Just to clarify this is a mini project based on the occupation of Carter.
We used two definitions of Carter taken from the Dictionary of Occupational Terms as the starting point for this mini project (023 Farm Servants – distinguished as in charge of horses and 719 Drivers of Carts (Horse) ).
As members are located all over England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each member researched a Carter from their own area. All these individuals were then added to the main database which produced a picture of Carters living and working all over the United Kingdom (UK).
How did the mini project work?
A list of questions to be answered concerning the Carter on an Information Sheet was sent to the member along with the name of their allocated Carter. The Carter was chosen from the 1881 census. The questions were not exhaustive; they are used to provide the information for the Carters database. This database is used for comparative purposes and provides the data for the Final Project Report which is written up by the Mini Project Co-ordinator.
Members were encouraged to write a narrative based around the questions. They also included sources with referencing – the format for these are described in the FACHRS Guidelines for writing for the Society Newsletter and Books. In many cases they include pictures/photographs with the narrative.
What happens with the completed research?
The completed Carters Narratives or Information Sheets will be uploaded to the Carters section of the Mini Project area in the Members Pages on the FACHRS website. (This is done in 2 tranches usually around September and the following February/March). This means that members have access to all the completed research. Members are encouraged to write articles for the FACHRS Newsletter not only the information based on their Carter but also on interesting tangents they have discovered during their research. Members also write articles for their own local history group journals or create talks that they give to family history or local history societies. The Mini Project Co-ordinator inputs the information to the Carters Database, the data is then analysed and a Report for the FACHRS Newsletter written. It is hoped to create a small book or books from the research. Whether to proceed with this will be decided by the FACHRS Committee following a report from the Mini Project Co-ordinator.
The Carters mini project ran from February 2021 to 28 February 2022.
The Carters mini project was discussed on the FACHRS Group Facebook page (private to FACHRS members). This was a chance for members to discuss findings, suggest books or internet resources to use, and just generally chat about the project.