Family Historian User Group

Hi All
Has anyone else who might subscribe to the 1837 online site had an invitation to have free unlimited access to the BMD info for £50 for a year? I received an e-mail yesterday and think it would be superb to let me search for some of the missing people in my immediate family.
BUT - I don't know if I would still have to buy credits. The site seems to indicate that I wouldn't. Not just to see the same information that any of us could see at libraries but without the sort of inconvenience of having to plan special visits etc.
Anyone got any ideas and, I have to say, I would need to know PDQ as the 'offer' expires by the 22nd.
I must confess, the ability to relax looking for a great-uncle from home, for example, would take my mind off the fact that the kitchen is in pieces for a fortnight!

vliet[cool]

ID:1293

Hiya Captain!
I, too, have had the sae offer. Twice! They both arrived at the same time. The original one had been sent but their server had been down . They have sent me another saying the time I have to reply is extended until 23rd! I hope to take them up on their offer.
Good luck with your research,
Fulhamster.[smile]

OK Fulhamster
BUT do you reckon that they will still charge for units to view the images?[cool]

1837 helpline have confirmed that all the BMD material for England & Walse is free as past of the subscription but foreign records, 1861 Census & military stuff is still subject to buying units.
So, it seems a good deal.
vliet[cool]

Do you need the email to take up the offer, or is there a code which anyone can use?

I'm going to have a bite to eat, then subscribe BUT, at the moment I think it's only via the e-mail, Dave. There was no code or anything in it so perhaps it's the link.
I'll let you all know.
vliet[cool]

Right. My login details were not needed as the link in the e-mail took me straight to the payment bit, as it were. Therefore, I have to assume that, for whatever reason, the 'invitation' came out of the blue as I have only been a very infrequent user of 1837, because of the cost.
Looks like it will be useful though.
vliet[cool]

I too got the email,

i guess it comes down to how much you still have to find out. My email told me that I had already spent £65 with them. so if I was just starting out £50 for a year might seem a bit of a bargain.

Then again having got back beyond the 1851 census in direct lines there are several families that I've then followed forward through the censuses again but who come to a halt with the 1901 census information. If i wanted to research all those down to living ancestors it might be useful.

However I've alsways found Ancestry.co.uk very useful but wonder why there seems to be this big gap in their BMD records between aabout 1910 and 1984. any ideas?

Ancestry.co.uk as of today seems to have all of the index images available free of charge! See here:

http://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/rectyp ... d/bmd.aspx

Excellent, thanks Nick. I have now found my great grandmother's death certificate reference.

David,

The Ancestry BMD indexes are those of the FreeBMD project (http:\freebmd.rootsweb.com).  This project is not yet complete, but the indexes are being updated regularly.  They decided to concentrate on the 19th century first - the 1850's are still a bit sparse, you can see the coverage on their site.  I guess they may address more recent events later.

I'm looking forward to exploring the index images at Ancestry when I get home tonight

Mike

The information is on Ancestry, sure enough, right up to 1983.
It looks like 1837 knew all about it and I, along with doubtless a load more, have been conned out of a fiver. That is assuming I can get a refund as they promise on the site, of the £50 less any units used or minimum £5 cancellation fee.
I'm not happy![bones][mad][evil][evil]
vliet

I also fell for the 1837 £50 offer yesterday ... only to find the Ancestry offer today. Waiting to hear from 1837 about a refund. Not best pleased with 1837 ...

Why should 1837Online know what Ancestry are about to do.  I suspect that they were as surprised about it as everyone.

It is a cut-throat world out there with everyone of the many supplying BMD information trying to make sure that you stay with them.

Remember also that there is no such thing as a free lunch.  So what at the end of the day are Ancestry after.

Also Ancestry's indexing is awful.  If you don't believe me look for a marriagefor the surname Halstead in 1902.  With 20 marriages every quarter for the surname there should be 4 but there are 6.

Eliza Jane Brocklehurst to Gilmore Trevellyan 1902  Jan-Feb-Mar  
Ann Halliwell to Samuel Hancock 1902  Jan-Feb-Mar  
William James Halliwell to Sarah Elizabeth Hampson 1902  Apr-May-Jun  
Robert Halls to Flora Hammond 1902  Jul-Aug-Sep  
Mary Atead to Thomas Stephens 1902  Jul-Aug-Sep  
Margaret Ann Hall to Mary Ellen Hambleton 1902  Oct-Nov-Dec  

In other years I have seen only 3 quarters and no way of guessing what the other is indexed as.  At least with 1837online you can correct them

I know which one I shall be using

Regards
John

It does eem to be incomplete as surnames begining with R S and T are completely missing from 1851.

Paul

A couple of Carlsbergs later and searching unti almost 2 this morning and I reckon I'll be keeping the 1837 set-up. I think my hasty comments were based on the gut reaction that I'd been conned. I don't think I have.
IF 1837 reply to my e-mail commenting on the situation I will apologise (sort of!) and carry on using both!
Now something else. Does anyone out there have any knowledge of the dyeline process? during the spare-room clearout to fit the new boiler, we foung a printed family tree of my wife's 'lot' which is on a very 'dodgy' piece of dyeline-type parer and I'm a bit reluctant to unravel it. So brittle.
Finally - anyone any more information on V3?
Enough ranting. vliet[cool]