Hi All, Apologies for this totally off-topic enquiry but I was wondering if some kind person out there knows about tracing ancestors who moved from the UK to the USA via Canada. I have minimal death details for this person in California but I'm led to believe that he married at some stage, possibly in the USA, but I have no details of this at all. Any advice most gratefully received - please send to [email protected] Cheers Ian

Hi, When I transcribe the BMD scans (the later printed rather than earlier hand-written indexes) after entering all the records using SpeedBMD, I go back and double check what I've entered before sending them off. To make this a lot quicker, I've written a program which displays the scan and "in front" a box containing a BMD record from the transcription file I've produced using SpeedBMD. What I then see is the line from the original scan and just below it, what I've transcribed - I can very quickly spot any differences especially silly mistakes, such as typing "Amy" instead of "May", selecting Plympton instead of Plymouth or missing out the 3rd forename initial. I then press a key and the box moves down to below the next line in the scan and also displays the next record from the BMD file and so on. The program won't let me amend the SCA file - I've deliberately not included this - but I can "flag" an entry and then display or print out the details. What I am after is a few volunteers to try out the program and see if you think it helps - if so, I'll make it generally available and support it. If you're willing to try it out for me, please email me directly at [email protected] I've set up a temporary web page with all the details and you can download the program from there. The program is just under 100kb (but you may also need to download a larger standard Microsoft file unless its already on your computer). There are a few restrictions at the moment - it only works with Windows 98 and ME and only with the three column printed births and wedding indexes. Cheers, David Lang email: [email protected]

Hi, Sarah Middleton wrote: > > Dave et al, > > Firstly, please don't see this as a criticism - I hope it is taken in the > constructive manner it is intended. I agree with the people who think that > there is far to much whinging on the lists. > > I was searching FreeBMD over the weekend (Saturday morning in the UK). For > about an hour it was fine, I didn't get a single search rejected because the > server was busy. However, I am searching for a particular marriage. I > entered both the bride and the groom's surnames and a fairly limited year > range (about 5 years). I tried a few times with this type of search and > every time the site whirred away for a few minutes before informing me that > the server was overloaded. Is this what you mean by a search that was 'too > complex and failed to complete'? Yes, it is. If you don't get a quickish answer telling you we're too busy (with a number next to it), then the query you have run is taking too long and we have to blat it. > I could, however, just put in the groom's > surname and a much larger year range. This returned the results almost > immediately. I thought I was helping to reduce the load by specifying more > information and thus narrowing my search. Could you explain, please? This is because of the indexing. Where we have a field or selection of fields indexed, it is faster to search on those fields than on fields that are not indexed. When you search for someone married to someone else, the result is a slow query ... Once we get the new indexes in place, we should be able to work out the best/worse searches and give advice. Cheers Graham > > Thanks, and keep up the great work everybody. > > Sarah > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp

Dave et al, Firstly, please don't see this as a criticism - I hope it is taken in the constructive manner it is intended. I agree with the people who think that there is far to much whinging on the lists. I was searching FreeBMD over the weekend (Saturday morning in the UK). For about an hour it was fine, I didn't get a single search rejected because the server was busy. However, I am searching for a particular marriage. I entered both the bride and the groom's surnames and a fairly limited year range (about 5 years). I tried a few times with this type of search and every time the site whirred away for a few minutes before informing me that the server was overloaded. Is this what you mean by a search that was 'too complex and failed to complete'? I could, however, just put in the groom's surname and a much larger year range. This returned the results almost immediately. I thought I was helping to reduce the load by specifying more information and thus narrowing my search. Could you explain, please? Thanks, and keep up the great work everybody. Sarah

Hi All First my personal thanks to Virginia Gretton for volunteering to produce a newsletter, that is the biggest problem overcome. I envisioned a newsletter as a (cynical?) management tool to keep us volunteers feeling involved. To do this it must contain a name the volunteer can identify with, that is the syndicate name. Virginia's suggestion of last percentage and present percentage is ideal. How about also the number of volunteers in the syndicate. Syn Bin (50) 1850M4 50% 70% Once set up in Excel the updating of this would be easy. The "new percentage" request/reminder could be made on one of the lists. I would suggest distribution to coordinators and for them to manage who doesn't want it. I'm not an expert in Outlook Express to know how easy it is to set up different mailing lists. Funny names and "I transcribed my ggggggggggfather" are fine but I don't think it wants to get like the rootsweb review - I bought a bible in an auction etc. A web site works fine for those motivated to go there, this is e-mail motivation. Those who don't need or want to receive and read it don't have to, that's fine. Peter Cox wrote How about this for a "kinship" item. I'VE JUST BECOME A GRANDAD:o) My first grandchild (a girl) was born on Sunday.Can I send in a Births entry? Since you are a very special case I'm sure Virginia could squeeze you in. CONGRATULATIONS I suggest Virginia starts now by asking all coordinators for their details and just does it. Everyone seems agreed that it will be a good thing. As Editor and Star Reporter what she puts in can be up to her. Must get back to %^*$ handwritten scans. Bob Phillips

HI, Peter Cox wrote: > > Hi Freebies, > > I agree with the sentiments expressed so far and I dare say the > Exec would also appreciate some sincere thanks for their efforts > now and again instead of a steady diet of niggles. Let's not > forget that EVERYONE is a volunteer on this project, some seem to > treat the Exec as if they are paid professionals who need putting > in their place. > > I know it does me the world of good on the rare occasions I get a > compliment or a thank you about SpeedBMD, instead of a plea for > help, which I always try to respond to fully, often at great cost > to my personal time. > > How about this for a "kinship" item. I'VE JUST BECOME A > GRANDAD:o) My > first grandchild (a girl) was born on Sunday.Can I send in a > Births entry? Congratulations, Peter :))) Hope all are doing well :) Cheers Graham > > Kind regards to everyone > > Peter Cox > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp

forwarded. Pete Ashmore wrote: > > Peter > Huge congratulations mate. Please pass on my sincerest best wishes to to > all concerned in this marvellous project - mother, father and brand new babe. > Pete Ashmore, Sydney.

[email protected] wrote: > > Hello again everyone > > If we are going to have a summary, newsletter (call it what you will), I am > prepared to put it together. I might even include the odd funny name > transcribed if volunteers want to e-mail me their experiences. > > However, I need people to feed me the numbers. My understanding of how > coordinators keep count of the number of records allocated and subsequently > uploaded is somewhat hazy - I suspect that there are as many methods as there > are syndicates. If the group leaders *can* give me the information and are > *willing* to do so then we are in business. > > Please feel free to discuss how best to do this and the format required. I > will be happy to oblige once I know where the raw data is coming from. In > this instance the answer is *not* Dave M and I am sure he will be suitably > relieved about that! Well, I'll still have to feed you the numbers for my syndicate! There is a slight problem in that the bit of FreeBMD that gives the syndicate stats is currently broken for big syndicates. Must look into that! A few stories from satisfied customers would be nice. -- Dave Mayall

John Slann wrote: > > Brian tells of the website for his syndicate, I have to put my hand in the > air and say I do not posses the skills to do something similar. Oh, you do! Despite the mystique attached to "web design", it is very easy to write simple web pages. If you would actually like to do something like this for your syndicate, just ask for a bit of help setting it up and you will be able to keep it up to date no problem. -- Dave Mayall

Allan Raymond wrote: > > Hi Virginia et al > > I like the idea, but as John pointed we must be careful not to have a league table > type approach. Agreed. Trumpeting achievement is good. Drawing comparisons with others is very bad. > I am willing to contribute to the newsletter but am more than happy for somebody > such as yourself to take the lead. It may be useful if subscribers to the discuss > list could say what else they would like to see in the newsletter in addition to > that contained in John Slann's > original email. > > Incidently we do have a "News" mailing list which I assume could be used to > disseminate the Newsletter. If this is to be a fortnightly thing, then I'm not sure that we should do that. News is *very* low volume for people who only want to know about big things, and I suspect they will get very fed up of a chatty mail ever 2 weeks. Also, News is a feed into RWR. Anything we put there is likely to be regurgitated to a mass audience (and attract more searches than we can handle) I suggest Admins, plus an archive on the site. -- Dave Mayall

Hi Freebies, I agree with the sentiments expressed so far and I dare say the Exec would also appreciate some sincere thanks for their efforts now and again instead of a steady diet of niggles. Let's not forget that EVERYONE is a volunteer on this project, some seem to treat the Exec as if they are paid professionals who need putting in their place. I know it does me the world of good on the rare occasions I get a compliment or a thank you about SpeedBMD, instead of a plea for help, which I always try to respond to fully, often at great cost to my personal time. How about this for a "kinship" item. I'VE JUST BECOME A GRANDAD:o) My first grandchild (a girl) was born on Sunday.Can I send in a Births entry? Kind regards to everyone Peter Cox

Hi All I for one do not need a blow by blow description of what's happening, I just want to get on with the job in hand, as I am sure most others do. Time spent in unnessessary nonsence is lost for transcribing This is my view Lesley Potter From: "John Slann" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 10:46 PM Subject: The kinship of transcribers > Greetings, > > One of my great band of transcribers wrote to saying that he felt that there was a lack of kinship in our enterprise and suggested a fortnightly newssheet. Amongst other things he said: > > " I thought when I subscribed to different lists that I would get an update of how we are getting on but unless I look at the total on the home page and remember the old total then I have no idea of progress. I would love to know how we, that is The X Incorporated syndicate, are getting on, although I really know from my allocations, and how the other syndicates are getting on. Without putting too much load on syndicate leaders, as we all know you are "volunteers", I believe there should be an update newssheet on say a fortnightly basis, the information need not be strictly accurate. This is not just for nosey parkers like me but as a freebmd kinship forming thing to encourage those who tend to drop not out but off. One should not have to subscribe, it should be automatic, but one can unsubscribe." > > I wrote back as follows: > > "I like the idea of the newsletter as long as I don't have to do it. When I started doing the coordination job I thought I would still have time for transcribing, so far this has not been the case. When this project first started there was a lot of pressure for a league table showing those who transcribed the most at the top. I fought against this, I confess that I was in part motivated by the fact I was transcribing handwritten material and I was painfully slow. Type set material is much easy, and therefore quicker. I took the view then and keep it now that all contributions are valuable. If we could get someone from HO to do a fortnightly bulletin without figures but with perhaps totals that would help. It could have any funnies we have come across, tips we have discovered and new additions to FAQ's, as well as progress in WinBMD. We could even have a personalities corner." > > He came back and said: > > "I see the newsletter as a management incentive tool. All "workers" in industry need to know that someone is interested in them, not necessarily personally but as a group; it's a basic management fact. There was a famous experiment, the Hawthorn Experiment, where they split the workforce and altered the lighting level for one half, the workers were told of the experiment. The result was that the output of both halves increased, the conclusion was that the lighting had little effect but the management interest did have a positive effect. > I assume there is a syndicate controller somewhere in this wired together mob, someone who knows all the syndicate leaders and knows what they're doing. That is the person to initiate the list of syndicates, the quarter they are doing and roughly how they are doing > John Smith 1881B4 25% > John Slann 1890M4 95% 1846B1 0% > He/She sends that "newsletter" to all syndicate leaders and they forward it on to the volunteers, which wouldn't put much load on the leaders. > I certainly agree that there should be no comparison of transcription rates. And for the human side funny names etc can be added by volunteers sending them to sin leaders who forward them to the fat controller. It can contain anything that management want but it's prime reason for being, should be remembered, is to be a kinship forming exercise to retain moral. > I can't do it, I'm an engineer with no imagination, an artist is required, not for layout purposes but for .... I don't really know. > Sorry about the length of this, but what do you think? I do not think our overworked HO staff would want to take this on they have enough to do, but is there someone out there with the skills to do this it the 2000 of us feel we would like a closer kinship. > > John > > > ============================== > Search over 1 Billion names at Ancestry.com! > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/rwlist1.asp > > >

Good day. To Peter and his own family: As part of my extended family, kith and kin (albeit of the ethereal kind) Congratulations!!!!! Flags and bunting optional. A newsletter for those of us still not really computer nerds - in the nicest and most complimentary sense - and not entirely happy to walk around the FreeBMD site knowing exactly what is there would certainly be read by me. Who are these other groups? Are there any pertinent recruiting stories? Where are the members of the syndicates based? What do they do in their (ha ha) spare time to earn their daily crust? Are there geographically close groups who socialise in reality as well as in cyberspace? Have any volunteers had the time to find many of their own ancestors yet? Has anyone had a blinding moment when they were actually transcribing and found they were working on the name that represented their own particular brickwall? Just a few ideas of what I would find particularly interesting apart from the figures. Best wishes Anne Cruise [email protected] Peter Cox wrote: > How about this for a "kinship" item. I'VE JUST BECOME A > GRANDAD:o) My > first grandchild (a girl) was born on Sunday.Can I send in a > Births entry? > > Kind regards to everyone > > Peter Cox

Hi Virginia et al I like the idea, but as John pointed we must be careful not to have a league table type approach. I am willing to contribute to the newsletter but am more than happy for somebody such as yourself to take the lead. It may be useful if subscribers to the discuss list could say what else they would like to see in the newsletter in addition to that contained in John Slann's original email. Incidently we do have a "News" mailing list which I assume could be used to disseminate the Newsletter. Allan Raymond [email protected] http://www.btinternet.com/~allan_raymond/Monarchies_of_Europe.htm FreeBMD - putting birth marriages and deaths on the Internet http://FreeBMD.rootsweb.com/ ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: 25 June 2001 14:30 Subject: Re: The kinship of transcribers Dear John and List Lots of very good stuff snipped........ John Slann wrote: I assume there is a syndicate controller somewhere in this wired together mob, someone who knows all the syndicate leaders and knows what they're doing. That is the person to initiate the list of syndicates, the quarter they are doing and roughly how they are doing John Smith 1881B4 25% John Slann 1890M4 95% 1846B1 0% If you want a syndicate controller look no further than Allan Raymond who works incredibly hard on scan allocation, setting up new syndicates and the like. I don't want to step on Allan's toes or put words into his mouth but I seriously doubt that he could fit a newsletter into his spare 15 seconds. However.....those of you who have dealings with me will know that keeping the family feel among transcribers is a pet subject of mine. I will take on the role of distributing a 'state of the project' summary every two weeks if the majority would welcome it. I don't promise any more than a summary for a start, but who knows how it could grow. The mechanics. To avoid putting greater load on the fabulous four (as they have been dubbed today) or the admin team, how about getting each syndicate leader to send me an e-mail once a fortnight. Doesn't have to be chatty - just has to say something like: John Slann 1890M4 95%. I am willing to put all the e-mails together and distribute the combined information as required. We could even have percentage last time and percentage now columns to highlight the growth in records transcribed. Distribute to the list and to each co-ordinator? Let me know what you think. As Dave M has pointed out today, database updates are going to have to be at longer intervals. This 'state of the project' idea serves an additional purpose in giving us all a between updates boost - we won't know exactly how many records will be added at the next database build but we will know growth is taking place and we can have fun guessing. And if anyone wants to volunteer for chatty artistic bits, feel free - I am a scientist, not an artist! Best Wishes Virginia Gretton FreeBMD Volunteer Coordinator ============================== Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate your heritage! http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog

Brian tells of the website for his syndicate, I have to put my hand in the air and say I do not posses the skills to do something similar. However it would be nice to know how other syndicates are progressing and whether they have similar triumphs and frustrations from a common source. Glad to see that so far reaction has been favourable and thanks to Virginia for volunteering to take the lead. We spread world wide and it would be nice if our community could be drawn closer. John

Why do emails have a mind of their own. Please add "_status_page.htm" to the end of the apparent web page address or you will get an error. Brian Smart -----Original Message----- From: Brian Smart [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 25 June 2001 14:52 To: [email protected] Subject: Re The Kinship of Transcribers For members of my syndicate I have a web page that I use to let people know what is happening within my group. Because of the recent problems with crashes and few updates at the FreeBMD computer it difficult to update it regularly but it does help to answer this query for a limited number of people. See: http://www.brian-smart.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bmd_development/brians_syndicate _status_page.htm Regards Brian Smart ============================== Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate your heritage! http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog

Hi All Scan2 Syndicate already has a status page for its 615 members at the following www address http://www.cam.org/~hopkde/scan2.html then select the menu item "Project Scope" This is updated automatically, and is done daily. Cheers Derek Derek C Hopkins, Phone +1(450)678-7768 6640, Biarritz, Fax +1(450)678-4252 Brossard, E-Mail [email protected] QC, Canada, J4Z-2A2. ==== FreeBMD - England and Wales - Birth - Marriage and Death Transcriptions <http://FreeBMD.rootsweb.com> ==== Check out FreeBMD Scan2 Syndicate page (revised weekly) <http://www.cam.org/~hopkde/scan2.html> Check out my web page (22jan1997) Last Revised 28 May 1998 <http://www.cam.org/~hopkde/index.html> Check out Abney Park Indexing Project (revised 14 MAR 2000, 195,000 names) <http://www.cam.org/~hopkde/abney.html> Check out my web Ramsgate page <http://members.adept.co.uk/hopkde> Check out the Quebec Family History web page <http://www.cam.org/~qfhs/index.html>

I quite like this idea - especially if the updates are only going to happen once a month or less, we would all get a sense of movement in the right direction. And it might stop some of the nastiness that has been gong around recently. I'm sure it doesn't need to be arty or fancy, just facts and figures, and the odd funny name will keep people motivated I'm sure. Regards Sheelagh ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 2:30 PM Subject: Re: The kinship of transcribers > Dear John and List > > Lots of very good stuff snipped........ > > John Slann wrote: > > I assume there is a syndicate controller somewhere in this wired together > mob, someone who knows all the syndicate leaders and knows what they're > doing. That is the person to initiate the list of syndicates, the quarter > they are doing and roughly how they are doing > John Smith 1881B4 25% > John Slann 1890M4 95% 1846B1 0% > > If you want a syndicate controller look no further than Allan Raymond who works incredibly hard on scan allocation, setting up new syndicates and the like. I don't want to step on Allan's toes or put words into his mouth but I seriously doubt that he could fit a newsletter into his spare 15 seconds. > > However.....those of you who have dealings with me will know that keeping the family feel among transcribers is a pet subject of mine. I will take on the role of distributing a 'state of the project' summary every two weeks if the majority would welcome it. I don't promise any more than a summary for a start, but who knows how it could grow. > > The mechanics. To avoid putting greater load on the fabulous four (as they have been dubbed today) or the admin team, how about getting each syndicate leader to send me an e-mail once a fortnight. Doesn't have to be chatty - just has to say something like: John Slann 1890M4 95%. I am willing to put all the e-mails together and distribute the combined information as required. We could even have percentage last time and percentage now columns to highlight the growth in records transcribed. Distribute to the list and to each coordinator? > > Let me know what you think. As Dave M has pointed out today, database updates are going to have to be at longer intervals. This 'state of the project' idea serves an additional purpose in giving us all a between updates boost - we won't know exactly how many records will be added at the next database build but we will know growth is taking place and we can have fun guessing. > > And if anyone wants to volunteer for chatty artistic bits, feel free - I am a scientist, not an artist! > > Best Wishes > > Virginia Gretton > FreeBMD Volunteer Coordinator > > > ============================== > Shop Ancestry - Everything you need to Discover, Preserve & Celebrate > your heritage! > http://shop.myfamily.com/ancestrycatalog > >

For members of my syndicate I have a web page that I use to let people know what is happening within my group. Because of the recent problems with crashes and few updates at the FreeBMD computer it difficult to update it regularly but it does help to answer this query for a limited number of people. See: http://www.brian-smart.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/bmd_development/brians_syndicate _status_page.htm Regards Brian Smart

Hello again everyone If we are going to have a summary, newsletter (call it what you will), I am prepared to put it together. I might even include the odd funny name transcribed if volunteers want to e-mail me their experiences. However, I need people to feed me the numbers. My understanding of how coordinators keep count of the number of records allocated and subsequently uploaded is somewhat hazy - I suspect that there are as many methods as there are syndicates. If the group leaders *can* give me the information and are *willing* to do so then we are in business. Please feel free to discuss how best to do this and the format required. I will be happy to oblige once I know where the raw data is coming from. In this instance the answer is *not* Dave M and I am sure he will be suitably relieved about that! Best Wishes Virginia