How best to record correct standard burial place?

Paul W

There has been discussion of this subject in the past, but I cannot remember the conclusions / best advice.

In the example below, the place would have been known as "Moorsholm, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom" at the time. Possibly part-related to the fact it is a Find A Grave record (I was about to attach to my ancestor), it has been indexed with the cemetery address as is (probably) known today - i.e. in 2021, not 1839.

Firstly, should I enter the 1839 or 2021 format for the burial place in the Vitals section? Secondly, if the former, should not these records be indexed as is appropriate for the time of burial?

I have experienced this issue in both records that have come across from Find A Grave and ones indexed directly by FamilySearch projects / volunteers.

(Note - For some reason, at present, the image itself has been rejected by the moderator, so please see https://www.familysearch.org/search/linker?pal=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AQL7T-M82L&id=MJKM-4SN&hinting=%2Ftree%2Fperson%2Fdetails%2FMJKM-4SN&icid=fs-hinting.)

AndLinda

I would record the place name as was in that particular year (1839). Then a note could be put with the event stating what it has changed to now in 2021. I think this would be valuable information for anyone researching to have this information. Great question!!

Anitra Whittle

Hello Paul,

What is the 1839 format.

What is the 2021 format.

I'm seeing:

Moorsholm is a village in the unitary authority of Redcar and Cleveland and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. The village lies 5 miles from Saltburn-by-the-Sea between the North York Moors and the North Sea.

Was this not a village in 1839?

Anitra

Paul W

@Anitra Whittle

My point is, "Moorsholm, Redcar and Cleveland Unitary Authority, North Yorkshire, England" would only be a standard place name from 1974 - although I have just discovered it is actually recorded as "Moorsholm, Cleveland, England, United Kingdom" on the FamilySearch database. For the 1801-1974 period, the FamilySearch standard place name is "Moorsholm, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom", however.

My question is whether I should properly record the name in the format relevant to the time of the 1839 burial, or if the format should relate to the address of the cemetery in 2021. (The difference between the counties of Cleveland, North Yorkshire and Redcar and Cleveland is a little complicated, but suffice to say none were officially applicable until at least 1974.)

The consensus in the past appeared to favour the using the place name at the time of the event, but I am wondering if FamilySearch now has firm guidelines on this issue.

(BTW - A shame the "moderator" - a computer in these cases, I understand - has rejected the image I posted, taken from a FamilySearch page, as being "against the site's guidelines!)

Anitra Whittle

@Paul W

Here is some information on Standard Dates:

https://www.familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-add-or-correct-a-standardized-place-in-family-tree

You can ask for a place to become a standard.

I don't think the algorithms are taking many images these days.

Enjoy,

Anitra