The aim was to create a single source for holding all the Victorian Census data entries for the village. The chosen tool was an Excel speadsheet and distribution would be via a CD format. The method involved:
creating a common format to hold all the various data collected for the years 1841-1901 ; this would be based on the FREECEN template such that it would be possible to upload our data to that public project.
creating a process for transcription of data from online sources – this would include rules for handling enumerators errors, blank fields etc. It would be important to retain both the data as recorded and any correction applied.
creating a process of independent checking for verification of the transcribed data.
analysing the data for trends based on age, occupation, gender etc using Excel pivot tables, graphics etc
The methodology should allow for the results to be used in any future project as new census returns are published every ten years as the 100 year rule is met.
The final outputs would include a presentation to the SLHG and a distribution of a CD to all members who wish to access the data in support of their local or family history projects.
September 26, 2007
Investigated tools for extracting data from online census sources and use of FREECEN format for years other than 1891.
Established access to Ancestry.com to collect and filter Sharnbrook data entries.
Identified background reading materials including some National Statistics Office, Vision of Britain, Staffordshire University, National Archive.
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November 28, 2007
Designed Universal spreadsheet for years 1841 -2001. This included formats for header pages and individual record numbers for every data entry line.
Drafted first set of User Notes describing the roles and methods for the transcription, the validation, the independent verification and the final edit.
Agreed standard formats for relationships, County abbreviations etc.
Organised a talk by Colin Watts to SLHG meeting re: his research work on the census of Clophill
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December 20,2007
Identified need for common scheme of classification of Occupations; the national topology from 1881 would form the basis of our scheme and would be appplied across all years.
Examples of enumerator errors were accumulated and shared between all team members so that our rules for handling of errors and inconsistencies were continually updated.
The 1851 Ecclesiastical returns would not be included.
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Summer 2008
Continued transcribing and checking of data from each census year.
Confirmed position on copyright with Local History Dept in Bedford Library.
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October 16, 2008
Confirmed data to be shown in graphical analysis i.e. comparison with Colin Watts Clophill Study, comparison with Vision of Britain website results, showing a Family Tree of a common village surname, showing any particular occupation special to Sharnbrook and migration both into and out of the village. Graphs to be created on a new worksheet in the same master file.
The content and file formats of the spreadsheet on the CD for distribution was agreed : local rules generated during the process would be included.
Census Taker poem (author unknown) was adopted to reflect our Sharnbrook project.
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November 29, 2008
End of project talk to SLHG meeting (MS Powerpoint file held in archive). A summary of the project will be given to the Parish Council meeting in the coming months.
The data CD was distributed, a copy has been given to BLARS.
