On Thu, 4 Aug 2005 08:40:14 +0000 (UTC), Carolyn Harris
Sorry to disagree with such a knowledgable genie, but it is due to something the Vic Registry did at one time.
Seems they had a go at taking the old hand written indexes and put them onto a printed list, 1878 is one of the years they did this, if you have seen them one of these, particularly on the old microfiche indexes it stands out.
All the Birth places were put into 4 letter codes of the form AA AA. They either did it with unit record equipment (ie punch card machines) or on a computer.
If you look at the Pioneer CD and select a year they did it for, in this case 1878 it stands out so much. Just scroll down the list of 4 letter AA AA codes. There is the odd case where the name is in full, but this is due to some of the volunteers who did the Digger Pioneer index taking the bit between their teeth and expanding the place name before they were stopped.
Cheers,
Proud to be member of Melbournee DPS, first
