Collaborating on Runciman Lineages

Date: 2019 [unknown]
Location: International
Surname/tag: Runciman, Runciman Lineages

Background :

The main aim of collaborating together here is so our family knowledge can remain current, gathering from independent scattered pockets of knowledge & merging into one pool of shared research, none of which is then lost ever again to the generations which follow, as has happened to us & earlier generations.

How WikiTree will work for us :

WT is considered the ideal digital format to publish current research. WT allows multiple contributors to participate and to tap into the latest known research. The current model in progress comprises an over-riding category named 'Runciman DNA Project' which drills down to the Lineages sub-categories. These sub-categories may contain narrative on the latest research on the early generations of that lineage as well as an easy click-through to personal profiles of the ancestors linked to their category of lineage.

Participating :

The participating part of our research is two-fold. You can collaborate by manually linking the individual personal profiles of blood descendants of the patriarch to their appropriate Lineage Category. (Blood descendants are those who are direct descendants of the patriarch ‘’’& their spouses’’’. ‘’Spouses' parents and siblings & the spouses' sibling descendants are not direct blood descendants and should not be tagged’’ to a Lineage Category. In other words – those with the DNA of the patriarch but also include their spouse.) Ancestors who lived more than 100 years ago have their profile Privacy level set to ‘Open’ – ie anyone can add/edit information the profile. To link the more recent ancestors you may need to be either a Profile Manager or added to the Trusted List on the profile (ask an existing manager to add you). To link the ancestor to their lineage click the 'EDIT' icon at the top of the screen. This action takes you to an editable narrative to which you should insert at its beginning the appropriate category, eg :

[ [Category:Runciman Lineage 1b - William Runciman of Crail]]

When doing so, remove the space between the opening two brackets I’ve shown in the example above - change ‘[ [‘ to ‘[[‘. I had to create the erroneous space this way as otherwise WT wouldn't display the text to you at all.

Having created the link in a Personal Profile (PP) for the first time you can then copy/paste your revised style of link from that PP into all other PPs you link. This saves you having to adjust my doctored style from the 2nd PP onwards.

All of WT works on the basis that only one global family tree exists and so each ancestor can have only one profile. No one person 'owns' an ancestor – an important feature of the 'collaborative' aspect. Our ancestors belong to all of us. As a consequence of linking personal profiles to a Lineage category, the ancestors’ names appear in an index list displayed on that category page. Clicking on the name listed within the category screen will take the reader to the individual's unique personal profile which will display the latest input information. In many instances an individual's PP will contain more information than was established at the date of original upload to the PP, as well as many profiles for 'new' ancestors more recently discovered.

Indeed that is the second part of the two-fold part of our participation – to increase the biographical content of as many of our ancestors as possible. We look to our contributors to take a special interest in researching and adding as much content as they can to branches they may adopt, or descend down.

Regular updates to WT personal profiles will cascade the latest known research around the Runci-world. Please share in this maintenance. Runciman lines have been fortunate that for many years there has been an active and enthusiastic group of family researchers. Some have passed on and others are reaching an age when their attention, time and energy is more limited. It’s essential young fresh enthusiasts take our line through the next stages of further research, comfortable with the latest technology and its tools. Please, please be one of those prepared to pick up the baton as it's an ambitious target to link every ancestor’s personal profile to their lineage 'category' and to constantly bring new research to the table.

When participating, help/advice if needed is available from any one of our existing Runciman Profile Managers. Personal memories and stories are welcome within the personal profiles. (Remember WT has a policy of not publishing profiles for living people, other than WT contributors.) You can contact any Profile Manager.

Thank you for your interest in collaborating. The last few years have seen great strides in our knowledge. Wider collaboration & custodianship of that knowledge will take the Runciman families to a new & higher level of understanding and safeguard our history for our future descendants.

Alan Runciman

8th generation son of William Runciman (Jean White), patriarch of Lineage 1b William of Crail.

Ayr, Scotland