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Archiver > CUMBERLAND > 2001-12 > 1007541647


From: "Chris Dickinson" <>
Subject: Re: [CUL] IGI
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 08:40:47 -0000
References: <F18Kebm4M2S0gUFDKPG00019745@hotmail.com> <01a601c17d53$4fc431e0$ab0e6395@oemcomputer>


A quick note on this before I dash out to catch a train.

Very broadly there are two types of information in the IGI - one
highly reliable, one highly unreliable.

The first are the extractions that have been taken from parish
registers, etc., under controlled conditions by trained
volunteers. These have occasional mistakes, as does any
transcript, but are generally very reliable.

The second have been submitted by patrons and, frankly, have no
value as source data. They can, however, sometimes point you in
the right direction.

As a rule of thumb, the first have codes beginning with a letter
(like C,M,J,P), the second consist of numbers.

Bear in mind that the IGI only covers a small part of the records
available: many of the extractions come from Bishops Transcripts
rather than Parish Registers; the nineteenth century is mostly
untouched; and early records can be very patchy.


Chris




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