1911 Census - Searching and Guidance?

[KitCarson]

I did tag this comment onto a previous post, but thought it deserved it's own

Am I the only one who finds the whole search parameters/filters really basic compared to the E&W census available on various websites?  (no place of birth field as a basic option) I'm spending not only a fair bit of money but a whole lot of time trawling through the results of my searches.  I spent yesterday at the SP Centre and it wasn't really any clearer there.  No guidance folders/info except for approaching the Supervisors.  Maybe others have had a different experience?

The Supervisors were very helpful and one even tried to provide me with information on the 'numbers', which I hadn't requested but now wish I'd kept my mouth shut and taken the sheet of paper she was holding.  If there is Guidance, then it should be readily available?  Maybe it was just that I missed the 'talk' as I was a late arrival.

If you have any links/info to offer, I would be very grateful.

Kit

[andycand]

Hi Kit

Have you looked at the Help & Resources section on the Scotlandspeople website? It is quite detailed.

Andy

[KitCarson]

Hi Andy, I had a quick look but maybe I wasn't looking in the right place.  I'll give it another try.

I don't suppose it tells you how to search using 'where born' does it 

Kit

[MonicaL]

Hi Kit

Unfortunately ( ) ScotlandsPeople's search parameters for the censuses are very limited, and always have been. You have never been able to search the censuses on SP by place of birth (1841-1911). For earlier censuses up to 1901, the search field options have improved because of the availability of other databases you can use (Ancestry's Scottish census indexes up to 1901 being the principal one). The only Scottish census that you can search by place of birth on SP is the 1881 census, using the LDS index for that census.

It was only last year (or was it the year before?!) that SP added the extra field of a second name search option on their census searches. This helps a bit, but without being able to state what the relationship of the second name is, still leaves a lot to be desired.

It is such a pity that given the 1911 indexing project is new, that SP did not take advantage of it being a new project to increase the search field options, at least for this census.

Monica 

[KitCarson]

It is such a pity that given the 1911 indexing project is new, that SP did not take advantage of it being a new project to increase the search field options, at least for this census.

Hi Monica

Yes, I've found it disappointing that the search options for the 1911 are so limited.  I would hate to think that consideration was given to adding more, but the prospect of increased revenue for multiple searches was a priority

Oh well, it is what it is and we most make the most of it