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Census Lookups General Lookups => Census and Resource Discussion => Topic started by: avm228 on Thursday 12 December 13 16:20 GMT (UK)
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Apologies if this has been raised before.
On three recent occasions (all in the last week) I've gone to a 1901 census entry on Ancestry to find that the "source citation" information on the summary page has been removed and is blank.
To check this (and provide examples) I've done quick searches on members of my own family in different parts of the country in 1901:
Celia Markham b 1833 Framlingham, Suffolk (in Lambeth in 1901)
Mary J Pierce b 1836 Redditch, Worcs (in Danbury, Essex in 1901)
Victor Milward b 1841 Redditch (in Wellesbourne Mountford, Warwickshire in 1901)
Random I know, and a small sample, but as it turns out none of them yields an indexed reference. Obviously one can find out the reference, but if it's not in the index it's not searchable.
So, e.g., Victor Milward's reference is RG13 piece 2937 folio 80 page 21, but that yields no results in the Ancestry reference search box under "Old Search".
Any thoughts? Are Ancestry simply going to abandon reference-based searching when they do away with Old Search?
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There was a short discussion on this same topic on an ancestry message board a few days ago.
http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.ancestry.ancsite/13246/mb.ashx
I don't do much searching in the English census, since most of my family came from Ireland, so I'm not an expert, by any stretch.
There have been numerous glitches in the census reference information on ancestry.com in the recent past. The 1870-1900 US census lost all citation information for many months.
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The source citations only appear to be absent on the 1901 census :-\
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I can see the 1901 census reference by going to 'Tools' in the top right next to 'Related Content' then 'View source'. As you say though, the reference is not on the index page & the source citation has been removed from the 'old viewer'.
I struggle to find a dialogue section where you can search for census reference on ancestry anyway! I wonder if removing that option is a ploy to prevent people helping or checking census sheets for others?
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I struggle to find a dialogue section where you can search for census reference on ancestry anyway! I wonder if removing that option is a ploy to prevent people helping or checking census sheets for others?
The dialogue is in the advanced search form under "old search". As I've said, it is unfortunately rendered useless when the reference info has been deleted from the index.
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There was a short discussion on this same topic on an ancestry message board a few days ago.
http://boards.ancestry.com/topics.ancestry.ancsite/13246/mb.ashx
Thanks for the link. That's interesting - the OP on that thread has also picked up (which I hadn't) that the registration district and subdistrict have also gone AWOL. If that is a permanent development it will be seriously irritating - I find it hugely helpful to have an "at-a-glance" indication of what registration district covers the address, so as to help with BMD searches.
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The source citations only appear to be absent on the 1901 census :-\
Weird isn't it ???
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that the registration district and subdistrict have also gone AWOL.
Again, as far as I can see, only on the 1901 :-\
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Am I missing something or am I blessed - I have reg and sub district on the 1901 and census refs on all
Gadget
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Hi
I was notified some months ago, that the old search is being discontinued, I think sometime in the New Year
Margp
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on the 1901 on the image top right tools when you click on this it has a link view source
click and low and behold :) source info
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In the new viewer, when you have a census page open, just hit "S" to get the reference.
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I believe we are all referring to the information NOT being shown on the overview/summary page - before you actually open the census image.
The information is still shown on the 1911, but not on the 1901.
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I believe we are all referring to the information NOT being shown on the overview/summary page - before you actually open the census image.
Yes - AVM's original comment referred to the source citation being absent from the index summary page on the 1901
On three recent occasions (all in the last week) I've gone to a 1901 census entry on Ancestry to find that the "source citation" information on the summary page has been removed and is blank.
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An example of giving a searchable reference for someone to check themselves is giving the County, Civil Parish, District and Image number:
Search 1901 Census
County = Cheshire
Civil Parish = Hoylake Cum West Kirby
District = 8
Image = 8 of 67
There are some Armitages on that particular page.
Source Citation
Class: RG13; Piece: 3387; Folio: 39; Page: 9
Description
Enumeration District: 08
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Ancestry have definitely done something to the 1901 Census because if I enter a birthplace on the old Search it works OK for all Census apart from 1901 and 1911 when trying to view the expanded results. There has been a problem with the 1911 Census for some time, the "box" for birthplace is mis-connected to the reference box in the expanded results, so although it shows results on the summary page, when you click the link to view, it says no results. Scrolling down shows the birthplace (not county) in the reference section. If you enter birth county, it again shows no results when you click on the 1911 Census from the summary page, but it then just disappears. From some time last week, the 1901 Census has had a similar problem. The birth county ends up in the birth country box on the expanded results, and the birthplace ends up in the birth county on the expanded results. So you have to amend this and click search again.
I'm hoping it's a c***k*p by the developers rather than a long term strategy. But I suspect the disappearing reference from the expanded results page will have happened at the same time. ::)
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I came to report/ask about this, and found this thread.
It looks like they've got a database/index glitch, since the search interface still shows the fields to be searched, and the 'S' function on the advanced viewer still shows a full citation reference (which I religiously put in my Gramps database).
BugBear
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I came to report/ask about this, and found this thread.
It looks like they've got a database/index glitch, since the search interface still shows the fields to be searched, and the 'S' function on the advanced viewer still shows a full citation reference (which I religiously put in my Gramps database).
BugBear
I have now reported this to Ancestry, and will update the forum when/if they respond.
BugBear
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I'll be interested to know if you hear anything back, BugBear.
I mentioned this issue when I was on the phone to Ancestry about something else recently, but the person I was speaking to didn't know anything about it.
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I`m having trouble with Ancestry full stop. Despite them taking £12-95 from my account each month, the last on dec 4th of December , they will not allow me access to any records but ask me to become a member!!
I have tried`phoning but am not put through, emails are not delivered . I just hope my bank, who said they would stop any more payments have done just that.
We are caught between the two stools of Lloyds and T.S.B . Cor !the questions.etc etc.
. But this is not the place to go on about that.
Something is happening and it is nothing like as good as it used to be. Viktoria.
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I'll be interested to know if you hear anything back, BugBear.
I mentioned this issue when I was on the phone to Ancestry about something else recently, but the person I was speaking to didn't know anything about it.
email, 15:00 9/1/2014
Dear Paul,
Thank you for contacting Ancestry.co.uk in regard to not seeing the source citation for the 1901 census or have the ability to search by folio or piece.
We apologise for the delay in replying to your message, we have been very busy lately. We regret any frustration this issue might be causing. We are aware of the problems you are experiencing with the the 1901 census. Our developers have been notified of the matter you have reported. While we work toward a solution, we would like to thank you for both your diligence in reporting issues, and your patience while we address this particular issue. We hope to have this resolved as quickly as possible.
BugBear
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Thanks for the update, BugBear. So it's an "issue" rather than a deliberate change, which is good news :)
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Thanks for the update, BugBear. So it's an "issue" rather than a deliberate change, which is good news :)
Heartily agreed.
BugBear
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"New tools give you control over how your search results are matched. And we say a fond farewell to Old search, which will be phased out in early March. Get more details....."
Is this the end to all the lovely features of old search :-\ :'(
Monica