I can only compare the joy, wonderment, despair and satisfaction that
I felt when I set out on my genealogy research adventure in a 'serious' way. I say 'adventure' because that it just what it turned out to be. An experience I would
never have wanted to miss.
Everytime a new page opened
on some site or other where I was searching, that little feeling of a butterfly
in my tummy appeared in eager anticipation....that 'Will I find it on this page?' feeling. I know you ALL understand what I mean...
I have only needed to resort to a paid researcher once - and that was because I could not understand how to access the British National Archives for a Military Service record from the mid 1800's. But having found a researcher who 'specialised' in such matters, there was little left to chance and he knew exactly where to look and what to do. The result was that he provided on a CD a full photographic copy, in colour, of the record I required - all 17 pages of it - plus some background on the regiment concerned. It took him five days to turn round my request and I recieved the CD by post four days later. His charge - £38 (€48 or $67US) - now
THAT is reasonable!
But now as I face further research, I want the
enjoyment of doing it myself, all-be-it with the help of people like our own researchers here who will, I know, '
guide me' on what and how to do things. Tha is what makes it all worthwhile for me.
But having said that - I bet that new group will make a 'bomb' before many realise that there are far too many imponderables for them to make any guarantees, and all the while their 'meter will be ticking'!!!