Duplicated records in original FreeBMD index

[Nick Carver]

I'm transcribing the FreeBMD index (along with a host of others of course) and have noticed from time to time that in the index from which I am entering the records (which is a typed sheet), there are duplicated records. By this I don't mean the same name, district volume and page number, but very similar names with the rest of the details being identical. An example might be Smith Harry, followed by Smith Henry.

These duplicated entries have obviously been put there deliberately by somebody, but I wondered if anyone could tell me how and why they got there? I'm assuming that in all cases that I have seen that the two entries refer to the same person, but perhaps that is an assumption too far. As transcribing means entering whatever you see on the page in the first place, that bit is easy, but it has got me thinking and that can be painful.

[behindthefrogs]

By the time the entries get to freebmd they have already been transcribed three times plenty of opportunity for such duplication to creep in, or one entry to be mixed up with the next.

I have been recently been doing some work with the books which result from the first transcription and such duplications exist in them.  Fortunately I can mark them as "to be checked against the original registers" but the basic rule is if its there twice transcribe it twice.

David

[suttontrust]

Nick, I've been transcribing for some time and come across lots of instances of what you're talking about.  I assume that whoever compiled the printed lists for the GRO from the returns of the districts, couldn't read the handwriting of the registrar and so put down all the possible variations.

[angi0]

hi I agree about the handwriting as a transcriber in fact doing a page tonight from the 1865 marriages I had the entry Frances dian followed by francess diana so think it was possible that they could not read it and as last post said put in all the possibles

angie

[Nick Carver]

I'm doing 1896 marriages and just after posting this question came across Solomon Stokloff followed by Solomon Stokoloff. I presume that each registrar sent for details of every marriage from every church in their jurisdiction and compiled their own index before having it sent to a central location. Seems pretty logical when you think about it, but I'd never thought about the mechanics until now.

Is it just me or does everyone find the most exotic names in Mile End?