Genealogists lose access to ledgers
Genealogists are furious the British government has locked away more than 150 years' worth of marriage, birth and death records kept on paper in London.
The Family Records Center has permanently shelved the ledgers in favor of an online version which won't be ready before the middle of 2009, if then, The Guardian reported Monday.
In the meantime, genealogists are to make due with a grimy, often unreadable microfiche system, said Maggie Loughran, administrator of the Federation of Family History Societies, who called the situation "deplorable."
Another furious researcher predicted "not even God himself is going to be able to find most of this stuff," the Guardian reported.
The Office for National Statistics is asking for patience until the online index of 250 million births, marriages and deaths is completed.
"It will dramatically improve public access to information of interest to family historians," said a statement from the office. // Copyright 2007 by United Press International
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