Tuesday 2nd February: Put it in your diary!

 

For the fifth year, Who Do You Think You Are? magazine has organised Transcription Tuesday – promoting family history record projects that need volunteers.

Simply put, in this context transcription means copying historical records from their original form by typing them into a computer.  WDYTYA? sets aside a Tuesday each February to focus on this important "citizen historian" initiative.

 

Last Transcription Tuesday, family historians contributed almost 25,000 individual records, and it’s an easy and worthwhile way to give back to the genealogical community.  Think of the times you’ve been able to simply type an ancestor’s name onto a free website and have their records pop up – now you can give that opportunity to others.

 

Each year, several different projects are made available for anyone to help with. 

For 2021, they are

 

Addressing Health – Health records for British Post Office workers.

More details at https://addressinghealth.org.uk/opportunities/

 

Every Name Counts – WW2 concentration camp inmate records from the Arolsen Archives.

More details at https://arolsen-archives.org/en/learn-participate/exhibitions-campaigns/everynamecounts/

 

FamilySearch - Church of England and non-conformist records.

More details at https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/transcription-tuesday-2021-familysearch/

 

Voices Through Time – Records of children admitted to the Foundling Hospital from 1741 onwards, from the charity Coram.

More details at https://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/feature/transcription-tuesday-2021-voices-through-time/

 

Check out the information about each project, pick one that you like the sound of, and register your interest in advance.  I'd advise signing up in plenty of time to begin transcribing on the 2nd, and to get familiar with the transcription software as the projects will be providing different platforms for you to use.

 

If you want to get updates about Transcription Tuesday from the magazine you can subscribe to their free newsletter - visit their website and scroll down to “Sign Me Up” at the foot of the page.