Calling all Researchers

[Bob Hinton]

For a long time now I have found that although the internet is a wonderful source of research material there are some times when nothing can replace boots on the ground.

I am often faced with the prospect of having to travel hundreds of miles just to confirm some small point or other. What I suggest is that those of us who are in a position to help others to do occasional research and collect the odd fact here or there, make ourselves known to other board users.

I for example have access to all the census returns up to and including the 1911, and work permitting would be happy to look up information.

At the moment I am in desperate need for someone in the Portsmouth area who can spare a couple of hours in the library there, and someone who will be visiting the National Archives in Kew to get in touch as I need some help.
I would be interested in what others think.

[Ally]

Hi Bob,

I think that is a really excellent idea in theory but I don't know how it would work in practice. Unfortunately too many people who are involved in the research aspect of things are driven by the need to find something and stamp "THIS IS MINE" on it and use it in some kind of power play rather than to further the collective knowledge on the subject. It would be lovely if people were in research just for the sake of knowledge but it doesn't seem to play out that way in real life.

Maybe you could change all that. There are a couple of people who are interested in research for the sake of research. A coalition of the scholarly would be grand.

[lynn cates]

libraries

Hello Bob. That's a great idea.

Although this will not help you now, I do have access to the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center and the Perry-Casteneda Library. The former has a rather extensive archive of deposited materials including, I think, the works of Aleister Crowley.

Let me know, will you?

The best.
LC

[Phil Carter]

I agree

Hello Bob,

If I can be of any help at all, as usual, just pm me. That goes for anyone.
I agree with Lynn and Ally, an excellent idea.

best wishes

Phil

[Natalie Severn]

Yes Bob, an excellent idea-if,as Ally says ,it will work out in practice. I may be able to help you out over Kew but not until early July or so.We are on holiday from this Wednesday for two weeks, then I myself will be up in Wales for a few weeks but if you still need help after that let me know and I will go over there,.Lyn,has already been a very great help to me in some recent research and I have been very grateful for that,
Best
Norma

[Adam Went]

Not sure of what assistance I could be from Australia, but of course if anybody needed any help with research material from down here, I'd be happy to do whatever I could to assist them. A really good idea, Bob.

Cheers,
Adam.

[protohistorian]

an idea

And here is the proof I am ignorant in the ways of the Internet. Could an annual membership section of this site be created for materials in the public domain? I have several gigs of postal directory I will donate to a casebook library. Many of the materials we use are in the public domain and there would be no copyright issues, just the storage space and the bandwidth. Dave

[wolfie1]

Hi,

Happy to help out in Victoria Australia.

I frequent the Victorian State Library (Melbourne) Victorian Public Records Office (PRO Vic) and member of Vic Genealogical Society and Local Historical Societies. PM me if you need help.

Eileen

[Chris]

And here is the proof I am ignorant in the ways of the Internet. Could an annual membership section of this site be created for materials in the public domain? I have several gigs of postal directory I will donate to a casebook library. Many of the materials we use are in the public domain and there would be no copyright issues, just the storage space and the bandwidth. Dave

If you did want to make this information available yourself, it might be worth looking into some of the free file-sharing services that are available. Some examples are:

http://docs.google.com/

http://www.adrive.com/

http://www.humyo.com/

Or perhaps even the text section of the Internet archive (http://www.archive.org/), which I believe accepts submissions of out-of-copyright published works.

[Bob Hinton]

Researchers

What a response. Very heartening. Of course people would have to ensure that they do not take advantage, asking someone to trog round all the pubs in the East End to measure them would be taking things a bit far.

Thank you Natalie for your offer to visit the archives in July I may well take you up on that. What part of Wales are you going to? If it's anywhere near me I do hope you will give me the chance to meet up and thank you for all the help you've been in the past.

Of course anyone visiting this part of Wales will be more than welcome to drop by and visit, and if you need any help in arranging accommodation or anything then just let me know.

If you haven't been down this way you don't know what you are missing, photos on request!

[Phil Carter]

Hello Bob,

Am coming over for a week or two during the summer, and have half a mind to visit North Wales, but this is most uncertain as yet. It has been a few years since I was down in South Wales (Cardiff), I enjoyed it immensely. Should I happen to find myself anywhere near Portsmouth, I will of course let you know and will use a day in the library there for you.

best wishes

Phil

[protohistorian]

Thank You Chris! When I get settled I will do that. I also have some bacon atlas sheets loaded into google earth that people may find helpful. Dave

[protohistorian]

If you did want to make this information available yourself, it might be worth looking into some of the free file-sharing services that are available. Some examples are:

http://docs.google.com/

http://www.adrive.com/

http://www.humyo.com/

Or perhaps even the text section of the Internet archive (http://www.archive.org/), which I believe accepts submissions of out-of-copyright published works.

OK, heres a link to pdf files of 1888 and 1889 streets in the murder district. Some of the scans are unclear, I rescanned them several times and they remained unclear. Dave P.S. Thank You again Chris!

http://www.humyo.com/10384938/?a=RHkaMjZU8I8,m3QoGvu4AWs

[protohistorian]

For a long time now I have found that although the internet is a wonderful source of research material there are some times when nothing can replace boots on the ground.

I am often faced with the prospect of having to travel hundreds of miles just to confirm some small point or other. What I suggest is that those of us who are in a position to help others to do occasional research and collect the odd fact here or there, make ourselves known to other board users.

I for example have access to all the census returns up to and including the 1911, and work permitting would be happy to look up information.

At the moment I am in desperate need for someone in the Portsmouth area who can spare a couple of hours in the library there, and someone who will be visiting the National Archives in Kew to get in touch as I need some help.
I would be interested in what others think.

Bob if you could get the census records in an electronic form, you could do this! Dave

http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=4618

[Bob Hinton]

Eh?

Bob if you could get the census records in an electronic form, you could do this! Dave
http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=4618

Sorry not quite getting the message there Proto. The link seems to lead to a thread about maps.