CORNISH-L Archives

Archiver > CORNISH > 1998-11 > 0910043672


From: "Ian Argall" <>
Subject: RE: Report on CFHS AGM, please!!
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 1998 21:54:32 -0000


May I assume that the writer is located outside the UK? I cannot understand what is exected from a Society which is a free association (well apart from the subs.) of like-minded individuals. Is it expected that a Society actually does family history research for you, or to aid and help you obtain the information on your forebears that you are looking for. It does not have the resources to do the former

I am not addressing the Information technology aspects, as this is really a different subject, but to protest that the help that the CFHS has given over its 22 years of existence is being ignored or discounted. It is out of all proportion to the arguments on what it should be doing now. Its £3 charge for enquiries is one of the lowest of any UK County FHS, and has not changed in at least 8 years; it barely covers the postage charges. The CFHS has been amassing data for years and that is available as is clearly stated in its Journals. The Society is the second most numerous of any UK County FHS, with 5000 paid up members. On this basis it will never be possible to please all its members all of the time.

It is quite wrong to expect the CFHS to be a net supplier of information it has gathered; rather it should be seen as a source of help and guidance to researchers whose families originated, or came from, Cornwall.

Ian Argall (in England)
ARGALL One-name Study
700 years in Cornwall
GOONS #2081, SOG #18105, CFHS #5418, HFHS #644


> -----Original Message-----
> From: kathleen [mailto:]
> Sent: 02 November 1998 01:49
> To:
> Subject: Fw: Report on CFHS AGM, please!!
>
>
>
> >
> >If the society isn't even going to address the subject, why should I
> or
> >anyone else online, care to join??
> >
> >Sandy
> >
>
>
> At the risk of another arguement, I really have to agree. I can
> understand no money or no staff, but no interest? I won't be joining
> again unless something changes. Every request I have made as a member
> has been answered with an exceedingly polite request for money and the
> statement that they do not do individual research. I don't think
> asking only for specific names on a *supposed computer data base* is
> individual research but I may not understand their definition of the
> term. Someone wrote to the List saying what great help she received.
> Maybe she just got to a *good* volunteer? Frankly I could do with
> fewer "warmest regards" and a little more information.
>
> I put this on the List only to see if I am the only one with a skewed
> view or if others have had the same difficulties. How were these
> problems resolved? I'd like to support Cornish history, but with my
> exceedingly limited resources, I'd also like to get information back
> from my investment!!
> ...Kathleen
>

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