Wondering if someone could guide me in the right way about travelling to research?

Question

ok im new to all this really, and I normally search my family history by using birth, marriage and death certificates, census and some parish records if they are online.

I want to travel to places where my family come from, like tredegar, to look at the parish records. but im confused by the whole thing, do I just walk in there and ask for records?

i really have no idea can some one help me, and give me tips?

Answer 1

Hello Leanne, have a look at this link I have sent you I am sure you will find this really helpful, it's a list of Parish churches in Tredegar past and present, I think it's amazing.

http://www.tredegar.co.uk/history/#CHURC...

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Very few churches these days keep their old records and registers on site.  A law passed in the 1970s I think it was stipulated that they have to be conserved in a certain fashion and stored to certain standards, and since most churches can't afford the expense, copies were by and large sent to the nearest Dioceasan Record Office,which, in most cases, is also the County Record Office.

In this case, Tredegar is in Gwent I think, so you'd need to go to the county record office in Cwmbran probably.  Naturally, record offices don't let you consult the original registers either - you have to look at copies on either a microfilm or microfiche reader.  Because they are copies of the originals, there is usually more than one copy in more than one place.  Larger muncipal libraries in towns and cities often keep copies in their reference libraries, so it is worth looking online to see if Cardiff or Newport libraries hold copies of the records you seek.

Generally speaking, microfilm is a self-service thing.  If you're not sure how to load a reel into the machine, then someone will help you, but generally you work at your own pace.  Whenever that BBC series is back on the air (and I think it starts again next week), places at libraries and record offices are at a premium until these people realise the time and effort involved and they go quieter again.  It is definately usually worth emailing or phoning ahead and make sure they reserve you a reader machine, especially if you're visiting one of the smaller records offices or are travelling any distance to be there.

I turned up at Cheshire Record Office in Chester one morning at 9.00am on spec and they could only offer me a reader until 11.30am as I hadn't booked ahead and they were full.  On the other hand, I've never had any problems at Lancashire Record Office in Preston or the main library in Manchester and have always found myself a space and reader-machine quite easily without booking ahead.  Generally though, I wouldn't leave anything to chance.  Ask the archivist how busy they are likely to be on a given day and whether or not you need to book ahead.

Start with the post-1813 registers - they are easier to read.  Marriages after 1754 are usually quite legible as well, but early baptism and burial registers especially can be quite hard to read, and the further you go back, the harder it becomes.  Some entries may simply be too faint for you to make out, so don't be too disappointed if you don't find anything.  Be wary as well that almost every other family in Wales will be named either Jones, Williams or Evans, so if you're searching for a common surname your task will be quite hard.  Most Welsh registers are in English though, so you shouldn't have any major language problems.  Sooner or later you'll probably go cross-eyed looking at the film, so definately give yourself a break or have someone else with you to double-check your searches with as it will be very easy to miss something.  You will probably have to go back more than once, especially, if like me, your filing system is not terribly organised.  Smart practice is to be methodical and take a note of absolutely every entry of the surname you are seeking, even if it doesn't appear relevant at the time, as it may suddenly become useful several months or years down the line as your tree grows.

Answer 3

You could write or e-mail the parish church in Tredegar beforehand and ask

Who had the originals, them, the bishop's office or the historical society (or if they were lost in the fire of '43)

When the office that has the originals is open

If researchers were allowed to look at them and/or copy them

What the fee for copying was

You can get a tripod in most camera shots. The new digital cameras will take pictures in low light without a flash, if you hold still long enough. A tripod makes 'holding still" easy. Some places don't allow flash. Some specialty stores sell a document-copying "tripod". It has four legs and the camera looks straight down through a ring.

Answer 4

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default....

http://www.ancestry.co.uk/

http://www.genuki.org.uk/

http://www.uk-genealogy.org.uk/

http://www.ancestorhunt.com/united_kingd...

http://www.oz.net/~markhow/acronym-uk.ht...

http://www.familyhistory.uk.com/

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/genesreun...

Answer 5

These may help you....

http://web.ukonline.co.uk/b.gardner/tred...

http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articl...