Please remember that the transcriptions are converted to CSV format, which removes all formatting, for uploading to the web site. For this reason, please do not use commas inside the spreadsheet fields, as this makes the conversions manually intensive - use a semicolon instead.
Please don't leave blank lines in the spreadsheets - this again slows the upload process as each one has to be manually removed.
Always try to transcribe the full information – you are unlikely to find the time to revisit the work to add it later!
Make sure you include the source document reference number at the top
Where possible record the enumeration district details (this would typically be a district name (often the parish name with a number), a description of the route the enumerator took, the enumerator's name and a ‘piece’ number.
Use the standard abbreviations marital status and relationship to head (lists available as downloads from this site). If you come across things not in the standard list – this does occasionally happen – please contact the OPC administrator for advice.
Only enter the address against the name where it is shown in the orginal return as this is often the only indication of the start of a new household
Enter the age as a simple number (for years), or use use ‘m’ to indicate months, ‘w’ for weeks, ‘d’ for days. (e.g. 18 m for 18 months; 10 w for 10 weeks; 9 d for 9 days).
For 1851 census returns and onwards, please try to put the birth parish, county and country in modern spellings, as when the census returns are loaded to the website they are matched with the relevant information to allow searches by birth parish etc. Lots of manual corrections by the co-ordinator will mean a lot of time loading the data and therefore delays in making the information available.
Use the ‘Notes’ column to clarify any readability issues.
Tip - when transcribing, shrink infrequently used columns to make the form narrower so it will all fit on your screen at once.
This is the earliest of the census returns useful to genealogists (earlier census returns were more basic and have rarely survived).
Use the ‘Born in county’ column to either enter ‘Y’ or ‘N’, or whatever the enumerator wrote (e.g. Ireland, Scotland, Foreign etc)
If the age is not present or unreadable, put a ‘?’ in the relevant age column provided the gender of the person is obvious
Note - the enumerator rounded the age down to the nearest five years for everyone over the age of 20, although it is common for this convention to have been ignored with the correct age for adults shown.
Introduced Schedule number, Relationship to head, Condition (marital status), Where born (Birth parish and Birth county).
Removed information about uninhabited buildings
Please use standard spellings for the parishes and counties (see general notes above).
Use the standard abbreviations for Marital Status.
Use standard abbreviations for Relationship to head
Reintroduced information about uninhabited buildings
Slightly changed the definition of the disability information to be recorded
Identical information recorded as in 1871 except age is redefined as age last birthday
This census has been fully transcribed already by the Church of Latter Day Saints and is freely available on their website. It is therefore recommended that volunteers treat this as a low priority for transcribing effort.
Column numbers introduced
Additional information regarding accommodation - number of rooms occupied if less than 5
Additional information regarding the employment status of the individuals (Employer, Employed or Neither)
Houses information changed - now categorised as Inhabited, Uninhabited (In occupation or not in occupation) and Building
Additional employment information added - whether working at home.
Definitions of disability changed to Deaf and Dumb, Blind, Lunatic, Imbecile or feeble minded
If you have any questions about the templates, or the database upload procedure, please don't hesitate to contact the OPC coordinator.
We welcome comments for improvements to the transcription templates as they are unlikely to be perfect....
| 30/10/2004 |
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