TOP TEN TIPS FOR AVOIDING A BRICK WALL

During my work, I am regularly reminded of the expression ‘prevention is better than cure’, as many of the brick walls I’ve been asked to research on behalf of clients turn out to be self-inflicted. So, what are the actions that family historians can take to avoid building these frustrating obstacles in the first place? My ‘top ten’ recommendations, in no particular order, are:

1. Be methodical, record all searches and re-trace your steps to spot errors.

2. Scrutinise original documents where possible, as they often contain include vital clues not captured by digitised indexes.

3. Ensure that you extract all relevant information from expensive certificates of birth, marriage and death. In my experience, the value of named witnesses and informants is often overlooked.

4. Regularly revisit online record sets, the volume and scope of which continues to grow exponentially.

5. Take time to understand the purpose for which records were created and their reach. For example, it was for some time my misconception that manorial records spanned a period pre-dating the 17th century. Discovering that certain manorial records were maintained until the 1925 Law of Property Act opened up fresh lines of enquiry in my own family history research and led to the discovery of ancestors in manorial court records created as recently as 1922.

6. Embrace the power of search engines and social media sites. I have encountered genealogists who do not regard the likes of Google, Facebook and Twitter as serious research aids; however, I have found them very productive in client research.

7. Seek input from others, including family history groups, online discussion forums, search room assistants at local archives, and non-genealogists.

8. Don’t allow your research to be influenced by a ‘desired outcome’ e.g. to prove a rumoured link with celebrity or royalty. Rather, let the facts dictate the story.

9. Create timelines to help expose gaps and potential flaws in your research.

10. Use card catalogues (both online and physical) to help narrow search options.