Genealogy Forum UK

How far is it reasonably able to go back just using the online records without resorting to buying certificates and visiting parishes archives?
Cheers
Steve

How long is a piece of string?

It doesn't matter is it is 1040 or 1840 data.

If you feel comfortable with the online information then there is no need to obtain the original documentation.

The only time I resort to obtaining the original documentation for information that is online is if I have a brick wall I think bad transcription has caused.

steveb wrote:How far is it reasonably able to go back just using the online records without resorting to buying certificates and visiting parishes archives?
Cheers
Steve

Depends how lucky you are finding your family on line, usually if your family is straight forward, with no difficult names or name changes anything after 1837 is fairly easy, as you can confirm that on-line information with certificates and the Census, before 1837 the basic source is the parish registers (the IGI, like BVRI,is a valuable but very incomplete and sometimes inaccurate index to these and excludes vital information like marriage witnesses) but they are only a
starting point. Fill in the information from them with other material from settlement papers, directories, parish rates, parish poor law payments, bastardy papers, apprenticeship records, court proceedings, muster rolls, protestation rolls, hearth tax, visitation records... Settlement and removal examinations can be especially rewarding in providing a "mini-autobiography" of the person concerned. It's all down to what you can find Steve, I've found documents, letters etc on the National Archives Web Site, and then ordered copies, I have letters going back to the 1800's, and Newspaper Articles I have
found, you need to devote loads of effort and time, buying books is also another good source of information. HTH from Linell.

I think buying certificates is one of the most important thing to do to confirm your findings! Apart from being important its so rewarding and exciting witing for them to arrive.

A long while ago I followed my family back, I was certain I had the right man age, occuaption and area right. It was only when I oredered a certificate I found that it wasnt! So it was back to the start again.

Transcriptions of things should only be used as a tool to help guide you.
Jo

grangers14 wrote:I think buying certificates is one of the most important thing to do to confirm your findings! Apart from being important its so rewarding and exciting witing for them to arrive.

A long while ago I followed my family back, I was certain I had the right man age, occuaption and area right. It was only when I oredered a certificate I found that it wasnt! So it was back to the start again.

Transcriptions of things should only be used as a tool to help guide you.
Jo

I agree with Jo!
I've had cases that have only been solved by certificates - in my case death certificates that have given the informer as the daughter in law - the son was born before the era of birth certificates, and his parents had proved very ellusive, until I found an elderly couple with the same surname living in the same road, who'd moved about as much as the ones I was researching. Until I had the certificates I had no positive link between them, only my own suppostion!

Pre 1837 you do not have the certificates to order.

In that case the question is wether or not to pursue the original Parish records or trust whats online.

Depending on the site you are using and the parish in question the digitised pages of the register might be viewable online.

I can see all the Non Conformist registers and nearly all of the London registers online for instance.

If you are worried about the accuracy of a transcription then hopefully there is an LDS centre close to you where you can look at the original registers on microfilm or fiche.

A lot of local genealogical societies can receive the LDS record for you.

I order the LDS film/fiche via the internet, for a small fee, and have it delivered to the Genelaogical society I am a member of.

They can hold it for 60 days without incurring a further fee.

Sometimes I find that somebody else has already borrowed the film/fiche I want so that saves a few dollars.

Not all parish records have been copied by LDS yet but the majority have.

As well as that they have been busy copying workhouse records etc.

So for a lot of research you do not have to chase down the original registers but can rely on digitised or LDS copies.