A question about Bishops' Transcripts and FamilySearch etc.

[fordofcrows]

Hello Barry.  Thank you for helping but I'm afraid you have lost me here.

The baptism of Robert Wood is not on the Transcripts!

I know - that is my point.  If you re-read my earlier post:-

Please note that this is just an example - not a request for anyone to go looking.

And I'm sorry but what do you mean by...?

I have given you the link to the actual page and you can see it is a bit erratic with incomplete dates and dates out of order on this page.

Thank you.  I have studied the link you provided but the dates appear to be in order, (with the exception of a couple of entries) - February 1798 to April 1798.  You're not referring to the date of birth are you?

What do you mean by:-

So its back to 91090

?

And..

That original will give more information like some of the other children on the attached Transcript

Which original?  Which other children?  And what do you mean by `attached transcript'?

I am very grateful for any help and I don't want to come across as being difficult, but I am curious as to what you mean, here.  Could you elaborate please?

David

PS;  Barry - if you are still up and about and reading this, please accept my apologies and see my more recent post on the next page.

[fordofcrows]

Actually Barry,  I think I have worked out some of the points you are making..

So its back to 91090

You are referring to the original microfiche, yes?  If so, I am sure it would be helpful to see these things.  Where might I find them?  Other than travelling 100's of miles to Durham Records Office, I mean.

[Edit]  The Durham Records Office online shop, when it opens.  Yes?  Or are there any other sources available?

Are the microfiche(s) not taken from the BTs?

`Attached transcript' - the link you sent.  Got you.

So you are saying that if I use the source film number to find the original microfiche, it should contain more information than is given in the BTs?

[Edit] Yes, still editing and working it out!  Heh! Heh

Okay - JenB said

NO - the film number you quote, 91010, is for the Parish Church, Chester le Street.

I completely understand now!

I'm not really a beginner - just new(ish) to pre-1837.  It's a real headache but I think I'm getting there.

Sorry for being dense.  And thank you for your help.

David

[andycand]

Hi David

In theory you should be able to find an image of the baptism in the BTs but it is not on the page where you would expect it to be. There are a number of possible reasons for this,

1. The entry was missed when writing up the BTs
2. The entry is out of order and on a different page.
3. The transcription of the Parish Register is incorrect

What you need to do is to access the image of the Parish Register to confirm that the transcript on Familysearch is correct. The Latter Day Saints have filmed the register (film number 91090) and you can access the film by ordering it through a nearby LDS Family History Centre. There are a couple in Lincolnshire and if you look at the Family History Centers link at the top of the Familyseach.org page you can find the details.

Andy

[fordofcrows]

Andy (and of course, Barry),

A huge penny has dropped and a lightbulb has lit above my head!  Thank you for this wonderful news.  So it's not me going insane - pages out of order, details omitted, incorrect transcripts, etc., BUT all is not lost - if I order the original films, then there is a good chance that the details I am looking for, will be on there.  Brilliant!

Okay, just one more question (I know I keep saying that but..), these`films' will come in the form of a microfiche, yes?  Is there any way of viewing these things without one of those reading machines?  For instance, can they be looked at by scanning them in using a standard scanner, and enlarging them?

[fordofcrows]

It's `stupid O' Clock' here in the UK so I must retire for the night.  I will check any replies tomorrow.

A big thanks to all of you amazing folk.

Until tomorrow...

David

[andycand]

Hi David

You actually have to go to the Family History Center to view them, The film is sent to the Family History Center and is there for a certain period, I think they advise you that it has arrived and you go when the Center is open and view it. I'm not sure what the current cost of ordering the film is.

Many of the films that you can access at your Local Records Office are copies of the LDS films, of course your local RO would most likely only have films relating to your area.

Andy

[LizzieW]

You actually have to go to the Family History Center to view them,

And our nearest Family History Centre which is 20 miles away insists that you also go there to order the microfiche, which is annoying to say the least.

[fordofcrows]

Thanks for the replies Andy and LizzieW.

Andy first - if I travel to these places, in your opinion, or experienced opinion, what are the chances of the films containing nothing more than what is available on Family Search?

LizzieW - I agree.  In this day and age, what with the internet and everything, it is clearly unacceptable that people have to travel to see these things.  I reiterate my earlier question - what about the elderly and disabled?  Does this not discriminate against them?  And of course, there are people who live overseas.

It is an elderly, disabled lady that introduced me to this wonderful hobby, when I started off by researching a great uncle; a WW1 soldier who was killed in Ypres.  She would not be able to travel.  Of course, there is the option of hiring a researcher but I dread to think what they charge.

Thank goodness for Rootschat, that's all I can say.

It will also be a step in the right direction when the Durham Records Office create an online shop.  I hope that other record offices follow this example; if they haven't already.

As a side-note, I know that as a relative newcomer to this pastime, I have been spoilt.  There will be people reading this who have been a family history researcher, since the times when there was no other option than to get out of the armchair and travel the country in search of these records.

The good news is that since the likes of TV shows such as `Who Do You Think You Are? this hobby has greatly increased in popularity.  This will surely mean that these records become more accessable to all.

David

[JenB]

In this day and age, what with the internet and everything, it is clearly unacceptable that people have to travel to see these things. 

A vast amount of information is now on the internet that wasn't there only a few years. The Bishops Transcripts are a case in point - they've only been available for a short time. More and more is coming on line every day via, for instance, free Reg or Durham records Online. However it is a sheer impossibility just to get everything available 'just like that' as you seem to wish.

Not so many years ago all family history had to be done by travelling to record offices and family history centres. I still go regularly to a record office as do many other Rootschatters.

It will also be a step in the right direction when the Durham Records Office create an online shop.

Since you know the precise date of the record you are interested in there is nothing to stop you ordering it direct from Durham Record Office. I'm not sure of their photocopying charges, but I don't think they are prohibitive. I have ordered records from them myself in this way.

Andy (and of course, Barry),

A huge penny has dropped and a lightbulb has lit above my head!  Thank you for this wonderful news.  So it's not me going insane - pages out of order, details omitted, incorrect transcripts, etc.,

That's what I suggested in reply#1

So you are saying that if I use the source film number to find the original microfiche, it should contain more information than is given in the BTs?

The film of the original parish record (film  91010 ) should contain the same information was you had hoped to see on the Bishops Transcript (as explained in the link Stan gave you, the transcripts were supposed to be copies of the original registers). They will probably contain more information than you found on the Family Search record. Alternatively you could purchase the record from Durham Records Online.