I respectfully request that I be allowed to submit my response to some of the comments made by contributors to this list on this topic. In posting this reply, I have tried to be objective and hopefully have not used any "disgusting, nay disgraceful, objectional words". Hopefully, my wording will fit the lines. Alan M Gagg wrote: "I am looking for any info on Charles Henry Gagg born in sept. quarter1883, register district gainsborough, we know he married Charlotte Ann Wass in 1905 and one of their children was Walter Gagg born in 1918. Any info on whom his parents/ siblings were would be most appreciated" As I recall, nobody replied to this request with information. Roy Stockdill did respond. I suspect, like many of us, the first thing he noticed was that the requester had an "f2s.com" which translates to "freedom to search" and it is a "com" - hence like me, he would have good reason to believe it was a request from England, then the "com" and was not from someone outside of England and certainly not in the outback in Australia. Roy answered in a common sense, positive manner. "There is a very simple solution to this query. Why don't you buy the birth certificate, since you apparently know when and where he was born? This will give you the names of both his parents instantly, or is that too obvious? This will cost you £7.00, but sometimes family history does cost money, just like any other hobby!" Yes, it was a straightforward answer and the words "or is that too obvious?" could be said to be a bit sarcastic. Maybe, it was not necessary. On the other hand, perhaps the nature of the request deserved it! I do not know Roy Stockdill in person but know of him through this list. I believe him to be an honest, experienced researcher, who calls a spade a spade and who suffers fools lightly. Of course I am in no way suggesting that the requester was a fool, far from it. Most certainly, Roy Stockdill helps many people on this list and deserves respect. Roy Stockdill continues with sound advice and provides information as requested. "You could also look at the 1891 and 1901 censuses. He is very easily found in 1891 at Misterton, Lincolnshire, along with his mother, who was a widow, and three siblings." The requester has stated elsewhere he has much experience of researching the GAGG name, so it is reasonable to suppose he would know where to find Charles Henry GAGG, both in 1891 and 1901. Roy Stockdill provides more help and suggests, "If you can't afford the subscription, then Ancestry and Findmypast are available free at many public libraries". I'm sure the requester would know where local access to such finding aids were available. He has much experience of research into the name GAGG. Roy then provides more information. "I will give you a clue - the mother's name was Betsy and she was a washerwoman, aged 28. Then try looking at marriages at Gainsborough at FreeBMD and find a Betsy or Elizabeth who married a GAGG." Again, I'm sure the requester would know of FreeBMD, once he had this information. Further advice is forthcoming from Roy, "Buy the birth certificate before anything else! It will tell you what you want to know, i.e. who his parents were. You can buy it online from the GRO website, using the reference you obviously already have - Charles Henry GAGG, Sep qrtr 1883, Gainsbro, vol 7a page 720. Then take out a subscription to Ancestry or Findmypast and check out the censuses - or find a library that has them for free." He is offering accurate sound advice. If the requester cannot afford the £7 for a certificate, he suggests finding a "free access". There will be some people who cannot afford to spend money on the hobby and those people have to find ways to do their research. My strong suspicion is that the requester can afford the £7, if he chooses to do so! I believe Roy Stockdill has the right, and is correct to state: "I don't see the problem apart from the fact that you seem to be asking others to do your research for you. I am very sorry to seem unkind or unhelpful but, really, this sort of query annoys many of us because it seems to me you are simply trying to get people to help you for gratis and not doing anything to help yourself." I agree with Roy, this is how this request appears to me. In fact, I will go further and suggest that, in my experience, quite a few people adopt this trend. The fact that Roy Stockdill "advertises" himself at the end of his emails is harmless. How many people "embellish the truth" on cv's? We no longer have clerks, everybody is at least an administrator! Kindest regards Jack Richards www.richardsbygonetimes.co.uk