General Chat

............. do you go in look ups for people? Do you go the whole hog ? For instance someone wants a look up on the 1901 census to aid with a search on a BMD, so you look up for them and then you go and look at freeBMD and give them that information. Then your off to LDS and find stuff there and before you know it you've done them a mini tree . Have you taken the fun out of it for them? Would it not be nicer to say "Hey have a look at this website you might find some more info on your rellies".................just wonderin how far do you go?

If they have only just started doing family history, I try to find something for them and then tell them how I did it and where to go next. If it is an "old hand" and they just get stuck on something, I try to help with that, as sometimes a fresh eye can help. It all depends on what they want. Chrissie

I have had great help from some lady on the site. She has done lookups for me. They were living people though. I think you probably are helping too much, but then how can I say that when I dont know the people concerned. They may NEED alot of help! You seem anice person...go with your instincts. Deanna

Good question Debi! I found myself doing that once then thought , like you, that perhaps it wasn't the right thing to do because I enjoy finding my information myself if possible. Heather

Hi Deborah. I do approx 20 look-ups a week. Sometimes more, sometimes less, plus my own research. But i love helping others, and thats one other reason why i joined GR. If i cant find on my cd's what this person is looking for, then i give them a www that may lead to information that is best suited. I will draw a line though to how many look-ups i do for someone. Researching yourself i feel gives a greater satisfaction, and leads to better knowledge and undestanding, of who,what,why and when. Some people are house bound, or disabled, and there the ones i help the most. Tony Oz

As blood hounds we do tend to get carried away. its in our nature as is helping. I certainly get a buzz from it all. I just find sometimes there is helping and there can be taking over lol. Particularly if the information we are finding can be sourced freely from the net. I feel it's almost taking the FUN out of the hobby. Then again sometimes when your typing out your instructions on how to help it looks blunt and to the point - very hard to find a happy line dont you think? It's a different story me thinks if its look ups on CD's you have and your able to aid in this manner. the same for an extra pair of eyes ( gawd knows I've needed several in my time over the years lol) I'm glad I'm not on my own with my thoughts. Much happiness Debi

Debi you can take over one or two of my names whenever you're ready, just give me a shout lol. Hope your little one gets over the mumps ok Anne

I had a lot of help when I was starting out, and I've learnt a lot from people who said "try looking on this website, then let me know if you need more help". That gave me a chance to do things for myself....but also someone to turn to if I was still stuck! I was also very grateful for Ancestry look-ups before I really got the bug and subscribed to it myself! Now, at last, I'm in a position to help out others. Natalie

Thanks Anne .He is getting better by the minute . Amazing how they spring back so quickly. We are still housebound - hence my over use of the web site this weekend lol . Anne if I can help it would be a pleasure - I have Ancestry only if I can help just send me a message : ) See Natalie thats what I mean . I was like you had people, lots of help and constructive support on where to look etc. I just see that on some threads the new comer is inundated with goodies that can be found easily on the net and before they know it they have a mini tree and all resources on the net exhausted ....... follow? Much happiness Debi

I used to do 1891 census look-ups for a friend of mine, but occasionally would look on the other census as well. I think sometimes, if you are doing a look-up for someone and it's proving a bit troublesome, it can start becoming a full scale investigation in trying to find them, because you don't want to admit defeat. I think it's worth finding out what the other person has done first, if they feel they've exhausted all avenues they can think of and wouldn't mind someone else doing a full scale dig then you can put your Sherlock Holmes hat on. If someone just casually wants something looking up, they may privately be disappointed if you get carried away and you do the next few steps for them as they may have wanted the excitement of finding that for themselves. The thing is, we all get a bit of a rush from solving puzzles and discovering ancestors, even when they are not our own, sometimes.

Deborah Good point. With newbies I tend to help as much as poss, but explain where I got the info and give them the webaddress or whatever. Some people I help and they are very grateful - this is the majority. Some people say they've looked everywhere and then after you've found the info say they hadn't really started to look themselves. I tend to let them get on with it then. Sometimes its a question of not knowing how to do a search, or not having an idea about mistranscriptions or whatever. some people don't realise that searching takes time and often money - they just aren't aware of what's involved. I also think a small minority believe that GR people are here to find everything for them for no thanks and that the only info we need is a name! I'm also puzzled by the people that post a query, people find info and offer suggestions and the original poster never collects the info... nell

Hi, All the census discs I have are indexed so I'm happy to do those. Quite a few come via the private message system because I added what I had to a thread George started ages ago asking what resources we have at home. If I have time and enough information is given I do look ups on ancestry as well. I used to use my credits on 1837 sometimes if a definite year was given but had a lot of failures only to be told it was a guess in the first place. I still did the odd one or two but a few weeks ago I did two 1837 lookups (80p each, as it turned out)and the people didn't even say thank you. So, sorry to say, I don't do look ups that cost me money any more (unless it's someone I "know") but advise people where the sites are so they can buy credits for themselves. I do like a challenge and spent a while looking through the 1871 on ancestry for an ancestor for a friend on here and I think I may have helped solve the mystery. I go to the LDS every week and sometimes do look ups there for people, but only if I have the time. I get a real rush finding my own ancestors so I think we do take away the pleasure for others if we do too much. Conversely some people want the tree handed to them on a plate without spending any of their own money - but their names soon become familiar and they are few and far between. Most people give as much back to the site as they take in my experience. Gwynne

Well, it all depends how much time I've got really! Also, if there is any doubt about information that I'm about to give, I like to try and verify it from another source. For instance if a name is hard to read, I will look at Free BMD too, or for a street name either the London A to Z or else the post-code site. I just would hate to pass on something inaccurate! Maz. XX

I agree Maz I too would hate to give the wrong information.........I do tend to look it up and check off other resources if I can, however if I find it on the net FREE I'll make a suggestion as to why not look at such and such web , knowing it is there. However many will hand it on a plate and that spoils the fun as Andy OOP said. Quite right there are a small amount that take and take and don't thank you ! There are those that want you to do the research entirely for them! Those that don't give enough info at all .Thankfully a small group. I must say it's very re assuring reading your comments that I'm not alone in my thoughts and findings. Thank you Much happiness Debi