Which date to believe ?

[It_Is_I_Leclerc]

I have a query on which date is the most believeable

I'm looking at the children of William Hodgson of Torrisholme nr Lancaster.

On IGI P005901, he has the following children baptised, although it states St Marys' Lancaster I think this because it was the mother church.

The family lived in or around Torrisholme which comes under the Parish of Poulton-le-Sands, however their records don't cover the dates in question.

I've looked at the parish & probate records on Ancestry and that is were the anomaly in dates comes in, the dates in brackets are the dates from Ancestry.

I'd appreciate your help/ advise/experience in deciding which dates are more likely to be the correct ones, most of them are out by one year exactly.

Ann Hodgson btm 25/02/1739 (25/02/1738)
Isabel " 28/02/1742 (28/02/1741)
Mary " 30/09/1744 (30/09/1744)
Thomas " 15/03/1747 (15/03/1746) buried I think (27/05/1747)
Alice " 06/01/1748 (06/01/1747)
Sarah " 12/11/1749 ( can't find her on Ancestry)

Thanks

L

[Elaine ..Spain]

Is the discrepancy in these dates related to the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar?

[KiteRunner]

Yes, all those dates being in the first few months of the year, the IGI looks to have them as "new-style" dates and ancestry as "old-style" ones. Some people put both years in e.g. 1747/8, to make it clearer.

This link should take you to a page which explains the old-style and new-style calendars and the change.
The British Switch to the Gregorian Calendar

[JudithM]

I'd agree with Elaine. AT the time in question the year started on March 25 and so, for example,January and February 1738 came after December 1738 and before 1739 started. Someone has then "translated" this to the date in the system of starting on January 1st which came in around 1750.

If you don't look to see where the year begins in old registers it can be disconcerting to find children apparently being buried before they were born! eg born November 1738, buried January 1738!

[Little Nell]

Well the only way to be sure is to check the original registers - if you aren't sure about whether a date says 38 or 39 for example, you go through the register till you get the next consecutive year.

[Little Nell]

Elaine & KiteRunner have probably sorted this for you now!

[Olde Crone Holden]

This is one of my pet hates! Why do they DO this, without at least saying they've done it.

Leave the dates alone - transcribe them exactly as they appear in the register (which is what I thought transcribers were supposed to do????) and let any researcher make a correction in their own notes, if they feel the need.

OC

[Anne in Carlisle]

I only recently discovered that the dates in the National Burial Index are shown as 'new style' dates. :(

I agree with OC - the transcription should be as it is in the parish record. You could end up with several transcriptions into various places all 'altering' the date they thought was 'old style'. You could quickly end up several years out of synch.

Anne

[It_Is_I_Leclerc]

Thanks all for that, I'd thought about the change in calendar last year when I first found the IGI records, but a few months on, I'd must of had a C.R.A.F.T moment and forgot.

I agree with you all and stick I'll to the original dates as per ancestry info.

I'll have go back and check others now !

Thanks again

L

[Helen Smith Too]

I think it is BOLTON-le-Sands that is near Torrisholme.

[It_Is_I_Leclerc]

Hello Helen,
You're quite right B le S is near Torrisholme, it's midway between Morecambe & Carnforth.
However back years ago Poulton-le-Sands it was a seperate village and it's parish included Torrisholme, Bare and Poulton, now all absorbed into Morecambe.
L