Exciting new 'pilot' databases being released by LDS

[MonicaL]

Hi All

Well, I'm excited! Macharskin has just posted yesterday on the Scottish Resources board about the new pilot searchable databases being released by the LDS including Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958 (from 23 Jan 2009).

http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#c=1408347;p=2;t=searchable

These include images of the registers, very much like the English registers, enabling you to identify Vol/Pg for individual entries to then be able to order from the Irish GRO. (births/marriages/deaths)

Looking at the home page for this pilot site, I see that they have on their list of databases a number of American census years and also (apart from the English 1881 census which has been available on 'Family Search' for a long time) they include the 1840 and 1860 English censuses.

My question is, does anyone know how complete these are? I understand the site is in 'pilot' status but not clear whether that refers to incomplete databases for what is now showing or their intention to develop and enhance the site by adding more databases.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Dohh! Corrected, 1841 and 1861 English Censuses - too busy looking at the American dates!

[GeoffE]

Those censuses link to FindMyPast where you have to pay to see the image.

I now have a new spelling of my BLACKBURN ancestor - he appears as BLACKBURY 

[Gadget]

Hi Monica 

It says in the blurb that 'the database has been provided by Findmypast' and, as far as i know the 1841 for Eng & Wales on FindMyPast is complete.


Gadget

(but provisos as Geoff indicates - as with all the census indexes that we use    )

[MonicaL]

So, the 1841 and 1861 English censuses are complete from what you say? But, unlike from other famous sources, they are FREE from LDS - hurray  Good news for everyone looking at least at those years 

[Gadget]

Don't forget it's England & Wales 

However, there are big gaps in the 1861 - books were destroyed/damaged/missing - whatever the source.

And you do have to pay to view the image.

Gadget

[MonicaL]

Sorry Wales, you're not forgotten 

[MonicaL]

Ok, I understand better. The census details are individual indexes, not household. Original images available on the other sites. Bit of a halfway house then. You will still need the other sites to pull the household together 

[Gadget]

It appears to use the FindMyPast free index. On FindMyPast, if you don't have a sub, you then have to pay so many credits to view the household transcript and/or the image so it seems that theye've just agreed access to the freebie indexes.