Suggestions

Can we go back to the old layout for searching on censuses?

The new one is unreadable. I've just spent a good half hour trying to use it: it won't filter things out (either the filters don't work or they don't exist - for example, trying to view only the results from the E&W census, not the Scottish). The results are very difficult to read and time-consuming. I'd never really considered leaving Genes Reunited, but I am now because of how difficult you've made actually searching for anything in the last few months.

While we're at it, the location filters were already bad on the BMD records. Not being able to filter down from county-level? Poor. Part of my family is 'Pearson' - not a common name in Hartlepool, but it is across the entirety of County Durham!

I agree with Claire. The previous search method was quicker and easier to use.
Terry

Do not hold your breath

I have no recollection of GR or any other site going back to an older version because it was not liked by some members.

They just love fixing things that are not broken....

Just have to keep tinkering away.......

DazedConfused Ancestry still gives the option of using it's old search or the new one. I always use the old but there is a rumour that this is to be discontinued :-(

TootyFruity, where do I find the option of using the old search method?
Terry

I agree with Terence & Claire that the old search engine was easier to use with good results,

I have also just found out that certain options are no longer available to me under this new layout, to get them back I would have to change my subsciption option. I left Ancestry because I had to pay to view every record, sound familiar. Like Claire i am thinking of leaving because of how difficult it is to search for anything.
I don't mind paying to see a record if i'm 90+% sure of it.

Garry

Garry posted ..............

I left Ancestry because I had to pay to view every record, sound familiar.

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Ancestry has always been a site where you have had to pay in order to view the details of all records, except for the 1881 Census


Most of the helpers buy a subscription to that site so that we can see the records ............ it's much cheaper than pay-for-credits

The same applies to GR and FMP


No site is going to give you free viewing of record details ................... they themselves have had to pay for the transcriptions to be done, and obviously, as businesses, they need to recoup that cost.

Even freebmd cannot offer free viewing of any more than the GRO entry for the registration of a bmd .................. you have to buy the certificate(s) in order to see the details.

Genealogy is not a cheap hobby!

SylviaInCanada
I understand what you are saying and as a member of GR I pay to use their site.
For me the FreeBMD's allowed me to find a relative and check mother maiden name (if given) or other details verifying or not that I am on the right track before buying the certifacate(s) via the GRO supplied. This reduced the cost to me as I am not buying unwanted certs although sometimes this is unavoidable. As the family names i am researching are very, very common here in the Uk. As a family we used to joke that our surname alone took up half the Tel directory.

So are you purchasing certs that are less than 50 years old Garry?

If you do not have the platinum membership then you are only paying to contact other tree owners or to post on the boards

Freebmd is transcribed up to the late 60s in some cases

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

If you want something more recent up to 2005/6 ask on the boards and someone with a subscription to a site will find it for you

Terry

on Ancestry click search, select all records, look on the righthandside of the page below the menu bar and you will see in very small writing "old search" click this and it switches back.

However, I have recently been told that the "old search" will not find the new records. To get around this just select the records collection from the card index and search that way the particular database.

Hi TootyFruity

I followed your instructions and tried on IE and Chrome but I couldn't find "old search".

Can you tell me how to find the " card index" please?

Thanks

Terry

Card Catalogue (list of data collections)
is on the right on the home page

UK census 1911 1901 etc etc then

More Collections

Birth, Marriage & Death, including Parish
Military Records
Immigration & Travel, including Passenger Lists
Card Catalogue (list of data collections) <<<<