Suggestion

[pipsqueak]

I know we all spend a lot of time googling about the internet searching for webpages that relate to the particular area where the "Ancestor du Jour" would have lived. I think it would be really useful for each county forum to have at the beginning, a locked sticky listing the most useful websites people have found for that place. (Better locked than have everyone adding comments to the list.) These would be county-specific links to record offices, county archives, local photo sites, historical societies, local town information etc). I keep my own list but my bookmark list is so long now it goes off the screen. I think it would be useful if I could go to the Lincolnshire forum to click on the link for the records office or to see what other places in the area hold interesting records.

Perhaps a person living on or having researched in a particular county could coordinate and put it together for a Moderator to post, stick and lock. If anyone wishes to add a county specific link, they could ask a moderator to add it.

It wouldn't be a place for sites like GENUKI or the National Archives, which are of universal interest, nor for highly specialised sites of concern only to a particular family or ancestor, it would just be for the gems which are specific to the county and would be of interest to anyone wnating to research within that county. What do you think?

[pipsqueak]

Not at all. I looked there and it doesn't meet the criteria I mentioned. No matter. It was just a thought. :)

[susan-y]

I think it would be really useful for each county forum to have at the beginning, a locked sticky listing the most useful websites people have found for that place. (Better locked than have everyone adding comments to the list.) These would be county-specific links to record offices, county archives, local photo sites, historical societies, local town information etc).


I completely understand what Pipsqueak is requesting. Like her, my lists of favourites goes off of the page and finding a specific one is impossible, when you want something, you can never find it.|doh|
Maybe we're basically lazy|oopsredfa, but those of us who may not be completely familiar with Britain, but are constantly searching there need all the help we can get( speaking for myself, of course!)|blush|

Sue

[Aislin]

I found one that I thought was a good one. It didn't list my ancestors, but a great deal of work was put into it.

This one is for "the ancestry of some of those who gave their lives during the First World War." Its a list of "names from various war memorials around East Kent".

http://www.fadedgenes.co.uk/

[v.wells]

I have to agree with both Sue and Pipsqueak. I looked at the link and saw Wakefield and had no idea where it was. I would have to googlemaps and then google the name for resources. My favourites has become almost unmanageable|blush| I do make folders to keep collections in for certain areas that I use.

When I need a Canadian resource I just look on the Canada forum page and pick what I need and I may or not bookmark it if I only need it once or twice.

I do understand though if the web space required to do this would be too much. It wouldn't do for obscure things such as Icelandic record offices or UFO sightings by county!

[susan-y]

|idea| Another thing!

I sometimes "forget " what some favourites are for or what areas they are for.:o This way we wouldn't be opening and shutting web pages trying to find the one we want and then by the time we get there ( IF we haven't got side-tracked) forget who we were researching that day:D

Sue|laugh1|

[Sue Mackay]

|idea| Another thing!

I sometimes "forget " what some favourites are for or what areas they are for.:o This way we wouldn't be opening and shutting web pages trying to find the one we want and then by the time we get there ( IF we haven't got side-tracked) forget who we were researching that day:D

Sue|laugh1|

Don't forget that once you have a site in Bookmarks or Favourites you can rename it to anything you want to help you locate it more easily. This is not so important for the bigger sites, most of which use favicons (those mini icons with a logo on that help make the site stand out in the Favourites list). But many really good sites that have been set up by people with more genealogical know-how than web design experience have neglected to give their site a good Homepage name, so when you save it to Favourites all you get is a Windows Explorer favicon and the title "Homepage". Just click Organise Favourites and give it a more meaningful title like "East Cheam MIs".

You can also rearrange your Favourites so that instead of being in alphabetical order they are in meaningful groups. I have the three sites I use most often open as permanent tabs along the top (ie separate Windows) and then under Favourites I have a couple of admin sites at the top, then my genealogy sites grouped together, followed by my croquet sites, Rod's railway sites etc.

[Wirral]

I think it is an excellent idea. :) It would encourage people to post their queries where they are most likely to find others with specialist knowledge of an area - ie the County Forums.

The "Useful Online Sources" forum now contains over 50 threads on a wide range of topics, so it is difficult to see easily what relates to the geographical area you are looking for. I would keep the "Useful Online Sources" forum for all online sources that are not related to a geographical area or cannot easily be put into a sticky in another forum.

I would include Genuki & UKBMD on such a sticky, as they both have so many links to lots of useful sites.

[CanadianCousin]

... It wouldn't be a place for sites like GENUKI or the National Archives, which are of universal interest ... it would just be for the gems which are specific to the county and would be of interest to anyone wanting to research within that county. What do you think?

GENUKI does have excellent coverage for some counties (e.g., Devon (http://genuki.cs.ncl.ac.uk/DEV/)) at both the county and parish level, although I understand that some other counties are less well served.

I belong to another family history site (although it's non-commercial, I don't know if I can/should mention it here or not) that has set up its own Wiki to list genealogy-related sites by categories, including English, Scottish and Welsh counties (if anyone wants to have a look, PM me and I'll send the URLs). As with GENUKI, some areas are better covered than others, but any member can add sites that they think will be of interest. This might be might be one approach if people on B-G are interested in creating something similar.

HTH -

Tim

[Ladkyis]

Maybe we're basically lazy|oopsredfa, but those of us who may not be completely familiar with Britain, but are constantly searching there need all the help we can get( speaking for myself, of course!)|blush| Sue

You can change the name of your favourites when you first put them on the list. I have my favourites in folders with the name I am researching as the name of the folder. This keeps the list within the boundary of my screen and I can remember which family I am concentrating on at the time.

[Ladkyis]

It is my humble opinion that any stickies at the top of a county forum would just be more stuff for people not to read.

[v.wells]

Thinking of all the work that Maryanne put in doing the Canadian Resources and that's only 10 provinces and 3 Territories, I think it would be a MAMMOTH task. :eek: Using the B-G search button should bring up the appropriate entries.

I'll just keep piling up the folders with my fav's and weed them out every few months:D