Genealogy Chat

I keep all my paperwork in large ring binders inside clear covers. My problem is the order in which I put them. Birth, marriage, death certs, copies of all censuses for one person is okay, but when they start to overlap, which they all do because they are related, it gets a bit mixed up. Do I stay in chronological order and mix the names up or do I try and stay with one person at once---perhaps I could duplicate some of the censuses when I go onto another generation. It gets rather mixed up at times and I do try to keep it in order. it seems the more I get the more mixed up it gets. Any ideas? Thanks Gloria x

You have to do what's easiest for you. I personally have a fan family tree at the front of my male line/female line binders and go in strict generation order using a numbered index sheet. This also helps as I have many with the same name. I put couples together with all the information about them and their other children in plastic pockets in the file in strict order birth/marriage/death census then bdm's of other children. Male child (1st generation) His parents (2nd generation) Grandparents (3rd generation) Great grandparents(4th generation) Great Great grandparents (5th generation) all strictly in order of the fan ie father/mother of male then father/mother of female. However now I have a smaller file which incorporates Family History Sheets. This is where every snippet of information is dondensed to. The Family History Sheets I downloaded from the Wakefield FHS webpage and are very clear and plenty of room. For each couple I have their bdm information - also their parents names - children and any other marriages. On the back I've put all the addresses they've lived at and year and occasion ie census - birth - marriage - death and occupations. This helps with not having to lug the big files around unless absolutely necessary.

Sorry I didn't get straight back Julie but this site is playing up again. Thanks for the reply and I am impressed by how well organised you have your tree. Lots of good ideas. Thanks Gloria x

Gloria I find the best way for me to keep the census details is to put the details in my notes so when I print out the family it has the information on the paper, I then put all the census papers in different folders ie 1901 in one and 1891 in another then if I need to have a look at anything I know just where to find them, but I do agree if you put all the census images with people it does get a bit too cluttered... Sue

Thanks Sue, Just trying to find a way to get my hands on everything on one person and find it in one place, not as easy as one would think. Gloria x

I almost never look in my filing cabinet (or only to put more things in!) - Everthing is scanned and linked up to my family tree program (Brothers Keeper). I don't even have any hard copies for the census records - I have over 600 pages and it would take up too much ink and storage space. Having the records on the 'puter means I can ''attach'' the census sheets (or anything else - photos, wills, newspaper cuttings, certificates etc etc etc) to more than one persons file, if need be. Then I back up to CD REGULARLY - sometimes daily if I've been busy!! If there was a disaster and both 'puter and CD went awol, then I would take up another hobby lol (having said that, I have hard copies of everything except the census records, but it would be too awful to begin again!) Sarah

Hi Gloria, I try and keep things as simple as possable, I have 4 large ring folders 1 for each of my grandparents names. At the begining i have a short history of the area they lived, then the census from 1841 through 1901 then there certs starting with the earlist coming forword in time, with a section at the back for any photos and another for bits and pieces. I also keep all unproven paper work in plastic folders.Gill

Thanks Gill, I keep all my bits of paper and isn't it amazing how they all fit together eventually. Gloria x

Yes it is as long as you remember youv got them lol. Gill