Free Online Genealogy Course with FutureLearn (Week 1)

[LizzieL]

It does seem a bit superficial so far. Among examples of primary records given were census records, but the records shown were actually the enumerators books, which to my mind would be a derived primary record. The householder's schedule (if it still existed) would be the primary record. I have seen more than one census record where there has been a mistake which I doubt that the head of household would have made. e.g transposed his own forename with that of his eldest son (neither had a middle name), got the names of his children muddled up. But it is something an enumerator after a long day might do when copying records by candlelight. The point that BMD certs might be transcribed or could be a scan / photocopy from the original register was not made - that could affect their value as a an accurate record. I have two slightly different marriage certs for my late MIL (age different). One we sent for from the RO in the district where she married (transcribed by a registrar's clerk). Then the one given to her at the time of marriage turned up among all her documents. Both supposedly a transcription of the original marriage entry.

[Cas (stallc)]

Just to add in the past I transcribed from FreeBMD it was not always straightforward or easy.

[groom]

I though that was covered in 1:9 Lizzie. when it says:

"However, the main thing to realise is that any time someone copies information from one source to create another source (as in a transcription of a birth certificate) there is the chance that mistakes will be made. With the best will in the world wrong information can be copied and unless you can check the original document, there is no way to be totally assured that the transcriber has not made a mistake."

[SmallTownGirl]

I though that was covered in 1:9 Lizzie ...."

And it was in the video of 1.8

STG

[SmallTownGirl]

I wasn't expecting to learn much from Week 1, but I did learn some new terminology

STG

[LizzieL]

Yes, they make the point that the a transcribed copy could have errors, but then give an example of an 1872 marriage cert (a transcribed copy made in 2005) and say it is a primary source.

If you look at transcript of 1.8. The paragraph under 3:26, line 5.
To be fair they do mention it is a copy made at a much later date. But it would have been good to have also had an example of a certificate which was a photocopy of the register.
I think it has left the beginner thinking that a cert copy made close to the event could be more accurate than one made 130 years later.
 

[Deirdre784]

So have you all done 'week 1' then? Only just home from work and need my dinner first (otherwise i may not get it if i get engrossed in (i) the course (ii) rootschat and (iii) my own tree (had a death cert in the post this morning with the informant a previously unknown married daughter - had the daughter as a child but not later and can't immediately see her marriage). 

[groom]

No, I've only finished up to 1:9. I dont want to rush through it too quickly, otherwise you miss a lot of the comments made by other people.

[Cas (stallc)]

So  have joined, still getting my head around thou