1901 Leftovers: Should we correct transcription errors ??

[Martin Briscoe]

hi there,

I know the IGI welcome anyone who can truthfully correct mistakes as I have done so in the past;  With the proof you have I would have thought it was the best and most honest thing to do;

I have found people missing from census forms even though the front sheet you see says this person is there;  I actually wrote to ancestry.com about this issue;   
Search said that Catherine Charlotte Hardiment was there; The front sheet said the same with all the household included; But the actual census form does not show either Catherine or her family??
I am still awaiting correction of this error after 6 months;

Eise

I presume you mean the LDS.  As far as I am aware they do not have any way of correcting errors.

The IGI has one of my family as Hock Wood Briscoe when he should be Stock Wood Briscoe.  I have seen the film of the register and confirmed that the first word is "Stock", I contacted the LDS but it is still shown as Hock Wood Briscoe in the IGI.

Ancestry only accept corrections to names, they are added as an alternative and are found on searches.  Any other errors have to be added as comments but don't show up in searches.  The annoying thing with Ancestry is that you have to send a separate correction for each member of a family.

Martin Briscoe

[Mum44]

[  The annoying thing with Ancestry is that you have to send a separate correction for each member of a family.





Well, this used to be the case, and it put me right off for a while, especially the old 13-child families.  However, if you now correct just the father, and in the comments box put  "joe bloggs , his wife and 13 children" then the remainder of the clan gets the correct surname as well

[Willow 4873]

[  The annoying thing with Ancestry is that you have to send a separate correction for each member of a family.





Well, this used to be the case, and it put me right off for a while, especially the old 13-child families.  However, if you now correct just the father, and in the comments box put  "joe bloggs , his wife and 13 children" then the remainder of the clan gets the correct surname as well

Wish I had known that yesterday when I was correcting a family of 9 lol 

There again I dont mind doing them seperately just wish there was a link back to the census transcript from the blooming correction page instead of having to press the back button all the time!

Willow x

[Martin Briscoe]

[  The annoying thing with Ancestry is that you have to send a separate correction for each member of a family.





Well, this used to be the case, and it put me right off for a while, especially the old 13-child families.  However, if you now correct just the father, and in the comments box put  "joe bloggs , his wife and 13 children" then the remainder of the clan gets the correct surname as well

Thanks, I asked them about that a few years ago and was told to send separate messages.  I will try it next time I send a correction.

Martin Briscoe

[Mum44]

Yes, I also contacted them and got that reply - but, without any notification whatsoever, they now seem to do the whole family - albeit you get a blue blob+ on the original and a yellow triange on the remainder.

[Willow 4873]

Think I have just found my best example of an enumerators error Lillywhite written has Lillysh*te and yes it does say that on the census not a transcript error on Ancestrys behalf lol
 

Willow x

[Springbok]

I agree with every statement by Enumerators, that it is a very eye straining, demanding service.

On another thread, I pointed out that the Census enumerators were under a tremendous handicap, which today most people cannot imagine.

Back in 1841 in the country areas, families would have kept  the same spelling for surnames because the enumerator would be a member of the same community and understand the accent.

There was a dead line for the returns to be delivered so all forms had to be sent out, filled in (often by some who were illiterate) and the the enumerator had to collect and copy the entries..What by? candle or oil lamp.

Later Census's in  Towns and cities many would have strong country accents ,open to misunderstandings.
During the war I stayed with a Great Uncle and Aunt who only had gas lighting.and it was a great strain on the eyes.So one just did not read for long ! I am not at all surprised that there were many mistakes.

However the question is, do you report a misinterpretation,? for which you have sure and certain proof.Certificates, researched Parish records or whatever. After all it will only be marked as a possible alternative spelling or a maiden name.

 I think that one should, as I would not have been able to find five relatives without being given an alternative.
The classic being a florid hand which joined a second initial J to a Surname C ..it came out as an H ..Thanks to a Rootschatter who found my family in 1891!!Of course I corrected that on Ancestry, why should another researcher miss a contact with me or Visa versa.

My belief is, that one should do so, It is certainly no reflection those who work so hard to get the records on line. And for them I am ever greatful ...Thankyou

Spring

[tyronedale]

I have make correction, when I know the entry is wrong and the original is correct, only been mis-read.
when the correction has been made, they have misread the correction making the entry worse, on one occassion i re-corrected the correction, so now I have given up trying to correct but am greatfull to some corrections made by others.

[Willow 4873]

Spent yesterday evening tracing a Charles Simkiss and his family and ended up correcting the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881 & 1891 census

On most of them he had been put down as Simkin - which doesn't register with the soundex. On most of the census images it was clear that it was Simkiss if you know what you were looking for but on the one it was down as Simkin so I put it as a variant

Though saying that on the one census he is down as Thomas Simkiss - the enumerator can only work with what hes told so if relatives do that we are on a good hiding to nothing lol

Willow x