Introduction
This plugin supports the quick and accurate recording of citations for Birth, Marriage and Death GRO Index entries for England and Wales. It aims to conform to the GEDCOM standard by recording the District and GRO Reference details (Quarter/Month of registration, Volume, Page etc.) in Where Within Source and additional information (names, mother’s maiden name (Birth index), age or date of birth (Death index) in Text from Source. Citations are added to the event and optionally the individual’s name(s). For births, a citation can be added to the mother’s name (a new record will be added for the mother if it doesn’t exist). For Deaths, if the date of birth is entered an additional citation can be added to the Birth event.
The plugin has a number of features to reduce the keying required to complete the citation which are described below.
It also has comprehensive features to handle less usual situations (e.g. giving the citation to the correct name where an individual has multiple names).
The plugin creates multiple citations against the source records (i.e. ‘lumped’), normally one source record for each of the three events, but these can be combined to use just one source record. The sources will typically just have the Title and Generic Type only. Templated sources are not supported at this time.
In addition to creating the citations the plugin can update data within the project:
- The event will be added to the individual (Birth or Death) or family (Marriage) if it does not already exist.
- If the event does exist it will offer to update the details (date and place) if they do not match.
- For births when the mother’s maiden name is entered:
- if the individual does not have a mother it will offer to add the mother (also creating a family record if required).
- if the individual does have a mother recorded it will check if the name matches and if not will offer to update it.
- Deaths
- If the age is entered and the death event already exists it will check if the age matches and offer to update if it is different.
- If the date of birth is entered it can add/update the birth date (the Birth event will be created if required).
- It will unset the Living flag if present.
Details of the messages and dialogs to confirm these data changes can be found here: GRO BMD Index Citations – Data Updates Confirmation
Using the Plugin
Before citations can be added the sources for each of Births, Marriages and Deaths must be created in Family. Within the plugin Settings dialog the source(s) need to be selected, and the other settings should be reviewed. See GRO BMD Index Citations – Settings. If any of the sources has not been selected the corresponding button on the main menu will be disabled.
The plugin remembers the position of the citation entry screen so that the user can have it in the optimal place for the way they work. When it has been moved the Reset Dialog Position will become active, clicking the button will reset the position of the citation entry screen to centered on the Family Historian window. This may be necessary if for example the screen was on a second monitor which is no longer present (after clicking one of the citation buttons and finding the screen is not visible, keying Esc will return control to the Main Menu).
Record Selection
The Main Menu displays the currently selected individual or family which can be from the Focus Window, Records Window or a Diagram Window. If there is no individual or family selected a message is displayed instead. Clicking any of the three Citation buttons will proceed as described below with the currently selected record.
For births and deaths, if the Main Menu is not displaying an individual the Family Historian Select Individual Record screen is presented. Select the individual to proceed.
For marriages, if the Main Menu is not displaying a family, or if the individual displayed is not a spouse in a family the Select Family Record screen is presented; select the family to proceed. If the current record is an individual it will check if the individual is a spouse in just one family. If so that family is selected and it proceeds automatically. If the individual is a spouse in more than one family a pop-up listing the families appears. Select the correct family for the marriage and click OK to proceed.
Note that it will not allow a citation to be added to a family without two parents.
Existing Citation
If there are existing citation(s) to the source for the event they will be displayed.
Continuing will add another citation, the existing citation will not be replaced.
Citation Data Entry
Most of the data is common to all three types of index entries. Thumbnails of the three screens are shown here; click a thumbnail to open the full size image in a new tab.
Full details of all of the fields in each of the sections of the screens are given in this help page: GRO BMD Index Citations – Data Entry
Here are tips on the shortcuts available to speed up data entry.
District: The drop down is populated with all the Places from the current project to allow existing districts to be selected without having to key them in full. Key the beginning of the name and either key down arrow or click the drop down arrow to jump to a place within the list.
Registration Details: On all of the reference fields (Volume, Place etc.), CTRL TAB will jump to the first name in the name panel.
Citation Name(s): On each of the fields keying CTRL ‘ (single quote) will insert the given or surname in to the field which can then amended if needed (e.g. the individual has two given names but the GRO index entry only has an initial for the second name). Holding the mouse over the fields will give a tool tip showing the name that would be inserted. The case used to enter the names does not matter; they will formatted in the citation as specified in the Format of Names setting.
Mother’s Maiden Name: CTRL ‘ (single quote) can also be used to insert this name.
Once all the data is entered click Continue to proceed.
Cancelling on any of the subsequent dialogs will return to this screen.
Confirmation of Data Updates
Where the data entered conflicts with existing data, one or more dialogs may appear for the user to confirm the changes that are to be made.
GRO BMD Index Citations – Data Updates Confirmation has full details.
Final Confirmation
When all the data has been entered and any confirmations of data updates made this screen will be presented showing all the changes that will be applied.
Data Updates
This panel shows the additions and changes which will be applied to the individual (Birth or Death) or the family (Marriage). For Births it may include creation or update of the birth mother’s record.
Citation
The citation panel shows full details of the citation which will be added to the facts listed in next panel.
Facts to be given citations
The facts and the records to which they apply are listed.
Save will perform all the actions listed in the Confirmation screen. Cancel will return to the Entry screen where the data can be amended, or by Clicking Continue on that screen the choices made on any of the data updates confirmation screens can be amended.
Help content on this page is owned and provided by John Elvin, the plugin's author, Calico Pie takes no responsibility for its content.