Help section

Advanced searching of the personal index

The advanced search of the Personal Index offers a more focused search option. Searches can be conducted by name and/or description and can be refined by distinguishing gender and/or date.

This search option is particularly useful for searchers who do not know the name of an individual or who require a list of individuals related by epithet and/or date.

Name

To search a person by name enter one or more elements in the name of the individual, such as 'Wellesley', for Arthur Wellesley (1769-1852).

Description

To search for a type of person enter a description, such as 'field marshal', or a peerage title, such as 'Wellington', in the description field.

NOTE: descriptions of individuals are generally those given in standard biographical reference works.

Gender

To refine the search select gender from the drop down list.

Date

This field must be used in conjunction with a name or description search. By entering 'Wellesley' and '1815' references will only be retrieved by those individuals with the surname Wellesley who were alive in 1815.

NOTE: when making a search on the index, do not be tempted to fill in every data field on the search form. Work from the general to the particular – not vice versa!