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From: Family History Society of Cheshire <>
Subject: Re: [CHS] Late Registration
Date: Wed, 7 Feb 2001 20:24:40 GMT


The message <>
from contains these words:

> You have to register a birth within 42 days in the UK or it cannot be done.

That isn't quite correct (and I have the certificates to prove it) :-)

A child's birth can be registered up to six months after the event,
but a fine is payable by the parents if the registration takes place
after six weeks (42 days). These 'late' registrations are unusual in
that they should have the signatures of both the registrar of births
and the district superintendent registrar in the next-to-last column.

Since 1875, if a child more than six months old is found not to have
been registered then a larger fine is payable, but registration is
not permitted at all. The lack of a birth certificate was
deliberately intended as part of the penalty for failure to register the birth.

Hope this helps,

Brett Langston
The Family History Society of Cheshire
http://www.fhsc.org.uk/

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