Ancestry frustration

[Ammanda Schutz]

I hope a kindly researcher can set me on the correct path.
Why can't I get Ancestry to cough up returns by family name from a certain place?
eg looking for James family from Romsey, Hampshire with no year specified.

It is probably an imbecility of mine but I am unable to get anywhere except the short distance to frustration. grrrrr!

[Sabrina]

Does this help Ammanda?

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...uidh=976&cp=11

[kiterunner]

Make sure you're using the "old search" and then click on "Advanced Search", then when the screen comes up, put James in the surname box and Romsey in the keywords box.

[Ammanda Schutz]

Yes, thank you, both. Getting somewhere now.

[kiterunner]

Wow, I'm so glad you asked that, Ammanda. I tested it out on one of my family surnames and places and found a burial I'd been looking for for years!

[Ammanda Schutz]

I am so glad that my flailing about has led to something of use to you. Some of my people are such blank slates that I use the shot gun approach and sometimes it even works!

[ElizabethHerts]

What period in Romsey are you looking at, Amanda?
Any specific names?

[Ammanda Schutz]

I am looking for William James who was born 'Southampton' about 1817. All I know of him is that he was convicted and transported to NSW and all of the court documents and transportation records put his birth close to 1817. When he died no parents are mentioned on his death cert.
I struck on Romsey because it is where his co-conspirators were living at the time of his conviction. As I have nothing much else to go on I thought I would check for a James family living there and having children at about the same time. Long shot I know but I have had no joy with Southhampton records.
This is a totally new discovery for me, that fact that he was transported, so I am just starting to get my feet wet.