Nth Wilts OCP update

Hello folks

Where is this?

Good morning from Cornwall.

The 1841 project is going well, with some 11 of the 27 ancient Hundreds now complete and online. Of the 16 remaining; 14 have some of the parishes complete and online. Up to now, we have managed with just one checker, our web site host John Pope. We have now got 3 checkers and I would like more. If any of the transcribers would like to try their hands at checking just drop me a line. I am hoping that you will all keep at the task - who knows, we might complete the job early next year.

On the 1861; here is what I think is being done:

1269 Highworth to be transcribed by Lilian Fraser
1270 Swindon, waiting for checker
1272 Swindon, waiting for checker
1274 Cricklade being transcribed by Sue Flower
1279 Malmesbury West, waiting for checker
1280 Castle Combe, being transcribed by Marlene Bond
1281 Corsham, waiting for checker
1282 Corsham, waiting for checker
1283 Chippenham, being transcribed by Nancy Frey
1284 Chippenham, being transcribed by Jane Brown
1285 Chrstian Malford, waiting for checker
1289 Marlborough being checked by Ray Smith

We have nine pieces complete and online.

For the 1871, we have 16 pieces online.

1881 Swindon being checked by Steve Brain
1883 Swindon being checked by Helen Ward
1884 Wootton Bassett being transcribed by Lianne McDowell
1885 Wootton Bassett waiting for checker
1888 Cricklade, status uncertain
1889 Malmesbury East, waiting for checker
1890 Malmesbury East, being transcribed by Karen Hayes
1891 Malmesbury West, being transcribed by Amanda Coles
1894 Castle Combe, being transcribed by Paul Webb
1895 Castle Coombe , being transcrribed by Harry Tadd
1896 Corsham, being checked by Heather Williams
1897 Corsham, being checked by John Holden
1898 Chippenham being checked by Phil Drewe
1900 Christian Malford, being checked by Valerie Henwood
1903 Calne to be transcribed by Vivienne Reaveley
1906 Marlborough, being checked by Edmund Bristow

Please do drop me a line. In the last month or so I have re-allocated 4 pieces. I don't know what has happened to the original volunteers - for all I know they could be beavering away. If you don't want to continue, then please let me know and return the disc. All of the people who have just dropped out of sight have taken the LDS discs with them.

COCP 1881 Project update

Hello folks

Where is this?

Here is a list of what is being done to the 1881 returns and who is doing it. Any comments are welcome.

2270 Stratton being checked by Glenise Spittey
2272 Boscastle being checked by Richard Hender
2274 Alternon being checked by Geoff Moss
2278 North Hill being checked by John Ball
2282 Saltash being checked by Jan Lewis
2284 Liskeard Callington being checked by Althea Johnson
2286 Liskeard being checked by Valeri Paine
2287 Looe being checked by Maxine Cadzow
2299 Fowey being checked by David Trounce
2304 Mevagissey being checked by Helen Blamey
2309 St Agnes being checked by Geoff Westlake
2313 Kenwyn being checked by Malcolm Rule
2328 Gwennap being checked by Tony Bennett
2330 Redruth being checked by Di Thompson
2337 Phillack being checked by John Smith
2339 Uny Lelant being checked by Carol Jennings
2342 St Ives being checked by Peter Veryan
2349 being checked by Valerie Pettifer

COCP 1871 Project Upate

Hello folks

First question - where is this?

Second question - Here is a list of the remaining 1871 pieces. Let me know if you disagree.

2217 Week St Mary Poundstock being transcribed by Caroline Buckland
2220 Camelford St Breward being checked by Judy Waddell
2225 Launceston St Magdalene being checked by Francis Kenshole
2228 Anthony Maker being transcribed by Julia Woodley
2234 Callington St Ive being transcribed by Lesley van Goeson
2236 Liskeard Menheniot waiting for transcriber
2237 Liskeard St Clear being transcribed by Susan Tippett
2238 Liskeard being checked by Julia Mays
2240 Liskeard St Neot being checked by Donna Hazledon
2253 Padstow being transcribed by Celia Wikert
2254 Padstow Little Petherick being checked by Pam Pinkerton
2255 St Columb Major being transcribed by Eleanor Twist
2288 Kea being checked by Doug Luke
2289 Kea Feock being transcribed by John Wright
2291 Mylor being checkd by Chris Uphill
2293 Falmouth to be checked by Christ Uphill
2296 Falmouth being checked by Barbara Pullar
2300 Wendron being transcribed by Robert Worthington
2304 Helston to be checked by Jeff Beaton
2306 St Keverne being checked by Penny Trueman
2315 Redruth being transcribed by Irene Todd
2316 Redruth being transcribed by Janet Copping
2322 Illogan being transcribed by Karen Duvall
2324 Camborne being transcribed by Yvonne Morgan
2325 Camborne transcribed; to be checked by John Nance
2328 Phillack being checked by Brian Millett
2331 Uny Lelant being transcribed by Samantha Hussey. To be checked by Maxine
2339 being transcribed by Primrose May
2340 Penzance being checked by John Nance
2341 Penzance being transcribed by Sandra Searston
2343 St Just in Penwith Morvah being transcribed by Gillian Johnson
2346 St Buryan being transcribed by Sue James

Occasional notes No 3 - Place of Birth

I write about this because even experienced volunteers (7 years servitude!) are getting things wrong. Unfortunately, some of it is subjective and in some areas I do not agree with the Free Census policy. It is all covered in the General Instructions that everyone, including checkers, should have.

This can be divided into two - 1841 - and the rest.

In 1841, there are two fields. The first one asks if the person was born in the county or not. If the answer is YES, then the enumerator should enter a "Y". We enter the county code. If the person being recorded was born in England or Wales but not in the county, then the enumerator should record N for NO. We just enter OUC or the county mentioned. The enumerators were not required to enter the county. However, if the person was born overseas, or in Scotland or Ireland, then the enumerator should use the second column and enter F, S or I. We use OVF, SCT or IRL. If there is additional information, then record it in the notes column. If there is no information or you can't read it, enter UNK.

After 1841, things changed. There are still two columns to fill. The first should be the county and for this you use the Chapman code. Free Census has a modified version of this table; modified to include OVB, OVF and UNK. The second column should record the town or parish. For Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the enumerators were only required to enter the county, not the town or parish. For some reason unknown to me, ALL volunteers are strangely reluctant to use the Chapman code for Irish and Scottish counties. In fact, hardly anyone does, so I have to input them. If the second field is not used by the enumerator, input a hyphen.

Overseas births are difficult. This is a Free Census thingy and is not "as is". In general, I subscribe to the idea that if the name looks English, then they are OVB no matter where they are born. You, of course, still enter the details of their birthplace in the second column. In the first, you enter OVB or OVF. Quite often, British Subject or B S are added to the place of birth. You should enter this information, even if you are entering OVB. You should also enter OVB for people who are described as naturalised. If they are born at sea, then it is OK to follow the rule of thumb and enter OVB or OVF; but you can also enter UNK.

Free Census supplies a gazetteer, but it only has 35,000 or so place names. It is possible for the validator to enter the modern place name, but I don't. As long as you are sure it is transcribed correctly, then it will pass through the system and appear online, just as the enumerator wrote it. It is up to the customer to work out where the place is. If you are having trouble reading the place name, then there are various aids you can use. The first is Google. Just type the place name in and see what happens. Quite often, Google will put up our census returns in the first ten hits. So, another way of checking on a place name is to search our online returns. English place names have been largely unchanged for a long time. Sometimes, it is worth just browsing our online returns for clues. Some volunteers use the LDS familysearch web site; others use FreeBMD. If you think it will help - then leave a note. Do not correct the enumerator's words!

If the place of birth fields are empty, then you enter UNK hyphen. If it says N K or Not Known, then you enter the respective words and UNK for the county. In fact, whatever it says in the place of birth field, that is what you should enter. I will also point out that it is very unlikely that the enumerator would enter U K, as United Kingdom was not used then as it is today. It has got to be a badly written N K. Sometimes you will see N B; this is for North Britain, usually meaning Scotland. If you can't get everything into the place of birth field, then split it and use the notes column. Try and make it so that it makes sense. If you have something like St Stephens by Launceston, then St Stephens by Launc is acceptable. You can also spell out the whole thing in the notes column. Please don't use St. when the enumerator has used St - it makes hard work for me.

The bottom line is that we want what the enumerator has written; not what we think he should have written. As is!!!!!!

COCP 1871 Project Upate

Hello folks

First question - where is this?

Second question - Here is a list of the remaining 1871 pieces. Let me know if you disagree.

2217 Week St Mary Poundstock being transcribed by Caroline Buckland
2220 Camelford St Breward being checked by Judy Waddell
2225 Launceston St Magdalene being checked by Francis Kenshole
2228 Anthony Maker being transcribed by Julia Woodley
2234 Callington St Ive being transcribed by Lesley van Goeson
2236 Liskeard Menheniot waiting for transcriber
2237 Liskeard St Clear being transcribed by Susan Tippett
2238 Liskeard being checked by Julia Mays
2240 Liskeard St Neot being checked by Donna Hazledon
2253 Padstow being transcribed by Celia Wikert
2254 Padstow Little Petherick being checked by Pam Pinkerton
2255 St Columb Major being transcribed by Eleanor Twist
2288 Kea being checked by Doug Luke
2289 Kea Feock being transcribed by John Wright
2291 Mylor being checkd by Chris Uphill
2293 Falmouth to be checked by Christ Uphill
2296 Falmouth being checked by Barbara Pullar
2300 Wendron being transcribed by Robert Worthington
2304 Helston to be checked by Jeff Beaton
2306 St Keverne being checked by Penny Trueman
2315 Redruth being transcribed by Irene Todd
2316 Redruth being transcribed by Janet Copping
2322 Illogan being transcribed by Karen Duvall
2324 Camborne being transcribed by Yvonne Morgan
2325 Camborne transcribed; to be checked by John Nance
2328 Phillack being checked by Brian Millett
2331 Uny Lelant being transcribed by Samantha Hussey. To be checked by Maxine
2339 being transcribed by Primrose May
2340 Penzance being checked by John Nance
2341 Penzance being transcribed by Sandra Searston
2343 St Just in Penwith Morvah being transcribed by Gillian Johnson
2346 St Buryan being transcribed by Sue James

Occasional notes No 2 - Occupations

The occupation column often contains a lot of useful information - useful for our customers that is. The transcribers have 31 characters(including spaces) available. However, many of you are using a templated spreadsheet that allows only 27 characters. I keep meaning to change this. It is, however, a useful discipline thing.

If there is more than 31 characters worth of detail, then you have two choices. You can abbreviate and fit the lot into the occupational field, or you can split the information and put part in the notes field. Or you can do both.

Abbreviations should be designed to make sense to the customer and to look neat. There is no need to abbreviate more than you have to. I get lots of "Farmer 200ac E 7m 3b" . It is obvious what is meant, but "Farmer 200a Emp 7 men 3 boys" looks better and still fits. If you have someone who has several occupations, then shuffle the employment data into the notes field. If you do that - enter it to fit the pattern you can see in the online returns already completed. So in this case, enter Employes 7 men 3 boys, not E 7m 3B.

If you have someone who is described as Grocer & Draper employing 3 lady assistants and a United Free Church local preacher, move the preacher stuff to the notes field - it is obviously not his primary occupation. You must strive to capture all the data. If a doctor gives his qualifications, as he was supposed to do, then enter them. It might help a researcher later on.

I cannot emphasize enough this business of capturing all the data. I have just done a piece which was full of entries like "Almswoman formerly laundress". It is not correct to enter Almswoman (laundress). She was, but she isn't now.

Things that are crossed out must be entered in the form "Pauper (crossed out)". If there isn't room, then put this information in the notes field. Sometimes things are crossed out because they were wrong, but in many instances, the information was correct but the enumerator was tidying up by crossing out things he should not have put in. We don't know why it was crossed out - but the researcher has all the data we have.

Things are rather more complicated for volunteers checking the 1881. Due to the reformatting, occupations are in uppercase and frequently, large chunks are shunted into the notes field. Checkers cannot edit the notes field, but they can edit the occupations field and/or leave a note for the validator.

Do NOT correct the enumerator's words. This morning I had a "Potografher". Don't transcribe this as "photographer"; enter it "as is". Leave a note if you wish. There are web sites containing lists of old occupations; but my first port of call is Google.

The final word is to try and get the entry as near as possible to the enumerator's words, given the limitations of the Free Census software. And make it look good for our web pages!

Occasional notes No 1 - Ecclesiastical Parishes

When Free Census started in the summer of 2000 the only software was INCENS which was used for transcribers. The checking software, CHKCENS was developed on the hoof just in time for the first Cornish and Devonian pieces. At that time it was decided that the Ecclesiastical Parish needed to be captured. The project was only working on the 1891 at the time and the EP was almost always given in the top right slot on the page. It was felt that this was a valuable lead for researchers who would know the most likely parish registers to search. As the decision was rather late in the day for the numerous pieces already in the hands of transcribers, it was decided the checker should insert the EP.

The next set we tackled were the 1841; there was no slot for EP on the page. In 1851 there was a field for Ecclesiastical District, but it was rarely filled in. In 1861 the Ecclesiastical District had moved to the top right field, but didn't seem to be filled in very often. The position remained the same for the 1871 but in 1881 the field was changed to Ecc Parish or district. These were not often filled.

The difficulty is knowing just what an Ecc District is. The census returns themselves do not define it and enquiries made to people who might know have produced no answer. The fact that many of the returns have no entry for the relevant field suggests that the enumerators didn't know either. The assumption might be that it is a group of parishes, but that is only an assumption. And we don't do them, do we?

Sometimes, the ecclesiastical parish is mentioned on the enumerators "patch" description, but if it is not on the actual pages, we don't use that. Because it isn't "as is". We do take the ED number off that page, but nothing else.

So - what is required of transcribers and checkers? For transcribers it would be nice if they would leave a note against the first record of each ED, saying if the the Ecc field is filled in and with what. Or that it is empty. This will alert the checker. Checkers MUST fill in this field. At the first prompt you are required to do so. If there is nothing there, then enter a hyphen. Checkers must check the header detail at the start of each new page. Quite often, parishes, both civil and ecclesiastical change or go missing. You must follow these changes faithfully.

COCP 1881 update

Hello Folks

The pub next door taken about 1890.

This is the list of 1881 pieces being checked currently. If you are not on the list or are not doing what I think you are; please drop me a line.

2270 Stratton being checked by Glenise Spittey
2272 Boscastle being checked by Richard Hender
2274 Alernon being checked by Geoff Moss
2278 North Hill being checked by John Ball
2282 Saltash being checked by Jan Lewis
2283 Callington being checked by Kevin Burrows
2286 Liskeard being checked by Valerie Paine
2287 Looe being checked by Maxine Cadzow
2290 St Mabyn being checked by Steve Mitchell
2299 Fowey being checked by David Trounce
2304 Mevagissey being checked by Helen Blamey
2309 St Agnes being checked by Geoff Westlake
2313 Kenwyn being checked by Malcolm Rule
2328 Gwennap being checked by Tony Bennett
2330 Redruth being checked by Di Thompson
2337 Phillack being checked by John Smith
2339 Uny Lelant being checked by Carol Jennings
2342 St Ives being checked by Peter Veryan
2349 beign checked by Valerie Pettifer

Most 1881 checkers have more than one piece on their discs; but you are only committed to the list above. Obviously, I hope you will stick with us the the bitter end!!!!

Nth Wilts OCP 1861 & 1871 update

Hello folks

Here is the baptismal entry of one of my great great grandmothers. Mary Delaney, born in Gibraltar in 1825.

Remaining pieces of the Wiltshire 1861 & 1871 and who is working on them.

1269 Highworth to be transcribed by Lilian Fraser
1270 Swindon transcribed waiting for checker
1271 Swindon being checked by Phil Pike
1272 Swindon transcribed waiting for checker
1274 Cricklade being transcribed by Sue Flower
1279 Malmesbury West transcribed waiting for checker
1280 Castle Combe being transcribed by Marlene Bond
1281 Corsham, to be checked by Sue Flower
1282 Corsham transcribed waiting for checker
1283 Chippenham being transcribed by Nancy Frey
1284 Chippenham being transcribed by Jane Brown
1285 Christian Malford transcribed waiting for checker
1286 Calne to be transcribed by Jane Brown

1881 Swindon being checked by Steve Brain
1883 Swindon being checked by Helen Ward
1884 Wootton Bassett being transcribed by Lianne McDowell
1888 Cricklade being checked by Phil Drew
1889 Malmesbury East transcribed waiting for checker
1890 Malmesbury East being transcribed by Karen Hayes
1891 Malmesbury West
1894 Castle Combe being transcribed by Paul Webb
1895 Castle Combe being transcribed by Harry Tadd
1896 Corsham being checked by Heather Williams
1897 Corsham being checked by John Holden
1898 Chippenham being checked by Phil Drew
1900 Christian Malford being checked by Valerie Henwood
1903 Calne being transcribed by Linda-Jane Hamil
1906 Marlborough being checked by Edmund Bristow

COCP 1871 Project Upate

Hello folks

Here is a list of the remaining pieces and of who is doing what to which; if you disagree, let me know please.

2217 Week St Mary Poundstock being transcribed by Caroline Buckland
2220 Camelford St Breward being transcribed by Celia Wikert
2225 Launceston St Magdalene being checked by Francis Kenshole
2228 Anthony Maker being transcribed by Julia Woodley
2232 Saltash being checked by Ken Hosking
2234 Callington St Ive being transcribed by Lesley van Goeson
2236 Liskeard Menheniot transcribed, waiting for checker
2237 being transcribed by Susan Hooper Tippett
2238 Liskeard being checked by Julia Mays
2240 Liskeard St Neot being checked by Donna Hazledon
2253 Padstow being transcribed by Shirley Ball
2254 Padstow Little Petherick being transcribed by Judy Holman (Waddell)
2255 St Columb Major being transcribed by Eleanor Twist
2256 St Columb Minor being checked by Pam Pinkerton
2261 Fowey St Blazey being checked by Kay Hinrichsen
2288 Kea being checked by Doug Luke
2289 Kea Feock being transcribed by John Wright
2291 Mylor being checkd by Chris Uphill
2293 Falmouth to be checked by Christ uphill
2296 Falmouth being checked by Barbara Pullar
2300 Wedndron being transcribed by Robert Worthington
2304 Helston to be checked by Jeff Beaton
2305 St Keverne St Martin in Meaneage to be checked by Jeff Beaton
2306 St Keverne being checked by Penny Trueman
2315 Redruth being transcribed by Irene Todd
2316 Redruth being transcribed by Janet Copping
2322 Illogan being transcribed by Karen Duvall
2324 Camborne being transcribed by Yvonne Morgan
2325 Camborne being transcribed by Sue James
2328 Phillack being checked by Brian Millett
2331 transcribed by Samantha Hussey. To be checked by Maxine
2339 being transcribed by Patience May
2340 Penzance being checked by John Nance
2341 Penzance being transcribed by Sandra Searston
2343 St Just in Penwith Morvah being transcribed by Gillian Johnson
2346 St Buryan to be checked by Judy Holman (Waddell)

George Orwell and perpetual war

I don’t know how many of you have read “1984” by George Orwell, but the background to the personal stories were a global war between the three remaining countries. These wars were used to justify the enslavement of their populations. I think we are on our way to that future.

Since 1990, the United Kingdom has been engaged in an assortment of armed conflicts. Often, these are not called wars, but they are. We have fought in the Balkans and West Africa, and of course, in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of them were under UN mandates, but some were not. We have bombed countries and we have invaded them.

Currently, we are engaged in two major conflicts. We have been fighting in Afghanistan for five years now and there is no sign that we are prevailing. The Afghanis are a people with a long memory and a desire for revenge. Some of them are still quarreling about the results of Alexander the Great’s invasion of 2500 years ago! The Taliban are not from the planet Zog, most of them are Afghanis and every time one is killed his relatives are committed to revenge to honour family, clan or tribe.

Our last Prime Minister is now safely out of office but he claimed that we could be fighting there for a generation – which as family historians we would reckon as about 20 years. The new man seems to be inclined to stick with his friend Tony’s plan.

I was in favour of the invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Husein. Rather foolishly, I imagined that the invaders would have a viable plan for post-war Iraq. Obviously they didn’t and there is no sign that things are getting better. We have been there for 4 years now and more than 100 British servicemen and women have died and hundreds have been badly injured. There is a democratically elected government in Baghdad, but they are more interested in re-fighting the battles of 1100 years ago.

Now our Prime Minister, in his first big foreign thing, is proposing we deploy troops to the Sudan. Darfur and Chad are hell-holes right in the centre of Africa. There is fighting going on between numerous murderous groups, including the governments of Chad and the Sudan. He is talking of some 27,000 troops being needed. Only a few will be British, he says. I wonder if he has heard of mission creep?

This is an UN-mandated operation. The UN already has 16,000 troops in the southern Sudan and 17,000 in the Congo. Each of these operations is costing over a billion pounds a year to run. The operation in Darfur will be a nightmare in terms of logistics. Has any ever operated on this scale in that area? I think not.

Returning to the novel "1984", do you remember the two way television set through which Big Brother watched his subjects? Think how easier that will be with TV delivered via a broadband link. Anyone looked inside their new digital TV?

COCP Newsletter 22

Taken inside the ruins of Aghaboe Abbey west of Dublin. Strangely, no mention of Cornelius Delaney, GGGgrandfather of Michael McCormick, born here in 1800.

The COCP 1851 project is complete! The last piece is being processed right now. Now for the 1871!

Here is a list of what I think is being done at the moment; if you disagree, let me know please.

2217 Week St Mary Poundstock being transcribed by Caroline Buckland
2220 Camelford St Breward being transcribed by Brian Taylor
2225 Launceston St Magdalene being checked by Carla van Kleek
2228 Anthony Maker being transcribed by Julia Woodley
2232 Saltash being checked by Roger Parsons
2234 Callington St Ive being transcribed by Lesley van Goeson
2236 Liskeard Menheniot transcribed
2238 Liskeard being checked by Julia Mays
2240 Liskeard St Neot being checked by Donna Hazledon
2253 Padstow being transcribed by Shirley Ball
2254 Padstow Little Petherwick being transcribed by Judy Holman (Waddell)
2255 St Columb Major being transcribed by Sylvia Trevena
2256 St Columb Minor being checked by Pam Pinkerton
2261 Fowey St Blazey being checked by Marie O’sullivan
2264 St Austell being checked by Glynis Millet-Clay
2273 Probus Ladock being checked by Maxine Cadzow
2288 Kea being checked by Doug Luke
2289 Kea Feock being transcribed by John Wright
2291 Mylor being checkd by Chris Uphill
2293 Falmouth to be checked by Christ uphill
2296 Falmouth being transcribed by Faye Ammermann
2300 Wedndron being transcribed by John Dobson
2302 Wendron Sithney being checked by Frances Keshole
2304 Helston being checked by Jeff Beaton
2305 St Keverne St Martin in Meaneage to be checked by Jeff Beaton
2306 St Keverne being checked by Penny Trueman
2314 Gwennap to be checked by Maxine Cadzow
2315 Redruth being transcribed by Irene Todd
2316 Redruth being transcribed by Janet Copping
2322 Illogan being transcribed by Karen Duvall
2324 Camborne being transcribed by Yvonne Morgan
2325 Camborne being transcribed by Sue James
2328 Phillack being checked by Brian Millett
2330 Uny Lelant Ludgvan to be checked by Maxine Cadzow
2340 Penzance being checked by Lynne Evans
2341 St Just in Penwith Morvah to be transcribed by Gillian Johnson
2346 St Buryan to be checked by Judy Holman (Waddell)

C-PROP Phillimore Instructions

Hello folks

I had no intention of producing these – regarding the Phillimore lists as being just a matter of typing into a spreadsheet. As usual, it is rather more complicated than that. And, as with the census volunteers, you are all experts at finding new questions to ask! That is not a complaint.

So here are a few helpful (I hope) pointers.

1. Where the bride or groom has a title specified e.g. Mr/Mrs/Sir/Rev etc. then enter this in brackets after the forename so Rev. John Smith would be entered with the forename as "John (Rev)" and "Smith" as the surname. If no forename is entered, e.g. Mrs Smith, then enter (Mrs) Smith. This makes searching the database easier.

2. Comments such as "Gent" go in the "occupation" column as the "condition" column is for marital condition e.g. widower etc. Sojourner goes in the Abode column. Single letter notations are often used. W is for widow or widower and goes in the condition columns. Y is for Yeoman and H is for Husbandman. These go in the occupation columns.

3. Married by Licence - this information goes in the "Banns" column. If the entry mentions that the marriage was by Banns then "Banns" would go in this column.

4. Register comments. A comment on a separate line that says that there are no marriage entries for years 1630-1635. The records go into the database and are viewed separately so an empty record with this comment will not get seen. The counter example is "The following are from the Bodmin Transcripts. They do not appear to have been entered either at Morvah or Madron:". This is useful information but needs to be entered against each record to which it applies.

5. The main columns have a limitation on the number of characters which each cell can contain, in order to keep the search time within reasonable limits. However, the Register Notes and Transcriber Notes columns (which aren't searched) are almost limitless in the amount of space available. So all long statements should go into one of those.

6. Please don’t use unusual symbols such as square brackets and askerisks. Ordinary brackets are OK. You can use question marks. If you can read only part of a name, then try McCxxxxxxk.

When I get a spreadsheet, I give it a quick look over and then forward it to one of the two people with authority to upload. They will give it a much more detailed appraisal and correct anything that needs correction before uploading it. The less they have to do the better.

If you have any suggestions for advice that might help – please send them in.

Cornish Family History Research Online

Not Cornwall! My favourite city.

Cornwall is an unusual English county, not least because many people will tell you that it is not English or a county! It is also unusual in that it is further advanced towards becoming fully online, as far as family history research is concerned.

At the centre of Cornish online research are the Cornish GENUKI pages (http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/). These provide links to anything and everything to do with Cornish family history. The pages are organised on a hierarchical basis and lead to some 260 town and parish pages and some more general pages. Normally GENUKI aims to use the county and parishes as they were in 1850 but these Cornish pages also include new parishes created towards the end of the 19th century. The Cornish GENUKI pages are constantly being updated, so it is worth checking them frequently.

The Cornwall Online Census Project 9COCP) started in the summer of 2000, transcribing the 1891 returns from fiche supplied by the LDS. By 1st June 2007 the 1841, 1861 and 1891 censuses were complete along with 99% of the 1851; 85% of the 1871; and 25% of the 1881). The aim of the project is to transcribe all the Cornish 19th census returns and place them online free-to-view at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~kayhin/ukocp.html.

The Online Parish Clerk scheme (OPC), originated in Cornwall about five years ago and has now spread to half a dozen other counties. Volunteers adopt a parish or parishes and seek to accumulate information and data about their parish. Their primary aim is to offer free “look ups” for researchers, usually via the Cornish mailing lists. Many of the OPC have their own web sites but the central site is on http://www.cornwall-opc.org/index.htm Some of the individual web sites and the central web site contain data.

The OPC scheme has now launched its own searchable online “free-to-view” database – known as C-PROP – the Cornish Parish Register Online Project (http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/). Starting about a year ago it already has over a half of a million records online. Initially it concentrated on Church of England registers, but its scope encompasses other types of data.

The C-PROP database contains “hatches, matches & dispatches” from the 19th century West Briton newspaper. The West Briton Project aims to transcribe all the interesting information from the newspaper and place it online at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~wbritonad/cornwall/intro.html

There are two Cornish mailing lists. The main Cornish list, Cornish-L, is for all things Cornish, while Cornish-GEN is a list strictly for family history. The Cornish-L list is home to the famous (or infamous) virtual Christmas party! Details of how to subscribe can be found at Rootsweb.

Cornish Parish Register Online Project

Grandson outgrows bucket!

The Cornish Parish Register Online Project (C-PROP) is a daughter project of the Cornish Online Parish Clerk (OPC) scheme. The project aims to transcribe all the Cornish parish register entries and place them online, free-to-view, in a searchable database. The project encompasses other sorts of data such as the West Briton lists of “hatches, matches and dispatches”.

The people involved are Myra Cordrey (OPC scheme co-ordinator), Diane Donohue & Julia Mosman (LDS liaison), Bill O’Reilly (COCP “fixer” & C-PROP uploader), and myself, recruiter for C-PROP. I am also the Free Census organiser for Cornwall and the other four are all OPC for various Cornish parishes.

A current project is to re-type the contents of the well-known Phillimore marriage lists. Done at the end of the 19th century, these are a valuable transcript of the parish registers. Often the work was carried out by vicars with the co-operation of the parish priest. These people were experienced with the records and of course, the records were younger than they are now.

Although this data is a typed transcript, we need it re-typed into our standard spreadsheet as a vital intermediate step to uploading into the database. We would like to capture all the information in the lists. You are invited to place the additional information in the two notes columns that are provided.

You will see that there are a lot of columns you won’t need. This is because the spreadsheet was designed to cover all types of registration document and the later registers carried a lot more information.

Each parish should have its own spreadsheet and on completion, each parish should be emailed to me. Do not wait till you have completed the volume. I will eye-ball it and then forward it to one of the two uploaders. They will check it more thoroughly for layout and other problems and upload it to C-PROP.

When you have graduated from the Phillimore project we hope that you are sufficiently enthused to volunteer to take on some actual parish registers. These are supplied on disc and involve transcription as well as data input.

C-PROP can be seen on http://www.cornwall-opc-database.org/ Check out the coverage table to see your name in lights! Currently, we have well over half a million records online. With your help we should hit a million soon. Well – quite soon.

NWOCP Newsletter No 8

Minack cliff-top theatre in Cornwall




Centre of picture - girl with smile - yet another grandchild!


The NWOCP continues to make steady progress with the 1841 returns with about half of them now transcribed and online. However, movement on the 1861 & 71 is much slower and on the 1891 there isn't anything to report.

What I would like you to do if you are working on the 1861 or 1871 returns is to drop me a line sometime. Please confirm the details below and give me a rough estimate of your progress. Transcribers can just tell me which image they are on and how many they have left; Checkers can select review progress under Options and just cut and paste the results into their email.

Some of you have not written to me for a long while and I really need to have some idea of how you are doing - or if, indeed, you are doing anything. I received a disc the other day from a chap who had it for a year. He had never written to me and had not made a start on the piece.

This is an option open to everyone. If you don't want to carry out the task, then just let me know and return the disc - no hard feelings on my part.

If you are finding it hard work, please take my advice and just do a few hours a week; it will get done sooner than you think.

Email is very simple - so just please write to me!!!!!

1861:

1269 Highworth being transcribed by Liz Price
1270 Swindon being transcribed by Helen Ward
1271 Swindon being checked by Phil Pike
1274 Cricklade being transcribed by Peter Collins
1278 Malmesbury West being checked by Allan Kennaird
1280 Castle Combe being transcribed by Marlene Bond
1281 Corsham being transcribed by Chris Hughes
1284 Chippenham being transcribed by Kevin Lacey
1286 Calne being transcribed by Peter Reddick
1288 Marlborough being checked by Ray Smith

1871:

1884 Wootten Bassett being transcribed by Lianne McDowell
1890 Malmesbury East being transcribed by Kren Hayes
1891 Malmesbury West being transcribed by Amanda Coles
1892 Malmesbury West being checked by Keith Salisbury
1894 Castle Combe being transcribed by Paul Webb
1895 Castle Combe being transcribed by Harry Tadd
1896 Corsham being checked by Heather Williams
1898 Chippenham being transcribed by Nancy Frey
1900 Christian Malford being checked by Valerie Henwood
1906 Marlborough being checked by Edmund Bristow

COCP Newletter No 21 - 1881 project

Hello folks



Recent family history lunch in Cornwall.

At the moment there are twelve people checking 1881 returns; some of whom are waiting for their first zip. This is a revisit to blog newsletter of March 10th this year.

This transcription was given to us and is not in the FC format. It has to be reformatted before it will go into the FC checking software. The transcription is a good one and most of the problems in checking stem from the reformatting that has had to be done.

Schedule numbers and page breaks are inserted arbitrarily during reformatting because there are none in the transcription. The reformatting will only input page breaks with a household start. Often, where a page break comes in the middle of a schedule (on the image), the change is not being noted by the project checkers. Checkers must check the header detail for every household and keep an eye open for changes during a schedule.

There is also a problem with lodgers. Enumerators should have treated them as a separate household. Sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't. Even where the enumerator got it right, the non-FC transcribers frequently ignored the separation of landlord's family and any lodger. If a lodger has a schedule number of his own; he is a separate household. If he does not, he is part of the relevant household.

The transcription does not include the uninhabited dwellings and public buildings. Free Census requires they be inserted. This involves inserting a new record. The header detail of this new record will reflect the previous household unless the checker changes it.

The occupational field in the donated transcription is more generous than FC allows. During reformatting the occupational data is often split and part of it is dumped in the notes field. Checkers cannot edit the transcriber notes field, but they can tidy up the occupational field. By the use of judicious abbreviations you can get the information into the limited space available. If you are uncertain of what is allowed, browse the existing returns on our web site. Our aim should be to produce something that is correct, makes sense - and looks nice!

The original transcribers seem to have entered all "unmarried" people as "single". I do not want all the "S" changed to "U" but they also seemed to have classified everyone 14 and above as "S". If there is nothing in the marital status column on the actual returns, then pse change it to a hyphen.

It might seem a bit perverse to do the 1881, given that the Mormon version has been available for so long. Please be assured that we are finding errors and correcting them, so it will be worthwhile. And will lead to us accomplishing our task - to transcribe ALL the Cornish 19th century returns and make them available free-to-view.

COCP Newletter No 20

Hello folks

My garden last summer; this year summer is coming early! The cat is sunbathing (he has to have sun block on his remaining ear); the Starlings are back in the roof and the weeds are growing fast. I should be concentrating on the garden; but there are all these census returns........

We continue to upload returns from 1851, 71 & 81. We are now down to 10 1851 parishes or bits of parishes. Another couple of months should see it finished. At the moment Kay & I are chasing up 1871 volunteers to see what they are doing. Or not doing.

If you are in the habit of writing to places such as the Rootsweb mailing lists; can I ask you to use a signature block advertising that you are a volunteer for COCP? The publicity helps me.......

Email must be the easiest form of communication invented (maybe texting is more so). Would anyone like my mobile number? And we also have jabber........ But still, many of you don't seem to appreciate how easy it is to drop me a line to tell me how you are getting on. Or even to tell me you are still alive! Strangely enough, I have had five volunteers die whilst on the job and their next-of-keen were quick to look through their emails and contact me to tell me the sad news. It is the living ones who are not playing the game fairly.

If you don't want to carry on - just let me know and send the disc back.

The parish register project has now broken through the half a million barrier. Next stop one million!

I am offline April 17-24th inclusive. That means there is still 48 hours for you to drop me a line and to enlighten me as to what you are doing. Or not doing.

Rgds and good luck!

NWOCP Newsletter No 7

Hello folks

Six frightening years I spent down the back of this!

The project continues to upload lots of 1841 stuff; rather less 1861/71/91 stuff. No 1891 returns as a matter of fact have been uploaded for some time. Does anyone have a microfiche reader?

If you are in the habit of writing to places such as the Rootsweb mailing lists; can I ask you to use a signature block advertising that you are a volunteer for NWOCP? The publicity helps me.......

Our web site owner has now got a roll of honour - take a look to see if you are there. He would like to post pictures on it. I would like you to as well - it would be nice to see what we all look like!

Email must be the easiest form of communication invented (maybe texting is more so). Would anyone like my mobile number? And we also have jabber........

But still, many of you don't seem to appreciate how easy it is to drop me a line to tell me how you are getting on. Or even to tell me you are still alive! Strangely enough, I have had five volunteers die whilst on the job and their next-of-keen were quick to look through their emails and contact me to tell me the sad news. It is the living ones who are not playing the game fairly.

If you don't want to carry on - just let me know and send the disc back.

I am offline April 17-24th inclusive. That means there is still 48 hours for you to drop me a line and to enlighten me as to what you are doing. Or not doing.

Rgds and good luck!

Michael

NWOCP Newsletter No 6

Hello Folks

Two more grandchildren, but this time there is a connection. The grand daughter is actually the youngest transcriber I have ever recruited! Her mother says that it will keep her away from The Sims! We will see......

In the last month we have uploaded:

1841
HO107/1164 Hundred of Alderbury. Pat Mahoney (Aus)
HO107/1180 Hundred of Kinwardstone. Peter Eastman (UK)
HO107/1185 Hundred of Selkey. Carol Patios (Aus)

[All 1841 checking done by our web site host, John Pope (UK)]

1861
RG101277 Malmesbury. Sue Flower(UK) & Phil Pike (UK)

1871
RG101882 Swindon. Jane Brown (Can) & Phil Drew (Aus)
RG101886 Sue Flower (UK) & Ray Smith (UK)

Four people have dropped out and two more have joined. I am still worried by lack of contact with a number of you. If you haven't written to me in the last two months, please drop me a line. If you are not actually going to do what you have volunteered to do, please post the disc back to me.

At the last Free Census rebuild we had contributed 95,922 records - good going for 14 months. This includes five of the 1841 Hundreds. Of course, the NWOCP web site contains a lot of 1841 records that have yet to be uploaded to Free Census.

Don't forget - please drop me a line!