The Genealogist - a friendly warning

[BarbaraK]

Re. The Genealogist subscription

I recently took out a three month Gold subscription as on the page listing the various types of subscription and what they cover, it specifically lists that it covers Parish Records and Military Records . At this point if you click on to subscribe you are taken straight to the payment page. I was having so little success with my searches that I became suspicious and checked through the site to find that there are recommendations on various pages to check the Parish Records to see what is covered but not on the main subscription page where it should appear, and you have to search them out , which really doesn’t seem fair.
The next problem is to find the place on their site which shows this information. I finally discovered it and found that what seems like a huge proportion of these records come only with a Diamond subscription. So this is a friendly warning to new researchers to read every page before you click to subscribe. I can see that they are legally covered but it does seem rather disingenuous.
I emailed the company the next day and asked them to cancel my subscription as I thought there might be a period of time to cover this if you change your mind but was told they would cancel it when it expires at the end of the three months. Needless to say I shan't be renewing my subscription

[Peter Goodey]

If you tell us which parishes you need, we may be able to give you some advice on where to find them.

[BarbaraK]

Thank you Peter. I'm interested in Gloucestershire ( particularly Bristol ) and Hertfordshire. I've used HALS Hertfordshire but they are a bit limited. Any other suggestions would be most welcome.
Regards
Barbara

[thewideeyedowl]

Hi Barbara

Have you tried searching Bristol Archives? Its online catalogue tells you what's available where: http://archives.bristol.gov.uk/Parishes.aspx. And I also found this site, which lists all the parishes available on The Genealogist but does not specify what tier of subscription is required to view them: https://parishregister.co.uk/online/gloucestershire-parish-records.

Hope you will be able to find what you are looking for.

Off to roost.

Owl

[Peter Goodey]

For Gloucestershire (diocese of Gloucestershire), try Ancestry.

For Hertfordshire, try Findmypast.

I'm not aware of Bristol registers (diocese of Bristol) being online but it's hard to keep up. Findmypast have some Bristol indexes bought in from the local family history society.

Also have a look at FamilySearch. There is stuff online but not accessible from home.

It may be worth your while getting a day return and spending a day at the Society of Genealogists library. That should be pretty much a one-stop-shop for you (although I'm not sure about the FamilySearch stuff although they do have the microfilms that aren't now physically accessible elsewhere).

Ancestry and FMP can be accessed free of charge at Kent Libraries.

[BarbaraK]

Many thanks Owl for the useful information. I will start digging again.
Barbara

[BarbaraK]

Many thanks Peter for all the useful tips. I did get the impression that Bristol registers don't seem to be available on line. I didn't know that FMP was accessible through the library nor that there is extra stuff on F.S. through the library. Well-armed I will now start
following up on your and Owl's advice. Hoping to make a breakthrough with one of my major brick walls.
Cheers Barbara

[Peter Goodey]

nor that there is extra stuff on F.S. through the library.

I'm afraid I didn't say that FamilySearch is available through the library. To see their online stuff you have to go to one of their family history centers [sic]. Alternatively, the Society of Genealogists now houses the extensive collection of microfilms from the Mormon London Family History Centre. I don't know about online access to FS via SoG

[Sandyhall]

I have the same problem Years ago I had Ancestry Sub for a few years money was tight so did not renew when it run out still able to use ancestry with out sub but limited to what I can see but it works for me. This year I signed up to Find my Past and I think this was a waste of money. Maybe its just me I don't know when inputting family members on trees most of the time all I get is birth and death hits very rarely do I get any census hits for people which is what I want Ancestry shows them me I just can't o[pen them up so I know they are there My problem is why is Find my Past not giving me them.

rant over for today

[Sandyhall]

Family Search You can still access this site on line here www.familysearch.org if you want to see the film then you have to go to SoG is that right now.

[Pam Downes]

For Gloucestershire (diocese of Gloucestershire), try Ancestry.

For Hertfordshire, try Findmypast.

I'm not aware of Bristol registers (diocese of Bristol) being online but it's hard to keep up. Findmypast have some Bristol indexes bought in from the local family history society.

Also have a look at FamilySearch. There is stuff online but not accessible from home.

It may be worth your while getting a day return and spending a day at the Society of Genealogists library. That should be pretty much a one-stop-shop for you (although I'm not sure about the FamilySearch stuff although they do have the microfilms that aren't now physically accessible elsewhere).

Ancestry and FMP can be accessed free of charge at Kent Libraries.
List of parishes covered by the Gloucestershire, Bristol baptism, marriage and burial indexes on FMP. Note that there may be gaps, e,g, a start date might be 1600, and the end date 1900, but there could be a register for 1750-1790 missing. https://www.
findmypast.co.uk/articles/gloucestershire-bristol-life-events-parish-lists


Family Search You can still access this site on line here www.familysearch.org if you want to see the film then you have to go to SoG is that right now.
It is a bit confusing. :smile5:
To start with, regard anything on the FamilySearch site as being nothing to do with the SoG. i.e. if it says that you need to visit a LDS FHC to access a record, then that's what you have to do.
However, a film for a particular parish may be available to view at the SoG.
e.g. the FS site says that to see the image for the baptism of John Smith on 1 January 1801 in Aldwinkle (Northants) you have to visit a FHC but you don't have a FHC nearby, then go to the FamilySearch catalog (sic)
https://www.familysearch.org/catalog/search
type Aldwinkle into the place name box, and from the drop-down list of family history centers select Society of Genealogists.
It then says that there are two films at the SoG, one of BTs 1701-1899, and the other PRs 1653-1837.

ADDED. You can then search the SoG's catalogue to see if they have any further records for the place you're interested in. http://
s10312uk.eos-intl.eu/S10312UK/OPAC/Index.aspx

Pam

[BarbaraK]

I'm afraid I didn't say that FamilySearch is available through the library. To see their online stuff you have to go to one of their family history centers [sic]. Alternatively, the Society of Genealogists now houses the extensive collection of microfilms from the Mormon London Family History Centre. I don't know about online access to FS via SoG

Sorry, I misunderstood you . Thanks for the suggestions though.

[BarbaraK]

Thanks Pam for all the useful information which is all new to me. This is such a great site and everyone is so helpful.

[timbo58]

Interesting but not suprising really.

There isn't any legal obligation under the existing 'ecommerce (distance selling)' regulations to make a refund, since you'll find a clause within their terms which cites an exemption under the rules to refund within a 'cooling off period' which recognises that for services delivered digitally it is more than possible a user can fully use the services provided and then, as they cannot possible return them (as you would physical goods) be left with a situation where the service has been taken for no payment.

i.e. if you want to retain your cooling off rights, where such exemptions exist, you will not be able to make use of the full services -a catch 22 in effect.

That being said most providers will look at what you have used and make a goodwill gesture, however if you've used a lot then they will decline to offer this of course.

I am always interested in how services are described & advertised where shortcomings are detected, it seems more & more sites are going along the gold/diamond/bronze sort of membership levels and splitting previously useful collections up into premium levels which become all the more confusing for the user.

[Lesley Robertson]

My first stop off place when trying to find out what records are available for an unfamiliar area or place, plus the relevant archives, FHSs, etc, is still GENUKI (http://www.genuki.org.uk/).

[BarbaraK]

Interesting but not suprising really.

There isn't any legal obligation under the existing 'ecommerce (distance selling)' regulations to make a refund, since you'll find a clause within their terms which cites an exemption under the rules to refund within a 'cooling off period' which recognises that for services delivered digitally it is more than possible a user can fully use the services provided and then, as they cannot possible return them (as you would physical goods) be left with a situation where the service has been taken for no payment.

i.e. if you want to retain your cooling off rights, where such exemptions exist, you will not be able to make use of the full services -a catch 22 in effect.

That being said most providers will look at what you have used and make a goodwill gesture, however if you've used a lot then they will decline to offer this of course.

I am always interested in how services are described & advertised where shortcomings are detected, it seems more & more sites are going along the gold/diamond/bronze sort of membership levels and splitting previously useful collections up into premium levels which become all the more confusing for the user.

Thank you very much for the detailed explanation. It does seem everywhere on the net as though as soon as one becomes used to a site they "improve" it.Barbara

[BarbaraK]

Thanks Lesley that's an excellent idea.
Barbara