General Chat

Good Evening class. Sit up and pay attention please. Tonight we are going to discuss "Primary Source" Documents. Hands up anyone who knows what that is? Yes, you at the back. No dear, the IGI is NOT a primary source document. A primary source document means the original, the first document on which the information appears. Can anyone give me an example? Thankyou James, yes you are quite correct, a Baptismal Register is usually a Primary Source document. And yes, for the purposes of genealogical research, a photocopy of that Register can be acceptable where it is not possible to view the actual document for yourself. So, class, can anyone explain to me why I have just spent a very excited five days waiting for a photocopy of the Parish Register, which my informant SWORE BLIND was a Primary Source Document - I explained that I had seen ALL the entries on the IGI but needed to see the PSD to convince myself it was true. It came this morning, its a photocopy of the IGI. Well class, you may all go for a fag break now. When we come back we will discuss the correct etiquette required to tell a well-intentioned informant that they have sent you a pile of crop.

good lesson, it has made me laugh lol sandra

Marjorie, Loved your first lesson with illustration. Can't wait for the next. Jean x.

I think an hours detention is needed here at the very least.

Hi Marjorie, You must have been disappointed. Looks like you'll have to order the film yourself and sit and go through the reel. I've done it for my husband's Scottish side but haven't got around to doing my side. It gives me a headache - actually makes me feel physically sick looking at the old film - don't know why. Good luck - hope it does match up when you finally get there.

And Miss...Miss! What's "a pile of crop?" ;-)) Dee x

I too find that looking at a film reader gives me a sick headache and I put it down to my varifocal glasses making me hold my head at an unatural angle. Ann Glos

David - Genealogy is the study of myth and legend, crop circles and the like. Write out 100 times GENEALOGY. Christine - I have looked through the Parish Register myself - twice - the first film was so poorly photographed tht it was utterly unreadable. The second copy was a bit better, but the baptism, which so many people have ALLEGEDLY seen, was not there, not on the date it was supposed to be, nor for five years before and after. I appealed, both on this site and on another, for anyone who had actually SEEN this baptism on a primary source document, that is, on a Baptismal Register. I got plenty of replies - the world and his dog had seen it - on the IGI. Then had a phone call from someone who had REALLY seen it, yes, on the Baptismal register and promised to send me a photocopy of the entry. It was a copy of the IGI entries. This baptism concerns someone who supposedly founded a "dynasty" and many thousands of people think they are descended from him. They arent - not as far as Im concerned anyway. Dee - "A pile of crop" is what we call a mistranscription. We will be discussing this in a further lesson. Well done for spotting it, you can be milk monitor next week. Everyone else - sickness, nausea, dizziness and vomiting are all symptoms of genealogy. Though unpleasant, the symptoms are harmless but incurable. There are many self-help groups you can join, or you could phone the Samaritans, but please do not bother your Doctor as the NHS has more important quotas to reach. Thankyou class. We will meet again soon. Your homework assignment is an essay entitled "My ancestors: did they really exist". Marks out of 100, 20 for content, 20 for mistranscriptions, 20 for idiocy, 20 for bragging, 20 for genealogical handwriting.

Dear Miss Peak, Mum says I have to miss school for at least a week as I have all the symptoms, nausea, dizziness etc., she says its spreading like wildfire, almost everyone in our Road is affected by now, its even spreading to people on the TV. She says I need to be soaked in a bath with loads of Garlic, cabbage and lettuce leafs and some of those other remedies found on the tips board. PLEASE can I be excused.... PS She says I am over worrying about all the classes we have to do, especially the Genealogy class.LOL> Thanks Marjorie, really enjoyed that. Pat x

Pat - this really will NOT do. You were obviously not paying attention in class otherwise you would have known that a note from your mother MUST be a primary source document. Photocopies are not acceptable in this situation( as they can be fraudulently altered,) nor can a secondhand report of what your mother allegedly said. It is to be hoped that you will have thoroughly scrubbed yourself by next class time, we dont want the classroom reeking of cabbage leaves and garlic do we.

Marjorie, if your not a teacher you've definitely missed your calling. Loved the lesson and can't wait for the next one. P.S. I'm not sitting next to that Pat, she stinks!! Christine

Christine Not half as much as you will 'cause you have that genealogy thingy too, and your Mum is going to put you in a bath of something nasty soon too!!! LOL> Pat x

Well Pat, that's because of the cabbage stuffed in my bra (see on the old cures on tips board) Lol Christine

Dear Miss Peek, Sorry I had to laugh. I remember getting in trouble as a kid trying to hide my laugh. Please Miss, Can't you look for the death then and that should show when this person was born - would that be enough? Your humble student.

Christine Just what I was thinking LOL. or even PSML or whatever it is still LOL> Pat x

Marjorie, that's brilliant, can't wait for your next class. Now I could certainly write an essay on the correct etiquette required regarding your pile of crop, but the keyboard can't cope with all the *****s. Mandy :))

Great fun , BUT CAN i ASK WHO YOU ASKED TO SEND THE INFO TO YOU,SO WE DON'T MAKE THE SAME ERROR. i AM JUST SENDING FOR DOCUMENTS, rOSE

Miss Peek Are the Bishops Transcripts available to look at? Not sure if you would call these a primary source document. Maybe a secondary primary source documeny! Sometimes entries that are missed out of the parish registers appear in the BT's. Jeanette x

Excuse me...Miss Peek..... but as this is an online EVENING class...shouldn't I be wine, beer and fag monitor instead? Dee x

Home work marks Baz - excellent! You have the makings of a world-class transcriber. I shall watch your progress eagerly. Christine - I already have a death for this person, however, its such a common name in the area, I dont know if thats right either! I dont think these particular records exist as BTS but I am eagerly awaiting an on-line transcription of them. Before we start this evenings class I have a few notices to read out. The Principal has asked me to point out that this college has a strict dress code and the wearing of damp vegetables on the head is ABSOLUTELY forbidden on College Premises. In accordance with the European Directive on Human Rights number 9 billion and seventy three, however, the College Authorities have a statutory duty to provide an area set aside for the wearing and storage of damp vegetables. This is situated behind the Boiler room, next to the Smokers Den. Unfortunately there is not yet a canopy, we will be holding a jumble sale next saturday to raise the £445,687. which has been quoted to the Local Authority for the erection of a canopy.Please note the College cannot be responsible for any loss, theft or damage to your damp vegetables and you should arrange your own insurance cover. Anyone caught wearing wet veg on their person will have it confiscated immediately, to be returned on the last day of term. Uncollected cabbage leaves will be sold off to raise College Funds. Mr Seedie, the College Caretaker has also asked me to tell you not to throw your used or discarded ancestors at the light fittings, they cause a terrible smell and set off the smoke alarms. Please do not stick them under your chair, this is a filthy unhygenic habit. Wrap them neatly in biodegradable bags and dispose of them in the large Green Recycling Bin, marked IGI. As most of you already know, the IGI do sterling work in the redistribution of old, used ancestors and it should please you to know that these mostly go to third world countries who do not have any old ancestors at all. Mr Seedie also requests that you do not leave half-eaten meat pies at your desk, this has caused an unseasonably large increase in the incidence of Ptomaine poisoning amongst the cleaning staff, and he is going mad with all the form-filling. Finally, it is my sad duty to tell you of the passing of Elsie Tickle, who died last week at the grand old age of 217 (according to the IGI) Elsie single-handedly raised a family of 17, many of whose fathers are expected to attend the funeral service tomorrow. In accordance with Elsie's last wishes, she is to buried as Blodwen Jones, devoted wife of Geraint Jones and her grieving family have said they will make every effort to do this. Well, class, not much time for a lesson today, but next time we shall be studying Enumerator's Script. This is the art of taking a perfectly ordinary name and turning it into something completely incomprehensible. Practice turning Albert Munnings into Aululu UUuuuuuys and explain your thought processes as you go. Baz, you should find this easy, so I want you to also explain the thought processes which made Ethel aged 9, appear to be male to the Enumerator.