I've been burning up the cyber highway hunting down all the 1911 census entries. I'm finding most of the people I'm looking for, but I've noticed some irritiating aspects to FindMyPast that is not true of Ancestry.
For instance, I like to have all the census years open at once, because once I've found someone in 1911, it may open up some new person to hunt for in 1901 or earlier - by having all the years open at once, I can flip back and forth and check details to make sure it really is the person I am looking for. FMP only allows one page open at a time and it's really time consuming to keep switching from one census to another Also, I keep getting 'kicked out' by being told I've got too many sessions open when I don't - does anyone else have that issue? Thirdly, I wish I could choose 'advanced' search page as a default, it keeps flipping back to the standard search page. Fourthly the place of birth search criteria is virtually useless - I've found it to fail even if the place of birth is listed on the sheet correctly. Also, Ancestry lets you choose 'county of birth' as a filter, which can be very useful. Lastly, as I think someone else commented, the location as indicated on the search page often bears no relation to the actual address. eg. last night the search threw up someone supposedly in the reg dist "Cardiff" - but the actual address was in Barry - surely, Barry is quite distinct from Cardiff? Why can't they use the address as indicated by the homeowner!
All these things are minor gripes, and I am grateful to have the resource at my fingertips. I just want to point out that Ancestry isnt the only service with faults.
Mel wrote: > I've been burning up the cyber highway hunting down all the 1911 census > entries. I'm finding most of the people I'm looking for, but I've noticed > some irritiating aspects to FindMyPast that is not true of Ancestry.
> For instance, I like to have all the census years open at once, because once > I've found someone in 1911, it may open up some new person to hunt for in > 1901 or earlier - by having all the years open at once, I can flip back and > forth and check details to make sure it really is the person I am looking > for. > FMP only allows one page open at a time and it's really time consuming to > keep switching from one census to another > Also, I keep getting 'kicked out' by being told I've got too many sessions > open when I don't - does anyone else have that issue? > Thirdly, I wish I could choose 'advanced' search page as a default, it keeps > flipping back to the standard search page. > Fourthly the place of birth search criteria is virtually useless - I've > found it to fail even if the place of birth is listed on the sheet > correctly. Also, Ancestry lets you choose 'county of birth' as a filter, > which can be very useful. > Lastly, as I think someone else commented, the location as indicated on the > search page often bears no relation to the actual address. eg. last night > the search threw up someone supposedly in the reg dist "Cardiff" - but the > actual address was in Barry - surely, Barry is quite distinct from Cardiff? > Why can't they use the address as indicated by the homeowner!
> All these things are minor gripes, and I am grateful to have the resource at > my fingertips. I just want to point out that Ancestry isnt the only service > with faults.
some of the "no-no"es of FMP are irritating
too many time outs if you do not know the surname suggests a more limited server capacity
you cannot get directly to RG78 nor browse RG78
RG78 images are of double pages from a dismantled book eg 1911 Census New Cottages Station Road Raglan Monmouthshire Monmouth, Monmouthshire Reference RG14PN31769 RG78PN1827 RD583 SD4 ED16 SN19
pages 6 and vii << and one of 6 or more wrong images
=======================
I normally find at least 6 transcription errors every time I log on
you cannot have two images open at the same time unless you save one and view it off line
==========================
BUT freebmd needs to copy the search button which changes to "please wait"
Your search has taken too long to process and has therefore stopped. Either try resubmitting your search or redefine to reduce the size of the search you are attempting. <<
place search RAGLAND . an alternative spelling for Raglan
Raglan Monmouthshire was OK
===================
indexed as ROAD
1911 Census New Cottages Station Road Raglan Monmouthshire Monmouth, Monmouthshire Reference RG14PN31769 RG78PN1827 RD583 SD4 ED16 SN19
===================
just stalled Safari so I had to use force quit found at list 6 wrong RG78 images
On the Mac need to use Safari for the Djvu plug in
In message <mailman.287.1257752054.11746.genb...@rootsweb.com>, Mel <mel.mor...@cogeco.ca> writes
>Lastly, as I think someone else commented, the location as indicated on >the search page often bears no relation to the actual address. eg. last >night the search threw up someone supposedly in the reg dist "Cardiff" >- but the actual address was in Barry - surely, Barry is quite distinct >from Cardiff? Why can't they use the address as indicated by the >homeowner!
Because "address" and "registration district" are two different things!
From 1837 to 1934 Barry was in Cardiff Registration District.
I'm probably not alone in finding the Registration District field pretty useless when using FMP Census searches. I often have a fairly good idea which County I will find someone in and sometimes I can even make a good guess at which Civil Parish but even then I'd be unlikely to know which Registration District was relevant, not without going somewhere else and looking it up every time. -- Jenny "I always like to have the morning well-aired before I get up." (Beau Brummel, 1778-1840)
I find that Findmypast and Ancestry both have irritations and up until recently I had subscribed to both. I have not bothered to renew my Ancestry this time as I personally find them slightly behind Findmypast in accuracy and responses to any transcription error reporting. Instead I have taken out the Full Subscription package with Findmypast. I await their future developments as I understand they have bought/merged with Scotlandspeople. I am hoping that a combination of their development teams will help to iron out all the 'niggles' and give a British online genealogical records archive that will outshine Ancestry.
Ultimately we should be thankful we have go this far. Imagine trying to do this research without any of these companies. It is still far better and a lot cheaper than trailing across the globe ones self to view records, or using the postal system. Maybe we are getting far to critical and not realising how lucky we really are - myself included...........
On 10 Nov at 10:37, "Dr. Creighton Ward" <fal...@passport.com> wrote:
<mild snip>
> I have taken out the Full Subscription package with Findmypast. I > await their future developments as I understand they have > bought/merged with Scotlandspeople.
Scotlands People changed their name to BrightSolid. Sometime after that BtightSolid bought FindMyPast.
> I am hoping that a combination of their development teams will help to > iron out all the 'niggles' and give a British online genealogical > records archive that will outshine Ancestry.
The synergy growth theory so beloved by chairmen to explain their latest wild acquisition?
Anyhow time will tell. Ancestry does have the advantage of an enormously larger catalogue that FMP. So BrightSolid will have to find a shed load of money to expand their catalogue.
<another mild snip>
-- Tim Powys-Lybbe t...@powys.org for a miscellany of bygones: http://powys.org/
Tim Powys-Lybbe wrote: > Scotlands People changed their name to BrightSolid.
no Scotlandonline did :)
They have been involved in putting the GROS data online through the Scotlandspeople project.
Sometime after
> that BtightSolid bought FindMyPast.
and Friends/ Genes Reunited
--
regards Jill Bowis www.benderloch.org.uk/forum - One Place Study on Ardchattan history, geology, ecology, genealogy, weather, webcam, local forum www.kintaline.co.uk - where we are, what we do: Kintaline Plant and Poultry Centre www.bowis.co.uk - all our family trees and a One Name Study on Bowis
>> Scotlands People changed their name to BrightSolid.
> no > Scotlandonline did > :)
> They have been involved in putting the GROS data online through the > Scotlandspeople project.
> Sometime after >> that BtightSolid bought FindMyPast.
> and Friends/ Genes Reunited
Brightsolid/Friends Reunited (Genes Reunited) is with the Competition Commission
http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/press_rel/2009/nov/pdf/50-09... 3 November 2009 Competition Commission invites evidence The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the anticipated acquisition of Friends Reunited Holdings Limited by Brightsolid Group Limited to the Competition Commission (CC). The CC has been asked to decide whether the acquisition may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the UK. Brightsolid, which runs websites Find My Past.com and 1911 Census.com, and Friends Reunited, which owns Genes Reunited.com, are two of the three largest suppliers of online genealogy services in the UK. These websites allow users to search and access historical information and documents such as census results, birth, marriage and death records, and also supply family tree software. The CC is expected to report by 16 April 2010. The CC would like to hear from all interested parties, in writing, by 17 November 2009. To submit evidence, please email BrightsolidFriend...@cc.gsi.go.uk or write to:
> I find that Findmypast and Ancestry both have irritations and up until > recently I had subscribed to both. > I have not bothered to renew my Ancestry this time as I personally > find them slightly behind Findmypast in > accuracy and responses to any transcription error reporting. Instead I > have taken out the Full Subscription package with Findmypast. I await > their future developments as I understand they have bought/merged with > Scotlandspeople. I am hoping that a combination of their development > teams will help to iron out all the 'niggles' and give a British > online genealogical records archive that will outshine Ancestry.
> Ultimately we should be thankful we have go this far. Imagine trying > to do this research without any of these companies. It is still far > better and a lot cheaper than trailing across the globe ones self to > view records, or using the postal system. Maybe we are getting far to > critical and not realising how lucky we really are - myself > included...........>
Couldn't agree more. I too have a full subscription to FMP and buy the odd ppv units from Ancestry only as and when I need to. I vowed to keep away from Ancestry as much as possible when they began flogging BMD certificates to unwary beginners at THREE TIMES the price you can get them direct from the GRO website.
I also agree that family historians are getting spoilt and becoming like children with their grubby hands in the sweetie jar! It's not just the fact that so many people expect everything to be online now, they also expect it to be FREE as well, notwithstanding the amount of work (and money) that has gone in to making so much data available to us. Unfortunately, it's one of the sadder traits of human nature that people become greedy and start to demand everything as their "yuman rights". A pity more folks don't think about their responsibilities as opposed to their "rights"!
-- Roy Stockdill Professional genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html
"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE
My question was why was your comment about FreeBMD interspersed amongst the discussion on FindMyPast, it seemed to me to be somewhat irrelevant to the discussion?
I don't even know what "BUT freebmd needs to copy the search button" means, can you please clarify for me?
You haven't answered my initial query other than to relate to "old complaint at freebmd....".
I have no recollection of this being an issue at FreeBMD.
Allan Raymond
On Nov 10, 8:43 pm, Hugh Watkins <hugh.watk...@gmail.com> wrote:
It would be nice if more people could 'put back' into the genealogy circle, some of their time to perhaps transcribe some parish records or censuses. I have virtually completed a complete parish transcription for the FreeREG project and the Norfolk FHS. Yes, it takes some time but there is no pressure, and I personally got a sense of satisfaction in doing something for the genealogy community as a whole. I certainly don't wish to sound self-congratulatory, but I just think that far more folk could something like this which would make record searching easier for the generations to come. If this strikes a chord with anyone, then check out the FreeREG, FreeCEN or FreeBMD websites as they do need more volunteers. Or perhaps try your local family history society who may be able to assist you in becoming a transcriber for your own area or parish.
> It would be nice if more people could 'put back' into the genealogy > circle, > some of their time to perhaps transcribe some parish records or censuses. > I > have virtually completed a complete parish transcription for the FreeREG > project and the Norfolk FHS. Yes, it takes some time but there is no > pressure, and I personally got a sense of satisfaction in doing something > for the genealogy community as a whole. > I certainly don't wish to sound self-congratulatory, but I just think that > far more folk could something like this which would make record searching > easier for the generations to come. > If this strikes a chord with anyone, then check out the FreeREG, FreeCEN > or > FreeBMD websites as they do need more volunteers. Or perhaps try your > local > family history society who may be able to assist you in becoming a > transcriber for your own area or parish.
> Happy hunting everyone!
I think you deserve to be congratulated. There is no harm in being a bit self-congratulatory sometimes. As a researcher with Norfolk ancestry, I have every reason to be grateful to the brave souls who transcribe for FreeReg. There is an amazing amount of Norfolk stuff on it. Many thanks to you and people like you.
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