User talk:DowneOPC

Rochester Bishop's Transcripts
Thank you for a clear explanation of the Rochester Transcript series and their history. The Diocese of Canterbury Transcripts needs a similar explanation too. Sopsteele 16:26, 19 March 2012 (UTC)

Hi DowneOPC,

Thank you for your edits and contributions on the ''' Wiki FamilySearch England, Kent, Parish Registers and Bishop's Transcript (Family Search Historical Records) page. We invite you to continue to edit and contribute to this page as well as other pages of interest as you accrue additional information.You are so appreciated! '''Darh

YOUR USER PAGE You are invited to click on the"User Page" tab at the top of this page just under the"FamilySearch" tree. Here you are given the opportunity to tell about yourself, your interests and desires as far as genealogy is concerned. Thank you in advance for taking the time to allow the Wiki readers a chance to get to know you.

Welcome, DowneOPC,

We are happy that you have joined the research community of FamilySearch Research Wiki. We want to help you enjoy your involvement in this wiki community.

You are not alone. I am one of several people on the Welcoming Committee for FamilySearch Wiki. Each of us wants to make your time on the Wiki a fulfilling, and worthwhile experience.

As a new contributor, you may feel a little overwhelmed at the scope of the Wiki. If and when you need help please contact me (Darh1) for assistance. If I don’t know the answer, I will find someone who does. You are NEEDED and WANTED Review the Wiki Tour to get you started and help Thanks again and welcome aboard, Darh1 14:36, 19 March 2012 (UTC)

Apology
You recently had a message on your user page from Tom Wilde. I owe you an apology. Elder Wilde is quite new to the Wiki. He is part of the Known Issues team  and they are trying to answer questions that people have posted about those pages. As you know, some of those are quite old, but they are trying very hard to get those taken care of. He asked me how to contact you, because he had a question about an issue you brought up on one of the pages. I told him he could do that by clicking on your user name, but didn't realize that he wouldn't know to use your Discussion page. I should have given him more explicit instructions! He is anxious to help you with your questions and suggestions. We really do appreciate your contributions to the Wiki and know that it can be frustrating at times, especially for someone with your knowledge. Please be patient with us. averyld 16:02, 28 November 2012 (UTC)

Religious Census
I noticed that you put a lengthy description of the 1851 Religious census on the wikiproject parish pages. I think such a lengthy description lends itself more to a County Census page or County page. There is also a wiki article about the 1851 Census Places of Worship that could be expanded upon and linked to. Basically this census references what chapels were in what place in each county. To list the chapels in a particular place and the link to the article on the subject seems to me would be sufficient. I'm not sure but I think there may be an old Google book that provides this information that is out of copy write. Donjgen 20:38, 4 December 2012 (UTC)

If you see a need to add material to a county page go ahead. The work of Online Parish Clerks is at parish level and any of the religious censuses that precede the 1851 national attempt are best referred to in the context of the Ancient Parish and subsequent building development. In our work on the Cudham, Kent records we see the permananent church re-located brick by brick from Peckham in South London (historically Surrey) to Biggin Hill in Kent int the 1950's to replace the earliest "temporary" tin structure. The circular debate about county hierarchy adopted by the FamilySearch Library is decades old. As an English genealogist I am familiar with that for more than 4 decades. wikiproject parish pages need to contain some explanation of the census which lead a parish to development and a church to dedication; I remain to be convinced that in North West Kent a county level approach is useful to local archive source material in a London Borough.DowneOPC 08:16, 5 December 2012 (UTC)

I went over the the wikiproject parish page and created a new section called Church Records and then a subsection call 1851 Census Places of Worship. I think the comments fit well in this section. I decided that that 1851 Census Places of Worship section would fit best in the County Church Records Page. In my case Suffolk Church Records. I developed that page about a year ago. When I reedit it I will put it in Nonconformist section and create a subsection call - 1851 Census Places of Worship. I could put it on every parish page in Suffolk, but if I edit it I would have to edit every parish page i put it on. I have no idea on how to create an explanation of how the census leads a parish to development and a church to dedication. I believe that takes a little more technical skill and knowledge than the average genealogists has.Donjgen 20:07, 6 December 2012 (UTC)

Former FamilySearch Wiki Contributor
I ceased to contribute to FamilySearch Wiki in December 2012. I will continue to contribute to Wikipedia and to develop the copyright pages of Kent Online Parish Clerks.

I feel that the labyrinth of FamilySearch, lack of response to requested assistance and general decline in standards as well as a FamilySearch Library centred view of English parish record sources both at local archive and Diocesan registry let alone Diocesan building plans and architects are no longer something I wish to promote or support. If FamilySearch wishes to reach a beginner audience in England it needs to adapt and change. I find I am heading for the exit in common with many other English contributors. DowneOPC 08:33, 18 December 2012 (UTC)