On line indexes

[Ed McKie]

Having come to the stage when FReeBMD is no longer helpful, in the sense that I need info later than 1912, and no accesss to the GRO, I would be grateful for any recent experience of the usefulness of 1837 on line and the others.

Dont all shout at once when I ask "are they worth the money ?"

Cheers..Ed

[busyglen]

Ed, I use 1837online and find them useful. However, I try to establish roughly what years I am looking at, and then pay £5 (UK) for 50 searches. I usually find this is enough for one or two searches. If I pay a larger sum for more units, I find that quite often they expire before I am able to use them, hence the use of small units only.
I guess it is up to the individual, and I also suppose that it could be false economy to
buy in small units if you are going to do this several times a year.

As to whether they are worth the money....in my experience they have been. I can't speak for other methods though.

Glenys

[Mythology]

I also use 1837online - a heck of a lot!

Sure, I could look them up for nothing at the FRC when I go up town.
BUT - there are a million and one other things that I need to do at the FRC and the various other London offices which can *not* be done at home. So, for what they cost using 1837online, I'm quite happy to pay for their service, and use my limited time in town on these other things. When you take into account that from my part of "London", every trip into town costs me £5.40 for a travelcard, there's probably not even a lot of difference financially, especially as I tend to go for the bulk purchases at cheaper rates, and usually buy them when they're running something like a 20% extra offer.

Speaking of which, until 8 January there is a *very* good offer on for heavy users, which, of course, I've already gone for - 500 units for £25, so just 5p per page, valid for a year. :)

[Ladkyis]

I too use 1837online - and I have taken advantage of their special offer. I could go to the reference library and work my way through the fiche but some thoughtful thief has taken the fiche with Nathan marriages for 1846 and there are other fiche that have been stolen too - and I can't go to the library at 2am.

OH and now when you buy the credits they are not going to expire for a year from the date of purchase AND if you buy more before you use up the first lot then ALL the credits will be available from when you add the new lot - if you see what I mean.

All good value and easy to use AND you can save the page or print it out or both

Ann

[Geoffers]

To get to a record office where I can use the GRO index takes up to an hour (that's if the trains are running on time - ha!) and costs money. I get to look at the index and have to make sure that I don't miss anything, then I have to travel home and hope that the railway lines are not covered in the wrong type of leaves/rain/sunlight, the engine hasn't packed in, the signals are working and the drive has turned up for work - so much hassle.

Alternatively, I can pay 1837online a fee to access the records, night or day, weekends, weekdays, bank holidays - and I can save the images to computer so that if I missed anything, I can go back and check it later. If there's a problem with the web-site, I have always found the staff to be helpful. For me, it's a cost-effective and useful resource

Geoffers

[Sue Mackay]

I also find the online indexes a boon when searching for a marriage. I always search via the Browse route for a particular quarter. If I find a likely one it is then only two clicks to see if there is a match for the other party with the same reference number. Much easier than getting up to fetch another fiche or hauling down another volume at the FRC.

I have also found that ordering certificates online with the full reference is the quickest and cheapest way to get them delivered to my door, including writing to the local registrar.

[PamG]

I used to look up my records at the local FHC, which has very restricted hours and a lineup for the microfilm machines. When I discovered 1837online, my research suddenly took off, and I haven't loooked back. Research in my bunny slippers, with coffee cup at hand - what's not to like! I have taken advantage of the 25 pound offer, as I am currently extracting all the birth records for a single name.

The icon is on my computer desktop, even at work, where I often access the website on my lunchhour. (There are a number of us genealogy hounds in my office, so I'm considered sane by most colleagues)

Pam
London, Ontario

[Ken Boyce]

Hi Ed

In addition to the BMD Index you should also consider what other records are available at a given site from the same credit pool. Also are the images of these records available for downloading as an optional extra – many people have the image CDs of records and just wish to access the record indexes at a lower price.

Record Indexes can be surnames only or full transcripts of the record - again for a price difference. Unfortunately the search engines for the full transcription indexes are presently very basic but are improving,

If you are interested in the other records then consider pay-as-you-view vs. bulk credit subscription vs. nolimit subscriptions. Bulk credits can be purchased for periods of 1, 3, 6, 12 months

Regards

[Pam Downes]

Hi Ed,
I've used 1837online almost since launch day, and for the same reasons as everyone - convenience and cost-effectiveness.
They now have the 1861 census, and will be adding lots more records this year. First up is scheduled 'Soldiers who died in the Great War' and some other military records. Then another census, with more census to follow throughout the year.
There will also be a 'people search' to help you find living relatives. And later in the year, two exclusive launches, brand new to the Internet, 'records of national significance, covering vital details on millions of names' (as quoted from 1837's December newsletter).
Pam Downes

[Ed McKie]

Thanks for all the replies. Certainly 1837 online seems to come top of the poll, I now have to convince myself to risk 25 pounds :-) I am not averse to spending money on this hobby of ours ( I have a bundle of CDs and a drawerful of "wrong" certs to prove it) however, I still seem to baulk at having to pay just to look at every page of every quarter of every year !! I am sure that even at the special offer rate this is still going to add up to a lot of dough, just for one name let alone several ! Oh well I have still a couple of days to make up my mind.

Cheers..Ed

[Pam Downes]

... however, I still seem to baulk at having to pay just to look at every page of every quarter of every year !! I am sure that even at the special offer rate this is still going to add up to a lot of dough, just for one name let alone several !
Hi Ed,
If you were doing a one-name study £25.00 = 500 units = 125 years. Civil registration has been going for 168 years. Is that a better way of looking at the maths?
Pam Downes

[Mythology]

As long as it isn't Smith. ;)

You might just possibly find that there's a little more than one page per event per quarter for them.

[Ed McKie]

Hi Ed,
If you were doing a one-name study £25.00 = 500 units = 125 years. Civil registration has been going for 168 years. Is that a better way of looking at the maths?
Pam Downes

Weeeelll.................

But most of us arnt doing one name studies- with four grandparents thats only thirtyone years, and with eight g-grandparents thats only 15 years.........
and thats not counting the names that go over the page, and the ones which are misspelled, and the ones you cant read,

Cheers..Ed

[Geoffers]

however, I still seem to baulk at having to pay just to look at every page of every quarter of every year !!
Yes it adds up in the long run - I can't think of many things that don't cost.

Unless you're within a few minutes walk of a record centre, how much would you pay to get somewhere where you can see the index? How much time is lost in travelling? Is the centre open when you want it and can you always gain access? Can you save the images at the centre so that you can view them again, anytime for no additional cost?

It's a balance - some think the charges made by 1837online are too much; some think it's good value. You pay for the convenience of the service.

Geoffers

[busyglen]

As I mentioned before Ed, I think it depends on whether you are waiting until you have a small time frame to search through, or just `going for it' over a longer period.

I only (at present) follow the direct lines and obtain certs. and info for them. I pick up the information of the children etc. on the way, and then when I feel I have enough info. and a small time frame to search, I buy enough units to obtain the childrens certs. It might not work for everyone, but I am `slow' in my researching.....I discover something exciting and go off on a tangent, forgetting what I was really researching at that time. I then have to back-track to find out where I was at. :(

Last year I spent £15 (in £5 units) and obtained everything I set out to do. But that was because I waited until I had a reasonable time frame to search, rather than just blindly searching.

I think 1837online is definately worth the money, if you spend your money in the way that is suitable for you.

Glenys