Hi Forum

[nigelonline]

Just a few lines to say hi and hope I can use this forum to trace my family which is pretty fragmented at the moment and made a little worse with the passing of my mother about a week ago. It was at that point that I realised if I didn't start asking questions and documenting what people could remember and tell me themselves my task to look into the past would become more and more difficult. So I am pretty much on page 1 so any tips ideas or suggestions would be greatly recieved

Many thanks
Nigel

[Lola5]

Hallo Nigel,
Welcome to Ancestry Aid and I do hope we will be able to help you in the right direction.
I am very sorry to hear of the passing of your mother.
We never seem to question them enough when they are with us. It seems to be that way for most of us so you're not alone.
As we go along and uncover more it sparks off memories and even small things like a description or a place name helps in the search.
Write down all that you do know/ remember/have been told. Gather together any certificates/ copies of notices etc and start with yourself and work Back. Collect any photogaphs you have and try and identify them from relatives still living.
When you feel ready post names and places on the Help or surname forums and perhaps we'll be able to help you get started.
Good Luck.

[pejay]

Hello Nigel, Welcome to AA. It is always very sad when we lose a close family member and your grief must be raw. Our thoughts will be with you. Any question/queries let us know - we have great members on here and I am sure you will get help. First start with yourself and work backwards - what do you know? what info i.e -perhaps census info and certificates do you have? If your ancestors were in the country between 1841 - 1911 we should be able to find them. and registration of Births marriages and deaths began Sep 1837 although a few index no's - especially from early registrations may be missing. There is usually someone who can help. However please do not mention people who may still be alive. We hope you will spend many happy hours with us on the forums.

[nigelonline]

Hey Lola and peejay thanks for your reply and kind words especially at this difficult time and your right things are still a little raw at the moment but I have promised myself 'Now rather than Later' with getting things started. A little time and effort I feel will reap rewards and my even astound me with any findings.

Am I right to believe that I can only mention a persons name who has already passed? The reason I ask is my father (who is still alive) came to England from the Carribean in the 50s and I am mindfull that dates , especially when trying to locate ships etc are important as my father who is in his mid 80s isn't the greatest with dates and times........not because hes forgot but more because he never thought to make a mental log of exact times etc so some dates are approximate to say the least!!!

Then theres the confustion factor which I suppose all families have somewhere besically things are just not straight forward....remarried - Adoption - Divorce - Step siblings - etc etc etc But hey, who said this was going to be easy!!!

oh boy what have I started?

[banditfivealive]

Hi Nigel
I am so so sorry that your mother has passed recently. No time is a good time but Christmas is always more poingnant. We always wish we had had asked more questions , I know I did, but perhaps there are others around that you can do this with. perhaps doing some research yourself will ease the pain and bring you close again with your mums family.

You asked about where to start; well a good place is with yourself and your parents and record where you were born and when , record marriages and where, and deaths and where people are buried if known. Draw a simple tree as you go along with siblings and aunties and uncles and cousins. Dont forget maiden names of the ladies. Trades are are a good thing to record, as are war records and which service they were in, and if they got any medals from from wars, and what those wars were.

The other points the members have mentioned are also excellent and if your own search can take you back to 1911 or 1901 you can go on the census records then.

See how you feel as go along and be methodical, theres plenty of time and plenty of help on here when you are ready to post.

So hope to see you soon and take care.

[nigelonline]

Hi Nigel
I am so so sorry that your mother has passed recently. No time is a good time but Christmas is always more poingnant. We always wish we had had asked more questions , I know I did, but perhaps there are others around that you can do this with. perhaps doing some research yourself will ease the pain and bring you close again with your mums family.

You asked about where to start; well a good place is with yourself and your parents and record where you were born and when , record marriages and where, and deaths and where people are buried if known. Draw a simple tree as you go along with siblings and aunties and uncles and cousins. Dont forget maiden names of the ladies. Trades are are a good thing to record, as are war records and which service they were in, and if they got any medals from from wars, and what those wars were.

The other points the members have mentioned are also excellent and if your own search can take you back to 1911 or 1901 you can go on the census records then.

See how you feel as go along and be methodical, theres plenty of time and plenty of help on here when you are ready to post.

So hope to see you soon and take care.

Thank you Bandit, I have made some great inroads on my first day :-) and your points to gain more information make sense and I will start to record every scrap of detail I hear from friends and relatives

Nigel