Southern Cemetery Manchester

[griz]

 Hi Mike:
thank you for your reply,  and the interesting website you  included in your posting.

 Manchester's Southern Cemetery, as you may know, is very large, and I have no doubt that transcribing the records, in any way, will a formidable task.   However,  I had hoped a start could be made, perhaps with the oldest records first.   

 As I mentioned  in a previous post, I would be willing to help if  there is any way I can from a distant place ( eg. transcribing scanned records?)

  According to the postings on this subject, Tthere seems to be some enthusiasm for starting such an enterprise.  A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.

Does anyone have any ideas or information about this project?

[sarah]

Hi Griz,

We were hoping to start the project during the summer but we just did not have enough interested at the time.

Perhaps we should start a new list for Summer 2006 to see how many are really truly interested in helping.

Sarah

[griz]

Hi Sarah,
 that would be fantastic. 

Its a huge project,  but it would be so useful to genealogists with a Manchester, Lancs.  connection.  Also people living in, or with ties to, surrounding counties, such as Cheshire, may have an interest in helping, as some of their ancestors may be interred there.

Sometimes, when these projects get started they only have a few keen volunteers, but once the momentum of the project is started, more people want to join in and help. I have transcribed for the Free BMD and saw that happen.

Also,  in a completely different situation of course,  there are the  'super computer' projects, which use a screen saver to help find possible cures for Cancer.
They started small but now have many people helping:
 ( Like 'Seti' ) and http://www.chem.ox.ac.uk/cancer/pancreaticcancer.html

So I am optimistic and believe that,  if we start it, they will come.
There were some people who posted previously on this subject who seemed to have very valuable experience and were willing to share their expertise.  That is wonderful. I do hope they still feel so inclined.

[trystan]

Yes, as Sarah says we are going ahead with this project. For this project, naturally we need volunteers, and also volunteers local to the area, so that we can invlove people in their own local community.

If anybody has been involved in organizing transcriptions, then please get in touch with us.

Our initial thoughts are to have people in pairs. Each grave will be transcribed by hand, and a photo taken of each grave. The technical detail of the photograph will follow, after we get advice.

We will need a team of people to edit and transcribe from some of the images. We will also need wizards to use some quite specialized photo techniques to extract possible text from badly worn graves too we'd imagine.

We also need people who can do some background research on some graves, to add a bit of a story. This will bring the story of Southern Cemetary alive.

This is a massive project, and will be very worthwhile.

Interested?

[griz]

Trystan, that is great!
 I cannot help with local  photography etc, but if the records were to be scanned ( hopefully the oldest ones first before they are lost) I would be delighted to transcribe them, as I did for the Free  BMD, if a similar system were to be considered.

I was born in Cheshire but I have many relatives interred there. Some of them have grave stones but, as I mentioned previously, some of their families were too poor to have a headstone put on the grave. We must not forget these people.

Although some ancestors  had graves with no grave stones,   my family  used to put flowers on the  slightly raised bare ground where loved ones were buried ( one of these has, just  a few years ago, had a stone marker added )However, there are  many others graves remain without one. Some members of my family who live in Manchester, still go every Sunday to Southern Cemetery and visit the graves.

I am so happy that this project will get started soon with the  recording the stones. Also,  as you say, Trystan,  we can try to  keep the stories of these people alive.  They are  not only our ancestors but also part of the history of the country.

What an accomplishment it will be to have this resource available for genealogists in the future, and how glad they will be that we got this started.

[Manchester Rambler]

I'd also be interested in transcribing, and perhaps background research - anything that can be done from France!

Rambler

[snowdonia]

  reading with much interest on your plans for southern cemetery.My grandmother is buried there 1934 and last year my cousin went to try and locate the grave (with plot number etc) Such a vast place she was despairing,when,another searcher told her  to look under the grass  !!!!There was the stone beautifully preserved with the actual indentation on the grass. How many graves are "missed"if this happens .you have a big job on hand !!must add that my cousin replaced the turf...............and my grandmothers name wasnt on it  !!!!!!!!!!!!

[sarah99]

Whilst a Mancunian in birth and upbringing, I now reside in Somerset - but would love to be involved in any transcription project of Southern Cemetery - I have no experience in transcribing but I'm a fast learner - I visit my family up north often and can give time at weekends to the project - so please add me to the list.

Gosh I'm beside myself with excitement already!

Sarah

[gabbers]

Hi
I live in Manchester and I would like to get involved in the project.
Look forward to hearing more details
Gabbers