welcome to family history research uk
Sources of information
Online records are a very valuable source and can provide a lot of information, particularly if your research is focused on the 19th and 20th centuries. The further back in time we go, the more likely we are to need to look at original records or transcipts, most of which are only available in record offices and archives.online records
Online records consist mainly of indexes which are free to search, some with the possibility to download images of original records at a cost. This can be quite expensive for the individual, but if you ask me to carry out research, I willI include images (where they exist) at no additional cost to you.
Here is an example of search results for Rebecca Rivers in the 1871 census index. I already know that she was born around 1815:
Name Birth Year Age Sex Registration District/Parish County Household Transcript Original census image
RIVERS, Rebecca 1815 56 F Wantage Berkshire VIEW VIEW
RIVERS, Rebecca 1814 57 F Bishop's Stortford Hertfordshire VIEW VIEW
Now I happen to know that the one I want (my great great grandmother) is the one living in Wantage, Berkshire. But suppose I hadn't known that? Or suppose I wanted to know the exact address where she was living and who else was living there with her? I would need to view the Household Transcript (a transcribed copy of the actual census form) and the Original census image. Both these things would cost me money to see - and I might need to look at them for more than one individual, if I wasn't sure which one was 'mine'. And I was lucky in my search example above, because there were only two possibilities - there might be many more than this.
record offices and archives
Not all records are available online, or have even been indexed. It is often necessary to make a trip to a record office or archive, in order to view original records (such as parish registers) on microfilm or microfiche, or even to look the original documents themselves under the supervision of an archivist.
Most of the large national records offices (including The National Archives) are in the London area. I am able to visit these for research purposes as required. I do not charge additional travel costs for visiting any record office or archive that is situated within Greater London.
It may be necessary to visit other record offices or archives in order to carry out research. If that is the case, I will let you know in advance what my travel costs will be, so you can decide whether you wish me to go there or not.
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