From: "Kingsley Hirst" <dkh@xtra.co.nz> > I haven't located a similar post via a search. > > I have noticed that the IGI information can be exactly 1 year > different to the (say) the English Parish Records: Yorkshire (West > Riding) [this is a CD purchased through Ancestry.com). > > For example: > Mary Cardwell, IGI Batch: P009801 has a Christening Date of 3 Feb . > 1740 (father John Cardwell). > > Whereas the English Parish Records (Thornhill, West Yorkshire) has > the following entry: 03 Feb 1739 Mary the dau: of John Cardwell Junr > > I believe the above to be the same person. > > Neverthless, I am sure I have seen similar examples and I wondered > (besides the fact that I could have the wrong person) whether anyone > else had noticed this or had an explantion.> There is absolutely nothing whatsoever new in this "phenomenon" and the explanation is perfectly simple, as Elaine has told you. It is due to calendar changes that took place in 1752. These are covered in my Newbies' Guide (URL below). You may find it useful to read this or get yourself a decent book on tracing your family history and find out for yourself some of the well-known "tricks of the trade". Prior to 1752, the year began on March 25 and ended on March 24. This can cause confusion to newcomers when dealing with events and dates between Jan 1 and March 24 before 1752 as to which year to place them in. The ancient Julian Calendar was replaced by the Gregorian Calendar and the start of the year altered to January 1st. At the same time, 11 days were removed from the calendar altogether in 1752, since it was discovered that the Julian Calendar, used by most of Europe, had fallen 11 days behind the Gregorian one. The date Sep 2 1752 was followed by Sep 14 1752. Prior to 1752, the months of January, February and most of March were the last months of the Old Year. From 1752 they became the FIRST months of the New Year. Thus, the date to which you refer above, i.e. 3 Feb 1739, would actually have been 3 Feb 1740 in MODERN terms, i.e. post-1752. So both dates are technically correct! However, the proper way to write it in your records is: 3 Feb 1739/40. What has happened in the case to which you refer is that the incumbent has written the date correctly as it would have been in his time (the year then running from March 25-March 24), but whoever transcribed the event to the IGI has "corrected" it to what is called New Style, i.e. after the calendar changes. This is one of the numerous pitfalls of the IGI - that it isn't made clear whether the dates are Old Style or New Style. As to which source you should believe, you must ALWAYS take the original, in this case the parish registers. The IGI is what is called a SECONDARY source and, as such, should never be preferred over the originals. Had you looked more closely at the CD of the Thornhill parish registers (I possess the same disc) you would have seen that the first christening under the year 1739 is entered on Mar 28 (George ye of Richard Sayner of Briestwell). The christenings then continue beyond Dec 1739 until 12 March 1739 and are then followed by a heading "Christenings in ye year 1740). The christenings include the one of the Mary Cardwell to which you refer. The first christening in 1740 then takes place on 27 March. Of course, the CD is a secondary source as well - or, rather, a third-hand source, since the transcriptions were taken from printed volumes originally published by the Yorkshire Parish Register Society. However, the transcribers of the printed books have followed the style of the original registers (as, indeed, they should) and have left the dates as Old Style and not altered them to New Style to fit the modern calendar. To reiterate, you should write the event in your records as: MARY CARDWELL, daughter of John CARDWELL, christened on 3 February 1739/40. If necessary to remind yourself or other researchers, you can add an annotated note explaining the calendar changes of 1752 and the difference between Old Style and New Style. I hope this is now clear, since it is one of the most important things you need to know in genealogy! -- Roy Stockdill Professional genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE