• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Use of genealogy section

Thanks very much for the info, I thought it was me. I kept on clicking, and being a new member and not very computer savi I thought I should have pressed another key as well or something, so thanks for explaining it to me, best wishes Chris
 
Chris, I also hope you are enjoying the forum and you certainly have not rambled on too much.
Everyones stories are of interest on here because they are part of the history of Birmingham and its people.

Alberta.
 
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Hi Lyn, thanks, I do enjoy the fourm. I used to browse it for some time before becoming a member. i am very reluctant at joining things and giving email etc, as I do not feel I know enough to feel computer safe. My laptop has been nuked twice and I still don't know what I did wrong, my kids say I must have clicked on something to accept the virus, but I don't know what, so I am always unsure so thought it was maybe me. Thanks again, it is so nice to be able to ask for help or advice (no matter how "silly" I feel as I got some info completely wrong). I love to see and hear peoples comments/memories as sometimes it triggers thing I remember which have been long buried, and this way it keeps our memories alive. Best wishes Chris
 
Bernie Thanks for your comments and to be honest it was nice to talk about the findings as they were so confusing and although I am still "not there yet" I do see some things with more understanding as to why he did not know he was adopted - because they cared. But I do not still understand why he was given the wrong name for his mother, and why his "brother" did not tell him he was also adopted. Confusing difficult times all at the outbreak of war must have been so difficult.
Best wishes Chris
 
I joined this site in 2006 guilty of looking for help about my parents history as a present for their 50th wedding anniversary, My dad never lived in Birmingham but his parents, grandparents and family did. As his father died when he was 6 he never knew anything about them, something i had hoped to change when i started the journey in to the past.
I became fascinated and distracted by this sight and read with interest many things unrelated to what i needed. I was overwhelmed by the information on here and the friendliness of members willing to help at a time I was completely out of my depth and ignorant to the cost of such a time consuming hobby. I often read posts on here and wish i had the knowledge to be able to give interesting input but as a younger non brummie i often find it difficult to participate.
My parents have not been in the best of health the last 18 months and my attention has shifted away from history to making lasting memories with them but one thing i would like to share is a million thank you for all the help i was given to make my dad's past special, the biggest smile he gave me when i showed him his history book and told him how many people who had helped was a second in time to treasure. you really do make a difference to ordinary people :)

Tracy xx
 
Hi Tracy it was warming reading your story, and it is true, the forum does make a difference to ordinary people and we have learned that geneology is far more than just writing down names and dates. MY best wishes, Chris
 
Chris my mother in law only discovered that her Mom (who died when she was a lot younger) was illegitimate when in her early 50's. Nobody had told her not even aunts who she had been very close to. The only him that she may have had was when her father 'warned' her that doing family history could mean she found out things she would not welcome. As you will find reading the various stories of people's pasts we need to be careful using today's standards to judge our forefathers. All the best with your research.
 
Tracy I too enjoyed reading your post and so pleased your Dad liked your history book. Treasure these moments...

I know what you mean Bernie but also as in my families case the record can be put straight so to speak. I have a saying I never judge as I wasn't there.
 
when i started researching my ancestors about 4 years back i just didnt have a clue how to go about it so i asked for help off the good people on this forum to get me started...i am sure alberta will well remember my gt gt grandfather enos wood who we chased all the way from ladywood to yorkshire only to find out he was still married with two young sons but got married again in yorkshire and had more children...i obtained both of his marriage certs and his birth cert and just being able to actually see my rellies signatures from all those years ago was fantastic and i cant help but smile because i bet that 140 years on old enos would never have thought he would have been found out ...from then on i was hooked so i joined genes reunited and set about finding out all i could about my ancestors...some things have been quite funny and others very sad but i really feel as though i know them...im still nowhere near as good as some of our members at this so when i hit a brick wall i know there are always folk on here willing to help out and see if they can fill in the missing gaps...just like to thank you all...

just a little foot note..being deserted by her husband with 2 very young boys in the 1860s could well have resulted in my gt gt grandmother and the children having to live in the workhouse but by looking at the following census years i can see that she and the children were taken in and looked after by her family and she was still living with her son (my gt grandad) when she died...

lyn
 
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Thanks Bernie. I had an "eye opener" when I researched my Gran's past, infact I think if it was made into a film would seem far fetched. Two Aunts nobody knew about and from my uncle's journal two aunts put into a baby farm. As a boy he was sent to go and pay for them to be there, the one aunt was put into service at the age of eleven. From what I have tried to find out these baby farms were little better than the workhouse and as yet unsure where about in Birmingham they would have been placed. My gran always seemed to be the perfect lady, and my aunts and uncle (that I knew about) all loved and respected her as did I and my cousins, but wow what a lady, best wishes Chris
 
Hi Alberta, you kindly helped me in 2008, ref. Family History so I don't think I am abusing the system in asking you to look up again for me. The 1841 census shows Samuel Bennett, his wife Elizabeth and family. He was born in 1771 and lived in Radford Semele Warwickshire. Could you please find his father for me. I have no intention of asking again, I am now on count down having reached 90 years old last Thursday. Many thanks Geoff
 
Hallo Alberta, Ref. my recent request for information. I offer my sincere apology for abusing your generosity. Rest assured it will not happen again. Thanks for the birthday message. GEFF
 
Geff, I have only just caught up with this message, I am not very well at the moment and just getting back to posting on the forum.
The message was from Postie /Jim who owns the site and was sending you good wishes for being 90 year young, as i do.

You have not abused my generosity at all but I don't think i will be of any help, birth records that far back are very hard to trace especially as Samuel Bennett is not an uncommon name , there are some recorded on various gealogy sites around 1771 but non that are near enough to Radford Semele to say for sure which one he is, but i will keep searching.
Alberta
 
Geff, I have only just caught up with this message, I am not very well at the moment and just getting back to posting on the forum.
The message was from Postie /Jim who owns the site and was sending you good wishes for being 90 year young, as i do.

You have not abused my generosity at all but I don't think i will be of any help, birth records that far back are very hard to trace especially as Samuel Bennett is not an uncommon name , there are some recorded on various gealogy sites around 1771 but non that are near enough to Radford Semele to say for sure which one he is, but i will keep searching.
The Elizabeth age 40 on the 1841 census is his first child born Radford Semele as were all the others
Samuel Bennett married Elizabeth Ward on 12th October 1819 Radford Semele.
if you have someone who is willing to visit Warwick records office they can search the parish records to see if his fathers name is on the record.
Alberta
 
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Geff and Alberta - the Radford marriage is on Ancestry but does NOT include a Father's name. I also cannot see a baptism in 1771 or 1772 for a Samuel Bennett so drew a blank there.

Janice
 
I have found a copy of the entry in Parish records but that too has no fathers name.
Samuel and Elizabeth are bachelor and spinster they cannot read but sign with a cross.
The witnesses are George Nevill and Edward Hands but they do not appear to be related as they sign other marriage entries as witnesses on the same day so may be just church officials who could read .
 
Hallo Alberta, and Janice, thanks for your messages, I have an IGI Individual Record of Elizabeth Ward and Samuel Bennett getting married on 12th Oct. 1819 at Radford. I also have the 1841 census of Elizabeth and Samuel and 7 children. The last one is 2 years old. What other mysteries are there in the family? Sorry to hear you have not been well Alberta, hope you will be better soon, we have got to beat this Queen of ours. GEFF
 
Looking at the 1841 census the 2 eldest children (Edward and Martha) seem to be a bit old to be the children of Samuel and Elizabeth. There are baptism listed for the others but not for them.

There are however baptisms for an Edward Ward (25 Feb 1816 Radford Semele, mother Elizabeth) and a Martha Ward (22 Feb 1818 Bulkington, mother Elizabeth). If that second one is relevant I don't know, Martha could be Edward's wife (married 1835)

Edward Ward b1816 Radford is listed on various censuses.
 
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MWS, thanks for your message, Ref. Samuel and Elizabeth. I reckon Elizabeth had Edward when she was 15, but could not marry until she was 18. He must have been 68 when Maria was born. We will never know.Geff
 
MWS, you are right in your assumption that Martha could be Edwards wife, they are in Radford Semele in 1851 as Edward Ward, wife Martha, and children Maria / Mary Ann age 12,Elizabeth 9,Jane 6,William 1
Elizabeth had an illegitimate son Edward before she married Samuel, there would have been no reason for them not to marry if he was Samuels son as the age for marriage in 1816 was 12 for girls and 14 for boys.If he was Samuels son he would have used the name Bennett all his life but he reverted to Ward when he married.
 
My contributions have always been based on memories and quite a bit of nostalgia! I would now like to try to research my relatives/ancestors, I'm cursed with common family names ie Williams, Bishop, Brown, etc. with deep Brummie roots (I think!) For instance I have no idea if any served in WW1. I now live in Devon so need to do the research "on line". Can you please suggest the most cost effective way to get involved with such research. Thanks.
 
At times it can be a bit more tricky and laborious but you definitely don't have to spend any money to do your research.

You now have to register and you can't see the scans but Familysearch has census transcripts and some church records for free. There is freeBMD, freeReg and freeCen as well and you can access Ancestry for free at libraries. Also there are free offers from Ancestry and findmypast.

I use all of the above but Familysearch is where I usually start.
 
devonjim said:
My contributions have always been based on memories and quite a bit of nostalgia! I would now like to try to research my relatives/ancestors, I'm cursed with common family names ie Williams, Bishop, Brown, etc. with deep Brummie roots (I think!) For instance I have no idea if any served in WW1. I now live in Devon so need to do the research "on line". Can you please suggest the most cost effective way to get involved with such research.
Devonian
You can join ancestry, their 14 day free trial is free, although they ask you to give them your debit/credit card details. There is also find my past another subscription genealogy website or Genealogy, the latter is quite good, but they are all quite expensive. Also doing it from home you can try Freebmd, this is particularly useful if you have dates when relatives, were born, married or died. However most public libraries if there are still any around have computers and free access to Ancestry.com. i subscribe to Ancestry and Find my past but have had little joy finding information other than that which I knew and sometimes incorrect information has been put in on trees submitted by the public. Another good source is the census. Again the only free one is 1881, the others you have to pay to see. They all used to be free, but this changed about 10years ago. I wish you well, you are starting on a long arduous journey, sometimes rewarding, sometimes disappointing
Bob
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If you go for the free trials on most of these websites you need to watch out for the roll-over traps that they set in the small print e.g. something along the lines of "At the end of the trial period your membership will continue at £xx per month."
 
good advise eric...for the free trials if you have to give your bank account details all you need to do is to go into your account details and make sure you untick the box where it says your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the trial period or leaved ticked if you do wish to continue with your subscription at the end of the trial period

lyn
 
Find My Past have decided that from Oct 1st. records saved in "My records" can only be viewed with a valid subscription. This includes ones saved from a subscription or a free day.
I tried to download some as I used to have a sub. and also have some from free days, there is the option to print but my printer/scanner "gave up" some time ago, and I can't see a download option.
The good news is, I managed to "break down a brick wall" on the last free day! They didn't have the records at the time I had the sub.
rosie.
 
well done for breaking down that wall rosie:) its always annoyed me that we can only view saved records on ancestry with a valid sub especially as we have paid for it:mad: both FMP and ANCESTRY will do themselves no favours by being so penny pinching...

lyn
 
rosie said:
Find My Past have decided that from Oct 1st. records saved in "My records" can only be viewed with a valid subscription. This includes ones saved from a subscription or a free day.
I tried to download some as I used to have a sub. and also have some from free days, there is the option to print but my printer/scanner "gave up" some time ago, and I can't see a download option.
The good news is, I managed to "break down a brick wall" on the last free day! They didn't have the records at the time I had the sub.
rosie.
Click to expand...
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Hi Rosie I found this too, but looking closer there is a download option in the bottom right corner which worked for me ^ Hope you can see it on the screen print
 
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