Free Search

Rowlf · 12-04-2017, 22:19

Don't know if anyone is interested but Ancestry UK is free all this weekend, Friday to Monday inclusive. I shall be having a look on Friday, thats if I can see straight after a few celebratory G & Ts tomorrow.

Retlaw · 13-04-2017, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rowlf

Don't know if anyone is interested but Ancestry UK is free all this weekend, Friday to Monday inclusive. I shall be having a look on Friday, thats if I can see straight after a few celebratory G & Ts tomorrow.

Be very careful with those so called free offers. They will still want your credit card details etc, before your allowed the free bit hoping you forget to cancel at the end of the free offer, then raid your account a few times before you notice, then weeks trying to get your money back, Ancestry is really free at any public library, on production of a library card, I used to use the library a lot when I was researching the Pals and my Accrington Heroes, I finally used the paid version at home for four years, which allowed me to get more done. Hope you have success in your research.

Morecambe Ex Pat · 13-04-2017, 15:01

Rowlf, how did you discover it was free this weekend?
Is it free to all or do we have to sign up to a free trial?

Retlaw, we have had the free use in the past and the most important thing is to cancel in good time. The small print said we had to cancel 2 days before the free trial ended otherwise we would be charged.

Rowlf · 13-04-2017, 16:50

You do not have to sign up for anything. They have these weekends now and again and it is completely free. I have taken advantage of them . I shall be do this time too . I have only had couple of birthday glasses at lunchtime so should not have a problem focusing tomorrow.

Rowlf · 13-04-2017, 17:03

Find my Past have these free weekends now and again too.

maxthecollie · 13-04-2017, 17:39

I have just tried it and it asked for my card details. No chance

Rowlf · 13-04-2017, 19:04

Thats because it doesnt start till tomorrow. It is Friday,Saturday,Sunday and Monday. so have another look tomorrow. Trust me it will be free on those days.

dotti34 · 14-04-2017, 01:04

I have to agree with Retlaw. Be wary of free offers. Though ages ago I did take advantage of a free two-week offer from Ancestry, don't think they asked for my card details (that would have put me off straight away) but I cancelled after one week to make sure I didn't go past the 2 weeks and thus start owing them a subscription.

The Library here gives free access to Ancestry but only for one hour a day - not long enough to find out much, though better than nothing.

Anyway, I think that personally I have come to a dead end (pardon the pun) with the research of his lot and mine. Gone back a long way, even Ancestry can't tell me more. Ancestry is a mine of information and very useful but it pays to remember that if you access family trees other people have developed the true facts are not always as written - so much has been copied from others without it being authenticated. Watch for dates that don't make sense, for instance.

maxthecollie · 14-04-2017, 08:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rowlf

Thats because it doesnt start till tomorrow. It is Friday,Saturday,Sunday and Monday. so have another look tomorrow. Trust me it will be free on those days.

Load of rubbish. I went on to search my wife's record and her date of birth was 3 months later than her actual birth. On my eldest son's record my wife's maiden was spelt wrong. If you want to go any further into it you have to give your card details.

Morecambe Ex Pat · 14-04-2017, 09:29

It is indeed free access at the moment and no card details are required.
If you want to take up their free trial, you have to give your credit card details but we had no problems. As I mentioned earlier, it states in the small print that you have to cancel the subscription at least 2 days before it expires.

As for the accuracy of the information, you have to do a bit of detective work and double check everything. Most of the information is gathered from Parish records which have been transcribed by volunteers. Quite often, those Parish records are difficult to read and the wrong information is transcribed.

Rowlf · 14-04-2017, 11:49

As you say Morecambe Ex Pat it is free with no card details required. As I said previously they have these weekends now and again. It is totally different to the 2 weeks free trial.

Margaret Pilkington · 14-04-2017, 13:41

Thankyou Rowlf for the information. I have just spent a mindboggling morning tracing ancestors of my paternal grandfather. It was interesting and I have gone back to the 1860s and found branches of the family no-one knew anything about.
I have it all written down and I am going to enlighten my mother.
I might just have a go at her side of the family over the weekend.
I only gave them my e-mail address(and a shadow one at that...where most of my spam goes) so it has been a good diversion on a day too miserable to do much else.

Rowlf · 14-04-2017, 14:29

I am glad you have had a fruitful search Margaret. I have spend a couple of hours too but
I am looking in the 1700 and it is difficult. I hope your mother enjoys your finds. It is surprising what you can find out. I find it fascinating.

Margaret Pilkington · 14-04-2017, 14:51

Me too...especially as those who would have been able to furnish me with some answers are no longer with us to ask.
I have managed to go back to my great great great Grandfather on my dads side.
Found out when some of them married and where....and is quite addictive.

Rowlf · 14-04-2017, 18:09

If by chance they were from Lancashire the Lancashire Parish Records which you will find on www.parishregister.co.uk .Most of the records are C of E but there are some R.C. .They ofcourse go back further than the FreeBMD as the records there only begin in Sept 1837.There is also LancashireBMD. Both of these websites are free.