GRO digital images

[Tickettyboo]

Just had a first failure after about a dozen successes so far, what the system has done is combined the bottom half of the entry above my request, and the top half of my requested entry. 

I’ve reported it using their problem page, will let you know how long it takes to fix. I wonder if the same glitch will have affected all the entries on the same page. 

Or will they just refund me and suggest buying the pdf instead?

Paul

I reported a similar case recently. The reply said
We are sorry that you have received an incomplete image.
We have arranged for a full refund of £2.50 to be credited to your account via Worldpay.

As we are unable to manipulate the image, if you still require a copy of the above entry, you will need to place a further order for a PDF image (which can be manipulated) or a certificate.

Which, from what I had read, was what I expected.

Boo

[Nic.]

Any ideas.  I’ve attempted to order a £2.50 death certificate image.  I can find the references on both Ancesty and FREEBMD they both the same. I’ve also viewed the register which matches the transcripts I’ve found.  When I try to order I can’t get it to search the name.  I’ve even tried putting her in as a male in case of error.  I’ve tried the less is more approach and using h**** for surname but get nothing.

It’s Sarah Handson q3 1860 Luton 3b vol 236

Could it be that she’s been missed?

[carol8353]

Any ideas.  I’ve attempted to order a £2.50 death certificate image.  I can find the references on both Ancesty and FREEBMD they both the same. I’ve also viewed the register which matches the transcripts I’ve found.  When I try to order I can’t get it to search the name.  I’ve even tried putting her in as a male in case of error.  I’ve tried the less is more approach and using h**** for surname but get nothing.

It’s Sarah Handson q3 1860 Luton 3b vol 236

Could it be that she’s been missed?

It is there....

   Name:   Age at Death (in years): 
   HANDSON, SARAH       58 
GRO Reference: 1860  S Quarter in LUTON  Volume 03B  Page 236

Are you absolutely sure you are searching for her death,and have not put in birth by mistake?

I've done that before 

[BumbleB]

She is there - Sarah Handson - Luton RD - aged 58

GRO website offered me a digital image.

[Nic.]

I was definitely using the death search as I had the option of age at death.  It was something I check because like you I’ve done it before.

It was driving me batty last night.

I’ve just redone the search and she’s appeared.  Now I can see it I won’t be ordering as she’s to old. I hoped she’d be around 4yrs.

Thanks for looking at it.

[Paul 77]

Just had a first failure after about a dozen successes so far, what the system has done is combined the bottom half of the entry above my request, and the top half of my requested entry. 

I’ve reported it using their problem page, will let you know how long it takes to fix. I wonder if the same glitch will have affected all the entries on the same page. 

Or will they just refund me and suggest buying the pdf instead?

Paul

I reported a similar case recently. The reply said
We are sorry that you have received an incomplete image.
We have arranged for a full refund of £2.50 to be credited to your account via Worldpay.

As we are unable to manipulate the image, if you still require a copy of the above entry, you will need to place a further order for a PDF image (which can be manipulated) or a certificate.

Which, from what I had read, was what I expected.

Boo

I’ve now got the same message about a refund, has taken just over a week. 

I note that the digital image option is still available so it will presumably fail for anyone else trying.

I’m concerned that their imaging software is making some sort of fundamental error, because the image I received is perfectly aligned horizontally and vertically, just that as I posted earlier it’s been targeted on the horizontal boundary between two records.

[phil57]

I’m concerned that their imaging software is making some sort of fundamental error, because the image I received is perfectly aligned horizontally and vertically, just that as I posted earlier it’s been targeted on the horizontal boundary between two records.

As explained in their FAQ, the images are historic scans and misalignment of some images is to be expected, but the service is automated with no human intervention to detect and manipulate images, hence the low cost.

See AntonyMMM's post #12 towards the beginning of this thread. Refunds are offered for poor quality images and if you wish the image to be manually manipulated to ensure it captures all of the required information you would need to revert to the PDF or full certificate options.

[AntonyMMM]

I’m concerned that their imaging software is making some sort of fundamental error, because the image I received is perfectly aligned horizontally and vertically, just that as I posted earlier it’s been targeted on the horizontal boundary between two records.

It seems to be because the page scans, done as part of the digitisation project some years ago, weren't positioned very accurately. Each page has a number of entries on it, so the new system just calls up the scanned image of the whole page and automatically crops it down to where the entry you want "should" be .... if the page scan wasn't aligned perfectly the image will be slanted or cut off at the top/bottom.

I've just had a refund for one, which took about a week - as compared with a day or two during the trial. It is a significant, but known, limitation of the system and probably causing a considerable number of refunds to be processed..

[AntonyMMM]

The digital download option for death registrations has now been extended up to 1957 ....

Good News