LDS family research centre

Qualitymark

Anyone been out there recently? I've tried various phone numbers and found only full mailboxes or ringing-out phones; cycled out there yesterday and the place was shut up tight at a quarter to two; emailed Salt Lake City, who sent them my email address but nary a word.

pinkypinky

We talked about this before. I don't think anyone's had any success getting inside the building. I reckon they're defunct.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=78695057

shanew

there was a query about this on here before - but dont think there was any success... cant remember who it was at the moment, but seem to remember they wanted to access BMD index records for N.I.

Waitsian

shanew wrote: »

there was a query about this on here before - but dont think there was any success... cant remember who it was at the moment, but seem to remember they wanted to access BMD index records for N.I.

It was me Shane, and pinky's correct - the place isn't functioning.

Qualitymark

mod9maple wrote: »

It was me Shane, and pinky's correct - the place isn't functioning.

Hm. Is there any way of finding the originals of records that they've microfilmed?

KildareFan

Qualitymark wrote: »

Hm. Is there any way of finding the originals of records that they've microfilmed?

JOhn Grenham discussed this very issue in last Monday's Irish times at http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/irish-roots-1.1757676

Most of the original RC parish registers are locked away in individual churches and presbyteries - some have been lost. There are microfilms in the National Library of Ireland, but not all registers have been filmed, but at least some of the lost registers were filmed and are available in NLI.

Ancestry.com has put a number of original RC parish baptismal, confirmation and marriage registers online. It's a bit hit and miss but one of the parishes is St Andrew's, Westland Row which accounts for 1000s of Dublin baptisms.

shanew

I believe the OP is looking for Presbyterian records.. so dont think NLI can help

Qualitymark

NLI indeed can't help. They sent me a) to the Registrar's Office in Werburgh Street and b) if that didn't work (which it didn't) to the Mormons.
The Eustace Street Presbyterian chapel was laid down in 1867, I think it was, joining the Unitarian chapel in St Stephen's Green. I suppose they *might* have the Eustace Street records from the 1840s, but somehow I doubt it.
Salt Lake City are kindly looking into the question of the LDS family search centre and have asked me to wait patiently while they do so.
I actually got the LDS Family Research Centre today, and am going there next week.

Waitsian

Qualitymark wrote: »

I actually got the LDS Family Research Centre today, and am going there next week.

You 'got' as in made contact? Fair play. Did SLC supply you with a number or an email or did you just show up and were lucky to find someone there?

Can you ask when you go please how others might make similar arrangements in future? An e-mail address for a contact at the centre perchance, given they have no phone? Or a name and address even for ordinary post maybe.

Qualitymark

mod9maple wrote: »

You 'got' as in made contact? Fair play. Did SLC supply you with a number or an email or did you just show up and were lucky to find someone there?

Can you ask when you go please how others might make similar arrangements in future? An e-mail address for a contact at the centre perchance, given they have no phone? Or a name and address even for ordinary post maybe.

I'll do my best! How it happened: I wanted to call the Land Registry, where I have to go and check a mortgage, but couldn't remember the number I'd used, so I went back through my phone till I found one that looked likely. Rang it, and to my astonishment got through to someone in the LDS, who was in there tidying up. (It was one of the five or so numbers I'd tried before: (01) 830 6684.)

He told me (if I'm remembering right) that officially the times are Monday and Tuesday 10 to 1pm, Wednesday 10 to 2pm, but that the people who staff it are volunteers, and it's better to make an appointment before going in.

Waitsian

Qualitymark wrote: »

It was one of the five or so numbers I'd tried before: (01) 830 6684.

He told me (if I'm remembering right) that officially the times are Monday and Tuesday 10 to 1pm, Wednesday 10 to 2pm, but that the people who staff it are volunteers, and it's better to make an appointment before going in.

Good to know, thanks Q.

Let us know how you get on when you go please, we're curious to know I think. I'd love to get this summer; it's always good to know there's another record repository in Dublin if needed.

Qualitymark

mod9maple wrote: »

Good to know, thanks Q.

Let us know how you get on when you go please, we're curious to know I think. I'd love to get this summer; it's always good to know there's another record repository in Dublin if needed.

I certainly will.

Jellybaby1

Qualitymark wrote: »

....I actually got the LDS Family Research Centre today, and am going there next week.

I never cease to be amazed on this forum, but this is miraculous! Well done you for 'getting' someone. You must be the first success here to get anyone at the LDS centre. If you check through the threads you will see many here have fallen in the face of closed doors and answerless telephones.

P.S. I also need Presbyterian records.

Qualitymark

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

P.S. I also need Presbyterian records.

Try phoning (01) 830 6684 on Tuesday between, say, 10.30 and 12.30; with any luck there'll be someone there.

Dun

Why don't you contact the Derry FHC centre - details are available through the familysearch.org site. They're open consistent with the opening hours on the site, I can see because it's just around the corner from where I live, though the last time I was there it was every other Monday, not every Monday that they were open, and that wasn't on the site. Anyhow, they might have a notion about the Dublin office.

Qualitymark

Dun, read the last few posts. Dublin's been contacted.

Qualitymark

Finally caught them open. Arrived and the man there said "We're just closing."
"Is it two already?" I asked, astonished.
"We close at one today." It was twenty past twelve. "But you might be able to have a quick look."
I produced the printout from their own website, and he said "Ah, 1840s, we only have records from [I think it was] 1851. You can order those and the microfilm will be shipped over."
"OK, can I do that?"
"No, you'll have to do it through the website, LDS.org. There's a fee of around a tenner, I think."
At this stage I regret to say that I was rude enough to slam out of the place. I'm a bad person. But it was my fourth visit and first to find the place open; the opening hours are different to those listed on the website, and I expected to find the records various Irish bodies have allowed the Mormons to photograph actually accessible.
Edit: Nor can I find "order film" on either the lds.org or the familysearch.org site.
Edit eile: a Google search citing the site found this https://familysearch.org/films/

Jellybaby1

Pretty bad show. Thought you were on to something there. I wonder how they can get away with such poor service and lack of respect to callers.

Qualitymark

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Pretty bad show. Thought you were on to something there. I wonder how they can get away with such poor service and lack of respect to callers.

Well, staffer wasn't disrespectful, just ho-hum, and is a volunteer, and I wouldn't have been so hacked off except that I'm researching for a book, and this cert is one for a family of 6 (of which she's the mother); other families involved have 12 and 6 children… so it's more annoying to have this one small detail elude me yet again.

Very weird that they don't have historic microfilm in the country it concerns, and a backup in Salt Lake City, though.

Waitsian

Sorry to hear that Q. It's a real shame.

Qualitymark

Further - what a kludge that familysearch.org site is. I had already found the record with microfilm number; to try to order it, I have to find it again. This time the site says "No records found".

Finally re-found it by taking away several of the person's names. Then I went to order the film, or at least to find out how much ordering it would cost.

The instructions for ordering on familysearch.org/films/ say that you should click the shopping basket to add the number. Ain't no shopping basket on the page, mate.

pinkypinky

I hope you're going to send a feedback email to the LDS about your experience.

Qualitymark

pinkypinky wrote: »

I hope you're going to send a feedback email to the LDS about your experience.

I've emailed them and asked them how to order through the website, and also asking why material relating to Ireland should be kept abroad. I'm sure they'll say it's because of it taking up room; but if it's possible to move the microfilm to a hard drive they could have millions of records on one tiny drive.

L1011

If the film is scanned it should be put up on the keying tool so it's on familysearch.org rather than just centres.

Qualitymark

MYOB wrote: »

If the film is scanned it should be put up on the keying tool so it's on familysearch.org rather than just centres.

I think they're gradually getting people to transcribe the film and putting it online.

pinkypinky

My understanding is that all the microfilms are stored in Salt Lake City, and then loaned out as needed to different Family History Centres.

Qualitymark

Well, that wasn't the impression I got - the volunteer in the family research centre said they had them, but just not that early.

L1011

pinkypinky wrote: »

My understanding is that all the microfilms are stored in Salt Lake City, and then loaned out as needed to different Family History Centres.

Some films are copied and in multiple centres. Emphasis on "some" - considering how many they have!

Qualitymark

According to the sign on the (indoor) door, by the way, the opening times are - I hope I have this right:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 10-1
Thursday 10-2

pedroeibar1

@Qualitymark - Seems then that you are unlikely to be a potential recruit / convert.........;)

Qualitymark

Further… having gone in to the Glasnevin LDS Family Centre, and been told that the birthdate (1843) was too early, I signed up with an account on familysearch.org, and searched for the film number, then paid €8 to borrow it. I've just got an email to say it's pending, and when I followed up on that, another to say it has to be copied, and this could take 90 days.
I've just asked them if other people can also look at the film when it's here, or if it goes straight back once I've consulted it.

Edit: here's the reply I got:

Once your film is at the center it is there for like 60 to 90 days and anyone else who may be interested in viewing the film may view it while it's there.

Sincerely
support@familysearch.org

So I'll post it here when the film arrives. The film number is 0100238.

danger mouse

Hi sounds like you guys haven't been having it easy getting down to the family History center.

This should help some what

The Consultant Librarian Genealogist's name is Philip Clarke His Number is 0868799589

His Email address is elder.clarke@hotmail.co.uk

The church has called a new full time Senior missionary couple to over see family history in the whole island of Ireland. So there will be changes for the better over the coming months. Family history centers are for everyone not just for latter Day saints. We love people to come down and use this facility when they can. Families are so important and learning about or ancestors can tell us so much and can be loads of fun too.

Qualitymark

This is great news.

However, I think it would be a good thing if the Mormons gave copies of the Irish records they hold to the Irish State. It is not right that someone seeking records of Irish people should have to apply to have them temporarily sent from Salt Lake City to Ireland.

L1011

Qualitymark wrote: »

This is great news.

However, I think it would be a good thing if the Mormons gave copies of the Irish records they hold to the Irish State. It is not right that someone seeking records of Irish people should have to apply to have them temporarily sent from Salt Lake City to Ireland.

In the majority of cases, they got said records from the State and the State still has the originals. They just haven't microfilmed them and are likely to actually end up scanning/transcribing them instead, eventually.

I imagine they'd be very willing to provide copies of whatever they have film of that we don't have either film or originals anymore

Qualitymark

In the cases where they didn't get records from the State, but from religious organisations, though - which includes all records of births, marriages and deaths before 1864 - copies of the microfilm should be given to the Irish State.

pinkypinky

Well, in the case of parish records, they have also gotten them from the State, since they microfilmed the registers in the National Library. Many of the reels show they that were done by the LDS.

Qualitymark

Yet when I went to the National Library looking for Presbyterian records from the 1840s, they told me they hadn't got them…?

pinkypinky

I meant RC parish records.

Coolnabacky1873

danger mouse wrote: »

We love people to come down and use this facility when they can.

Hi dangermouse, are you involved in an official capacity?

If so, can you give us all an overview of the workings, hours, any permanent loans at the center? Thanks.

Qualitymark

By the way, how do you exclude prison results from the familysearch.org search? Half the time searches get infested with them, the other half they don't, and I can't see what I'm doing differently.

Coolnabacky1873

Qualitymark wrote: »

By the way, how do you exclude prison results from the familysearch.org search?

The easiest thing to do is select the specific database and then search in that. Start here, on the Ireland page.

Alternatively, if you are searching from the main search area, there is a tab above "Search Results from Historical Records" called 'Collections'. Click on that and you can include/exclude databases for which your name of interest has been found in.

Qualitymark

Hmm. There don't seem to be baptisms after 1881 there. When you were talking about 'RC' records, did you mean Catholic? Do you have Catholic baptism records for 1910-20?

Also, I can go into the link you give, but I can't see anywhere there to enter name, birthdate, etc when searching…?

Edit - Ah, I realise what it is; you have to click each of the collections individually to search. Oof.

pinkypinky

The NLI does not have baptisms (or any RC records) for that 1910-20 period, with some exceptions - so what the LDS has will be the same. The parish records on rootsireland go a little later because they were done from the original records in individual parishes.

Qualitymark

I'm not aware of the National Library keeping any baptism records whatsoever.

danger mouse

Coolnabacky1873 wrote: »

Hi dangermouse, are you involved in an official capacity?

If so, can you give us all an overview of the workings, hours, any permanent loans at the center? Thanks.

Im a Member of the church. The building that has the family history centre in it has my local ward too. I can find out some info on them questions. Im doing my own family tree at the minute. So any info I can find out ill pass onto you guys too. Give me a few days and ill get back to you with them answers.

Coolnabacky1873

Qualitymark wrote: »

I'm not aware of the National Library keeping any baptism records whatsoever.

You'll save yourself a lot of wasted hours by having a good read of the sticky on this forum and either Claire Santry's Irish Genealogy Toolkit website or John Grenham's Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, 4th edition.

An understanding of why records were created and where they are is really helpful when doing genealogy. It can take a while to get your head around them all, but definitely worth it.