Hi Peggy, Somewhat against my better judgement I have been tempted to become drawn into this thorny little issue of why it is not easy to access PRONI records, as it is a topic which has come up before and, perhaps with the addition of the word PRONI to the title, this thread will be seen by those few people who actually do access the archives in the future.
I agree with most everything that Len and Elwyn have said, though I would be reluctant to say anything detrimental about the LDS, which has been instrumental in assisting me to find vast numbers of ancestors over the years. I suspect if any of them tried to baptise Granny Gray, aka the redoubtable Ginny McClements, they would receive a rude awakening and may even be Presbyterians themselves by now. But I do fully endorse the warning that all of our clergymen are overworked and underpaid and have more to do with their time than chase dead ancestors. Similarly, as a state funded body, there is only so much that PRONI can transcribe or digitise and put onto the internet. In fact, it is unfortunate that the LDS are not given access to church records, especially the Church of Ireland records, which as Elwyn points out, are state owned, because they would have them online in short order. However, let me add something new to the conversation. Why is it so hard to find anyone who will take on paid research at PRONI? Like at least half a dozen other amateur family historians I know in the west Tyrone and east Donegal area, who are well capable of doing such research, I never offer to do it because of the exorbitant amount of money I would have to charge. Including the expense of travelling to Belfast and the whole day off other work that it would require, £100 would not cover the cost. Likewise, a professional genealogist living nearer to Belfast would need at least 3 or 4 hours to travel into the city, trawl the records and write up the results, costing again in excess of £100. No-one wants to pay that and it sounds greedy to ask for it. I DO carry out such research for some individuals but only as part of a much wider research project. Sorry I cannot be more helpful. Regards, Boyd https://www.facebook.com/westulstergenealogy/ https://familytrees.genopro.com/boydgray26/ On 25 June 2017 at 08:10, Len Swindley <len_swind...@hotmail.com> wrote: > Hello again Peggy; > > > > You are correct; the Kildress parish records (Church of Ireland), Co. > Tyrone, were sent to PRONI, Belfast, for microfilming (this is the same for > churches of almost all denominations and their congregations throughout > Ulster); this is preferable for local clergy and parish secretaries who are > easily overwhelmed with genealogical enquiries from North America. > Genealogical research is not their role. > > > > There are no indexes to the expansive Kildress records (and none online at > no cost) and to request the staff at PRONI to undertake a complete search > would come at a prohibitive cost. Upon request, they will provide a list of > accredited researchers who regularly extract data from records for you to > contact. > > . > > Church of Ireland (and also Presbyterian) records have not been made > available to the LDS (PRONI only). > > > > For the interest of listers, the PRONI microfilmed Kildress records held > in Belfast are: > > Baptisms 1794-1920 > > Marriages 1794-1923 > > Burials 1828-1894 > > Vestry minutes 1709-1806 > > Tithes due 1737 > > > > Hope this clarifies matters and assists, > > Len Swindley, Melbourne, Australia > > > > > > > > Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for > Windows 10 > > > > *From: *MPGish inQB. <pbg...@yahoo.ca> > *Sent: *Saturday, 24 June 2017 2:59 PM > *To: *Len Swindley <len_swind...@hotmail.com>; > CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com > *Subject: *Follow up to 'How do I access these records, please?' > > > > Hi and thank you everyone who has commented. > > I'm still somewhat confused! > > Len, am I correct in understanding the only way to see these Church of > Ireland records is to visit PRONI in person? > > Does PRONI have an on-line index where I can check if there are any > records for my ancestors? > > ( or can I hire someone to go there and search? Does anyone know what it > costs to have someone do this or does PRONI offer such a service?) > > Does any company offer theseCh. of I. records on-line by subscription > etc., > > or can I order them in microfilm via the LDS sites? > > Thank you! > > Peggy Vancouver Island, BC, Canada > > (Grandaughter of a Medical Dr. who was born at Unagh near Cookstown and > came to Canada 1911.) > > > > > > *Thank you, Peggy in Canada* > > *pbg...@yahoo.ca <pbg...@yahoo.ca> (NOT.com)* > > > > > > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > CoTyroneList mailing list > CoTyroneList@cotyroneireland.com > http://lists.cotyroneireland.com/mailman/listinfo/cotyronelist > >
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