Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi I am very new to tracing my family tree and would really really appreciate hints and tips. For example which is best Genes Reunited or Ancestry.com. I have been on both but have not subscribed to either yet

Hello Pat, I thought that was you Nice of you to join both our Facebook page and also our Forum. The crowd on here are very friendly and helpful too so perhaps we can help you a little.

Yours in a question that has often been asked in the past, there is a post on it which also gives some very useful links to free sites that will help you http://www.forum.liverpool-genealogy.or ... bscription

You will almost certainly need access to censuses though as well and these are really only available with a subscription, as you have found out to one of a few sites including Ancestry, Findmypast, which are probably the two biggest, but also the Genealogist and Genesreunited. One of the major benefits of Ancestry is if you have ancestors in Liverpool or London or one of the other counties where the Parish Registers are being transcribed and uploaded and it also has a lot of WWI information, eg medal rolls, Service Records and Pension Records, but Findmypast also has a Military Section with many databases.

So really only you can make the decision, based first of all on the lists of databases that each site holds and taking into account the cost of each, and deciding which might be the most useful to you, depending on the areas your ancestors lived etc. but many of them have a free two week trial and this is probably the best way to see what you think of the databases that they have. Sign up for one and give it a go - you will need to give credit card details, but remember to cancel just before the two weeks are up, they are good at complying with this.

(PS, I have a fair bit on your in-laws side but maybe we can compare one day and you may have come across something I don't have).

Great thanks, one of my relatives on my dad's side got in touch so I have been given a bit of a boost through that help. I am really intrigued now and want to find out more. I will be in touch and hopefully we can get together one day soon. Thanks

Don't forget if we can help, just shout on here.

PATA wrote:Hi I am very new to tracing my family tree and would really really appreciate hints and tips. For example which is best Genes Reunited or Ancestry.com. I have been on both but have not subscribed to either yet

Hi Pat and welcome!
I am a Findmypast subscriber and from experience have found the search engine on Findmypast more flexible and powerful in the way it can perform searches of censuses for instance. If I hit a problem with say Liverpool baptisms, there are lots of willing eyes and fingers here to look elsewhere for me. Another very positive point about Findmypast is the speed with which they deal with transcription amendments/corrections when we ordinary folk come across errors and report them. Usually they are fixed within a couple of days.

Have to say though the best subscription of all is to the Liverpool and South West Lancashire Family History Society!

dickiesam wrote:Have to say though the best subscription of all is to the Liverpool and South West Lancashire Family History Society!

I just have to agree with that one

Reading the threads on this forum is a great help when you are starting out.


Blue

Hi

Totally agree with Mary and all the members, this site is the best you can join. So little money, such a wealth of experience, and support from all.

Welcome and best of luck, shout and I am sure you will get the help and advice you need

regards

Michelle