Navigating the National Probate Index, I encountered numerous entries linked to my surname presented as scanned register pages. As this data was in image format, direct extraction into text wasn’t possible. Utilising a free software tool, I successfully converted the images into text, facilitating seamless integration into my database.

The software loads the image on the left panel for viewing. By employing the OCR button, the image transforms into text. With the aid of a side-by-side comparison, any necessary corrections can be made before pasting the information into the database.

FreeOCR can be downloaded from http://www.paperfile.net/