ENG-LIVERPOOL-L Archives

Archiver > ENG-LIVERPOOL > 2001-06 > 0991498060


From: "shirley" <>
Subject: Re: [ENG-LIV] Re: familysearch.org
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 17:07:40 +0100
References: <70.b1d790d.284a3e69@aol.com> <008a01c0eb6b$b382dda0$edb43bcb@oemcomputer>


Well said
----- Original Message -----
From: David Armstrong <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2001 2:55 PM
Subject: [ENG-LIV] Re: familysearch.org


G'day everyone

The anonymous sender of the previous message displays an unfortunate lack of
knowledge on how the familysearch.org facility works.

Most of you will be aware that familysearch.org is the website for the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, more often known as the
Mormons. For theological reasons into which I won't go, the Mormons are
required to research their ancestry. To help them do this, the Mormon
Church has microfilmed records of genealogical value wherever and whenever
they can get their hands upon them.

They have done more to preserve the world's records than any other
organisation, whether government or otherwise.

The Quid Pro Quo for having access to these records is to throw their
Library doors open to the public around the world. Sitting here in
Australia, I can go to my local LDS Library and order microfilm copies of
English Church Registers or Census Records etc etc.

Another by-product is the IGI or International Genealogical Index.
Technically this is an Index to Mormon Temple Records, which just happens to
double up as a Genealogical Index of great value. The IGI is the core of
the familysearch database (which I believe is well on the way to receiving
its 100 billionth hit).

Theological disagreements with the owners of various Church Registers has
meant that the Mormons have not had access to some records. (Somerset was
largely filmed in the late 1980s, and some 25% or so of Cumbria was out of
bounds in the 1960s for these reasons.). So perhaps the lack of Cheshire
records on familysearch has more to do with the Bishop of Chester than the
Mormons? Another more modern reason is that Archives are now realising the
commercial value of their holdings and would rather make money from them
than allow than allow the Mormons to disseminate the information virtually
free of charge.

By the way the Mormon website is free, and in their Libraries you are only
charged for photocopying, and postage and packing for the microfilms to be
sent to your local library (A$6.00 or +/- US$3.00 or +/- £2.00 here in
Perth).

The Origins Net site does not give you access to English Civil Registration
Certificates (The Scots Origins one does).

The Mormons have been helping Family Historians long before Computers and
the Internet became available to the ordinary Genealogist. So please don't
slag them anonymously. Have the **** to say who you are, and if you have a
criticism, state it properly without shooting from the hip.

My stake in this? For the past 10 years, I've been a non-Church member
volunteer librarian for the Mormons.

Regards
David,
Perth, Western Australia


----- Original Message -----
From: <>
To: <>
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2001 9:04 PM
Subject: Re: [ENG-LIV] BIRTH CERTIFICATE REQUESTS


> A chap at The Society of Genealogists told me you can know search for and
> download copy details of certificates on the Internet. But it costs £6 for
30
> searches (Credit card) but you can only download 6 certificates I think
(You
> only get 24 hours access too for each £6) I have been to the site and in
> theory it looks like it works but I have not yet used it. The other useful
> thing is that it includes Scottish records. unlike the FRC. The address is
> www.origins.net so rather than wait weeks you can in theory get the
> certificate details next day. If anyone has tried it or does try it let us
> know if it works unlike the IGI site www.family search.org. This site has
not
> worked for any of my Cheshire searches no matter how accurate the details.
It
> is obviously very limited in its coverage bot the origins site looks more
> hopeful.
> Regards
>
>
> ==== ENG-LIVERPOOL Mailing List ====
>



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