[Nell]

Many years ago, when I was a young teen, I asked my Mum and then my Dad what they knew about their ancestors and did a simple family tree on paper.

I got back into it when the census was released online and promptly crashed due to too many users. While online I discovered that the 1881 census transcript and lots of parish records were available free on Family Search. I joined Genes Reunited and asked questions there and met up with people at various London-based records offices/archives including the mind-blowing National Archives at Kew. I did get a few books but mainly I found trial, error and learning from others was the best way. Once I grasped the idea that transcripts are full of errors and got better at deciphering florid handwriting I moved forwards.

I have made a few wrong turns but am fairly sure that what I have now in my tree and my ex's is robust.

Of course so much more is available online, but nothing compares to the thrill, after toiling through lots of microfilm and spewing it all over the floor, of finding that elusive baptism/marriage/burial.