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Archiver > CORNISH > 2001-04 > 0987520144


From: Ann Tumser <>
Subject: Re: [CON] Reading parish Registers
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 08:09:04 -0700
References: <105.1f0b8e9.280d80e6@aol.com>


Hi Jim and listers,

Absolutely-------------I thought I had made it clear that I transcribed the name
first, followed it with a "?", then checked the IGI spelling. Usually I was right
in my interpretation. The name that gave me the most problem was
Beswarrick/Beswarick as I hadn't seen it before. Picture the old style penmanship
and the way they wrote a "B", then the "s" ran into the "w" which made it look
like a "v". After a few pages, you do get a feel for the Vicar's penmanship.

I'm glad you clarified, Jim, about spelling the surnames exactly as they were
written, even though the spelling might differ within the same family, from one
baptism to the next.

I'd like to know the meaning of "Comero weeth".

Best wishes,
Ann Tumser

wrote:

> Hi Pat, Ann and all,
>
> Just a quick word on the transcribing and cross referencing. A couple little
> things I try to follow.
>
> Firstly transcribe first, then check, not the other way round. I have in the
> past corresponded with people who take the IGI printout to the FHC and then
> go through and check them off, while this is better than not checking it does
> present a problem. When the IGI was transcribed if done from a film that was
> hard to read the transcriber sometimes not familiar with our wonderful
> Cornish surnames would perhaps get the wrong one, or just leave the entry out
> of the transcription. I have found quite a few ommisions in the IGI versus
> the St. Ives PRs. If one has a mindset because the IGI says HOCKING it will
> look like HOCKING when you squint at the film, when it might be HOSKING. I
> have seen the name GEEN interpreted as UREN as well.
>
> It is best to put it as you see it IE HO*KIN* and then let the researcher
> check or put the preceding example followed by HOCKING or whatever the
> transcription says followed by a question mark, and list the source of the
> transcription.
>
> There is also the problem of pre 1752 dates, it should be made clear as to
> which form of the date the transcriber is using, for example if you use your
> database to sort by date, your pre 1752 dates will appear incorrectly, you
> might seemingly have children born many months after mother died. The IGI
> tends to vary on this a lot, part of a parish might have 03 MAR 1750 or just
> as easily they might convert to the next year. I put them in strict
> chronological order IE this previous example would be after an entry for DEC
> 1750, as the date 03 MAR 1750 is near the end of the year, not the beginning.
>
> Lastly do not draw conclusions as to who married whom etc. just state the
> facts, no matter how certain, even if they are your own line, a transcription
> should be an exact a copy as possible, including spelling errors.
>
> I speak from someone who has made these errors in the past & through the
> advise of others, especially a very helpful Kathie Weigel. have corrected my
> ways. ;-)
>
> Comero weeth,
>
> Jim Thompson
>
> Kernow's West Penwith Genealogy
> http://genealogy-west-cornwall.cornwall.eu.org/
>
> Cornish Extended Family
> http://genealogy-west-cornwall.cornwall.eu.org/
>
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>
>
>
>
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