Cheshire records on FindMyPast

[Jean999]

I have found the Cheshire Parish Records on FindMyPast very unhelpful.

The marriage records are poorly transcribed, so for the records when a female has married it is essential to look at the image to obtain the name of the husband or the bride's father. Whoever was transcribing these records did not understand that spouse can refer to either the husband or wife.

The burial records are similarly poorly transcribed. When the age at death is in days, weeks or months, the person transcribing appears to have assumed that the number must refer to the age in years. The assumed date of birth can be years out. Again all is revealed when you look at the actual image.

I know that any good researcher should look at the actual images, but I expect the transcriptions to enable me to eliminate records that are not relevant to my search.

 

[Sue345]

I have found The Cheshire collection on FMP to be fine for my research. The marriage transcriptions I have name the male spouse and the burial transcriptions are accurate. Maybe because all my Cheshire ancestors were pre 1800, and you were unlucky in the transcriptions you looked at.

I really like the images that are available, saves me heading off to Chester when a new line of enquiry comes up!

 

[Alexander Bisset]

I know that any good researcher should look at the actual images, but I expect the transcriptions to enable me to eliminate records that are not relevant to my search.

I'd agree, if you haven't already could you send this info to FMP, preferably with examples, so that they can update their records. They tend to be very good about taking these sorts of things on board and have always appeared keen to improve their data. It does require people to have told them about problems however.

 

[Bryman]

I really like the images that are available, saves me heading off to Chester when a new line of enquiry comes up!

Even more important for me. I would have much further to travel, from NZ.
Fortunately, I have a 4th cousin who lives in Chester and does all his research at the records office.

 

[Charmaine]

I have found the Cheshire Parish Records on FindMyPast very unhelpful.

The marriage records are poorly transcribed, so for the records when a female has married it is essential to look at the image to obtain the name of the husband or the bride's father. Whoever was transcribing these records did not understand that spouse can refer to either the husband or wife.

The burial records are similarly poorly transcribed. When the age at death is in days, weeks or months, the person transcribing appears to have assumed that the number must refer to the age in years. The assumed date of birth can be years out. Again all is revealed when you look at the actual image.

I know that any good researcher should look at the actual images, but I expect the transcriptions to enable me to eliminate records that are not relevant to my search.

Yes I agree - Ever since their 'upgrade' and change of format, things just aren't 'right' - I love FMP - but of late my searches are not giving the results they should - In parish marriages, as you stated, the 'spouse' is often listed as the person I've searched for, which means I have to look at the image to find the correct spouse - Dates are often way out, place names have been transcribed wrongly - (not just Cheshire) The census results are often not correct - And often, of late, I'll search for someone, not find them, decided to search for another possible household member, and bam - there they are - the original person that I had searched for is there ! How did my original search not bring up that result ? The only thing I changed was the first name - Last night I was looking at an image for 1861 with the address given, and those people are no where to be seen - I tried searching just the street and county - but again the people who supposedly lived at a certain address are just not there - and I clicked the 'next page' arrow over and over in the hopes they'd appear - Also, they don't take kindly anymore to reports of errors - they used to encourage corrections and seemed very thankful - Now, I have been told there is nothing wrong with an image that just doesn't come up ! - No image appears, I've told them, but they say yes it does - NO it doesn't !! I'm not happy since their change of format or attitude of late

 

[Alexander Bisset]

Hmm Charmaine that's not been my experience. One issue with images not appearing can be down to browser versions. What browser are you using and what version is it.

If you can give me a solid example of the issue you are experiencing I'd be happy to investigate the technical issues and log a technical case with FindMyPast with details of the underlying issue.

 

[Charmaine]

Hmm Charmaine that's not been my experience. One issue with images not appearing can be down to browser versions. What browser are you using and what version is it.

If you can give me a solid example of the issue you are experiencing I'd be happy to investigate the technical issues and log a technical case with FindMyPast with details of the underlying issue.

Hello - That particular record/search was back in 2013 and again I think sometime in late 2013 or maybe 2014 - both times, with different computers and browsers, the image I wanted to see wasn't there - That was before the format change - Now ! The image is there, although one of the 'results' I got back then is not coming up - No worries - The other problem I had, as I mentioned in my reply to Jean999, was a census image - Can you help with that ? It was 1861 census, the transcription gives an address with the people living there, but when I click on the image the address is not that stated in the transcription - even after clicking both ways, previous and next pages, that family is no where to be seen