This is aimed at the 1841 volunteers, but it is mostly valid for any year.
When a parish spreadsheet comes in, I reformat it as .csv and load it into FCTools. The diagnostic package details the errors & warnings. Errors have to be fixed, but warnings may not be serious enough to do anything about. But I usually do them with the 1841 parishes as they are so small. I then marry them to a data file and produce a zipped file for checking. I load this into the checking software to see it loads OK and then send it off to the checker.
There is only one checker for the 1841 - our web site host - John Pope. He produces a checked zip, often accompanied by colourful comments, and sends it to me.
I load this into Valdrev and validate it. The output zip from Valdrev then goes back into FCTools for a final burst of corrections. The refined output zip is sent to John, who turns it into html and uploads it to his web site.
When a whole Hundred is done (we have done two so far), I run all the validated zips back through FCTools to produce a series of spreadsheets. I stitch these all together and run the resulting giant spreadsheet back through FCTools to produce a final validated file. This goes back to John for him to create the html. Once I have looked at that and re-assured myself that all looks well, I send the data zip off to a guy name Bill O'Reilly. Amongst other things, he looks after the upload to Free Census side of things for me. You need to be a Windows user to do that and I am not one of those.
Common errors. I am not saying that you all make them or that anyone makes them all - but they come up again and again.
1. Do not use question marks or any other such characters anywhere except in the notes Col Y.
2. Make sure that all households have a schedule number - zero. Make sure that all uninhabited dwellings & public buildings have their own record complete with sched zero.
3. No entry must be on more than one line. If you cannot abbreviate an address for instance onto one line, then put some of it in the notes column.
4. Stick to the plan on folio numbers. Pages without a number take that of the preceding page.
5. If you are uncertain of anything - flag it up.
6. Addresses must only be entered against a schedule. They must not appear in the middle of a household. If a household straddles a page break; backtrack to the previous page and enter the address there.
7. Col T - county of birth - must have a 3-digit code from the table in the Free Census Field descriptions.
8. There is no need to use capitals or put the "y" after ages. You must put "m, w or d" if they are applicable though.
9. All records must be transcribed, including those crossed out.
Don't forget to keep an eye on the blog on http://medeschole.blogspot.com/
When a parish spreadsheet comes in, I reformat it as .csv and load it into FCTools. The diagnostic package details the errors & warnings. Errors have to be fixed, but warnings may not be serious enough to do anything about. But I usually do them with the 1841 parishes as they are so small. I then marry them to a data file and produce a zipped file for checking. I load this into the checking software to see it loads OK and then send it off to the checker.
There is only one checker for the 1841 - our web site host - John Pope. He produces a checked zip, often accompanied by colourful comments, and sends it to me.
I load this into Valdrev and validate it. The output zip from Valdrev then goes back into FCTools for a final burst of corrections. The refined output zip is sent to John, who turns it into html and uploads it to his web site.
When a whole Hundred is done (we have done two so far), I run all the validated zips back through FCTools to produce a series of spreadsheets. I stitch these all together and run the resulting giant spreadsheet back through FCTools to produce a final validated file. This goes back to John for him to create the html. Once I have looked at that and re-assured myself that all looks well, I send the data zip off to a guy name Bill O'Reilly. Amongst other things, he looks after the upload to Free Census side of things for me. You need to be a Windows user to do that and I am not one of those.
Common errors. I am not saying that you all make them or that anyone makes them all - but they come up again and again.
1. Do not use question marks or any other such characters anywhere except in the notes Col Y.
2. Make sure that all households have a schedule number - zero. Make sure that all uninhabited dwellings & public buildings have their own record complete with sched zero.
3. No entry must be on more than one line. If you cannot abbreviate an address for instance onto one line, then put some of it in the notes column.
4. Stick to the plan on folio numbers. Pages without a number take that of the preceding page.
5. If you are uncertain of anything - flag it up.
6. Addresses must only be entered against a schedule. They must not appear in the middle of a household. If a household straddles a page break; backtrack to the previous page and enter the address there.
7. Col T - county of birth - must have a 3-digit code from the table in the Free Census Field descriptions.
8. There is no need to use capitals or put the "y" after ages. You must put "m, w or d" if they are applicable though.
9. All records must be transcribed, including those crossed out.
Don't forget to keep an eye on the blog on http://medeschole.blogspot.com/
2 comments:
For the 1841 census, the 'County of Birth' is entered as Yes or No.
The Chapman code to use is .. Yes = WIL and No = OUC
If nothing has been entered then it is classed as 'unknown', use code UNK
There are two columns for place of birth. The first one is Yes or No. The second column can be I, S or F. If Foreign use OVF. UNK covers nothing there or unreadable.
Of course, the enumerators often don't follow their instructions and enter other counties. They can be entered using the FC Field Descriptions table. However, DEV wil appear as DEV, not Devon.
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