How to make your own family searches on-line

Whilst Mike Parcell avoids computer use apart from research via a search engine, he sent me a letter with instructions as to how to make your own family searches. As he admitted, it is somewhat ironic that he is offering tips on using the internet! I feel sure that this has been conceived because of the number of queries building up in Parcell’s Postings!

There is, without doubt a most remarkable resource at The Weald.org and it would be very much more sensible if our enquirers were to do some of their own research before contacting the History Group.

Having looked through Mike’s instructions I have added them with one or two alterations and I have then provided a simpler approach to get to the same places. However, the minimal computer user may find Mike’s suggestions more straight forward whereas more comfortable computer users will doubtless go for my approach. Both are set out below:

Tips for Family Historians from Mike Parcell – an occasional computer user.

1) a. Type into Google or your search engine “the weald.org”
b. Click onto “the history, genealogy and topography “ This covers the Weald of Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
c. At the top of the page is a list of Parishes. Note that at the end of the list is “more places”. Click on the Parish you require.
d. Scroll up till small maps appear. Click onto the one of interest and an enlarged version appears, some with a list of items such as houses etc. (This list may be below the maps) Click one and the Census Returns for that property will come up and if you click on to any name a complete family history is shown. The map can be moved in any direction.
e. Scroll a little further to see a comprehensive list of roads, houses etc. Click on the one of interest for a Census Return. Many houses and farms have changed their names over the years.

2) a. Type in the search engine “the weald census directory”
b. Click on to reveal a vast list of Census Returns and Directory entries.
c. Click on to the ones of interest.

3) a. Type in the search engine “Genealogy – The Weald” and click
b. On the right is the alphabet, so click on to the initial letter of the name you require.
c. A list of names will appear but note that to see ALL the names you need to click on to the instruction at the top of the list
d. Click on to your chosen name for more information on that individual. Any name that is blue can be searched.

Tips for Family Historians who are happy using the computer!
(Essentially this is simply a quicker route with direct links.)

1) Click on this link http://theweald.org
At the top you will find a list of places and note there is a ‘more places’ link at the end so click on whichever place or Parish interests you.
Immediately below the introduction is a search facility covering the Property database and the Names database that you can search directly.
Below this are the Maps of the Weald any of which can be enlarged and viewed and below these are typical pictures that will show those relevant to whichever place you clicked on at the top.

2) If you want to go directly to the surname search click on: http://www.theweald.org/a00.asp
On the right is an alphabetical list and once you have picked your letter and then the name you will be able to see how many people with the exact and similar names exist on the record. Search!

3) If you want to look at the census and other directory records click on: http://www.theweald.org/hcensus.asp