The genealogy world has been happily stunned this week by a massive drop in the price of post-1858 probate records and wills for the United Kingdom. When the UK Government’s Find A Will site was first launched a few years ago, wills were £ 5 and over the years that became £ 10. This week they have dropped back to only £ 1.50 each! I have heard that this may be a temporary price drop for only 12 months but have not seen the source of that information, so this may or may not be the case.
What Does This Mean For Family Historians?
In a nutshell, it means you have a golden opportunity to purchase probate records not just for all your direct ancestors, but also others in the broader family. If you recall from a recent blog post, wills can be a great way to find out who was in the extended family and how they were related to the willmaker. Often the quality of the relationships between family members was also revealed.
Finding the Probate Record
There are three ways to find the probate record details so that you can order it. There is a search facility on the site itself. This a simple surname and year search. Please note that year may not be the same as the year of death. Some estates were not settled till months or years later. The year they are asking for is the year of probate. There may also be difficulties finding the right records if the surname you are searching is common.
I recommend doing your searching at one of the other sites who have indexed these records. In most cases it will be much quicker. Once you’ve found the record, use the details to place your order at the Find A will site.
The two sites that I am aware of that have indexed the UK probate calendars are Ancestry and FindMyPast. You do not need subscriptions to do a simple search of the index.
FindMyPast holds the indexes from 1858-1959 at this stage. Its search page is slightly different in that it searches by keyword and first letter of surname. See image below.
FindMyPast Probate Calendar search page
I would advise trying one and if you don’t find your ancestor, try the other. They each use a different search algorithm so you may get lucky on the second search!
Enjoy this little windfall of genealogical joy. It may only last a year, so fill your information coffers while you can. Good luck and happy hunting!
I remember attending a genealogy conference and being shocked by a presentation by genealogist Judy Russell. She reminded us that family stories are lost within 3 generations if they are not passed down. It is true, think about it…what do you know of your great-grandparents’ lives? Unless you have had a story passed down to you by your grandparents or parents, there is probably nothing beyond the documents you have found through research.
As genealogists, we spend our time looking backwards. However we also need to look forwards, or all our work is for nothing. What will happen to your research when you are gone? Who will fill in your death date on the family tree?
There are a lot of positives around kids and genealogy. Firstly, it’s a fantastic way to spend time with them. Children are naturally curious, especially about things to do with themselves and their family. They can also offer a refreshing perspective on why things happened the way they did. Kids cut through all the social niceties and see the human nature around actions. They certainly know how to call a spade a spade, and can unwittingly help you to break down brick walls through their alternative perspectives! Out of the mouths of babes…
Research has shown that getting involved in the family’s history is good for kids’ emotional health too! They have better self-esteem, strength, resilience and sense of connection via the memories shared with them.
Get the kids interested in the family tree!
Therefore, children’s involvement in your family’s history ensures the legacy for the future while making memories in the present. It’s all about continuity!
How can you get the children to interact with the family history?
You may have noticed that one child has already taken an interest in the topic and ‘target’ them. However, my advice is to at least start with age-appropriate activities for all of them. You never know which child may suddenly get the bug depending on how engaging you can make the topic! Also, you don’t want to run the risk of children feeling left out, even if they will never be the family genealogist. If possible, catch them young. Get them used to hearing stories about how the family came to be where they are today, or how Uncle Jim saved someone from drowning.
Activity ideas:
There are lots of ways to keep the kids engaged with genealogy. Here are just a few:
Family photos spark interest for kids
Share photos and objects from your family’s past, and tell the stories that go with them.
Have them interview different family members and record their stories. Depending on their age, they could then write up one of the stories. Or they might draw a picture to give to that relative. This activity builds up connections and strengthens relationships between the generations.
Find out what they are studying at school and provide examples related to the topic from within the family tree. I did this with my son when he was studying World War I in primary school. His project included photos, medals and documents about his great-great-grandfather. It enhanced his learning, and he got a great mark. He still has that project and memories of an ancestor he never knew!
Take them on field trips. Destinations may include ancestral places, cemeteries, cultural festivals for your ethnicity, attractions set in a different era (e.g. Sovereign Hill). What kid doesn’t love a day out, and if you can tie it in with the family tree, all the better!
Make maps with them that show the places different branches of the family have lived over the centuries. Perhaps link the places with marker or ribbons to show the movement, and where each branch connected up.
There are many websites to help you find ideas too, here are just a few that may help you:
Last week we talked about why you might want to consider hiring a genealogist. This week, let’s look at some of the things you should take into account when choosing a professional genealogist to work with.
Get the Right Person For You
There are several factors to take into consideration when choosing a professional genealogist.
First and foremost must be their ability to demonstrate a high standard of genealogical research skill. If you’re paying good money, you want the results to be accurate and reliable. Anyone can call themselves a professional genealogist, it is not a phrase restricted to people who have sat a special exam.
Look for some qualifications (such as a related degree or diploma) or credentials. Credentials are often specific to a particular area of the world, which means the genealogist has to be a super specialist in that area! Your genealogist should be familiar with the Genealogical Proof Standard and be willing and able to provide research that meets this standard.
Look for extensive experience, the more the better. A good proportion of that experience should be in the area/subject matter of your research question. Someone familiar with local geography, history, customs and culture will be much more efficient with their research. If your ancestors were pioneers of the early Port Philip district, it’s better to hire someone familiar with the place and the records than to hire someone in the US for example. If you come from a line of Birmingham gunmakers and you want to do an occupational history of your family, it would be great to find someone familiar with both the gunmaking trade and Birmingham to help you with your research.
Choose a professional genealogist with good reviews. Word of mouth is an excellent indicator of quality of work.
Find someone who is willing to meet with you before beginning the project to discuss your needs. No project should begin without a mutually agreed research plan based on your objectives. They should be upfront about their fees and any other potential associated costs. You should also feel comfortable with them. Sometimes they may uncover sensitive information about your family.
Prepare to share
The sure way to have your costs blow out is to just tell the genealogist to start from scratch. Reinventing the wheel takes time, especially with more recent generations where public records are less accessible. No matter how self-conscious you may feel about the quality or amount of work that has been done so far, share it with your genealogist. They will be able to assess it much more quickly than beginning from scratch, saving you a ton of money! The genealogist will love you for it, because there is nothing worse than slaving over hot documents and writing up copious research notes to be told, “Oh we already knew that”. And you don’t want to be charged for that scenario!
How big is your budget and how do you want to spend it? It’s important to remember that your family history is never finished. You need to have a very clear idea of what you need the professional genealogist to do for you. Otherwise, you could end up asking for a little more and a little more until you’ve way exceeded what you planned to spend. Set your budget before you begin and stick to it. Make sure your genealogist is aware of where the ceiling is. As that ceiling approaches, they should let you know what they have left to do, and ask what takes precedence if the well runs dry!
There are usually two things you pay for with genealogical research:
Their time, knowledge and experience
Costs, for example, documents and if required, travel
Remember the genealogist is a professional. Do not expect a good genealogist to work for minimum wage. Anyone can do the job badly for peanuts (just take a look at some of the family trees on Ancestry!). A good genealogist is worth paying a decent rate for quality work. They will work faster and more efficiently than you expect due to practice, knowledge of where to look, and the ability to use context to point them in the right direction.
If your genealogist charges an hourly rate, specify how many hours you want to pay for. They will let you know if this is likely to be adequate to meet your research objective. Also ask if they offer a discounted rate for pre-payment or partial pre-payment. Many genealogists will happily do so for the piece of mind of not having to chase people for payment after the job is handed over. For example, if someone prepays me, I will discount by 40% for full pre-payment, and 20% for half pre-payment (in blocks of 10 hours).
Your outcome…
By the end of this process:
you have chosen an experienced professional genealogist with relevant qualifications and/or credentials, good reviews, and who is knowledgeable about your research area
you’ve decided exactly what you want from them and prepare them accordingly
you have agreed on a research plan and how to allocate your budget together
they will provide you with their findings and evidence in a report, with regular progress reports/research logs provided along the way for larger projects or between payments.
May you find amazing and intriguing stories with the help of your professional genealogist that you could never have found alone!
Stuck in your family tree? A professional genealogist can help you.
When might a professional genealogist be useful to you?
You’ve always wondered about where your family came from, you’ve watched every episode of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?‘ from every country that produces the show, and you’re a ‘Long Lost Family‘ junkie. You’re a potential family historian. You’ve made a start on your family tree…or you’d like to…but there are things standing in your way. Sometimes it’s worth considering involving a professional genealogist.
You have the interest, but not the time.
We all struggle to prioritise our time these days, and with all the competing demands our hobbies often fall to the bottom of the list and become neglected (or never get started).
Use someone else’s time when you have none spare yourself!
Genealogy is a time-intensive exercise, and the less experienced you are, the longer it takes to find your way to and through all the records.
It may well be worth your while to outsource the family tree, or part of it, to a professional. This not only saves you time directly, but they are practised and efficient and likely to get the information and verify it in half the time of someone with less experience!
They can save you time by:
getting your tree started then providing you with recommendations on ‘where to go next’ with your research
analysing your work so far then providing you with recommendations on ‘where to go next’ with your research
if budget is no issue and you don’t mind missing out on the fun of doing any of it yourself, agree how far you want the tree to go and let them do it all!
finding your ancestor in a particular unindexed record you don’t have hours to trawl through
going to your family’s original hometown taking photographs of headstones and houses, and searching through all potential sources of information there.
You’ve hit a dead end
Can’t go any further? Someone can help you with that.
You’ve been working on your tree, and most lines are progressing well. But there’s just one branch that is messing with your head. Yes, it’s the ‘brick wall’ line. We all have (at least!) one. You’ve tried everything suggested here, but the wall remains firmly intact. Your other lines are getting neglected as a result.
What to do? Outsource the dead-end to a professional. A fresh pair of eyes who knows of sources you may not have tried, or who can at least eliminate some of the sources you haven’t had the time or resources to get to. You can get the wall knocked down AND be freed up to work on the rest of your tree!
A branch came from somewhere far away…
…and you don’t speak the language of the records, or don’t know what sources are available or how to get to them.
Galician immigrants, ca. 1911
This one is definitely a good reason to look for a local professional genealogist from that country. Even we professionals do this when we are outside our research comfort zones. My son has a family line from Germany. I have used Andrea Bentschneider‘s services when I need an expert in German resources local to Hamburg. It saves so much time and ultimately money (hey, I’d love to go to Germany to research but…)
You want to verify a family legend
Ever since you were a child, you’ve heard tales of how someone in your family tree was left on the steps of the local church as a foundling, or was transported as a convict, or ran off and joined the circus…can it be proved? Often, yes.
Get a professional to confirm Uncle Albert’s tall tales.
Getting a professional to dig into what may be some quite specialised record sets to find the answer can unearth some incredible stories. And even if the family legend isn’t quite right, usually there’s a germ of truth there. Often the real story is just as interesting.
Your DNA results are back…
…and you don’t have a clue what to do next! Analysing and using results from DNA tests uses quite different skill sets to traditional document-based genealogy and can be quite nerve-wracking for people at first, especially if they have no science background.
Have someone else unravel your DNA for you.
A professional genealogist with experience in genetic genealogy can be a great help in assisting you to unravel the match lists and find what you want to find.
You want to learn how to build your family tree
You may not actually want to hand over the fun of doing the tree to anyone else. You want to do it yourself but you’re not sure how to do it properly. Utilise the services of a professional to either assist you one-on-one, or you might find someone running group classes nearby (often in local libraries).
Learn from a professional so you can do it yourself.
They can help give you the research skills (including organising your research and citing your sources), point you to common resources (both general and local), advise on where to invest your genealogy subscription money for the best bang for your particular buck, and answer specific questions to may have. Then you can launch into your new hobby well-armed to build a strong and verified tree.
So there you have it. There are so many ways a professional genealogist may be able to help you kickstart, problem-solve or add depth to your family history. Can you think of any more? Comment below!
Next week, we’ll discuss what you should consider when selecting the right professional to work with, and how to get the best bang for your buck.
