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Archiver > ISLE-OF-WIGHT > 2003-08 > 1061215260


From: David Bull <>
Subject: Re: [IoW] BMD Index
Date: Mon, 18 Aug 2003 15:04:48 +0100
References: <000101c3656b$000f13c0$48227ad5@oemcomputer>
In-Reply-To: <000101c3656b$000f13c0$48227ad5@oemcomputer>


Thanks very much to Dina and colleagues for the online searchable
marriage data - it's brilliant - I've made new discoveries at first attempt!

I don't understand the need for a cut off date for the BMD data. If all
the data is already freely available and in the public domain, why make
it more difficult and expensive for ourselves to obtain that data.
Recent BMD information can be vital, particularly for deaths, and the
searchable information on previous names for marriages has already
proved very useful to me - I have found a second marriage that I had
previously not been aware of. I am looking forward to the birth and
death data being on line and very grateful for the marriage data.

I know that there are time restrictions on census information (which is
appropriate, but can be very frustrating) because this was collected as
confidential. Any info provided to the registrar on BMD is given in the
knowledge that it will be publicly available from day one, so why is
there any need to censor it after the event?

Or have I got something wrong here?

David Bull (IoW names: BULL, BRETT, TOOLEY, RICH)

Dina Broughton wrote:

>Dear Listers,
>
>Prompted by Di Harding, who sent on to me some past
>correspondence on the IOW list, I have just re-joined and was
>interested to see the discussion that has been going on about the
>BMD Index which we have recently created on the IOW Family
>History Society website. I am glad that people are finding it
>useful but disturbed at some of the criticisms. Perhaps some
>explanations are necessary.
>
>All the records on the index were exported directly from the
>Register Office computer to our computer electronically and with
>full permission and cooperation from the Registrar. Any mistakes
>on it are mistakes on the Register Office records as the index is
>an exact copy.
>
>We did not know that Methodist Chapel and Roman Catholic
>marriages were recorded as Register Office marriages and an
>explanatory note will be put on the page to explain this.
>
>We are investigating the proposal of a cut-off date and may cut
>it off at 1950. That of course would mean that until our
>volunteers add records to the Births and Death data, they would
>all disappear. Perhaps I could have some feed back on this.
>
>We would be pleased to have comments and criticism of the site
>directed to me personally.
>
>Dina Broughton
>Membership Secretary & Webmaster
>IOW Fam. Hist. www.isle-of-wight-fhs.co.uk
>
>
>
>

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