Genealogy Chat

I am planning to go to the Lancashire Records Office on Monday. I have never been to one! Any tips? All I have so far is my tree and the names of the churches where my people local to the area married. Any tips? Help....

Use the people working there - dont be embarrassed to ask and ask again - its better than coming home with a few scribbled bits on your notebook and no real results. Dont forget your glasses and take a pencil as they dont usually allow pens in the room - also take a pound coin and some change in case they have lockers to put all your bags in. Check out their website before you go - make sure of the opening times and that they arent closed for refurbishment or something.

Thank you. Think I just have a case of nerves! I can't see me getting the chance to go there again any time soon so feeling pressure to get it right and not waste the day.

My tip is not to try to do too much. Its easy to get carried away and follow avenues that you did not have on your 'working list'. Then when you get home you see all the things you should have looked at and didn't! Try to stick to your list. Be prepared to get frustrated at the parish record microfiches. They can be difficult to read - especially if they were not well written in the first place. Have a great day - you are bound to be wanting to go back for more! Anne

Julie, You might find it useful to have a look at this website before you go - http://www(.)genuki(.)org(.)uk/big/eng/LAN/Parishes(.)html#F It will show you which parishes contained which churches in 1837 and townships in 1835. I'd be interested to know how you got on, as I'll be doing the same thing at some stage later this year. Good luck. CB >|<

Oh, get a little see through folder from woolies or somewhere to put your notes, pencils, glasses etc. in as you arent allowed to take a bag in and its painful if you have to keep picking up all your bits and pieces every time you move from a desk or something. See thru is ok with them. Check if you have to book a desk/reader on the website. Should be ok probably in mid week, but dont know with all these WDYTHA enthusiasts. And dont worry, the people sitting there all seem so much cleverer and experienced than you - most of them are just feeling the same.

Hi Julie, My tip is take a magnifying glass - I know you can enlarge on the reader, but sometimes it becomes distorted, and also I find the dim light affects my vision. Have a wonderful time and talk to the staff about what other info they have that you might not have thought about. A record office is like an aladdin's cave. Jay

Yes thats a good idea, because it does get distorted when you fiddle with the knobs. Sometimes they have a glass on the desk, but worth taking one (makes you look dead experienced aswell!) Oh, and take some change for coffee machines and snack machines. The Norfolk office is next to the Council buildings and you can use the employees staff restaurant - not that I have. So you may have same sort of facilities.

Thank you so much. I feel a trip to Woolworths coming on! Hadn't thought of any of those things :~) Now I just can't wait! Julie

Julie I would write a priority list of things I want to find out. But I would also treat the first visit as an opportunity to see what information they have and familiarise myself with it all. Records offices all vary - Cambridge is quite small, not to say cramped, Essex is vast and overwhelming! Make sure you note down every reference for things you find - and also note what you don't find so you aren't looking in the same place for the same information twice. Have fun! nell