Submitting Information for the Website

Submitting Information for the Website
 
 
I have been asked what I considered suitable for publishing on the website in respect of the type of material and how far we would stray from the Jacobs.
 
It took me a while to come up with a suitable answer and having done so felt that it would be sensible to publish my thoughts for others to consider.
 
As most of you know the original aim of the website was to gather together information on our common ancestors, the Jacobs.
 
Whilst we all generally discuss the information, it is available for all to see and I wanted to make sure that what we were publishing was as accurate as possible.
 
To this aim I undertook the task of trying to verify every statement submitted about a person. 
 
So if someone sends me data on Fred Jacobs and says that he was born on 2nd Feb 1894, married Susan Adams in May 1920 and died in 1970 I have at least 4 pieces of information to try and find:-
I should be able to find a GRO Index entry for these three events which although they don’t necessarily confirm the exact dates given, they do help corroborate what the submitter says.
Also, Fred should appear in the 1901 census.
Assuming that Fred is living with parents or relatives that may give me extra people to research.
All in all I could spend an evening just checking out one person! This hopefully explains why sometimes I am slow in updating the site
 [Please don’t think I’m moaning about doing it, I’m just explaining]
 
The more documentary evidence people give me, the easier the job becomes. Scans of certificates are great and census references allow me to go straight to the census (can’t look up US censuses I’m afraid).
 
What and who to include is a thorny question. My original aim was to restrict it solely to Jacobs, but as none of us are actually called Jacobs it means that we have obviously descended from female Jacobs at some point.
 
When I recently added the data from Manfred Lindner and Helen Redmond I decided to continue the line from the last female Jacobs to Manfred and Helen, but only showing the husband and wife pairs after the last Jacobs. I would like to do this for the rest of the group as it finishes things off nicely.
 
As you obviously appreciate, we have to draw the line somewhere, and I admit that it is me that is drawing a somewhat arbitrary line. If we do not then the I believe that the Jacobs aspect, which unites us, would become diluted.
 
If the individual is not a Jacobs then I suggest the following:
 
·         Parents of non-Jacobs spouses –Yes
·         Siblings of non-Jacobs spouses –Yes, but not to follow their line.
In all cases we welcome:
·         Anecdotes, photos, other documents
 
 
A couple of caveats to the above:
We need to consider the content of any material, we do not want to cause offence or embarrassment to anyone.  Having said that, the fact that Great Great Grandfather was listed as an ‘imbecile’ in the census, is information in the public domain.
 
Articles are always welcome, small or large, on anything related to our research.
If you come across a published document that you think we should put on the site then please let me have details and I will apply for copyright clearance – mixed results on this so far – 1 success, 1 fail.
 
From time to time I also put together a batch of emails and post them in the ‘Jottings’ section as they may be useful at a later date – we have had at least one contact because a Google search found one of our jottings.
 
 
I would welcome your suggestions for comments, positive or negative on this document  – remember it is not my website it is our website.

Dave Simpson

 

dave