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Archiver > DORSET > 2000-03 > 0952177821


From: "Helen Jones" <>
Subject: Obtaining birth, death and marriage certificates
Date: Sat, 4 Mar 2000 13:50:21 -0000


As there have been so many new listers recently - nearly 100 since January I
am reposting this guide to finding Civil Registration Records in England and
Wales. It was originally written by Oxf. listowner, Wendy Archer, ammended
by Steve and I and further ammended by Lynda Muddle-Small! If anyone has any
further comments, please let us know and we will include them. We need to
add a section telling you exactly what you will find on each sort of
certificate so that will follow when I've written it!
Apologies to all those listers who have seen this posting before!
Helen

>>>>Access to civil registers of Birth, Marriage and Death

Civil registration commenced in England and Wales in July 1837. One copy of
the original registers are kept in the office of the Superintendent
Registrar for the Registration District and each quarter a copy of this was
sent to the General Register Office where the national index is created
(most of this is now done weekly by computer) It is not possible
for the public to view any of the films/fiches (or originals) of the civil
registration of births and deaths in England in Wales, but it is possible to
order a copy of the entry. The current marriage registers kept by the parish
church can be viewed and older ones if they have not been sent to the
county record office (not usually on fiche), although this will not always
be possible when the ceremony did not take place in the established
(=parish) church. (Usually two registers are kept, one, when completed goes
to the local register office and one is kept or goes to the local record
office, this applies to C of E or non-conformist)

Obtaining Copies (certificates) of the entries for birth/marr/death as
follows
If you can get to London, you can order the certificate in person at the
Family Records Centre at Myddelton Street.
One useful method is to contact the local Superintendent Registrar for the
district in which the event took place. They will do a five year search at
no extra charge This way the price is the same as at London, but you do
have to be sure of your district (and parish for marriages). As far as I
know they accept payment only in sterling cheques. Addresses of register
offices can be found at http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/RegOffice/s.htm
make cheques payable to 'Thhe Superintendent Registrar.

If you are overseas a practical proposition is to order direct from the
Office for National Statistics (ONS), by post or by email - see
http://www.ons.gov.uk/regist_f.htm
This is slightly more expensive, particularly if a search is required, but
cheaper if you count the travel costs! They accept payments using credit
card - so this method may be useful if ordering from overseas. A cheaper
alternative is to use a record agent - these advertise in most Family
History Magazines.
>
>>>> Which Certificate?
By now you will be wondering how you identify the certificate that you
require!
You will need to find the indexes (called GRO indexes - general register
office) which provide a means of identifying the correct entry in the civil
registers of birth, marriage and death, so that certificates can be ordered.
The registers themselves are not open for public searches in England and
Wales. In brief, for each entry, the indexes list the volume and page
numbers for the civil registers providing a unique identifier for ordering
your certificate, if ordering from the FRC or GRO - of no use to registrars
other than verification it is in their district somewhere!.
>
The registration and indexes start from July 1837 and extend to the present
day.

The hardcopy indexes are at the UK Family Records Centre
http://www.pro.gov.uk/about/frc/
in London and are alphabetical lists by surname, then forename for all the
events in each three-month period. The indexes are also available on
microfiche at county record offices and the Latter Day Saints (LDS) family
history centres, also some Family History Societies have their own indexes,
i.e. Devon and a few large reference libraries have them.
>
The LDS (Latter Day Saints) Family History Centres usually hold the UK GRO
indexes on microfiche, and, though some are open evenings only, they are a
very helpful source of family history data. The list of centres worldwide is
linked from
http://www.lds.org/en/2_How_Do_I_Begin/4_Where_is.html

>>>>>Some general info
There is a description of the English civil registration system and indexes
with much more information at
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/civreg/
also at http://www.pro.gov.uk/leaflets/ri2118.htm

>>>>> Summary
In summary, you need to search the GRO indexes at the LDS, then order from
the UK using the methods given on the ONS website or through a local
registrar. The ONS will do a search,but this is more costly and may not be
feasible if your starting information
is uncertain.
>
Suggest current prices should be listed somewhere, from register office or
FRC it is £6.50 per certificate, ONS it is £8 with reference otherwise £11
Helen Jones at Weymouth, Dorset, UK
List Admin Dorset-L Scammell-L

http://www.melcombe.freeserve.co.u

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