Search Hints (General)

by braillemaker, Monday, July 14, 2008, 05:30 (5986 days ago)

Record Id 103796, baptism of Charlotte Hale, is one of a number of records that have a blank, or zero, entry for Year. I take it that the majority of these are not transcription errors but relate to records where the Year is not specified. In the case of Charlotte Hale, the Notes entry reads ‘Year 1881’.
I am just wondering how these entries are going to be found by a searcher who ‘knows’ that the baptism took place around 1880. Entering 1880 with a year range is not going to find it.
If one uses the Advanced Search facility then it is immediately clear that such records exist but I’m thinking of those who always sticks to the simple search facility.
There perhaps needs to be an explicit hint that if you cannot find a record that you expect to find then try leaving the Year blank.

Search Hints

by admin ⌂, Forest of Dean, Tuesday, July 15, 2008, 03:20 (5985 days ago) @ braillemaker

Thanks for your feedback on the subject and I agree it would be a good idea to add a hint regarding the year as you've suggested. There are a few other hints which I have thought about which would help some people also. I will add these additional hints on the search page soon.

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