Would like some advice on contacting possible relatives.

[Grosert]

I am researching the name Gosling and there are very few of them in Australia. I am considering sending everyone of them in the phone book a letter to see if there is a connection.

Do you find this sort of approach successful and can someone give me a suggestion as to what to say.

I don't want to offend anyone or sound pushy in my letter.

Kind regards

[Guest]

oh yes I did that ,sent to all a certain surname on the Isle of Wight and got the right response ,including one man saying I sounded so nice he was sorry he was not related to me !!!! I say go for it what have you got to lose ??????????
I just start with I hope you dont mind me writing to you ,are you related to so and so , I always give my phone number and a stamped addressed envelope makes it more likely they will answer you.
Good luck

[Grosert]

Thanks Val

I'm off to write the letter!

Kind regards

[Guest]

let us know the outcome

[Christine in Herts]

You might want to consider setting up an e-address just for genealogy. Then you can quote it in your letter without risking a deluge of unwanted messages into your main e-address inbox.

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

And Helen,

Don't forget that the posts on these boards can get picked up by Google. Perhaps - unless that is already a special e-address in your footer - you might be better off not quoting it in a way that can be picked up by spammers?

Christine

[KiwiChris]

I did that here in New Zealand Helen. I was looking for one particular man, so wrote to everyone in the white pages that I could not identify as a known family member. The man I was looking for phoned me the next day which was wonderful. Another man just phoned for a chat, after more research I was able to link his family in with mine, but a couple of generations before either branch arived here in New Zealand! He was nice so it was good to talk to him!

Still another person got his father in England to email me as he was also interested in his family history. Same name but no link obvious as yet.

All in all, it was a very worthwhile exercise.

As it happens, I know some Goslings here in New Zealand, do you have a Kiwi branch?

[Liz from Lancs]

I wrote to folk on the Isle of Man with the same surname as my friend (whose tree I was researching). They were all related and got a fabulous response, including confirmation of the tree and some family history. Got their names and addresses from phone book online. Good luck. Liz

[Pippa Doll]

I have a Gosling at work.

[Grosert]

Thank you all for that. I know I would be excited if someone sent me a letter, but didn't know if others would feel the same. Christine, my e address is used only for my family research. I have another 2 I use for other things.

My Goslings are from Essex (Little Holland and surrounds). It is not a common name in Australia, but appears to be as common as Jones and Smith in the UK.

I appreciate all the support and advice. Will let you know how it goes.

[Harrys mum]

Hi Helen,

I've done the letter all around Australia bit. Sent a letter to every Ariel I could find in the phone books (except the ones I knew of course).

I got some really great replies even from people who had changed their name to Ariel after WW2 and come here. They were not related, but still interesting.

I've sent you a pm.