Genealogy Chat

Is it possible to see Birth and Marriage Certificates without actually requesting and paying for a copy? I dont want to have a copy I just want to be able to see it and note the information. I was going to go to the Records Office at Kew but I have looked on their website and I dont think you can see copies there either.

If I look the information up on either GR or Ancestry it only gives me details of the Register they are on even if I have paid to look. Very frustrating.

What sort of dates and where in the country?

You need to purchase certificates to see the details, but if you know that a marriage took place in a certain church, you can look at the parish registers in the nearest archive or main library near to the event and the information after 1837 will be identical to that of the GRO marriage certificate for that couple.

If it is in the London area, some of us have access to the parish registers online for a certain time frame.

Post some names if you want a lookup in that area.

Gwyn

we all have to buy the actual bmd certificate to see the information


some people are very lucky and find that their ancestors were born in the London area (but not all parishes, I've found), and can see details from the parish register.


Most of us are not so lucky!



No-one ever said this was a cheap or easy hobby!




sylvia

Unfortunately John you haven't paid to "look" at the certificates. If you have a subscription to either Genes or Ancestry (or any of the other family history websites) you have only paid to see the birth, marriage or death index which gives you the information you need in order to purchase the certificate.

It isn't a cheap hobby and if you are going to build an accurate family tree then you will need to purchase quite a lot of certificates - even if you only buy those for the people in your direct line.

As Gwen has already said, if you know which church your ancestors married in (although most of us don't know this information) then you can probably find the details in parish records at the County Record Office for the area which could save you the cost of the certificate. Other than that you have to buy the certificate.

Kath. x

Too true it isn't cheap......I am used to sending for and buying birth/marriage certs etc. but, last week, I sent for a copy of a baptism entry in a parish register in Kent and it has cost me £19 for a flimsy photocopy. Fortunately, two of us are bearing the cost but that came as a shock.


Needed a lie down! Cx.

Thank you everyone for your tips and advice. As you will see I am new to this hobby and didn't appreciate how much it cost!! I will try the Parish Records route as I do know where some of the weddings took place and for the rest i will have to bite the bullet and buy the certificates.

If your family came from the Medway area of Kent then try Medway City Ark.

An amazing amount of records online and all free. It takes a bit of getting used to in order to find your way round the site but its worth persevering - records as far back as the 1500's - scans of originals, not transcriptions. And FREE!!!


Check out Freereg as well - online parish registers.

I think that is what has annoyed me. Many of my ancestors are on MCA and that's fabulous.....the church in question is still in Kent but not within the Medway area.....arghhhh.

Cynthia
If you have any to find within the Canterbury diocese just ask me to look for you.
I go to Canterbury Cathedral Archives from time to time.

Gwyn

Hi Gwyn, sorry I've only just spotted your reply. Many thanks for that, it's very kind of you and I will bear it in mind.

The church was Cudham and I have paid the amount but also commented on the exhorbitant fee, having had some experience in searching registers/graveyards for other people myself.

Thanks again. Cx.