Genealogy Chat

Those of you in the know probably are already aware of this - but I found this today!!

Hertfordshire parish registers to go online

February 24, 2012 by Alan Stewart

Up to four million Hertfordshire baptism, marriage and burial records dating back to 1538 are to be made available online later this year.

The subscription/pay-per-view family history website Find My Past UK has today announced at the Who Do You Think You Are Live Show at Olympia in London the award of a digitisation contract by Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies (HALS).

Find My Past says: “This significant new project will lead to the publication online for the very first time of between 3.5 and four million historic records from the Archives. The fully-searchable records are expected to launch later this year.

“Spanning the years 1538 to 1990 (1910 for baptisms and 1928 for marriages), the records cover parish churches and bishops’ transcripts from the whole of Hertfordshire.

Good news & something to look forward to - I'm hoping to find 2 elusive marriages!! Working on the theory that as Essex borders Herts they may have married there! :-D :-D

WOW thanks!
I have a massive brick wall in Herts. in the mid-18th century. I had just about given up ever being able to break it down.
Better start saving up to pay for credits :-D
There's so little info on Herts. available online.
Can't wait!

Sounds to me like it is could be two edged.

Hertfordshire Names On Line already has Marriages and Wills and other bits of information for FREE at:
http://www.hertsdirect.org/services/leisculture/heritage1/hals/indexes/

I would guess that this could mean that that database will be switched off when FMP take over and start charging? :-S

True enough, but personally I've got everything I can out of HALS and I will be delighted to find births/baptisms and burials even if I have to pay for them.

Glad it's made your day Beverley, I'm hoping that I might get a result too!!

Jeremy, you're probably right about that, remember what happened when the Essex records started digitising it all - no more freebies!!

Yes I remember Sharon
Essex had all the registers prior to 1700 on line for free but now!!!!!

Seems that all Record Offices are tightening their belts

I have a subscription to SEAX as I wanted to investigate some lines in more detail having uncovered fresh evidence but I find that many of the new digitised registers do not come up to scrratch and are virtually impossible to read now that the viewer does no longer allow you to download, sharpen or enlarge the image seen. It is most frustratrating and tiring on the eyes and needs a good maginying glass.

But the reason I mentioned Herts Direct was that you said you were looking for a couple of elusive Marriages.
I was in a similar situatiion to you in looking for a Marriage for my HOLDEN family and I eventually found it ------- at Lambeth of all places...... :-D
My previous searches had all been around the Essex Herts boarder as the firstborn was baptised at Wormley and the second at Waltham Holy Cross.

There....... I have had my moan and I wish you good luck with your research

Regards
Jeremy :-)

Anyone tried to access HALS lately?
I wanted to help a friend out today by looking up an 18th century marriage and every single link to the online names search facility gives an error message :-(

Looks like Jeremy could be right?
I have emailed HALS to ask what is happening with their searches.

Beverley

Well, 'later this year' is nearly up and no sign of the Herts. records.
I had to contact FMP customer support about something else and while writing I asked them when we might expect to see them
Their reply:


"Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any specific date for release of the Hertfordshire Parish records I'm afraid. The records are from an external source and although our customer’s interest is very important to us, we do have to consider the external resource and their wishes also.

However, once we do have dates for release, we will send out a newsletter to our customers advising them of the latest, exciting developments. Please ensure that you are signed up for the newsletter as this is how the announcement will be made."

Doesn't look too promising
:-(

Thanks for the update Beverley. Shame that it's not going to happen soon.