Unique number for relatives in a manual system?

[Pam Downes]

I think that using numerals alone is limiting and every factor of 10 you increase the number of digits. If you intend to store those purely numerical references on computer, you will need to include zeros in front of the digits in order to sort them correctly and then have to decide from the outset how many people you are going to record. using 5 digits will allow you to store up to 99,999 people - but if things get out of hand (as they have a habit of doing), changing the whole lot to extend to 100,000 makes things complicated.

Keeping to five characters and using an alpha-numeric system expands the number who can be recorded enormously. Extend this to six characters expands the available number of references multiplies by a factor of 36 - 26 letters and 10 digits - though you may want to ignore zero as being too close to the letter 'O'.

Geoffers, you're trying to blind me with science. (Not very difficult in my case!)
I have got some way to go to reach even 999 people, let alone a hundred times that but thank you for the info about the pitfalls of using a purely numerical system.
My FH is on the back burner at the moment, so I have plenty of time to think things through.
Pam

[Mutley]

To answer Peter,

I have the information in a program that gives me bells and whistles and I will also continue to use that but I wanted something more personal. I wanted to give them a reference that I could relate to and that was not a computer generated ID. Thanks to Geoffers help, I already know the main players references in my mind and I have not started writing yet but I have no idea who 2905 on the computer system is.

I, like Geoffers prefer the physical feel of paper work. I want to move the cards around on the desk. I want to put the family out in front of me in a group. Most of these people I do not have a photograph for and never will have. The card will, sort of, become the person with their brief history which is all I have for them. If I am searching for a birth, I want to be able to look at what I have in my hand, I want to hold the card, shake it, if I feel like it, "where are you?"

It is a personal thing but all systems have a place somewhere.

[Peter_uk_can]

Thanks for the reply.

To answer Peter,
I want to be able to look at what I have in my hand, I want to hold the card, shake it, if I feel like it, "where are you?"

Or even wring its little neck ?

[Mutley]

Thanks for the reply.
Or even wring its little neck ?

Maybe, if I do have a picture of someone, I will stick head and shoulders to the card. Then I can imagine doing "Just That"



Thank you to both Geoffers and Pam. Your contributions have helped me enormously. Thank you also to the others that have joined this thread. I am grateful to you all.

[Mutley]

Geoffers,
Quick simple question please?

I would like to put SURNAME on the top line of the card. The one that actually is and any variations this person has used and REFERENCE/ID

Which have you found the easiest for flicking through?
To put the surname on the left and the ID on the right (my natural instinct) or the other way around.

[Geoffers]

I would like to put SURNAME on the top line of the card. The one that actually is and any variations this person has used and REFERENCE/ID

Good idea - it helps to make things stand out.

Which have you found the easiest for flicking through?
To put the surname on the left and the ID on the right (my natural instinct) or the other way around.

I put the ID in the top right corner of the card and the full name of the person in the centre of the top line. Any variant spellings used I add to the reverse of the card - along with the date and source of the information.

[Mutley]

Thank you kind sir,
Much appreciated.

That is exactly what I will do too.

[Mutley]

Well, this is the first attempt.

There are four cards on an A4, landscaped page in Word.
The formatting has gone slightly askew and the tick boxes have changed to question marks when I converted it to a Jpg but you can see the general idea.

[Geoffers]

Well, this is the first attempt.
There are four cards on an A4, landscaped page in Word.
The formatting has gone slightly askew and the tick boxes have changed to question marks when I converted it to a Jpg but you can see the general idea.

Whatever works for you is fine, I keep my cards simpler. I can scan one and e-mail t you if it helps at all. The layout is something like this:

Forename(s) SURNAME ID

Born/Bap [date, place] Source (e.g. BC, CR, PR)
Mar [date/place - to whom] Source (e.g. MC, PR, SR, W)
Dth/Bur [date/place - cause] Source (CWGC, DC, L, PR, W)

Occupation [Year - occupation]

Issue - children's name(s), year, ID

Sources which I hold

If needed add Mar 2, Mar 3 here

On the reverse of the card I add notes, usually quite short that point me to my sources. e.g. 1841 - CR Horstead HO107/****/** f** p**

I might add information to these notes - e.g. boarding in Portsmouth, parents visiting pat.gfather in Lowestoft (CR RG13/*** f ** p**)

[Mutley]

Yes Please Geoffers,
I will PM you with my email.

I thought I would put the children on the back as I have one family with 12 and some with none.
Also, as you suggest, notes that put them in a certain place at a certain time.

I was going to use acid free card and acid free pens. I know this has been discussed before but I cannot remember what was said about laminating? If it was a good idea or not?