| Getting the Evidence | | | | be used and collected, as I will explain later, but it is |
| Now you are beginning to get a list of names and | | | | only as good as the person who collected it, or |
| dates together you have a place to store them and | | | | transcribed it from records. The original records or |
| things are starting to look like a proper family tree. | | | | official copies are the only real proof. |
| So maybe you do not have all the dates? How can | | | | Getting sight of them and recording the details is |
| you be sure that the information you have is | | | | enough in many cases but sometimes you just have |
| accurate are you sure that the person you have | | | | to have the real thing. It can be frustrating to |
| listed really is the right one? | | | | discover that a promising investigation is not in the |
| I have seen family trees built up around supposition | | | | right direction but at least it eliminates a wild goose |
| and leaps of faith that once you look at them in | | | | chase. |
| more detail do not stand up. Months of work resting | | | | Depending where you are there are various sources |
| on one character in the story ruined. | | | | for this information and the certificates. There are |
| Get Evidence | | | | companies that will do the work for you but will |
| It is important to check as much as you can by | | | | charge you a commission for this. Certainly it is |
| finding, viewing and if necessary buying certificates to | | | | possible here in the UK to request and pay for |
| prove that the information you have is correct. | | | | certificates online which works out much cheaper. |
| Birth, marriage and death records are the most | | | | See Passport and Identity Office |
| accurate way of checking out whether so and so is | | | | You do need to be sure of the details that you are |
| the right person. | | | | requesting to get the right certificate but it is fairly |
| For example you find two people with the same | | | | easy to follow the procedure. A Google search should |
| name born within a relatively short time of each | | | | soon find the relevant office, whichever country you |
| other (very common in some communities) which | | | | are in. |
| one married your ancestor is critical if you are to | | | | I suggest folders and drawer space. You do need |
| follow the right line back further. Only the marriage | | | | somewhere safe to keep the ever growing collection |
| certificate will tell you the right information. | | | | of paperwork. |
| It is a lot of work wasted if you take a guess and | | | | A parting comment before I go, you do back up |
| pick the wrong one, only to find out much later that | | | | data don't you? Of course you do, what a silly |
| they died in infancy! | | | | question to ask. |
| There is a huge amount of information out there to | | | | |