Genealogy Chat

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I have been sent some information which is extracted from the Cheshire Family History Society transcripts. I have already searched the original Parish Register for this area and was therefore puzzled that there appears to be a lot of 'extra' information on the CFHS transcripts. When I queried the sources, I was told these transcripts are made up from Parish Registers, Bishops Transcripts, Monumental Inscriptions and 'Clerks Books' - unh, what are Clerks Books, please? How reliable is the 'extra' information? Is there possibly an element of guesswork in them? An example: Seen by me: Thomas Green buried blah blah - marginal note says clearly 'M paid to Mr Mayer'. This appears in the CFHS transcript as 'Mortury paid to the Mayor'. Although that example isnt particularly important, they have stated family relationships which werent apparent to me. Anyone have any experience of FHS transcripts and their accuracy? Olde Crone

Hi Marjorie You know the answer to this, don't you! There is supposed to be quality control: ie data is checked before it is put out into the public domain. This does depend on the quality of transcriber and checker. In theory, modern transcripts are better than Phillimore or Boyds. Information on familyhistoryonline is shown as checked or unchecked (and checked data is more expensive) In practice, I have heard people saying 'Well, I know what they meant to put' A transcription should NEVER have additional data without making it crystal clear the source of every single item. You know that, I know that and the project co-ordinators for family history societies should certainly know that, but there certainly are a few cases where enthusiasm gets the better of accuracy (I transcribed a large chunk of the Free and Voluntary Present for one county, sent it off and the PC sat on it for five years. He then published, without it being re-checked. As some of it had to be read with an ultra violet light, re-checking would have been really useful. Ah well.)

Thankyou, Your Abbessness! As I suspected then. But, having recently been accused of over-zealous perfectionism on these boards, I decided I had better give FHS transcripts the benefit of the doubt, as I have no previous experience of them or their accuracy. Back to the drawing board then. And just what are these 'Clerks Books' and why have I never heard of them before?!?! Olde Crone

This is out of my county. Hazarding a guess, I'd say it was a rough copy, or even a fair copy of the registers. Some parishes seem to have several, overlapping, records. I haven't seen them called clerk's books, though.

''over-zealous perfectionism'' Woz-zat mean then???? Wanting to get your tree right??? How dreadful!! Merry

Yes, Merry, that's right! Accused of being a 'mealy-mouthed perfectionist'. Erm - no-one who actually knows me would ever accuse me of being mealy-mouthed. Wanting to get my tree right - yep, I hold my hands up to that, but it provoked a flurry of scorn and derision, to my continuing mystification. (I took notes of their names lol) Olde Crone

I thought it was over-zealous protectionism!

Jude Protectionism in the interests of perfectionism (its on my Coat of Arms) Olde Crone

Olde Crone Glory in perfectionism Hide behind protectionism

Jude Its not me who's hiding, is it? If you are happy for your tree to be a load of tripe, that's fine by me. You leave me alone, and I PROMISE I'll leave you alone - I've already worked out who you really are. Olde Crone

Olde Crone I wouldn't have bothered you at all if you hadn't insisted in one of the current threads of including that 'mealy-mouthed' side-swipe apropos of nothing at all. As a matter of fact I have over thirty years experience in scientific, technical and industrial research work in a number of unrelated fields and gained a deserved reputation for perfectionism and thoroughness in all of them. The results of my labours were shared unreservedly with anyone and everyone who wanted them, as is usual in the scientific world. Why you should presume and state, on the basis of no evidence whatsoever, that my genealogical endeavour is tripe just because I am prepared to be open-handed speaks volumes about ..... something. I made one mistake for which I apologised roundly yet you seem prepared neither to forgive nor forget, but continue to make references, out of context, to my ill-advised words as if they were set in concrete. I would like to put the whole thing behind us and get on with the business of helping people and sharing. I think that my literary style is sufficiently unique for it to be easily recognisable irrespective of what handle I might adopt. Just for the record, this is a handle I have used elsewhere for some considerable time and my only thought was to join in the fun that other respondents like yourself have with their idiosyncratic handles. Since I am here for keeps let me return your plea with compliments - you leave ME alone first and I WILL leave you alone; but don't expect to twit me with my own (withdrawn)words along with snide remarks, and get away with it. Julian Warner