Genealogy Chat

This was their response to me asking when the whole index will be available:

'This database is made available to Ancestry.com users, courtesy of the volunteers of the FreeBMD organization. The leadership of FreeBMD has organized the permissions and tools necessary to enable hundreds of volunteers to convert to electronic text, and publish online, searchable indexes to the civil registrations in England and Wales. FreeBMD has already indexed more than 90 million names between the years of 1837 and 1983, and more names continue to be added everyday. Ancestry will add to this database as FreeBMD provides more names. It is estimated that more than 50% of the names between 1837 and 1900 have been indexed. ' Because this information is indexed by FreeBMD, we simply post the updates that the provide for us. We cannot provide a completion date for this database. Suzanne

That is not really a great outlook then is it. So we can all stop hovering around the PC willing it to give us the BMD's wonder why they even said on the radio Ancestry is the only website to have full GRO records? Very very odd From Lindy's post ''1837 ONLY on Ancestry??? Radio 2 Steve wright website of the day?? 1837 GRO According to Miles Mendoza on Steve Wright Anecestry uk are the ONLY web site on the internet who have all bmd from 1837 onwards.'' Zoe

Do any of the free bmd transcribers know how close they are to completing their mission?

90 Million? I can't remember when Freebmd passed that milestone, but it was months and months and months ago. See their website for up-to-date figures.

I actually transcribe for BMD don't know about the rest of the groups but my group leader for this mission always keeps us upto date with how we are doing.. Best thing to do is look at freeBMD site and it will tell you what has yet to be transcribed Zoe

I also transribe for freebmd. My group is concentrating on the early handwritten pages. This is a long and laborious task as some of the scans are almost illegible. As Zoe has said if you go to the freebmd site you can see how much progress is being made and the gaps that need to be filled. Volunteers are always welcome. The more people that transcribe the quicker the whole index will be on line. Jean x.

I don't see where Ancestry is up to 1983 when I can't find me or my sibs birth dates

Pauline, Ancestry have 1,511 entries for 1983, courtesy of FreeBMD. So, as they don't state the database is complete, I expect they are more than happy to call it: ''1837-1983''!! Merry

Merry What happened to 1936??

Pauline GRO registers start from Sept 1837 Zoe