A challenge for 2017 - become a transcriber for FreeREG

[Andrew Tarr]

So do you think I should transcribe it as 1934 and put 1933 in the notes? I think it's pretty clear that it should be 1934, rather than an entry being recorded a year after the event. I know it's going against the "type what you see" rule, but if someone was searching for a burial in 1934 they would dismiss this record without even looking at it, and would miss my notes about the incorrect year....

My personal opinion is that it depends on how much doubt there is.  If you feel there is only one possible meaning for the seemingly incorrect record, you should correct it so that other possible seekers will not be misled - noting your reasons of course.  Supporting evidence may help.

The example of 'Ettmng' is a case in point.  I have no idea how that arose, as the wrong characters are nowhere near the right ones on a keyboard.  It must have been typed by someone with no knowledge or interest in what they were typing.  That should not apply to us as transcribers, who will normally be trying (perhaps struggling) to make sense of the words as we see them.

[clairec666]

Thanks for your input. I think I'm going to transcribe it as 1934 - it's highly unlikely that a burial in January 1933 would be recorded in the middle of January 1934. (I know, I'm breaking the golden rule...)

I found another burial (in a much smaller parish) which is recorded as 1908. It is a distant relative of mine, and I know for sure that he died in 1910 - backed up by the death index, probate calendar and newspaper obituary. But I have to record it as 1908 since it clearly says 1908. (The previous entry was in 1906 and the next in 1910 so it doesn't help much!)

[Andrew Tarr]

Thanks for your input. I think I'm going to transcribe it as 1934 - it's highly unlikely that a burial in January 1933 would be recorded in the middle of January 1934. (I know, I'm breaking the golden rule...)

Of course you could check on the GRO for the death record (if it's in England & Wales) to feel a bit safer ...  Costs nothing 

[clairec666]

Of course you could check on the GRO for the death record (if it's in England & Wales) to feel a bit safer ...  Costs nothing 

Well, his name's William John Smith so I can't be 100% sure But there's a death in Maldon district in 1934, and it's the right age, but none in 1933. If I ignore the possibility that he died in a different district, I think this confirms my suspicions.

[Andrew Tarr]

Well, his name's William John Smith so I can't be 100% sure But there's a death in Maldon district in 1934, and it's the right age, but none in 1933. If I ignore the possibility that he died in a different district, I think this confirms my suspicions.

So by making your correction you may have prevented some lucky person from discovering conflicting data ! 

[clairec666]

Ah good, I've prevented a genealogical disaster

[coombs]

I am still awaiting my sample parish registers to transcribe as part of my training. Clairec666 how long did it take for you to receive yours once you applied as a transcriber?

[clairec666]

I am still awaiting my sample parish registers to transcribe as part of my training. Clairec666 how long did it take for you to receive yours once you applied as a transcriber?

Looking back through my emails, I got a confirmation from Julie the Essex co-ordinator and then received my test files a couple of days later. Have you heard anything from Julie?

[coombs]

I am still awaiting my sample parish registers to transcribe as part of my training. Clairec666 how long did it take for you to receive yours once you applied as a transcriber?

Looking back through my emails, I got a confirmation from Julie the Essex co-ordinator and then received my test files a couple of days later. Have you heard anything from Julie?

Julie referred me to a lady called Jo and Jo sent me general instructions on how to transcribe (ie type what you see etc) but not any samples to transcribe yet. Maybe I should be on the safe side and re read the email again in case I did miss anything. But I am sure she did not send any samples for me to transcribe.

UPDATE: She said she will give me time to absorb the email and download WinREG before she sends me my first session of training, and this email was 23 January, and I have not heard from her since.