Transribe everything X!

[ptjw7]

I think I've seen it all now, doing a search on the 1911 census and trying to track others I had found with the rellies in the past so I did a search for a gent named john Hosey.
I thought I had found the gent but it didnt feel quite right so I searched for his wife martha and not much showed up not even the one with the gent on it!
So had another look and said wife martha was on there but she waouldnt show on a search. On the report form her and son arthur have blue crosses after their name which is translated onto the report sheet for the house hold.
I duly reported the error to FMP and they have reported back that she would not be found because of the cross.
So who did the transcriptions why only add the crosses the sheets are covered in additions that the enumerators added for some reason.

I wonder sometimes how we get any results at all!!

Peter

 

[sparklingtechie]

I think I've seen it all now, doing a search on the 1911 census and trying to track others I had found with the rellies in the past so I did a search for a gent named john Hosey.
I thought I had found the gent but it didnt feel quite right so I searched for his wife martha and not much showed up not even the one with the gent on it!
So had another look and said wife martha was on there but she waouldnt show on a search. On the report form her and son arthur have blue crosses after their name which is translated onto the report sheet for the house hold.
I duly reported the error to FMP and they have reported back that she would not be found because of the cross.
So who did the transcriptions why only add the crosses the sheets are covered in additions that the enumerators added for some reason.

I wonder sometimes how we get any results at all!!

Peter

I've just come across this looking for something else, but as an indexer we are only meant to put on what is on the cert or form. I know other places have other rules but our work is checked by 1 other and then a main indexer who approves it before being published. The only thing I can think of is, the original form or cert was in such bad condition they could not make out a name and the transcribers rules are to put crosses.

 

[ianto73]

Even though I worked all my life as an administrator/book-keeper, I am not surprised at the variations of the information that was produced late 19th and early 20th centuries. I try to think of the educational standard of the person compiling the details and feel they may have had a tough job. In my family we have "Locke", but it could easily be "Lock".......and there must be so many more like that across the names of people and places for that matter. It certainly doesn't make our life any easier in the 21st century.

Brian

 

[ptjw7]

Tha main problem with the transcribing bit is that the 2 crosses are in blue!!
You can see that they are not part of the name!

Peter

 

[Guy]

Such crosses and lines are marks were made by statisticians who used the census after it was taken.
Cheers
Guy