World Archives Project: British Postal Service Appointment Books

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About this project The Post Office appointment books in this project span the years 1831-1969. Recorded in the appointment books are names of appointees, dates of appointment, and places of appointment. The project difficulty is set at Average because of the legibility of records and number of fields to be keyed.

Need help keying this project?

World Archives Keying Standards
Project Support Article
UK Records Message Board

Project-specific sample images and form field help:

Choose a sample image from below to see the corresponding form field examples.
Free Form
Column Form
Piece
Index

There are several variants of images covered by each form type. The Free Form will cover all images which are free text and do not display columns. The Column Form will cover all images displaying entitled columns. The Piece form type will cover the few title images which display the piece number. The Index form type will cover all images displaying names and page numbers but which do not display appointment dates or places.

- We are not keying the Index pages however we would like them classified as such so that is why there is the fourth form type. Here is an additional example of an index page. It just lists the name and page number that the name is found on. [[1]]
You will also encounter other images in the project, blank pages, roll pages, etc. that will not be keyed. Please mark these images as 'Image with no data'. See these examples: [[2]], [[3]]

How should Free Form images be keyed?
Look on the image for the name, date and place of location, depending on the image they may be located in a variety of places on the page. Some Free Form images will be hand written, others may be typed.
[[4]] [[5]]

How should Column Form images be keyed?
It should be easy to identify the information to be keyed on these forms. Based on the column headers identify the Surname, Given (Christian) name, Date information and Place of Appointment.
- The Place of Appointment should be keyed as seen in the column. If the location is listed as WC Exeter you should key, "WC Exeter", or if it is listed as Ely to Pymon (see below) you key it as seen and enter, "Ely to Pymon". If there is a list of locations such as London, Norfolk this should be entered as "London; Norfolk" with a semi-colon and a space between location names. [[6]] [[7]]
How should Piece forms be keyed?
- The Piece forms are easy to key but may not be as easy to identify. Look for the images with fractions, indicating what number the piece is of that set, and for the images that say 'Piece No'. [[8]] [[9]]

When there are two pages to be keyed should I create a new section for the second page?
- Yes, once you have completed keying the first page create a new section by using the F11 key or by clicking on the icon of the green folder with a + sign. - Any time you encounter a year change on the image, create a new section. For example, if part way through the page the year changes you will need to create a new section in order to capture that information.

Free Form

http://c.mfcreative.com/i/akt/projecthelp/31694/FreeForm.jpg

This form type is for images displaying handwritten postal appointments with no columns or column headings.

Prefix

Key any titles before the name, such as "Dr" or "Rev" in the Prefix field. For names such as "The Right Honourable the Earl of Trellheim", key all in the prefix field.
See Example

Given Name

Key the first name and any middle names or initials, using the drop-down list to assist you. When a name does not appear in the drop-down list key as seen. The Given Name pertains to the name of the person appointed. Any other names appearing in the text of the appointment are not to be keyed. On Free form types there are some images on which the name of the appointed is appears in both the margin of and the text of the appointment.
See Example

Surname

Enter the surname here as it appears on the image, using the drop-down list to help you. When a name does not appear in the drop-down list key as seen. The Surname pertains to the person appointed. Any other surnames within the text of the appointment are not to be keyed. Occasionally an occupation follows the surname. If this appears, do not key the occupation. On Free form types there are some images on which the name of the appointed is appears in both the margin of and the text of the appointment.
As there is no Alias field, an additional married surname should not be keyed.
See Example

Suffix

Key all titles following the surname, such as "Jr" or "III."
See Example

Place of Appointment

The place can be found in the text of each appointment or at the top of the image. When keying this field use the drop-down list provided to assist in identifying the locations. If a place does not appear in the drop-down list then key it as seen. There are a few standards to keep in mind when keying this field: 1. Do not key office titles, such as "Sorting Office" or "Inland Office" or any entries that are not geographical locations. 2. Key acronyms as they appear on the record. 3. Do not key parentheses. 4. Some places of appointment may include abbreviations or multiple places. If a multiple place appears, such as "Huntley to Lissendrum", key as "Huntley to Lissendrum". If a list of places appears, such as "Huntley, Lissendrum, London", key as "Huntley; Lissendrum; London". If a multiple place appears, such as Huntley & Lissendrum", key as "Huntley and Lissendrum".
>>>>>Per Anna (WAP) we ARE to separate locations with semi-colons<<<<<
See Example

Month of Appointment

Key the Month of the appointment date using the drop-down list provided. The date on the record can be for an appointment, a dismissal, a service, or an order. Continue month down the page until a different month is shown. If a month does not appear, mark the field blank.
See Example

Year of Appointment

Key the Year of the appointment date. The date on the record can be for an appointment, a dismissal, a service, or an order. If a year does not appear with the appointment or at the top of the image, mark the field blank.
See Example

Column Form

http://c.mfcreative.com/i/akt/projecthelp/31694/Column_Form.jpg

This form type is for images displaying columns with headings. There are several different variants of columns and their headings but each variant can use this Column Form type.

Year of Appointment

Key the Year of the appointment date. The date on the record can be for an appointment, a dismissal, a service, or an order. If a year does not appear with the appointment or at the top of the image, mark the field blank.
Please add a new section when changing years.
>>>Per Anna: Partial years should only be keyed if you can see the last two digits. In the case where all that is on the record is two digits you only key it if you can determine both digits. Illegible is the appropriate entry for this field.<<<
See Example

Day of Appointment

Key the Day of the appointment date. The date on the record can be for an appointment, a dismissal, a service, or an order. If a day does not appear, mark the field blank.
See Example

Month of Appointment

Key the Month of the appointment date using the drop-down list provided. The date on the record can be for an appointment, a dismissal, a service, or an order. If a month does not appear, mark the field blank. When a month is shown, please continue down the form until a new month appears.
See Example

Prefix

Key any titles before the name, such as "Dr" or "Rev" in the Prefix field. For names such as "The Right Honourable the Earl of Trellheim", key all in the prefix field.
See Example

Given Name

Key the first name and any middle names or initials, using the drop-down list to assist you. If a name does not appear in the drop-down list, then key as seen. The Given Name can be found in columns entitled, for example, "Christian Name", "Name", or "Name of Person Appointed".
See Example

Surname

Enter the surname here as it appears on the image, using the drop-down list to help you. If a name does not appear in the drop-down list, then key as seen. The Surname can be found in columns entitled, for example, "Surname" or "Name of Person Appointed". Occasionally an occupation follows the surname. If this appears, do not key the occupation.
As there is no Alias field, an additional married surname should not be keyed.
See Example

Suffix

Key all titles following the surname, such as "Jr" or "III."
See Example

Place of Appointment

The place can be found in columns entitled, for example, "place", "locality", or "where employed". When keying this field use the drop-down list provided to assist in identifying the locations. If a place does not appear in the drop-down list then key it as seen. There are a few standards to keep in mind when keying this field: 1. Do not key office titles, such as "Sorting Office" or "Inland Office" or any entries that are not geographical locations. 2. Key acronyms as they appear on the record. 3. Do not key parentheses. 4. Some places of appointment may include abbreviations or multiple places. If a multiple place appears, such as "Huntley to Lissendrum", key as "Huntley to Lissendrum". If a list of places appears, such as "Huntley, Lissendrum, London", key as "Huntley; Lissendrum; London". If a multiple place appears, such as Huntley & Lissendrum", key as "Huntley and Lissendrum".
>>>>>Per Anna (WAP) we ARE to separate locations with semi-colons<<<<<
See Example

Piece

http://c.mfcreative.com/i/akt/projecthelp/31694/Piece.jpg

This form type is for images displaying the "piece" number.

Piece

Key the number which follows "piece" or the slash. For example, an image will display Post 58/10. Key "10" as the piece number.
See Example

Index

http://c.mfcreative.com/i/akt/projecthelp/31694/Index.jpg

There is nothing to be keyed from the Index form types which display names and page numbers. Index images will not display column headings, dates, or places.