1939 Register Ancestry vs Findmypast

[m23to53]

With regard to a recent post of mine, I was looking for a Phyllis M Foxcroft on the 1939 Register. I found her there on the Findmypast, living Smethwick, born 1887. Not having a subscription I looked for her on Ancestry's Register with no joy whatever keywords I tried.
A friend sent a copy of the Findmypast page and there she was, living with her daughter Joan B., later Turner, born 1917. But that name also failed on Ancestry, though both names are reasonably readable.
So I picked a name at random from the Findmypast page and tried it on Ancestry. Success and also the reason I could not find Phyllis on the Ancestry Register. For Joan's entry was closed, blacked out i such a way that the bottom half of Phyllis's name was covered!

So do Ancestry and Findmypast do their own transcriptions and closed entries, or has that already been down. I wonder as I do find spellings of names etc differing between the two - based on perhaps the careless reading of poor handwriting. But entries closed on one Register but not on the other, that is something I have not seen before, Does this mean we need to check both Registers now for people under a certain age in 1939?

But should this difference in closed entries be happening in any case?

Regards
John

[KGarrad]

Ancestry updates their 1939 database only once per year

FindMyPast update theirs on a more regular basis.

[groom]

As I understand it, not only do FindMyPast update regularly, they will also open closed records if proof of death is provided. However as KG said

From Ancestry:

" we will be annually adding records for those with birth dates older than 100 years or if a record of the death has been reported to The National Archives. "

So a much longer wait for things to be opened.

[chris_49]

I'm lucky enough to have access to both at my local library and guess what - I've found some on Ancestry that weren't on FindMyPast - and vice versa.

I've found more of the missing ones on Ancestry because I think the transcription is better. For instance, if you're looking for a woman who later married, say Mary Jones marrying a Smith, FindMyPast list her as Mary Smith (Jones) whereas Ancestry tend to list her as both.

[m23to53]

Seems just another example of Ancestry putting quantity before quality, service and value for money. I suppose, considering the number of records on the register, it's not that great a problem - where there should not be one . I just think Ancestry sometimes get away with blue murder and we let them.

But Findmypast are not innocent of  this. For example, though not a subscriber, I use their Register search engine as I find it more friendly for the sort of searches I need to do. But recently I have had a couple of instances where having found the name I want (of an adult) I click on preview only to be told the whole household is closed. A blip or a sign of a flaw in the system?

Anyway, lots more names for me to check today and hopefully no problems to slow me down.

Regards
John

[KGarrad]

FindMyPast and The National Archives (who own the copyright) have always worked hand-in-hand with the 1939 National Register.

Ancestry are the newcomers on this, and probably didn't want to pay the price for daily/weekly/monthly updates?
So they have an update once per year.