WDYTYA Expert Panel Invitation

Have you got the March 2013 edition of the UK’s leading Family History Magazine WDYTYA?

If so, on page 44 you will see my expert panel answer to the Big Question, the main ‘reader’s question’ for the edition.  For the Reader’s question and answer section, genealogists are invited to provide guidance to those researching their family history.

I was very pleased to be asked to write an answer for the Magazine, and really enjoyed doing it!

Dale Sullivan – rootSleuth

By popular demand I have introduced two standard packages of research, the ‘Family’ and ‘Pedigree’ packages.  So, in addition to quoting bespoke research I now offer defined packages for a fixed price.  These are delivered in smart binders with a report and all the certificates and census pages that I’ve located.  My Clients say that they like the flexibility of choosing one of these packages when they want to gift the research to a family member or Friend.

Check out my website for more details http://www.family-history-researcher.co.uk/packages.html and get in touch with me if this is of interest to you!

Dale Sullivan, rootSleuth.

The Bristol Record Office has decided not to continue with its newly introduced charge for taking photographs of its documents.  I was told that it was due to the unfairness of this blanket charge for people who only wanted to take one photograph and those taking many.

Whilst I considered the £5 a day charge to be on the steep side I do believe that the Record office are entitled charge something, even if it is only a £1 or two.  All money then to be put towards the conservation of its documents which is almost none existent.

Dale Sullivan – rootSleuth

I am pleased to announce that I have been accepted as a Full Member of AGRA (the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives).

Previously I was an Associate Member, but took the plunge to apply for Full Membership, a process that requires the submission of a broad cross section of my work for my Clients.  My submission was reviewed by experts in AGRA who concluded that it was to the standard expected of an AGRA member.

I am now one of only 94 Full AGRA Members and so I feel truly honoured to have been accepted by my peers.

Dale Sullivan – rootSleuth.

For those who aren’t already aware, prices for certificates purchased from local records offices have increased from £9 to £10.  Certificates obtained from the General Register Office (GRO) remain at £9.25.

Dale – rootSleuth

The Bristol and Avon Family History Society (BAFHS) have produced a number of indexes to the baptism, marriage and burial registers of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.  When I was in their Search Room last week the news was that Family Search has integrated these indexes into their free searchable database. https://www.familysearch.org/

I understand there have been a number of teething problem with the integration of the two databases but these are being addressed.

If, like me, you find the new Family Search website frustrating to search, alternatively you can purchase these index CD’s through the Society Shop on its’ website. http://www.bafhs.org.uk/index.php

The BAFHS indexes are a fantastic resource and the members of the Society who transcribed the documents and brought it all together have provided researchers around the world with a huge helping hand.  Good though it is, as all researchers know, transcriptions and indexes can have errors and omissions and when using this resource the original document must ALWAYS be checked for accuracy before accepting the data.

Dale

Hi

My gallery on my blog includes sepia photographs of a number of buildings in the Bristol area.  The following thumbnails show the gallery pictures, the large scale versions can be found in my gallery.

All the best

Dale.

It has just been announced by the Bristol Record Office that it has been successful in its application to the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust for a grant for the further restoration of the St Thomas Bible.

Along with funding from the St Thomas Ecclesiastical Charity and the Churches Conservation Trust, who now own the building, this has enabled Chris Clarkson an archive conservator to continue with the partially restored document.

This is only one of many documents damaged during the bombing of Bristol in World War II.  Other documents of interest to Family Historians which were damaged during this time period are the parish registers of Temple, St Mary Le Port, St Paul and St Paul Bedminster.  The register for Temple was once described to me as resembling a charred brick.  But do not despair as Bishop’s Transcripts were taken of these parishes registers not as good as the original register,  as most researchers will know BT’s provide just the bare bones of a parish register, date and name(s) only, but it’s better than the alternative.

It is unfortunate that Bristol Record Office do not have to have a dedicated conservation department here in the city.  Due to funding it appears that there is very little, if any, conservation work being undertaken at the moment to Bristol documents and any that is done it must be sent to other establishments thereby increasing the costs.

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/bristol-records-office-news

Dale.

rootSleuth Facebook

For those who use facebook, you may be interested to know that I now have a rootsleuth Facebook page.  I hope to provide status updates providing  tips and insights as I come accross them.

Please feel free to visit my page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/RootSleuth-Family-History-Research/229575327093234.

Don’t forget, if you want to follow my posts, then click ‘like’ when you are there.

All the best

Dale.

This website gives you an opportunity to locate the streets and sometimes the houses where your ancestors lived. I cannot recommend this site enough, I only wish it covered a greater area.

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/page/know-your-place

HRI Online Publications is the publishing arm of the Humanities Research Institute at the University of Sheffield. They have some well establshed databases such as the Old Bailey Proceedings on line, but have now just launched the Cause Papers Database, documents dealing with the church courts of the Diocese of York 1300-1858.

The documents detail a wide range of issues including marriage, separation taxation as well as church ones. The database is searchable by surname and you can view images of the original documents, so if you are researching in this area its worth a look.

http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/hrionline/index.php

Visiting the Bristol Records Office today.

Doing a blanket search for a birth in the mid 1700’s and a marriage search in St Mary Redcliffe registers.

Dale

New rootSleuth Website

It’s taken me a few months to review the design, but my new rootSleuth website is now finally live at the same address as before: www.family-history-researcher.co.uk. Comments gratefully received, and of course enquiries for research work are always welcome.

Dale