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Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 27 Jul 2017 16:07
by Gowermick
I have the GRO reference for the marriage of Richard Baigent and Susannah Botfield in 1873 in Windsor, Berkshire.
This is one of the hints shown by FH, but alongside it is a hint for the marriage from the Berkshire Marriage Recordset. Sadly, when I click on the link, I get 'Sorry, an error occurred while processing your request'
When I try searching the Berkshire Marriage Recordset on Findmypast itself, I get Nil returns.
The question is, where is FH getting the hint from, if Findmypast can't find the record?
Any clues?
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 27 Jul 2017 17:40
by Valkrider
Mike
I have had this error, FMP are aware of the issue and I have reported it to them.
My solution is to copy and paste the not found link into another browser, in my case Safari, and up the record comes.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 14:54
by Gowermick
Colin,
I wish! Using the link for the hint, always produces the same error, whether it is via Firefox, MS Edge or Safari, my PC or iPad!
Even FamilySearch has no record, other than GRO reference!
The question still remains, if there is no such record according to FMP, where is FH getting the hint from?
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 15:40
by mjashby
Mike,
Sorry but I'm not what you are searching for on FMP, but they have just 4 Record Sets available which are specific to the Berkshire:
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-w ... isms-index
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-w ... rial-index
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-w ... ages-index
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-w ... -1441-1698
Family Historian can only get and report Web Hints made directly by the data providers, FMP in this case, so if there is a 'bad link' you would probably need to ask FMP for clarification.
Mervyn
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 18:09
by Gowermick
Mervyn,
As my first post stated, I'm looking in the Berkshire Marriages Recordset. According to FH hint, FMP have the marriage of Richard Baigent and Susannah Botfield in that recordset. The hint shows for both of them, but neither are in the recordset. In other words FH is reporting a hint that is NOT provided by FMP.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 18:48
by ColeValleyGirl
FH cannot generate a hint; it can only report what FMP tells it. So the problem is at the FMP end.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 18:54
by brianlummis
Mike
Not sure that it will help but could you post an image of the hint that you are getting just in case it gives someone here a flash of brilliance.
Brian
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 19:12
by Gowermick
Helen,
Judging by this experience, FH does seem to be generating a hint in this case, hence my concern.
Brian,
I have attached the hints, but doubt if it will give anyone a flash of brilliance

Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 19:15
by mjashby
Mike,
Yes, thats my point, FMP does not list anything titled Berkshire Marriage Recordset, although it does have a Berkshire Marriages Index; and I agree the couple do not appear in that Index, only in the GRO Marriage Index. However, the main point I made still applies, i.e. Family Historian cannot be responsible for the quality or accuracy of Web Hints from any data provider. Web Hints are produced entirely by utilising live links to the search facilities and indexing carried out by the data provider(s) on there own databases, so 'problem' Hints needs to be queried directly with FMP, as no-one else can possibly know what the specific issue is that is causing this false lead, or how to resolve it.
Mervyn
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 19:34
by tatewise
To reinforce what Helen and other have said,
FH is only presenting what
FMP is supplying.
You can see that by the URL web address shown at the top, which starts
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/hints-ui/...
It must be some software glitch in
FMP.
Yes, the records set as shown in the screenshot is
Berkshire Marriages Index which does exist in
FMP but does not list anything that matches the hint.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 19:50
by Gowermick
Please don't get me wrong, despite all you comments, but FH is feeding something to FMP, for FMP to respond with a hint. My question is, what is FH sending to FMP?
If we try searching the Berkshire Marriages Recordset directly, we get NO result, so what is FH doing different?
Sorry, but the blame cannot all be down to FMP! It needs two people to have a conversation, i.e FH and FMP.
How do find out what FH is sending to FMP?
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 20:03
by tatewise
You ask Calico Pie and supply them with your Gedcom.
But it seems likely that FH is only feeding one set of data including the name Richard Baigent.
So FMP must be misinterpreting that somehow.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 20:31
by Russell
Looking at the two dataset icons shows some slight differences in the text - Windsor and New Windsor.
If we do a search for New Windsor, Berkshire this page from Familysearch comes up -
https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/New_Wi ... _Genealogy
Looking at the references towards the foot refers to 'New Berkshire Parish records published on findmypast.co.uk' but in 2014. This link also fails, so it looks like the
Berkshire Marriages Recordset is an old set of records that FMP no longer hosts in that format - given the more specific parish name, I presume that they were a transcription of Parish Records - maybe by the Berkshire Family History Society though that is pure conjecture.
I see that the FHS now has a cd of their collection. The Berkshire Record Office could provide a copy of the marriage record if you do not already have this - and it
may show more information than the GRO copy.
I suspect that somebody at FMP neglected to completely switch off the dataset - hence the hint. Alternatively, it may be that it is a sign of things yet to come - and somebody has switched something on too soon
As has been said before, only FMP would be able to comment for certain why we are seeing this issue.
This page -
http://www.family-historian.co.uk/aidm gives a brief outline of the matching process, as well as links to the two provider's Privacy policies.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 20:44
by tatewise
The
Berkshire Marriages Index record set DOES exist in
FMP.
From
FMP main home page use
Search > A-Z of record sets and select
United Kingdom on left.
Enter
marriage in the
Search box at top and
Berkshire Marriages Index is second in the list below.
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-w ... ages-index
This
A-Z of record sets often reveals more that the other search windows.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 28 Jul 2017 21:49
by Russell
The Berkshire Marriages Index record set DOES exist in FMP.
Agreed - it is the
Berkshire Marriages Recordset which is not showing
Sorry - I've corrected my posting

Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 29 Jul 2017 09:28
by Gowermick
Russell,
I think you are being a little pedantic simply because I wrongly omitted the word
Index, I think everyone knew what I meant
As for the comment about one hint showing
New Windsor and the other
Windsor, you are correct, but this is because the marriage took place in the town of
New Windsor, but was registered in the registration district of
Windsor, i.e. one hint is referring to the Town, the other to the Registration District.
I have reported it to Calico Pie (Ticket #474850), perhaps they can get to the bottom of it. I'll report back with their answer.
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 29 Jul 2017 11:08
by Russell
Russell,
I think you are being a little pedantic simply because I wrongly omitted the word Index, I think everyone knew what I meant

Gowermick - I was responding to
tatewise's response to my comment, in which he correctly pointed out my error in writing "Berkshire Marriages
Index" initially instead of "Berkshire Marriages
Recordset"
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 29 Jul 2017 13:24
by mjashby
Mike (Loney),
I'll be interested to know what response you get from Calico Pie, but here's some evidence that this really is an FMP problem and not a Family Historian issue, unless two software developers on different continents can make the same mistake independently.
Mervyn
Re: Internet matching Problem on Findmypast
Posted: 29 Jul 2017 15:45
by Gowermick
Mervyn,
Looking at that evidence, I agree with you, it does appear that it is the FMP supplied interface that seems to be the problem.
I'll keep everyone posted with the response from Calico Pie.