General Chat

Can anyone tell me why I am only getting 1984 - 2005 on Ancestry when I am searching for births pre 1984? I am new to the site and appear to making an awful pigs ear of it.

isn't there a section for births pre 1984?
catherine
xx

I am so lost with it to be honest Catherine my patience is wearing thing - I cant get anything to work on it.

I know its me as the user as so many people recommend it and FTM but I tried to watch the Tutorial but the American Woman doing it made me so cross I had to switch it off.

There is 2 sections for bdm
1 is up 1984
2 1984-2005

I assume that you are having problems with the bit beween around 1920-1983.

To access
Go to the normal search page marked "Search for records about your ancestors"
Scroll down a little until you see "Birth, Marriage & Death" on the right & click on this
Scroll down again until you see a second scroll bar towwards the centre of your screen
Use this second scroll bar to find ****"England & Wales Birth Index 1837-1983"**** & click on this.
MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT select "England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index: 1837-1983 - Free Index - Updated!"

You should now be able to access all births but the snag is they are not indexes so you will have to search 1/4 by 1/4 for each year.

Now input the surname I've given you, change the 1/4 to the one I've given you & input the year.

lol maybe try it when your in the mood-
Know what you mean Eadie McCready off Balamory is doing me head in today, yet normally can put up with her-and neighbours doing jobs instead of having a lie in

maybe I should go back to the bite ya tongue thread
c
xx

Thanks Claire and Skirrell - but how accurate are they - I cant even find my own birth?

about 95%

I did find mine but I find Findmypast a lot easier to use

good luck

skwirrel

LOL Catherine - I got so annoyed with it yesterday I gave up on it - but this morning curiousity killed the cat and all that. I will learn to like and love FTM and Ancestry - but I dont think Ill be giving up my GR subs just yet. At least GR whilst basic is idiot proof.

Maddie if you follow what I've written, you should be able to find yourself. If you can't it's either my instructions (likely) or you haven't been born yet!

Don't forget if you were born towards the end of a 1/4 say 20 March, your birth may have been registered in the next 1/4 (Apr-Jun)

If you are a december baby you will appear Q1 the next year

skwirrel

OK I have found the pre 1984 but cant find the birth. I have the birth name and date of a rele that was adopted - would it be as she was adopted I cant find it? I have notes that tell me what her first middle and surname was.

ok will attempt to find myself again - that should be an easier challenge - I have a birth cert and an apology letter from the french letter company lol so know I was born :)

The main problem is that if a name was added after they were added to the bottom of the page out of sequence so when this happens some pages are missed.

Nope I def dont exist - there is no one with my name at all even if its not me - ditto for my sister!

Maddie you are welcome to PM me your details & I will have a look for you

Likewise, happy to look for you , send me your details -or that of your sister - in a pm

Thanks Minnie and Claire - I may take you up when I get really stuck. I am v private about these things so hope its a user issue and I will find my way round. I have found my marriage so technically I should be able to find my birth and that of those I am looking for.

Maddie I compeletly understand. Try for a distant Aunt or cousin, maybe even someone that you know that is now deceased. If you can't find them PM one us the info & we can try them.

Maddie I've PM'd you one of mine to try out.