Family History

Yes I remember now - looking on FindMyPast a couple of years ago for a great-great uncle who was in the Navy and disappeared. The weird thing was, I eventually discovered him buried in a churchyard half an hour from where I live - no where near where he originated from.  When I began investigating the people who lived in his village of burial, I found two families related to his mother - a connection! I had one of those punching the air moments that you describe.

There has been a lot of discussion about the actual transcription of the Censuses. Having to read through the actual censuses of a whole village/town/community is not unusual - when you can't find someone in the transcriptions. Some of the transcriptions of names are very 'inventive' aren't they - like you I've read names on the documents that obviously read as they should be, but the transcription is way out.

Another thing is the people left out altogether. For years I was unable to find the birth registration of one of my grand-fathers  - almost gave up in the end. I thought perhaps I'd got the name wrong somehow or the spelling or the place of birth. Then I decided to go through the actual documents and he was there - he had been missed out by the transcriber.

Following that I lost his wife - my grand-mother - on the 1901 census. After much lateral thinking I found her ninety miles away from where I expected her to be, transcribed with the wrong age and a very mis-spelt surname. Another Yippeee there!

Your experience with finding William Brady shows the importance of looking at the wider family - not just the direct line you descend from, but of the brothers and sisters of each of your ancestors as well. If you don't do that it is the research equivalent of wearing blinkers. You have to be very 'open minded' and inventive with this sort of research, don't you?

Yes I remember now - looking on FindMyPast a couple of years ago for a great-great uncle who was in the Navy and disappeared. The weird thing was, I eventually discovered him buried in a churchyard half an hour from where I live - no where near where he originated from.  When I began investigating the people who lived in his village of burial, I found two families related to his mother - a connection! I had one of those punching the air moments that you describe.

There has been a lot of discussion about the actual transcription of the Censuses. Having to read through the actual censuses of a whole village/town/community is not unusual - when you can't find someone in the transcriptions. Some of the transcriptions of names are very 'inventive' aren't they - like you I've read names on the documents that obviously read as they should be, but the transcription is way out.

Another thing is the people left out altogether. For years I was unable to find the birth registration of one of my grand-fathers  - almost gave up in the end. I thought perhaps I'd got the name wrong somehow or the spelling or the place of birth. Then I decided to go through the actual documents and he was there - he had been missed out by the transcriber.

Following that I lost his wife - my grand-mother - on the 1901 census. After much lateral thinking I found her ninety miles away from where I expected her to be, transcribed with the wrong age and a very mis-spelt surname. Another Yippeee there!

Your experience with finding William Brady shows the importance of looking at the wider family - not just the direct line you descend from, but of the brothers and sisters of each of your ancestors as well. If you don't do that it is the research equivalent of wearing blinkers. You have to be very 'open minded' and inventive with this sort of research, don't you?