[Opengenalliance] Update from Cornwall

[Michael J McCormick]

Hello folks

We now have over 2.3 million records online, having just transcribed our one millionth CoE baptism.  Although we remained targeted on our primary aim of transcribing the parish registers, we are also looking for other sources of data useful to Cornish family historians.  Currently we are photographing and transcribing the 19th century prison registers for Cornwall.

For the last six months I have been exchanging emails with the Registration Office in Cornwall, trying to persuade them to let us photograph and transcribing the indices to the 19th century local BMD registers.  The indexes, not the registers.  Yesterday they said no.

They quoted from the Policy Dept of the GRO as follows:

“This query is linked to a wider issue relating to access to records by family history societies, Ancestry, Find my past etc.   We are still seeking a resolution to this query and while I am unable to provide a definitive answer at present, I will advise you as soon as I am aware of the outcome.
 
In the interim, you may wish to advise the parish clerks that the public may only have access to the indices in the manner provided for by statue, i.e. in accordance with s.64 of the Marriage Act 1949, where you will note that there is no provision to transcribe or photograph the indexes, see link below.
 
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Geo6/12-13-14/76/section/64  “

Does anyone know what the policy is?  

Any helpful suggestions on how we might proceed?

Rgds

Michael
TfC


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