Genealogy Chat

Hi again, thanks for all your help. It's really appreciated. Will continue the search!

Hi Silverbirch

You need to first find out if the local office does have records and where they are held (could be in an Archives office, not necessary the register office). If there is somewhere that has the records, a visit might not be the best as many offices won't issue certs on the spot, some take several days.

I must add that I've been more successful with "free" information at offices that I've used a lot, i.e. already spent a lot of money with them.

Silverbirch.

Just incase you get all excited. I remember another member asking at the local office which was a London one and they said they didnt do any certs and told her to use GRO


Having said that Heir Hunters dont seem to have a problem

Hi Madmeg, I see what you mean. The birth was registered in the district of West Ham. I checked this evening on the site that has all the local offices which have their records online but it's not one of those. Should I visit the Central Library in Newham (as it is now) or phone/visit the Newham Register of Births/Marriages and Deaths (I see it's on the local government website)? How have you been doing it? You mentioned you've pestered them a lot! I'm just a novice at the moment. Thanks!

But, Silverbirch, if you apply through the local register office and the names are not correct, you won't pay a penny. That's the difference between them and the GRO.

And SOMETIMES, the local register office will spot that one name is correct and the other isn't, and will ring you up and say "We have the right father but the wife is not as you have given", and then you have a bit of dilemma cos they won't (or shouldn't) tell you who the wife is. But you can ask sneaky questions like "Was the wife previously married?" and they might say yes or no, and little hints to help you decide whether or not to get the cert.

OK, thanks. If the parents' names that I have are not on the certificate, I don't need to know the actual names as it won't be my relative in that case.

GRO will only confirm that the parents named are not on that certificate,,then refund £4,,,,they will not reveal any information thats on a certificate.......as its known they just say the names didnt match,but never tell what they are....,

HI Quinsgran and Madmeg, thanks so much for your advice. I must admit I'm curious to see if this really is my uncle but the expense does soon mount up! I'll look into the local register office route and if I have no joy, I'll probably stump up the money if only out of curiosity!
Thanks again.

I don't think you can do that. You can ask for the parents to be confirmed as AB and XY, but if it is correct, you will pay the full £7. It's only if they don't match up that you only pay £3.

You might have more luck with the local register office if, like me, you have already ordered about 200 certs from them, and they take pity on you.

But even so, it's pushing your luck.

If it is important to you to know about this extra uncle, it's worth paying for. You never know, he might turn out to be someone really interesting - maybe a brothel-owner (yes, I have one in my family!) and you will learn why he was never mnetioned.

I dont know is this service is available. They would need to search for the cert and then contact you with the result. I dont think they would be willing to do that.


You could try the local reg office who might be more obliging

Hi, I've been reading through some of the queries on here about this and I understand that if you ask for a "reference check" to the GRO office and it's not the right person you get a refund of £4 and they don't send the certificate (of course). But I'd just like them to check whether a particular birth is actually my relative (I would give them the parents' names to see if they match) but even if it IS, I don't actually need the certificate as it doesn't help me go further back (I have the parents' names after all) but it would mean I had an extra uncle that I didn't know about (and who was never mentioned by anyone). Can I just pay the GRO to check it out for me (£3 presumably?) and if so, how do I ask for this check? Do I just use the "Contact us" route on the "certificate ordering" section of their website? Thanks for any advice.