World Archives Project: England, Somerset, Gaol Registers, 1807-1879

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This collection contains registers for inmates in several Gaols in Somerset, England from 1807-1879.

Project Overview

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Project Instructions The images in this collection consist mainly of handwritten information in hand drawn and pre-printed forms, though some images are completely freehand in paragraphs of information.

Keying Date

Typically the 'received date' should be keyed on an image with records, but if there is no 'received date,' the 'committed' or 'Date of Warrant' date may be keyed. If there is both a 'received date' and 'committed date' for the record, only the 'received date' should be keyed. On some forms, the 'received date' is the first element to appear and is simply labeled as the "Date." The 'received date' may also be labeled "When Brought into Custody."

Discharge date may be keyed when it appears.

Paragraph Style Images

On the freehand, paragraph style images, if the word "received," "committed" or "discharged" does not appear, any name with a date should be keyed as the 'event date.'

Page 2 Images

On images with no names to key, but a 'discharge date,' 'age' or 'birth place' appear, this information should be keyed and the form labeled as a 'Page 2.'

Project Form Types and Field Helps
Record
Page 2
Index
Cover page, Section header, etc.
Image with no data
Target

Record

Choose the 'record' form type for image with names to key.

Record Keying Instructions

Line Number

Key a line number for each record, starting with 1 for the first line. Line number should start over at 1 for each new image. (If the image you are keying already has numbers in the left most column, do not key these numbers as the line number, only key the line number in the order they appear on the image.) Every line needs a line number, even blank lines! If there are multiple people on a line, key each person with the same line number.

Do not key line numbers for freehand paragraph style images.
media:Line Number.JPG

Prefix

Key any titles before the given name, such as "Dr," "Mr," or "Mrs," of the primary person as seen on the record using the dictionary provided for assistance. Only prefix values should be keyed into the prefix field.

Given Name

Key the first name or initial and any middle names of the primary person as seen on the record using the dictionary provided for assistance. Initials should be keyed with a space between them.

Name may be found in the column labeled "Prisoners Name," "Name," or something similar. On images that are freehand in paragraph style, names should be keyed from each paragraph in which they appear. key each name as it's own record.

Surname

Key the surname as seen on the record using the dictionary provided for assistance.

Name may be found in the column labeled "Prisoners Name," "Name," or something similar. On images that are freehand in paragraph style, names should be keyed from each paragraph in which they appear. key each name as it's own record.

Suffix

Key all titles, such as "Jr" or "III," following the surname of the primary person as seen on the record using the dictionary provided for assistance.

Received Day

Key the day in its numerical form from the received date.

Received date may be found near the words or in the column labeled "When Received," "By Whom Committed," "When Received into Custody," "When Brought into Custody" or something similar. On some forms, the 'received date' is the first element to appear and is simply labeled as the "Date."

Typically the 'received date' should be keyed on an image with records, but if there is no 'received date,' the 'committed' or 'Date of Warrant' date may be keyed. If there is both a 'received date' and 'committed date' for the record, only the 'received date' should be keyed.

Received Month

Key the month as an abbreviation from the received date using the dictionary provided for assistance.

Received date may be found near the words or in the column labeled "When Received," "By Whom Committed," "When Received into Custody," "When Brought into Custody" or something similar. On some forms, the 'received date' is the first element to appear and is simply labeled as the "Date."

Typically the 'received date' should be keyed on an image with records, but if there is no 'received date,' the 'committed' or 'Date of Warrant' date may be keyed. If there is both a 'received date' and 'committed date' for the record, only the 'received date' should be keyed.

Received Year

Key the year in its numerical form from the received date.

Received date may be found near the words or in the column labeled "When Received," "By Whom Committed," "When Received into Custody," "When Brought into Custody" or something similar. On some forms, the 'received date' is the first element to appear and is simply labeled as the "Date."

Typically the 'received date' should be keyed on an image with records, but if there is no 'received date,' the 'committed' or 'Date of Warrant' date may be keyed. If there is both a 'received date' and 'committed date' for the record, only the 'received date' should be keyed.

Age

Key the age as seen at the time the record was recorded. If present, age may be found next to the word "Age" or "Aged."

Valid ages include numeric digits between "0" and "120" or certain acceptable fractions for ages displayed in months only. If an age includes years, months, and/or days key only the years. For example, "10 years, 7 months" would be keyed as "10". If an age includes both a year and a fraction, key only the year. For example, "3 3/12" would be keyed as "3". If an age appears only in months, key age as a fraction. For example, "7 Months" would be keyed as "7/12" and "18 Months" would be keyed as "18/12". If an age is expressed in weeks, days, or hours, "0" (zero) should be keyed as the age. For example, "3 weeks" would be keyed as "0" and "8 weeks" would be keyed as "0".

Birth Place

Key the birth place as seen on the record using the dictionary provided for assistance.

When present, birth place may be found near the word, or in the column labeled "Where Born," or something similar.

Discharge Day

Key the day in its numerical form from the discharge date.

Discharge date may be found near the words or in the column labeled "When Discharged," or something similar.

Discharge Month

Key the month as an abbreviation from the discharge date using the dictionary provided for assistance.

Discharge date may be found near the words or in the column labeled "When Discharged," or something similar.

Discharge Year

Key the year in its numerical form from the discharge date.

Discharge date may be found near the words or in the column labeled "When Discharged," or something similar.

Event Day

Key the day in its numerical form from the event date.

On the freehand, paragraph style images, if the word "received," "committed" or "discharged" does not appear, any name with a date should be keyed as the 'event date.'

Event Month

Key the month as an abbreviation from the event date using the dictionary provided for assistance.

On the freehand, paragraph style images, if the word "received," "committed" or "discharged" does not appear, any name with a date should be keyed as the 'event date.'

Event Year

Key the year in its numerical form from the event date.

On the freehand, paragraph style images, if the word "received," "committed" or "discharged" does not appear, any name with a date should be keyed as the 'event date.'

Record Image Samples