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Can anybody tell me if there is a separate register that contains stillbirths? Or are they included with the normal births and deaths?
I know that my parents had a stillborn son before I was born but it was a taboo subject and I have scant information.
It would have been sometime in 1938, 1939, or 1940 possibly early 1941 but unlikely. If he had lived, he would have been named Michael Anthony, mother formerly Johnson. At the time, I think my parents were living near Manchester, or possibly Marple in Cheshire. I was born in Cheshire.
I am keen to find a date for the event but don't know where to look, or if the above, is sufficient information?
Help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Carole

Carole

Found this link which gives information about stillbirth certificates.

http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/stillbirths

Ruth

Carole, if he was stillborn, as Gladys said, there is a seperate register. Parents are the only ones allowed to apply for certificates though.

Hi

Have sent you a Pm

Pete

Stillbirths
Obtaining Stillbirth Certificates


Due to the sensitive nature of stillbirth registrations, the procedure for ordering a certificate of the entry differs from other types of certificates. We will only send out the application form after we have been contacted by phone or in writing by the mother or father (if he is named on the certificate). In cases where the parents are deceased, a brother or sister can apply if they can provide their parents’ dates of death.

The cost of the certificate is £7.

Phone +44 (0)845 603 7788
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm GMT (excluding bank holidays) and Saturday 9am to 4pm GMT.


Or write to us at:
General Register Office
PO Box 2
Southport
Merseyside
PR8 2JD

Keith
My parents are long dead ... and I understand that siblings can apply so long as they can prove this.
I have investigated the link that Gladys mentions but this only tells me how to apply for a certificate.
However, I am at, this juncture, not looking to apply for a certificate. ... I am a long way from that. I need a more precise date first and I'm not even sure if 'he' was registered with a Christian name. What I do need is to know WHERE to find an index of such births?
Carole

It may be a sensitive subject and I thank members for taking account of this ... but there is no one left alive who would be adversly affected. ... So, unless someone unearths some particularly grizzly details (unlikely!), I am happy for the messages to appear here. That gives others a chance to see them and comment.
Carole

Thanks for that Jacqueline
But will the scanty information I have be sufficient?
Don't I need to find an index and try to narrow it down a bit?
Carole

Carole,
I stand corrected, siblings can apply for certs, there is no index available that I am aware of, you have to know the dates to apply from what I believe.

Thanks for your efforts everyone.

I'm going to phone the GRO!!

If they can tell me exactly how to go about it, I will add the information here, so you can spread the word should you see a similar enquiry in the future. ... Watch this space ... or not?
Carole

You will have to wait a bit longer.
After a very lengthy wait, on the phone, the person at the GRO. who took my call, couldn't tell me the sort of information I might need to supply but the application form, which is being sent to me, will make this clear. I do know that I need my parents dates of death. I also learned that there is NO sort of index that I can use to narrow down my options, so I hope that they (the GRO) can marry father's names; mother's maiden name; a very approximate date and location,.... and possibly a Christian name if it had been thought of at the time. ... I have my doubts with so little to go on but I may find myself very pleasantly surprised? If they do manage it, it is good value for £7.00 !!
Will let you know exactly what the application form requires when it arrives.
Carole

Thanks Carole for bringing this subject up on a thread.I was thinking of discussing with my mum about this.Although I can remember my sister being born,Im having difficulty remembering year.She has always had a name within the family,so there might be a cert that I can get for her.
Kay

Thanks for raising this subject Carole - my grandmother apparantly miscarried twins and had always assumed I would never be able to find anything out about them but your thread has made me wonder now whether her pregnancy might have been advanced enough for them to be considered still births too. Think I might get the GRO to look too ..........

Kay,

If your parents are still alive then only they can apply for your sister's certiificate if she was stillborn.

Kath. x

To be classed as a stillbirth the gestation has to be 24 weeks. I think it used to be 28 weeks.

Kath. x

Hi Kathleen,My mum is still alive at 82 in oct.We have had a chat this afternoon,as this has never been a taboo subject in our family.She told me that she gave birth downstairs,and the midwife called my father who took the baby upstairs.She never saw her.The undertakers came straight away.She does not know where she is buried,and has always believed that she was put in with somebody else.(we know which church).The undertakers are close to me,so I will pop in on monday to see what records they keep.Just got to work the year out now.
Kay

Kay

It is very possible that the baby was put into a coffin with someone else who was probably a stranger. This was standard practice. My husband's baby brother died after 12 hours and he was buried in the coffin of a 2 year old girl being buried at the time.

We found his burial details from the county records office.

Kath. x

That is useful to know Rachael
I felt it was a bit hopeless
Carole

Was it standard practise to bury ALL stillborn babies and are their burials always recorded, even if they 'shared' a coffin. It's strange! I had never thought of him being buried somewhere. Even after all these years it makes him seem more real! To find out where will be my next quest.
Does anybody know what information is included on the certificate that one gets? Does it look like an ordinary birth, or death, certificate?
Carole

Carole,

I don't think all stillborn babies were buried, but it depends on the the year really.

My sister started midwifery training in the late 1950's and she used to say that they gave stillborn babies to the local undertaker for burial, but she also said that older midwives used to tell her that in earlier times some were "disposed of". Hope this isn't too upsetting to hear, and I don't know for certain that it's true - just what my sister was told at the time.

Kath. x