access so don't have to worry about looking at the wrong image or getting side tracked. You can look at your ancestors neighbours or the village where they lived. You can follow up cousins and great aunts to your heart's content. For instance I traced one family all over the country where the man worked on all the great projects of the Industrial revolution ( canals, viaducts, railways). Go for it, Jennifer

Dawn, if most of your research is in the UK, why would you want to subscribe to the US version?? The US version only gives you access to the US censuses, documents, records, etc ...................... you will not be able to access any of the UK records except on the odd occasion when they offer a free trial. so you won't be able to do any of your own family research! Sylvia (in Canada)

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Hi Dawn Thing you have to keep in mind - where are your ancestor's from? If you want primarily US records- then definately buy ancestry*com If you want primarily UK - then to buy US is a waste of money. I know how you feel at 79.95pounds an annual sub for UK ancestry costs me about $195Cdn with exchange. But figure well worth it. Sue in Canada

There is usually a special offer about. http://valuemail-uk.ecircle-ag.*com/re?l=d8azb3I3ps1suId remove* UK Membership Access all UK and Ireland record indexes and images, plus historical newspapers, family and local histories and more on Ancestry • Annual payment of £63.96

Hi Dawn My renewal for uk ancestry in april was was $122 oz dollars = 50 uk pounds cheaper than last year but our Australian dollar is stronger at the moment cheers Annabel

And Dawn, don't forget we don't have to pay the English VAT here in NZ Ancestry UK is well worth the money. Sylvia

Out of interest. There was a thread the other day saying GRO was putting all bmds free . Therefore you have to consider whether its worth it to you to subscribe. Remember the freecen site is adding all the time. I subscribed for 2 years but found I was spending so much time doing look ups for others it got out of control so stopped last year. Margaret

Hi all, Thank you all for your messages, I guess if I was starting out I would subscribe, but I have virtually all my family on the censuses, I downloaded all the images!! Mainly now I was looking for family and friends after 1901 and it was good to be able to search in images and indexes right up to 2005. Sylvia, does it mean that buying here in NZ it's cheaper? I didn't realise it had VAT on it! Margaret, I know what you mean, it can take over and if someone gives me a query I dig and delve and leave no stone unturned!! but it can take up lots of time! I transcribe for freeBMD and am looking at helping out the Mormon church with their new project of getting theirs and lots of other info online to search for free! I go to the little FHC in the town nearby and got to know the lady very well and she is doing it. Thanks once again to you all. Dawn