THE RYERSON INDEX

THE RYERSON INDEX

to contemporary death notices and obituaries in Australian newspapers

SEARCH TIPS

The Ryerson Index can be searched in two different ways:

1. a Name Search, to return all notices which match specific name details.

2. a Location Search, to return all notices which contain a specified place name.

1. Performing a NAME SEARCH

A name search requires at least one of SURNAME and GIVEN NAME to be considered a valid search. Additionally, the LOCATION and YEAR fields can be used to limit the number or results when conducting a large search.

Any search will return a maximum of 200 results. If more than 200 possible matches exist, then a message saying this will be displayed. If this happens, you can carry out the search in a number of smaller searches, by using any of the GIVEN NAME, LOCATION and YEAR fields to limit each search.

SURNAME

  • If entered, the surname value must be at least 2 characters long.

  • It is immaterial whether the value is entered in upper or lower case.

  • Selecting the EQUALS button returns results where the surname in the notice exactly matches the surname (or part-surname) you have entered. eg, if you enter SMITH, your results will be SMITH, but not SMITHERS or GOLDSMITH.

  • Selecting the BEGINS WITH button returns results where the surname in the notice begins with the surname (or part-surname) you have entered. eg, if you enter SMITH, your results will be SMITH and SMITHERS, but not GOLDSMITH.

  • Selecting the CONTAINS button returns results where the surname in the notice contains the surname (or part-surname) you have entered. eg, if you enter SMITH, your results will be SMITH, SMITHERS and GOLDSMITH.

    GIVEN NAME

  • It is immaterial whether the value is entered in upper or lower case.

  • A nickname is considered a given name for the purposes of this search.

  • Selecting the EQUALS button returns results where any given name in the notice exactly matches the given name (or part-given name) you have entered. eg, if you enter Bert, your results will be Bert, but not Bertram or Herbert.

  • Selecting the BEGINS WITH button returns results where any given name in the notice begins with the given name (or part-given name) you have entered. eg, if you enter Bert, your results will be Bert and Bertram, but not Herbert.

  • Selecting the CONTAINS button returns results where any given name in the notice contains the given name (or part-given name) you have entered. eg, if you enter Bert, your results will be Bert, Bertram and Herbert.

    LOCATION

  • This is an optional field.

  • It is immaterial whether the value is entered in upper or lower case.

  • Entering a value in this field will limit the results returned to notices having a location equal to the specified location.

  • If a notice contains multiple locations, then a match on any one of them is considered a match.

  • Spelling is vital. If the location in the notice and the location you request are spelled differently (because one has been mis-spelled), then the notice will not be listed in the results. (In an attempt to circumvent this problem, indexers attempt to identify locations which have been mis-spelled in the original notice, and enter the correct spelling in square brackets, alongside the incorrect spelling.)

    YEAR

  • Entering a value in both the EARLIEST and LATEST year fields will limit the results displayed to notices which were either published within the range of years specified, or refer to an event which took place during the range of years specified.

  • Entering a value in the EARLIEST year only will limit results to notices from that year to the present day.

  • Entering a value in the LATEST year only will limit results from the earliest notices appearing in the Ryerson Index, up until the year specified.

    LIMITATIONS on NAME SEARCHES

  • Do not search on a combination of two or more given names - the indexing works only on individual given names, and a search on more than one name will result in zero entries found.

  • You can only use CONTAINS in ONE of either Surname or Given Name fields in any search. The other field must be limited by either EQUALS or BEGINS WITH.

    2. Performing a LOCATION SEARCH

    A Location Search requires only a location to be considered a valid search. Additionally, the SURNAME, GIVEN NAME and YEAR fields can be used to limit the number or results when conducting a large search.

    The rules for completing each field in a Location Search are the same as detailed above for a Name Search.

    This page is owned by Ryerson Index Inc, a non-profit organisation incorporated under the laws of New South Wales, Australia. The last update was December 30th, 2008.