Comments on: 1911 Census – start searching!

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By: BroMaelor

BroMaelor — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 11:29:30 +0000

Andi, I have to agree. This must be the worst transcription that Ancestry have ever produced? It is rushed and slipshod. I can’t believe that any checking took place whatsoever because many of the errors are so obvious that would have been found in the simplest of checks, assuming the transcribers were fluent in English of course!!!

By: Andi

Andi — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 23:09:45 +0000

Unfortunately, from what I have seen so far of some of the entries for the Channel Islands, the transcriptions are of the same low quality as the prevous censuses. That is, there are many errors, often very obvious, which seem to indicate that the original transcription work was not followed up by any double-checking or editing at all. Names, birthplaces and addressses have a high number of errors. In many cases, the transcribers had no obvious knowledge of French and/or common CI surnames and locations.
The only pieces of info which are transcribed with a high degree of accuracy are the ages. Occupations are often nonsensical words or unintentionally humourous, eg. a Hotel Keeper described as a Hotel Kicker, and a 65 year old widow living on her own means is transcribed as Killing on Own Means.
This is nothing to be proud of, Ancestry. Yet many of us continue to pay our subscriptions in order to view this long-awaited info and, in many cases, correct your transcription errors (for free). And, yes, I realise that subscribing is a choice we make.

By: Phil

Phil — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:08:44 +0000

key words “large part of England” i.e not all. Is that large by numbers of enumerated persons or land mass? I guess large land mass with 1-2 hamlets!!

“within a couple of months” Gets you nicely to the end of 2011 as couple =2. Note within rather than about!

Eventually found my one welsh rellie – mistranscribed birth place. Correction submitted!

By: Peter

Peter — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:41:03 +0000

I have, like several other people who have left comments, let my subscription lapse from july this year because of the lack of progress with the 1911 Census.I feel that Ancestry owes us some money for the fact that it was all promised for this year .I don’t think that that is likely to happen but we can only hope. A discount for subs if we ever do get to a full indexing of the 1911 with all missing schedules would go some way towards addressing the balance. If not I may go to 1911census.co.uk

By: Gail

Gail — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:20:13 +0000

Well, thanks, glad I landed here. I have been looking for ages for a record I know exists. Have the piece number, address, schedule number, the lot but cannot find it. Reading the comment from Gary I now know why. What I want is on one the ‘missing’ schedules. Was going to go to Find my Past but stayed with ancestry seeing they were promising 1911 images and also seeing I have lots of people to find in Yorkshire and the new Parish records have helped alot. I have resisted buying credits for 1911census.co.uk when my ancestry membership is so expensive. Just a pity they could not put a mention of the missing schedules (but not missing to FMP) on the home page. Would have saved a lot of agro this weekend. What a waste of time.

By: mark

mark — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 05:55:06 +0000

Like a few others I will let my subs lapse until next year when the 1911 is complete, I was hoping it would be complete this year. FMP had the gave the same type of promises but it kept on being put back before it was finally complete. Anyway next year all the omissions in the last coloum should be visible or is it the year after?

By: David Newton

David Newton — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:12:53 +0000

Oh I realise it alright. I am also not surprised.

As for those numbers, they are exactly what the message says they are: missing pieces in the RG 14 census record series at the National Archives. RG 14/31995 for example is a part of Newport, specifically registration district 587, sub-district 2, enumeration district 36. For some reason it appears that Ancestry do not have those pieces. However they do appear to exist as Findmypast seems to have RG 14/31995, schedule 1 for example. Consequently unlike the gaps in earlier censuses where the enumerators’ summary books have genuinely disappeared into thin air, these omissions should be rectified eventually.

By: BroMaelor

BroMaelor — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 14:45:44 +0000

Gary, you can also stand by for the usual tens of thousands of spelling mistakes in place names!

By: hilary gunn

hilary gunn — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:57:58 +0000

I presume David (comment 2) does not realise how long it is since Ancestry promised these records “as soon as possible” and then “before the end of the year”.

A whole year’s subscription for nothing!