RESEARCH IN COUNTY RECORD OFFICES
In the course of my researches into Bottrill history, I have personally visited the record offices of Shropshire, Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and the National Archives in London.. The staffs have always been helpful.
You can do a lot on the internet, but you only get what someone else has
put on. For the real nitty-gritty of your ancestors - inheritance squabbles, illegitimate births etc, you need to consult actual documents in situ. This is the best way to do hands-on research, although it's a bit daunting at first finding your way around. If you don't have the opportunity to do this yourself, most record offices will have a list of recommended researchers or their own research service. You have to pay for this, of course, but it may well be a lot cheaper than having to spend time and money travelling around.
I've done this with Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Kent, Wiltshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk. Researchers vary in their levels of skill, but you may find they produce something you overlooked.
If you do use the internet, sites like Ancestry and RootsChat are good for getting started. You may well find that they conflict with Mormon results. Not all sites are totally reliable - particularly not commercial ones.
The history of the Bottrill family goes back to before the Norman Conquest. The Boterel family can now be found in Australia, America,Canada, and many counties in England - Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Shropshire and London. The history of the family can be followed in a series of historical novels, the first being 'The king's toads'.
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