Papers Past - research tips.

[Fresh Fields]

Hello there.

I’ve been commended by KIWI GIRL, for the method I used to find more PapersPast references, to a body found hanging in a tree. With hind site it was a very quick and simple search.

The original post:-

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,566449.0.html

I had learnt from previous research, that the common denominator was the local policeman, who was reported as attending the incident. In all probability he would be named in all subsequent actions, re the courts etc. Therefore I searched using the policeman’s name.

#1.  KIWI GIRL’S find;-

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=PBH19091120.2.33&cl=CL2.1909.11.20&e=-------100--1-byDA---0Hanging+unidentified+man--

Kiwi Girl had assumed that any inquest would have been quite some time after the finding of the body. Therefore would have been tempted to have searched too far back in time. She had not found an account, of the original reporting to the Police.

#2. FRESH FIELD search find:-

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19091112.2.61&srpos=24&e=--1905---1910--100--1-byDA---2Constable+Torr--

In this example, take a look at the common denominators [research tools] when both reportings are compared.

SUBJECT:  Death / body/hanging   #1. & #2.
PLACE NAMES: Nuhaka, Waikokopu, [Masterton]  #1.
      Wairoa, Opoutama, Mahia District.  #2.
NAMED PERSONS:  Turo/Toro NEPIA, P HAMIL  #1
NAMED POLICE:  Constable TORR.  #1 & #2.
DATE: 20/11/1909  #1.  12/11/1909 #2.
PUBLICATION: Poverty Bay Herald.  #1.  Evening Post. #2.

I hope this tip is helpful to others.

- Alan.

[spades]

A contributor to The New Zealand Genealogist (October 2016, Vol. 47, No. 361, page 193) has provided a helpful list of search variables to gain better results from the Papers Past search engine:

*Use quotes “ ” to find an exact phrase, e.g. ‘Bob the Builder’.

*Use an asterisk * to search a partial word, e.g. ‘Tea cup*’ matches cup, cups and cupboard. The asterisk will often find words that are print-damaged and not transcribed properly by the OCR process.

*Use an uppercase OR between two search terms to find either one of the terms, e.g. ‘Canon OR Nikon’ will give you results for either one of those brands. You can also use a pipe, e.g. ‘Canon | Nikon’.

*Use an uppercase NOT with two search terms to find the first term but ignore the second term.

Spades