Pictures of England

Search:

Historic Towns & Picturesque Villages

Market day in Wells

Wells

in the county of Somerset

Bridgend looking towards Garw valley

Bridgend

in the county of Bridgend

A picture of RyeBath AbbeyA picture of Bath AbbeyBag End?A picture of Barton Le ClayA picture of Barton Le Clay

Brits annoyed by Americans interested in geneology?

**Please support PoE by donating today - thank you**
 
David Seager
David Seager
Posts: 77
Joined: 22nd Feb 2010
Location: USA
quotePosted at 21:35 on 20th March 2012
Be brutally honest: am I likely to get any kind of favorable response from a British subject as an American, when inquiring about my alleged relatives in England? Myself, I'd be thrilled, but a couple letters sent to people with my surname in my ancestral homeland were not answered.  Should I give up?  Am I, to the average Brit, just one of those annoying American geneology freaks?
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
cathyml
cathyml
Posts: 23275
Joined: 25th Jan 2010
Location: South Africa
quotePosted at 21:48 on 20th March 2012

I would doubt that they would think that! Hundreds of thousands of Brits also are avid family history chasers too!   But a letter out of the blue might be seen with a little suspicion especially if they have no knowledge of you or your family history, or conversely have not delved into their history so don't know of any branch who went to America!!

I can't say I am really surprised that you didn't receive replies to your letters.  1. They might not be interested.  2.  They have no idea who you are or how you fit the family profile!  3.  Who writes letters anymore anyway?

I think I would be inclined to delve deeper into obtaining the correct information to ascertain who your surviving relatives might be.  There are births, marriages and deaths on FreeBMD up to relatively recent date, and  you may well be able to discover more detailed information! 

My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
David Seager
David Seager
Posts: 77
Joined: 22nd Feb 2010
Location: USA
quotePosted at 21:50 on 20th March 2012
Did that.  I can name names!  No results.  And I provide an easy email link!

Edited by: David Seager at:20th March 2012 21:51
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
James Prescott
James Prescott
Posts: 25953
Joined: 11th Jan 2010
Location: UK
quotePosted at 21:51 on 20th March 2012

i for one david would not mind at all helping anyone to trace their roots/ancestors --in fact we have a very good chap on this site who has helped many americans to trace their relatives from years ago.

dont give up david just add some details i am sure someone will take note and come up with something to your advantage.Smile

My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
David Seager
David Seager
Posts: 77
Joined: 22nd Feb 2010
Location: USA
quotePosted at 21:53 on 20th March 2012
I'd like to go beyond the ancestor part, too: I'd like to correspond with living relatives with common ancestors.  It would be such a wonderful thing to re-establish contact with family!
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
Paul HiltonPremier Member - Click for more info
Paul Hilton
Posts: 2605
Joined: 21st Nov 2004
Location: UK
quotePosted at 22:25 on 20th March 2012

Well you did get a reply on Poe within 4 hours of your initial enquiry and you also mentioned thanks to Cathy you managed to get in touch with one family member over here; hopefully, they also added more from what they knew too. It's a shame that others didn't reply to your letters and may have been wary of your cold calling, but even so......

But, also I used to get a similar responses from car clubs and military units in the US----no reply, or how much is it worth to you for us to reply to your query?, or my information is incorrect. It wasn't, their records are incorrect.

One lady I wrote to about her father in WW2 at least had the courtesy to reply I didn't know what I was talking about as her father never mentioned the incident he was involved in. End of correspondence and she'll now not know later this year her father's collegues  names will be on a new memorial being unveiled in their honour, due to my research of a long forgotten incident in 1944 which, as it happens, also ended up being sent to the White House as well.

Equally, I've had many success stories; made new lifetime friends in the US; have standing invitations to visit some any time I wish as they now count me as part of their family; some of whom I've had the pleasure to meet when they came over here to find out more abut their family background. Other people on Poe asking about their family history have also connected with others due to posting here.

So, I could equally ask----aren't US car clubs interested in the history of their make or US military units interested in the history of their former collegues killed over here?

You'll find all types David, doing historial research and hopefully you'll have more successes than dis-interested people as you go along. 



Edited by: Paul Hilton at:20th March 2012 23:01
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
David Seager
David Seager
Posts: 77
Joined: 22nd Feb 2010
Location: USA
quotePosted at 00:07 on 21st March 2012
Oh yes, I did get one reply, but no return to my follow up letter.  I didn't mean this as a criticism but I was hopeful for continuing correspondence.  But the guy was elderly and perhaps didn't want to bother.  Several other letters got no response.
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
Paul HiltonPremier Member - Click for more info
Paul Hilton
Posts: 2605
Joined: 21st Nov 2004
Location: UK
quotePosted at 01:19 on 21st March 2012
I can see wher you're coming from David. I'll PM you with some ideas that might help.
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
Ron Brind
Ron Brind
Posts: 19044
Joined: 26th Oct 2003
Location: England
quotePosted at 08:37 on 21st March 2012

I think its about the lack of time generally David but you know the one man that may help you (as he has many other POE members) is Paul.

Paul is a very generous guy with his time and this subject for others, so hang on in there I suspect you will get all the help you need from him.

A really good and clever guy. On top of that he takes some fantastic pictures....thanks again Paul! Well done mate...

My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions
David Seager
David Seager
Posts: 77
Joined: 22nd Feb 2010
Location: USA
quotePosted at 13:54 on 21st March 2012
Thanks to all!
My favourite: Pictures  |  Towns  |  Attractions