Don't rely on transcriptions!

Question

This is probably well-known by many, but it may be a surprise to some to find out how much extra information you can get by looking at original documents.

Take an example of the UK 1871 census for Jane Blyth (Blyth-1017). The Find My Past transcription tells us that Jane is 20, a servant in the house of Robert Entwistle, and she was born in Middlesex, England. The house address is given as Commercial Street (Commercial Tavern), Christ Church Spitalfields, Whitechapel, London & Middlesex, England.

When I looked at the original record on Find My Past, I found this extra information: she was unmarried, a barmaid, and born in Stepney, Middlesex. Those extra facts can make all the difference in identifying a person! 

Another document that can yield extra information is a marriage record, typically a church record. In the UK this will often give the bride and groom's fathers' names, and their occupations. And very often you will see the names of witnesses.

Comments

I think you mean "rely", not "reply". But good advice, of course. "Ad fontes" as they say.

---

Oops! Thanks - fixed now.

Answer 1

Thanks for the Reminder Rob

This also applies to some U.S. and Canadian records, not to mention transcription errors.

Answer 2

Definitely! I have also found someone who died in two different places. Looking at the original, I see that the death was recorded both in the town in which it occurred, and the town in which he resided.

Answer 3

Rob is on to something. He gives very good advice. Always read the original handwritten record, even if you think that the transcript is accurate. Records for "two different people" can turn out to be actually about the same person written by two different transcribers.

Thank you, Rob, for reminding us about transcription.