Hello from a Noobie.

[awgen]

Hi all

Just a quick thread to introduce myself and say hello. Been lurking for a while and it looks a good place to spend a few minutes every now and then.

Been at this for about a year and a half now, but seem to be really getting sucked in deeper these last couple of months :-)

Done everthing on the net so far and (i think) done quite well, but planning my first outing to a recrods office in the next couple of weeks to do some real digging.

Well off to ask my first question now, so see ya.

[Geoffers]

Just a quick thread to introduce myself and say hello. Been lurking for a while and it looks a good place to spend a few minutes every now and then.
I find these forums by far and away the most friendly and informative means for a large group of researchers to communicate, so welcome.


planning my first outing to a records office in the next couple of weeks to do some real digging.
Record Offices are fascinating - there is so much information in them that it's often the case that you just don't know where to begin.

Best advice I can give is to plan exactly what you want to look for - on a sheet of paper write down half a dozen specific targets/objectives that you really want to achieve. If you want to, write down another list of secondary targets in case you get on well with the first list.

When you get to the record office - don't be afraid to ask the staff if you get stuck - even it you think it is something simple - they're nearly always very helpful. Take time to look around the record office, get to know where things are - if the office has a good web-site, browse that to get to know what sort of documents they have.

Good luck

Geoffers

[Ed Bradford]

Welcome aboard and good luck on your quest. If you get stuck we're always here to try and help. Collectively, we're a pretty smart lot and pretty friendly too. What one can't help with another might. We can give you leads and pointers but you'll probably have to do the digging for yourself. Every once in a while you'll luck out and run across someone researching the same family line. Again, welcome aboard. ..........Ed

[awgen]

Hi Ed & Geoffers

Thanks for the replies.

With regards to help from the forum, already got my first offers and advice from a thread in the Mariners section. So that was pretty quick.

Not really planning to much for my visit to the Records Office, have booked a Micro Fische reader and was just hoping to get a feel of these places and find a few familiar names in the Parish Records. But you never know might get carried away.

[Wirral]

Just seen your posting. I don't know which library you are going to, but it may be worthwhile checking first what format their records are in. At Liverpool, most of the records are on microfilm, rather than microfiche. That includes the church records, newspapers, electoral registers, & virtually all the really interesting records. The only ones there that are "fiche only" are the GRO birth/marriage/death index (which you can currently access online for free at Ancestry), the 1841 census for Liverpool, & a few boxes of miscellaneous records. The 1851 - 1901 censuses are available in both fiche & film. If I am looking through the censuses I usualy choose to use the fiche format, because I find that faster to use. When I book a machine, I usually ask for a "Reader/printer" or a "Film & fiche reader" as these enable me to look at both formats, rather than just a microfiche reader & are automatic (which saves having to wind the handle all the time!). However, if I was just looking at newspapers I would choose a manual film reader, as they have a much bigger screen, so you can see all of one page at a go.

Have fun at the library. Don't go too cross-eyed. Oh, and remember to blink often. Sounds daft, but if you stare too much at the screen your eyes dry out & get sore.
!

[BeeE586]

I always think it a good idea to spend a few minutes looking along the shelves. In many Record Offices there are transcriptions of registers, often indexed, which may be a good starting point - but do ALWAYS check the originals as well. Many Family History Societies have deposited copies of their indexes to Census returns in Record Offices and almost always the Phillimore Marriage Indexes can be found. If there is a helping hand, do take it.

It is a great pastime/obsession. Have fun and enjoy it.

Eileen -- |wave|

[awgen]

Hi Wirral & Eileen.

Thanks for the tips.

Never realised there where two different systems film and fiche, will have to double check and make sure I can get copies.

Thanks again.