The Genealogist - a friendly warning

[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.
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. https://
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.

[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