A valuable lesson learned in Ancestry.com errors

[Cannell_in_USA]

So I am still pretty new to navigating around Ancestry.com. Been trying and trying to find a 1911 census entry for George Edge, his daughter Kate and sons Harry and George (really trying to find out who Sidney is the son of). I have them in all the previous census lists but for the life of me couldn't find 1911. I had a few credits left on 1911census.co.uk, so I searched over there and low and behold, they pop up. Go back to Ancenstry, couldn't find them. So I was able to pull the district and parish etc from 1911census site and then I went record by record on Ancestry till I found them. Oh my, the errors.

George Edge is listed as George Eager
Kate Edge is listed as Walter Eager (Really ??)
Harry George and Sidney are all listed as Eagers.
Harry is listed as a Grocer instead of Groome and George is listed as a 'Window aleanan' - Really??? 'Window Cleaner' is pretty clear to me.

Anyway, I just wanted to pass on to any novices out there that this can be a road block. I don't know if I would have tried another variant of the name - 4 letters is pretty hard to mess up. The good news (or bad I suppose) is that I think from the record, it appears that Sidney was the illegitimate son of Kate. Its RG14 Piece 22263 if anyone wants a laugh.

On the bright side, this was someone my mum told me about. She said she went on holiday with 'The Edges' once or twice and that they had called their daughter after her - Gladys. Turns out that Sidney was the son of her grandfather's sister. Will be skyping with mum in Liverpool in the next few days so that will be a nice bit of news to give her !

[johnhoul]

We all have come across those name problems,but it is fun trying to work out how an accent would sound to a census taker and how good or bad their hand writting was also who is trying to decypher it,the name i am mainly interested in is Houlgrave,so far it as been spelt,Holgrave,holtgrave,howlgrave,haulgrave,Olgrave,Houkgrave,Houldgrave,Houlgreave,and my favourite was Holzman,Houlgram and Hougrave.
Just for a confirmation that it wasn't only our ancestors who had problems with a name, i have worked for a company for 13 years with the same boss who signs my time sheet each day who had to create an email address with the company for me and spelt my name haulgrave so my email address is john.haulgrave but now the company as started its own web page and access is via your email address with your password being your date of birth,want to guess who does not excist, also my intials are J.W. i once got a letter addressed to J.Whoulgrave. Its fun.
On a serious note,the cost of membership to those sites you would think there was checks in place to make sure the info was close to correct.
John

[Tina]

Hi Cannell, that's a cracker for sure!
I've sent an error into Anc for the surname and also that wonderful occupation.
Thanks John, your reply was so good.

[Hilary]

If you need anyone living in Ainsdale in Lancashire in the 1891 census you will discover Aisndale doesn't exist according to Ancestry. Their transcriber has read the capital A as a D and the place is Dinsdale!!!

My great aunt Ethel is listed as Joseph niece in the 1901 census!

[Daisycakes]

My experience with names is with Riley/Royle/Ryall/Rilly...it does get soooooooo confusing and I have had my doubts about Elizabeth Riley (my paternal grandmother) so many times. We do the research and theres always a helping hand from the crew.. we buy the certs and hope we have the correct person...But I love this ancestry malarky even though it can sometimes be the most frustrating hobby ever

Ann

[dickiesam]

I don't know if I am maligning Ancestry here, they may have the same facility but I like the census search engine on Findmypast because you can search on forenames only with the bonus of including the forename of anyone else you think would be in the household. That sounds daft but if you know the area and have names from a previous census it often turns up trumps. Tack on some YoBs and it gets even better.

[Katie]

For the amount of money they charge you would think they could have employed a checker to cross check the transcriber entries.

[MaryA]

For the amount of money they charge you would think they could have employed a checker to cross check the transcriber entries.

According to them they did, I just don't think they did a good job.

[Blue70]

The impression I get for some transcriptions is that getting the job done as soon as possible was more important to them than accuracy.

Blue

[Katie]

Exactly Blue and I myself personally don't think that's good enough for the amount of money the want for a subscription. My Terence McArdle is down as Ference McArdle on some of the baptisms of his children. They should employ transcribers who have experience of looking through old registers and documents.

[Tina]

I hate look for Mac's..I've found some as Mac space Donald...or Mc space Donald.
Frustrating.
Someone told me it was transcribed in India, not sure how true that is, to save on wages.

[dickiesam]

They should employ transcribers who have experience of looking through old registers and documents.

But where would they find them in Bangladesh, the home of computer help-lines?

[Katie]

True DS. Should employ us.

[johnhoul]

Tina's doing a good job for them already,why employ a checker when they ask you to send in any errors you find,plus think of all the giggles you get from the names you find, with the exclamation of how the heck did they get that from that,like mine Houlgrave they saw Holzman, i only found that one as i knew Thomas had married a widow and looked for her kids.
John

[Tina]

Corker today birth place Bampton Down Ireland, hello, no mention of Ireland
It was Brampton in Devon.
I blame the men in Mumbai

[big g]

I have just come across another corker -

1901 census gives place of birth as BETTESS OF COLD................
Caernarvonshire.

I'll let you guys guess!!!!

[dickiesam]

I have just come across another corker -

1901 census gives place of birth as BETTESS OF COLD................
Caernarvonshire.

I'll let you guys guess!!!!

Of course it is BETTESS OF COLD! Been there many times. Even worked there in beautiful Snowdonia. For the non-Welsh speakers the 'real' place name roughly means the 'chapel in/by/of the forest'.

[Gray]

You could not be meaning Betws y Coed Brian?

My mothers' friend was the licensee of the 'Swallow Falls' in the 60's
I think it was Greenall Whitley who owned it then?

Dolly Van Dam (nee Jones)

Edit: Just looking at Free BMD she was either Jones or Smith
We learn something every day.. what a woman she was!!


Gray

[Bertieone]

I like this post on Talkingscot


"Usually the addresses on Census Returns are basic to say the least. Had to laugh when I came across this one on the 1881 Census

"On Bowden Moor, Near The Lase Of The Eildon Hills, And About Half A Mile Distance From Town Of Melrose"

How I wish all enumerators had been so diligent!

Btw, this is the address for Roxburgh Berwick and Selkirk District Lunatic Asylum".

[dickiesam]

I like this post on Talkingscot


"Usually the addresses on Census Returns are basic to say the least. Had to laugh when I came across this one on the 1881 Census

"On Bowden Moor, Near The Lase Of The Eildon Hills, And About Half A Mile Distance From Town Of Melrose"
How I wish all enumerators had been so diligent!
Btw, this is the address for Roxburgh Berwick and Selkirk District Lunatic Asylum".

They needed decent directions in case they got lost trying to find the men in white coats!

And Gray...

Betws y Coed Brian?

If the Swallow Falls was/is on the road to Capel Curig I have had more than one drink there! Before pubs did bar food, home-made sarnies in the car park washed down with a pint.