« Reply #55 on: Tuesday 24 January 17 22:15 GMT (UK) »
I am just now waiting for those PDF's to be sent to me so I can do a practise transcribe as part of my training. The email I got also said the unbreakable rule is type what you see.
Yes, it makes sense to tell all 'novices' that. But you have probably seen some recent threads on here discussing 'leeway'. Personally I only enter what looks like gibberish if I can't make better sense of 'what I first see'. Often it's worth taking some time becoming familiar with (a) the original writing habit and (b) the commonly recurring surnames or place-names of the series you are working on. You may well be able to revisit some earlier work when you think 'oh, that's what it was ...'
When transcribing baptisms or burials I copy what I see in personal names, even when they are clearly just mis-spellings. However I see little point in reproducing variants in well-known place names such as Manchester, or names of months, for example. We must remember that others are searching for records, and we should have a little licence to increase their chances of a hit.
I will always take time to study what the writing says, rather than transcribe what I first see, always best to take a closer look.
Researching:
LONDON, Coombs, Roberts, Auber, Helsdon, Fradine, Morin, Goodacre
DORSET Coombs, Munday
NORFOLK Helsdon, Riches, Harbord, Budery
KENT Roberts, Goodacre
SUSSEX Walder, Boniface, Dinnage, Standen, Lee, Botten, Wickham, Jupp
SUFFOLK Titshall, Frost, Fairweather, Mayhew, Archer, Eade, Scarfe
DURHAM Stewart, Musgrave, Wilson, Forster
SCOTLAND Stewart in Selkirk
USA Musgrave, Saix
ESSEX Cornwell, Stock, Quilter, Lawrence, Whale, Clift
OXON Edgington, Smith, Inkpen, Snell, Batten, Brain