Scavenger hunting can pay off

This is a really useful tip for searching large sites. 

Sometimes it just pays to google!  One of my ancestors has quite an unusual name, so it is not likely to come up on thousands of websites.  If I was looking for the "Heard" family, and google Heard, well, I would never be able to find anything.  However, Obed Lafarre is quite uncommon!
Here is what I found:

So, on  a whim I google him yesterday, and found a great site, and more information about when and where he died.  He is listed in the Epsom Workhouse records as having been in the workhouse twice, and dying there.  I put a link to the site on the links section - right.  There is a very interesting historical piece about the workhouse itself on the site, and some great pictures.

From there I google the whole of that particular site for his surname.  Here is how you do it:

1. Copy the HOME PAGE url.  (for this one it is: http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/)
             Note: you need  from the http up to the /
2. open a google search
3. type in the information you want (eg. Lafarre)
4. Space
5. Type in site:
6. Paste in the Url

So the search looked like this:
Lafarre site:http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/

This will bring up any instances of Lafarre on that particular site only. 

My result was only one instance unfortunately, but  I do know a little more about Obed.  This is a really useful tip for searching large sites.   Here is a picture of the workhouse I found  (it looks much nicer than it really was):



Finally, a quote  from Jimmy Buffet:
Searching is half the fun: life is much more manageable when thought of as a scavenger hunt as opposed to a surprise party.

~ 


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