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Ancestry whinge - again!

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  • Ancestry whinge - again!

    I've just spent an unproductive hour searching for John Jepson and all the little Jepsons - Rosannah, Zebudah and John.

    I finally found them.

    John Schson
    Pegie Schson
    Rschunnh Akewright
    Schledy Schson
    John Schon

    OK, the original wasn't brilliant and Zebudah isn't a common name BUT I find myself wavering between doing a correction (which I have done) for those poor souls who come along next, and crossness that Ancestry not only let us do their corrections for them but make us pay for the privilege of improving their records.

    Surely they could employ ONE skilled transcriber to go through and pick up the obviously mistranscribed names?

    OC

  • #2
    Schledy Schson-that's a beauty!

    I agree OC, sometimes the handwriting is difficult and some names are bizarre, but there are so many blatantly wrong transcriptions. I think we should all get a % discount depending on the corrections we've done. And I wish they'd get on and allow corrections for the stupid birthplaces they've invented.
    ~ with love from Little Nell~
    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

    Comment


    • #3
      I mean, wouldn't you look twice at Schledy Schson, appearing in a remote moorland village and wonder how she got there and where from!

      I notice that the new correction facility means that they have given up any pretence of even checking corrections as the change is instant.

      I am also cross that someone has affixed Schledy Schson to their tree without doing a correction - how mean spirited.

      OC

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
        I've just spent an unproductive hour searching for John Jepson and all the little Jepsons - Rosannah, Zebudah and John.

        I finally found them.

        John Schson
        Pegie Schson
        Rschunnh Akewright
        Schledy Schson
        John Schon

        OK, the original wasn't brilliant and Zebudah isn't a common name BUT I find myself wavering between doing a correction (which I have done) for those poor souls who come along next, and crossness that Ancestry not only let us do their corrections for them but make us pay for the privilege of improving their records.

        Surely they could employ ONE skilled transcriber to go through and pick up the obviously mistranscribed names?

        OC

        Sorry but the word 'muggins' comes to mind.

        Why should they employ anyone when there are a lot of good quality and very helpful 'muggins' around that will do it totally free. Well not actually free, the good quality helpful 'muggins' are quite happy to pay for the privilege.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Little Nell View Post
          Schledy Schson-that's a beauty!

          I agree OC, sometimes the handwriting is difficult and some names are bizarre, but there are so many blatantly wrong transcriptions. I think we should all get a % discount depending on the corrections we've done. And I wish they'd get on and allow corrections for the stupid birthplaces they've invented.
          You can now. I have made some corrections - last week. They don't show up yet unless you look at the index underneath the image when they are in bold italics.
          Last edited by Caroline; 24-08-09, 07:38.
          Caroline
          Caroline's Family History Pages
          Meddle not in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

          Comment


          • #6
            My biggest gripe is NOT being able to change their really crazy mistakes - like my GGGreat Grandfather being "married off" to a complete stranger not even close to him on the census list and the other family muddled with someone elses!
            Also that ubiquitous "windower" for widower that I keep coming across. As for the place names - don't get me going on that!!

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            • #7
              Maybe if the corrections were logged to the transcriber there would be some accountability and things would be better?

              Comment


              • #8
                You should see the transcription for Lavington Mansion, Woolavington Sussex, in the 1841 Census. The enumerator, who was very helpful (not), wrote the names of the inhabitants over two lines, then wrote nk for their age at the end of the first line. So instead of 8 people in the household (plus servants of course), ancestry has transcribed eleven.

                for Judith Isabella Byles 45, ind,
                the index shows

                Judith Isabella, nk, abt 1841
                and
                Bryles, 45.

                Her daughter Marianne, who is also at the house, later married Coventry Patmore, the poet.

                I don't know how any transcriber could have not seen what is before their eyes, unless they were told to make no judgement calls, just to transcribe each line as it appeared.

                Di

                Class: HO107; Piece 1094; Book: 13; Civil Parish: Woolavington; County: Sussex; Enumeration District: 12; Folio: 6; Page: 4; Line: 5; GSU roll: 474672
                Diane
                Sydney Australia
                Avatar: Reuben Edward Page and Lilly Mary Anne Dawson

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by dicole View Post
                  You should see the transcription for Lavington Mansion, Woolavington Sussex, in the 1841 Census. The enumerator, who was very helpful (not), wrote the names of the inhabitants over two lines, then wrote nk for their age at the end of the first line. So instead of 8 people in the household (plus servants of course), ancestry has transcribed eleven.

                  for Judith Isabella Byles 45, ind,
                  the index shows

                  Judith Isabella, nk, abt 1841
                  and
                  Bryles, 45.

                  Her daughter Marianne, who is also at the house, later married Coventry Patmore, the poet.

                  I don't know how any transcriber could have not seen what is before their eyes, unless they were told to make no judgement calls, just to transcribe each line as it appeared.

                  Di

                  Class: HO107; Piece 1094; Book: 13; Civil Parish: Woolavington; County: Sussex; Enumeration District: 12; Folio: 6; Page: 4; Line: 5; GSU roll: 474672
                  I have done some transcribing - not for ancestry- and they do tell you not to use judgement but to put what is there exactly and if you can't read it leave it blank. It's very frustrating when you know for sure that what has been written is wrong!
                  I suppose the rules for any transcribing should be that it is faithful to the original and then it is up to the reader to interpret it.
                  As for poor handwriting then yes they should employ people with a bit more 'nouse' to sort things out who would know that a name is not feasible such as those OC has given as examples.
                  Margaret

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Trina View Post
                    Maybe if the corrections were logged to the transcriber there would be some accountability and things would be better?
                    They can be on ancestry and I always put my details, it's a good way of catching others searching for the same name!
                    Margaret

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      margaretmarch

                      I think Trina means the original transcribers. They were of course overseas, with English as a second language and speed was the essence.

                      I have always agreed that transcribers should "write what you see" but if what you see doesn't make sense, then have another look, or ARSK someone else!

                      I think you have it right, John - muggins is the word.

                      OC

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        OK

                        Here is where I put my hands up!

                        Sometime ago someone added an 'alternative name' to a 1901 census entry with details that certainly matched 'our' family.

                        I added confirmation of the second forename.

                        I now, after a long and complicated research, know that the info we both added (in good faith) doesn't have any connection to the person in the 1901 :o

                        The only way I have been able to correct the info is by adding again to the alternative name and it makes us both look like complete idiots :D .....Though hopefully our long and detailed explanation goes someway to negate it!

                        We both wished there was a way of deleting 'our' original misinformation

                        So now with additional facility there is a way of immediately drawing peoples attention to our original misinformation (sp)!
                        Last edited by Chris in Sussex; 24-08-09, 21:08.
                        Avatar....My darling mum, Irene June Robinson nee Pearson 1931-2019.

                        'Take nothing on its looks, take everything on evidence. There is no better rule' Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I think it is good of you to have gone back and amended it. We have all been down the wrong path at some point I am sure.
                          When I first started I put my tree onto the World Project bit on Family Search, thinking that I would get lots of contacts - what a mistake! Only later did I realise that my name and address are there for all to see, but also that I had made quite a lot of mistakes that needed amending. So beware of anything that you can't check for yourself!

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                          • #14
                            Aaaah this brings back memories of those years i spent searching for my Robert Whittlesey and his family in the 1871 census. I found them eventually, all with the surname Chillberg. Of course! Why hadn't I thought of that!
                            And as for Robert's sister-in-law being born in East Molesey, Surrey - it was transcribed as the rather ridiculous Eat Mallory. I ask you!!!!!!!
                            Karen x

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                            • #15
                              I have noticed that you can change marriages now I did one this morning what gets me on this is they cross refferance the marraiges under find spouse and they still get it wrong



                              Laura

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                              • #16
                                Lol!!!

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                                • #17
                                  Could someone explain to me how the town of Esh in Durham can be mistranscribed to Western Sahara !!!
                                  Linda


                                  My avatar is my Grandmother Carolina Meulenhoff 1896 - 1955

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                                  • #18
                                    How about.

                                    Jeremiah Parsons b. 1796 transcribed on 1841 Census as Jeremiah Norman b. 1840
                                    Caesar Parsons b. 1827 transcribed on 1841 Census as Carnie Norman b.1827

                                    Ken

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                                    • #19
                                      To be fair to Ancestry some of the writing on census returns is pretty cruddy, and can only be interpreted if you have a good idea of what it's supposed to say. Now that you can correct the place of birth and other fields it can only get better.
                                      Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        Does anyone know how you correct a mistranscribed spouse's surname?

                                        When you call up the 2 surname options, they both offer the target surname, not one the target and one the spouse.

                                        Christine
                                        Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

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