Introduction

The title might seem a little silly as might the fact that this should be Article 6 – Parish Registers, and is not. However, a word or two of explanation, my desktop has crashed, this is being written on my laptop, which of course does not have the ability to access the hard drive on my desktop,

That is one reason for both the title and this extra article. When I began to post on this website I did promise to write a new article each week, so intend to try to keep that promise, even if the title may have to be changed until matters can be rectified.

The hard drive contains all my notes, thoughts, ideas and indeed a number of completed articles, if I cannot get my computer back on action they will all be lost.

My Family History

The hard drive contains some thirty years of family history research, a lot of which I almost certainly do not have copies.

You may recall that at the start of this website I suggested that you kept handwritten notes, as well as what you put on the programme, or other method on the computer.

This is how I began to record my Family History, though it will require a lot of work to find not only my original documents, but to put them all on another programme, also have at least two books, plus charts so it is possible that I will be able to construct the basis of the Family History once more.

Think that I might also have some of it backed up on discs, when I decided to change computers some years ago.

Just had a light bulb moment. Remember sometime ago when I used to go London and do research, putting a blank copy of Family Tree Maker on this laptop, just had a search, and guess what, found a copy, no longer blank, but with some eighty odd names on off my Mum’s, Mum’s Family. At least I have somewhere to start, when I begin to see what I have got.

In fact had a little break, have put some of my wife’s family on already. Above the desk where I sit typing is a seven generation Family Tree, almost complete, so when I have a moment will begin with copying that.

This is of course is totally my own fault, but thought that it would serve as a reminder to all, do not take things for granted, computers do break or fail.

Regrets

This reminds me of the Frank Sinatra Song “My Way”, the line that goes ” Regrets I have a few”. Apart from thirty years work and research, the regrets that I have, is that there are incomplete written family histories on the desktop, not to mention lots of copies of census, amongst other original documents. Not forgetting a lot of family photographs, many of which I copied from others.

Fortunately I still have some photographs in a family album, where I keep my original documents, including death, marriage and birth certificates. Also, have some local Parish registers which I have copied, including my Latin translation of one local Parish.

Conclusion

Think that this is an easy paragraph to write, keep copies of everything, back up your PC on a regular basis. Though it will be hard work and take many days, if not weeks, at least I do have copies of many of the names in my Famiy Tree, but I am bound to be short of some of them.

One consolation is that I still have access to all the UK Census records, should I need to access them.

The next article will depend on how I get on with my extra work, I would like it to be 6 – Parish Registers, but we will have to see.

Be Happy, Healthy and Wealthy

Stuart

https://familyhistorythestart.com