Researchers have all too often completely failed to find references to persons they have been searching for. The system has long been suspected of errors. At last this research has supplied proof of missing records, wrongly copied records, wrongly indexed records, unindexed records, mistyped indexes, errors in page references, volume references and district names. Researchers have been fascinated by the description of the system and its problems. Many have taken new ideas from these two books and have managed to find their "missing persons". Some researchers had believed that the records must be perfect - they have been relieved, though inevitably dismayed, to discover the truth.
The emphasis in the 1998 book was on the marriage records. "Act 2" also has a good deal to say on the records of births and deaths.
These two books are companion volumes and complement each other, with liberal cross-references from the second (2002) book to the original (1998) book.
The first, 1998, book is "A Comedy of Errors" or The Marriage
Records of England and Wales 1837-1899. The ISBN is 0-473-05581-3. There are 16
chapters and 10 appendices, 231 pages in total. The review in FGS Forum of Spring 2000
said "The English researcher who reads this book will understand the limitations
of the indexes, the extent of the problems, and how to work around some of the
flaws in the system". Anthony Camp, in Family Tree Magazine of March 1999 wrote of
"..this fascinating book". He also, kindly, wrote "In frightening detail and
as a result of the author's industry, page after page of sad incompetence is
remorsely revealed". The magazine's editorial carried a banner headline with
the words "PROOF AT LAST".
The second, 2002, book is "A Comedy of Errors, Act2". It is substantially
longer than the previous book. The ISBN is 0-473-07480-X. There are 30 chapters
and 9 appendices, plus name indexes. There are 326 pages. Use of a tighter
font has hidden the 75% growth in the amount of text. The book is entirely
new and reveals even more of the inside story of the GRO records and their
problems. There is more on the history and condition of the GRO indexes and
there are insights into apparent breakdowns in the indexing processes. The
feedback from those who read some of the material in advance of publication
was enthusiastic and encouraging. The printed version of "Act 2", having been
published a few months later than the CD version, has a number of amendments
and updates and some significant additional material. The ISBN number shown
in the CD version properly belongs to the fuller printed version, that being
the version legally deposited against that ISBN. The CD version has only eight
appendices.
Both books have been published privately in New Zealand
and are sold by mail, not through bookshops.
Prices and purchasing
The privilege of having been the first and only researcher allowed to work
within the GRO since it was set up in 1837 has been a truly remarkable
experience. That is why these books are the only account of the GRO system
written from inside knowledge. If the GRO itself had ever decided to write
such an account it would never have been more than an "official" view of the
system. These books are the true story.
"Act2" has an index of names found in the book and also a second index
for the names found in the 1998 book.
"Act2" also follows the release of the ONS White Paper on the modernisation
of the GRO system. The White Paper is horrifyingly short on detail and appears
to have been written with all too little real knowledge of the system. Some of
its premises are demonstrably false and untenable. Chapter 29 of "Act2" is a
critique of the White Paper. The White Paper blandly based its proposals on
assumptions that the GRO has operated to comfortingly high standards. The
true situation is very much the opposite, with blatant errors and omissions
ignored for a century and more, with countless examples of the ignorance and
incompetence of many of the GRO clerks.
A keen researcher in Canada, reading the earlier CD version of "Act2",
wrote to me "I'm still reading Act II, it's fascinating and boggles my mind
how much you have done. You sure were a dedicated researcher, leaving no stone
unturned". And a reader in Australia, with the printed version, wrote "I have
read about two thirds in two days. It is fantastic and thank you so much for
all your great work". The President of one Family History Society in England
wrote "What an enormous amount of extra research you have done !" Another
reader from Australia wrote "How incredible that you were able to do so much
research there". A researcher in England bought both books and has written
"They are fascinating books and have really made me stop and think". In a
recent letter from Surrey - "Would you please send me one each of your two
books, which have been highly recommended to me". Also from England ... "fascinating
to learn of the internal structures of the indices and records".
A New Zealander wrote "I had a look at a copy in the National Library and
it's terrific". And finally (and I really mustn't keep adding these comments)
"Many thanks for the book which arrived earlier this week. Have not put it
down yet ! Fantastic read ! Should be required reading in all archive
offices. Explains problems I have had..." From what we now know of the widespread errors and omissions in the GRO
records, illustrated in these two books, we can see that the fatal flaw has
been that this national record system has trusted to inadequately checked
copies of original register entries for nearly two centuries. It would have
been so very easy to call in a number of completed registers each year and to
check them against the GRO's quarterly copies. Just one of the army of GRO
clerks could have done that job. Errors would quickly have been found and
steps could have been taken to improve the system. This simple precaution
was never taken. The system that the legislators had optimistically designed
was trusted to operate correctly. The result is a flawed system of records
and an even more flawed index system caused by internal failings. As I conclude this work I am left with feelings that are a mixture of sadness and
respect. Having worked so long within the GRO I have felt almost a part of the
organisation. I can see that it could yet become a great system. My hope is
that the genealogical community may be able to act in concert to bring about
the positive changes that these books argue for. That is why it is so
important that these books should be widely read. The possibility for change
is still there. Indeed if ONS had acted promptly on the proposals made in
my 1998 book, we would already be enjoying a rebuilt and accurate
record system with new and informative indexes. Since "Act 2" was published there have been new items of information that I
have gradually added to the published text, extending it by several pages. Some
of the new material was then gathered into an article for the "New Zealand
Genealogist". That material continued to grow in size and I made it available
as a small addendum. As it soon grew to well over 50 pages of A5, I decided to
withdraw the addendum and reshape the material into "Comedy, Act 3", a small
addition to the "Comedy" series. It promises to become perhaps 100 pages and
may be issued as a small separate volume later in 2004 or in 2005. It will
need to include, I feel, a subject index to the entire "Comedy" material which
will then be well over 500 tightly packed pages.
You can really count on WebCounter
HAPPY READING !
PS If you would like to read something a little different,
just click on the words "Some Smedley pictures" The following links will take you to some of our family trees . . .
1998 book - summary of contents
"Act 2" - summary of contents
Shell in New Zealand - a new history
The rise and fall of Cook Strait (NZ tidal patterns)
Royal Dutch Shell Group, critique of its centenary history
A brief bibliography
Autobiographical notes etc
Entrance to GRO/Certificate services/Film storage/Birth indexes/
Copy of vellum/Aperture fiche/Marriage indexes/
Tree 2 - The Watkinsons at Stantons, Black Notley
Tree 4 - Descent from Sarah Watkinson & Robt Barnard
Tree 5 - Descent from "Sukey" Watkinson & Stephen Clement
Tree 6 - The Watkinsons at Grand Courts (Graunt Gourts)