Ancestry.co.uk because it gives access to all of the UK censuses that are available and (nearly) all of the BMD records. In my opinion its VFM just can not be beat. Slarti Sally-Ann Jay wrote: > Hello list > > > > Have decided I really do need a subscription to one of the family history > sites and would like your recommendations. Which do you think represents > the best value for money, which has the widest range of info and which has > the best search facilities? Suspect I will get a lot of differing answers > but I would appreciate your input/experience. > > > > Regards > > > > Sally-Ann Jay > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Hi Sally-Ann You are absolutely right that, unless you are absolutely determined to do your family history the "old fashioned way" - i.e. purely through using original sources in archives around the country (or even the world), you will need to use at least one of the commercial sites. And unless your requirements are very small indeed (and this is unlikely as family history is such an addictive pastime!), subscriptions are very much more cost-effective than pay-per-view units. So far, so uncontroversial (I hope!). But the choice of supplier is trickier, and does rather depend on the nature and scope of your particular research. It would probably be fair to say that Ancestry is the "market leader" in the field, and with some justification. They certainly have the largest collection of data (though it is probable that you may not need a good percentage of it). The quality of their indexing and transcription is, in my view, no better or worse than any other. But the flexibility of their search facilities is extremely good, and this is an important consideration - but you will get the best results by applying your brain to the exercise rather than relying on their dubious claims to find your ancestors for you based on typing in "as much as you know". If you have interests in the London area, you should be aware that Ancestry will be rolling out digitised data from parish registers at the London Metropolitan Archives starting at some point in 2009. FindMyPast has some good stuff too - as well as alternative census transcriptions which can sometimes be helpful, the facility to search by address in certain years, and the ability to use wildcards at the start of names. They will be the first site to provide access to the 1911 census, though to begin with at least this will only be on a pay per view basis on its dedicated site - a FMP subscription with not, I repeat, not, give unlimited access to the 1911 transcriptions and images when it is released early next year. The Genealogist is less comprehensive, but has a wide range of different subscription rates, which can be useful if you don't want to commit yourself for too long. They are also the only site which has the non-conformist registers available to subscribers - a very valuable resources if you have dissenters in your family. There are other useful sites (notably British Origins) where you may need to spend some time and money from time to time. So, if I had to stick my neck out, I would say subscribe to Ancestry, but accept that it does not have everything you may need and be prepared to spend elsewhere when necessary. Hope this helps Caroline -----Original Message----- From: essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Sally-Ann Jay Sent: 30 December 2008 11:06 To: Essex-UK@rootsweb.com Subject: [Ess] Which subscription? Hello list Have decided I really do need a subscription to one of the family history sites and would like your recommendations. Which do you think represents the best value for money, which has the widest range of info and which has the best search facilities? Suspect I will get a lot of differing answers but I would appreciate your input/experience. Regards Sally-Ann Jay ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

----- Original Message ----- From: "Joyce Shaw" <joyceshaw1@btinternet.com> To: "K Haushalter" <kateh@mooresheadbooks.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 11:30 AM Subject: Re: [Ess] St Osyth > Hi > > I have just checked the 1851 census and there is a James Gibson on there > aged 18 born St Osyth. His mother's name is Lydia Gosling and her husband > is William Gosling - so it looks like Samuel had died by then and she had > remarried. Also listed is William Gibson aged 22, born St Osyth, Charles > Gibson aged 20 born St Osyth, George Gibson aged 12 born St Osyth, Rose > Gibson aged 10 born St Osyth and a little girl called Mary Earl aged 3 who > is a visitor. The Reference is HO107/1779 F25 > > There is the death of a Samuel Gibson registered in Mar Q 1843 in Tendring > Ref 12 188 which looks like it might be your Samuel. There is also a > marriage of Lydia Gibson to William Gosling in the Jun q 1847 in Tendring > REf 12 395. > > Hope this helps > > Best wishes > > Joyce > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "K Haushalter" <kateh@mooresheadbooks.com> > To: "Eric Gibson" <e.gibson@btinternet.com>; <Essex-UK@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, December 28, 2008 2:45 PM > Subject: Re: [Ess] St Osyth > > >> For Eric: >> >> LDS Film #1565773, Item #1 >> Parish Register of Marriages: >> Entry # 110 >> Page 37 >> Date: 1821, 25 Dec >> Groom: Samuel Gibson, bachelor of St Osyth [age not stated] >> Bride: Lydia Cook, spinster of St Osyth [age not stated] >> Witnesses: Mary Anne Gray, William Gray >> Curate: Jos. Territt >> The bride, groom and witnesses all signed with their mark.The curate >> signed his name. >> *************************************** >> >> >> Did James Gibson have a brother names Charles b abt 1831? If so, I may >> have him in my tree. >> >> >> Kate Haushalter >> Toronto, Ontario, Canada >> >> >> >>> >>> I am researching the following - Samuel GIBSON b.1801 Essex, married >>> about >>> 1825 to Lydia COOK b. 1801 Essex they had a son James GIBSON b.1833/2 St >>> Osyth Essex >> >>> Eric Gibson >> >> >> >

Hello list Have decided I really do need a subscription to one of the family history sites and would like your recommendations. Which do you think represents the best value for money, which has the widest range of info and which has the best search facilities? Suspect I will get a lot of differing answers but I would appreciate your input/experience. Regards Sally-Ann Jay

I have to agree with Caroline with regards to Ancestry. I just renewed my subscription and note they have changed their packages. If you go to their site you can see the various subscriptions offered and what you get for your money. I also have a subscription to Findmypast.com which has different options. I like the "Ships leaving the UK" option which is helpful to me. It is also a boost when you can't find a b/m/d in the civil registration on the free bmd site (which I think is the best free thing to the world of Genealogy since the IGI)! If I had to make a choice it would be Ancestry.com. Don't forget to keep an eye out for the LDS' new site that they are working hard on putting lots of new things on-line , check it often as it is a pilot program. I have found many things on there. http://pilot.familysearch.org Pity you didn't ask before Christmas Santa might have answered your prayer ;-) Shirley in Florida ----- Original Message ----- From: "Caroline Bradford" <caroline.bradford@btinternet.com> To: "'Sally-Ann Jay'" <sally-ann@chairwoman.plus.com>; <Essex-UK@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 6:44 AM Subject: Re: [Ess] Which subscription? > Hi Sally-Ann > > You are absolutely right that, unless you are absolutely determined to do > your family history the "old fashioned way" - i.e. purely through using > original sources in archives around the country (or even the world), you > will need to use at least one of the commercial sites. And unless your > requirements are very small indeed (and this is unlikely as family history > is such an addictive pastime!), subscriptions are very much more > cost-effective than pay-per-view units. > > So far, so uncontroversial (I hope!). But the choice of supplier is > trickier, and does rather depend on the nature and scope of your > particular > research. It would probably be fair to say that Ancestry is the "market > leader" in the field, and with some justification. They certainly have > the > largest collection of data (though it is probable that you may not need a > good percentage of it). The quality of their indexing and transcription > is, > in my view, no better or worse than any other. But the flexibility of > their > search facilities is extremely good, and this is an important > consideration > - but you will get the best results by applying your brain to the exercise > rather than relying on their dubious claims to find your ancestors for you > based on typing in "as much as you know". If you have interests in the > London area, you should be aware that Ancestry will be rolling out > digitised > data from parish registers at the London Metropolitan Archives starting at > some point in 2009. > > FindMyPast has some good stuff too - as well as alternative census > transcriptions which can sometimes be helpful, the facility to search by > address in certain years, and the ability to use wildcards at the start of > names. They will be the first site to provide access to the 1911 census, > though to begin with at least this will only be on a pay per view basis on > its dedicated site - a FMP subscription with not, I repeat, not, give > unlimited access to the 1911 transcriptions and images when it is released > early next year. > > The Genealogist is less comprehensive, but has a wide range of different > subscription rates, which can be useful if you don't want to commit > yourself > for too long. They are also the only site which has the non-conformist > registers available to subscribers - a very valuable resources if you have > dissenters in your family. > > There are other useful sites (notably British Origins) where you may need > to > spend some time and money from time to time. > > So, if I had to stick my neck out, I would say subscribe to Ancestry, but > accept that it does not have everything you may need and be prepared to > spend elsewhere when necessary. > > Hope this helps > > Caroline > > > -----Original Message----- > From: essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of Sally-Ann Jay > Sent: 30 December 2008 11:06 > To: Essex-UK@rootsweb.com > Subject: [Ess] Which subscription? > > Hello list > > > > Have decided I really do need a subscription to one of the family history > sites and would like your recommendations. Which do you think represents > the best value for money, which has the widest range of info and which has > the best search facilities? Suspect I will get a lot of differing answers > but I would appreciate your input/experience. > > > > Regards > > > > Sally-Ann Jay > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Many thanks, Joyce. Kate Haushalter ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joyce Shaw" <joyceshaw1@btinternet.com> To: <e.gibson@btinternet.com>; <Essex-UK@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 6:34 AM Subject: [Ess] Fw: St Osyth > > >> Hi >> >> I have just checked the 1851 census and there is a James Gibson on there >> aged 18 born St Osyth. His mother's name is Lydia Gosling and her >> husband >> is William Gosling - so it looks like Samuel had died by then and she had >> remarried. Also listed is William Gibson aged 22, born St Osyth, >> Charles >> Gibson aged 20 born St Osyth, George Gibson aged 12 born St Osyth, Rose >> Gibson aged 10 born St Osyth and a little girl called Mary Earl aged 3 >> who >> is a visitor. The Reference is HO107/1779 F25 >> >> There is the death of a Samuel Gibson registered in Mar Q 1843 in >> Tendring >> Ref 12 188 which looks like it might be your Samuel. There is also a >> marriage of Lydia Gibson to William Gosling in the Jun q 1847 in Tendring >> REf 12 395. >> >> Hope this helps >> >> Best wishes >> >> Joyce

Hi Robert, Charlotte was indeed baptised at Little Horkesley - Charlotte, d/o Thomas and Mary BALLS on 25 Dec 1799. There's a second baptism - same details - on 9 Feb 1800, also at LH. No notation of private baptism/reception into congregation on either entry in the PRs. Also there is Simon s/o Thomas and Mary BALLS baptised 10 May 1801. Can't see any others (from a quick look). No banns entry at LH for their marriage, but there seems to be a gap in all the LH PR records between 1781 and 1798 (and this includes a number of partially completed marriage entries!). Also, there are no baptisms between late 1780's and 1797, which seems to be the start of a new register. Did the family stay in LH? I may get some time later in the week to look at the BR (and later marriage etc) fiche. Hope this helps Peter Williams Lower Hutt New Zealand -----Original Message----- From: essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Robert Salisbury Sent: Monday, 29 December 2008 10:48 p.m. To: Essex-UK@rootsweb.com Subject: [Ess] Balle/Ball/Balls family Horkesley/Wormingford areas Hi, season's greetings to all, l have just re-registered having originally registered about 4 months ago but l had a major computer crash which destroyed all my info!! I am looking for any information on the above family in particular Thomas Balls born c1770 who married Mary CANT in 1793 in Wormingford, they had 1 daughter that l am aware of and she is Charlotte Balls baptised Dec 1799 in either Mount Bures or Little Horkesley. If anyone has an interest in this family or could shed some light on them l would be thrilled to hear from them. Kind regards Robert ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.1/1867 - Release Date: 12/28/2008 2:23 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.1/1867 - Release Date: 12/28/2008 2:23 PM

Thanks for that Alan, I haven't used it for some time, so hadn't realised it was no longer working. Lin 2008/12/29 Alan Nelson <atgn@elder53.fsnet.co.uk> census decoder hasnt worked for ages > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lin Betz" <linbetz@gmail.com> > To: "Essex-Rootsweb" <ESSEX-UK-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 7:20 AM > Subject: Re: [Ess] 1901 Census Indexes > > > >> 2008/12/28 Sally-Ann Jay <sally-ann@chairwoman.plus.com> >> >> Hello all >>> >>> >>> >>> I think there was one in particular which would "confirm" links if you >>> entered more than one name in >>> a household. >>> >>> >>> >>> Are you thinking of the 1901 Census Decoder: >> http://www.censusdecoder.com/ >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> > > >

Hi, l wonder if sks would very kindly look for the following on the 1851 census? l have this family on 1841 census ( Ref: HO107/327/B23 F33/ P26) living in Southminster. Thomas BALLS/BALL born c1780 Essex Mary BALLS/BALL born c1781 Essex Hannah BALLS born c1826 Essex Any help or guidance would be very much appreciated. Kind regards Robert

Sorry - but does anyone know if the Essex Records Office is open tomorrow? forgot to write down when they are closed and have an opportunity to go. Thanks and Happy New everyone. ;o) Ingrid Billings 'Genealogy, a game of hide and seek'

> Ancestry's free searches can be manipulated a bit to agree/disagree > with information input. Same goes for GenesReunited. Another trick - maybe everyone has already found this? - is to sort the list of search results on the "Place" column... It sorts on the underlying address where they're living (even though it isn't actually displayed when you do the free search) so it puts together all the people of the same surname at the same address - you can often get the basic details of names/ages for everyone in the family without paying to look at the census page... keep that for when you take out a subscription for a month! Jan Beaconsfield, UK _________________________________________________________________ Are you a PC?  Upload your PC story and show the world http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/122465942/direct/01/

2008/12/28 Sally-Ann Jay <sally-ann@chairwoman.plus.com> > Hello all > > > > I think there was one in particular which would "confirm" links if you > entered more than one name in > a household. > > > Are you thinking of the 1901 Census Decoder: http://www.censusdecoder.com/

_http://www.esfh.org.uk/News%20Page.htm_ (http://www.esfh.org.uk/News%20Page.htm) Regards Diana Re: Essex Records Office opening over Christmas Period

Shame - liked the sound of that. Library isn't open at the moment but Ancestry's free searches can be manipulated a bit to agree/disagree with information input. Going to have to bite the bullet & subscribe again but want to be sure I have a lot of questions to ask! Again, thank you all. S-A -----Original Message----- From: essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:essex-uk-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Lin Betz Sent: 29 December 2008 10:56 To: Alan Nelson; ESSEX-UK-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Ess] 1901 Census Indexes Thanks for that Alan, I haven't used it for some time, so hadn't realised it was no longer working. Lin 2008/12/29 Alan Nelson <atgn@elder53.fsnet.co.uk> census decoder hasnt worked for ages > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lin Betz" <linbetz@gmail.com> > To: "Essex-Rootsweb" <ESSEX-UK-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Monday, December 29, 2008 7:20 AM > Subject: Re: [Ess] 1901 Census Indexes > > > >> 2008/12/28 Sally-Ann Jay <sally-ann@chairwoman.plus.com> >> >> Hello all >>> >>> >>> >>> I think there was one in particular which would "confirm" links if you >>> entered more than one name in >>> a household. >>> >>> >>> >>> Are you thinking of the 1901 Census Decoder: >> http://www.censusdecoder.com/ >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

You have to pay for Ancestry, unless your local library has a membership, which is quite common, apparently. Steve Anne Peat wrote: > You can search the index at > http://www.1901censusonline.com/census.asp > but all you can search is the name or address.To see details you need > to buy units > > You can also find it on Genes Reunited and Ancestry and some counties > on FindmyPast but you will need to buy units or have a subscription on > these > > HTH > Anne > > HTH > Anne > On 28 Dec 2008, at 12:25, Sally-Ann Jay wrote: > > >> Hello all >> >> >> >> Can anyone tell me which website has the best free access index for >> the >> 1901? By easiest, I mean the one which gives you most information - >> I have >> noticed in the past that some give more than others but having had a >> fairly >> long break from my family history I have forgotten which, & now find >> that >> there are many more options - I'm sure the last time I looked there >> were >> only a couple of places to search the census! I think there was one >> in >> particular which would "confirm" links if you entered more than one >> name in >> a household. >> >> >> >> And as a secondary question (not an easy one to answer I suspect) - >> which >> gives the cheapest access to the full information? >> >> >> >> Thank you in advance >> >> >> >> Sally-Ann Jay >> >> (working on JAY in Essex & East London - and now USA!) >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >> Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com >> with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and >> the body of the message >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

Hi, season's greetings to all, l have just re-registered having originally registered about 4 months ago but l had a major computer crash which destroyed all my info!! I am looking for any information on the above family in particular Thomas Balls born c1770 who married Mary CANT in 1793 in Wormingford, they had 1 daughter that l am aware of and she is Charlotte Balls baptised Dec 1799 in either Mount Bures or Little Horkesley. If anyone has an interest in this family or could shed some light on them l would be thrilled to hear from them. Kind regards Robert

Hi Sally-Ann, The following may be him: 1q (Jan-Feb-Mar) 1968/JAY Clarence G./District:Windsor (which spans Berkshire & Surrey)/Age:96/Volume:6A/Page:315 Regards, Kristy> From: sally-ann@chairwoman.plus.com> To: ESSEX-UK-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:47:05 +0000> Subject: [Ess] Death Problem!> > Hello all> > > > Thanks for your help to date & hopefully you can help with this as well.> > > > My G-grandfather was Clarence George JAY born 1874 in West Ham, Essex (later> East London of course.) > > After a lot of searching I've found his birth and two marriages though not> all his children, I suspect.> > > > I am having difficulty finding his death, which was in Berkshire (Reading, I> think) in approximately 1968. I think part of the problem may be that he> dropped the Clarence at some point (this is a guess). However, I can't> remember what name he did use - George is not ringing any bells. I also> think it possible that his death was registered by someone outside the> family so the details may not be right anyway.> > > > Do you have any suggestions as to how to do this? I was hoping to find some> sort of index which I could search.> > > > Please forgive me if these are basic questions - I am completely> self-taught, have no family who remember any of this & by necessity operate> on very little money!> > > > Sally-Ann Jay> > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~> Any problems, please contact the List Admin: Essex-UK-admin@rootsweb.com> -------------------------------> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ESSEX-UK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Net yourself a bargain. Find great deals on eBay. http://a.ninemsn.com.au/b.aspx?URL=http%3A%2F%2Frover%2Eebay%2Ecom%2Frover%2F1%2F705%2D10129%2D5668%2D323%2F4%3Fid%3D10&_t=763807330&_r=hotmailTAGLINES&_m=EXT

Anne Peat wrote: > You can also find it on Genes Reunited and Ancestry and some counties > on FindmyPast but you will need to buy units or have a subscription on > these Searching is free on FMP but either pay per view credits or a subscription is needed to see full information.

Hello all Thanks for your help to date & hopefully you can help with this as well. My G-grandfather was Clarence George JAY born 1874 in West Ham, Essex (later East London of course.) After a lot of searching I've found his birth and two marriages though not all his children, I suspect. I am having difficulty finding his death, which was in Berkshire (Reading, I think) in approximately 1968. I think part of the problem may be that he dropped the Clarence at some point (this is a guess). However, I can't remember what name he did use - George is not ringing any bells. I also think it possible that his death was registered by someone outside the family so the details may not be right anyway. Do you have any suggestions as to how to do this? I was hoping to find some sort of index which I could search. Please forgive me if these are basic questions - I am completely self-taught, have no family who remember any of this & by necessity operate on very little money! Sally-Ann Jay

Does anyone have any knowledge of or connection with a Mrs A B GRAHAM who was living at Longwood Gardens, Clayhall, Essex in the 1970s? I am trying to find if this was Rosa WHITLEY who married Arnold Bertram GRAHAM in 1917. David