Some time ago Frances Coakley reminded us that "the online IGI has a source link which gives either a batch no for parish records or to one of the other categories - always check this link - if you look at the batch number and then use it as part of the search it is possible to restrict entries to just those from this source (ie avoid the 'about' variety)".

Unfortunately the online IGI has become so confusing that restricting a search to batch numbers doesn't always work - and "about" may be a genuine parish register entry.

To give an example from the Braddan parish register: "Ellinr fil. Wm Creer bapt May 13th" is entered in the IGI as: Ellinr Creer Christening About 13 May 1726 Braddan...[etc.]. Someone thought that fil. [filia=daughter] meant 'about'. So these genuine parish register entries say 'about' and some submitted by church members don't.

Additionally, using batch numbers to restrict the search may exclude genuine parish register entries when they are identical to ones submitted by members. These two marriages from Andreas parish registers - Danl Tear & Cath Radcliff 29 July 1733, and Wm Kenneen & Margt Radcliff 10 Dec.1734, do not appear on the IGI under the batch number for Andreas marriages. They do appear as submitted by a church member.

I guess the answer is to always double-check the registers on film.

Sue