Genealogy Chat

A kindly GR Member recenty accessed these Certiicates for me leading to two Overseas & one UK direct Family & Trees with valuable contacts now.
Looking for a Marriage-Cert. Copy here, Can other GRs actually access English -Records for this please as the stated were from Scotlands-People and I don't want to buy! If found I can get an age which will allow Birth-Year as great trouble with same? Thanks advice!

Generally speaking English marriage certificates are not available online. Ancestry does have some relating to marriages in London up to 1921 but as far as I know they are the only ones that may be viewed without actually purchasing a copy of the certificate itself.

The index to look them up, to order them is on line and free

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

Thanks Jonesey and Penny, was hopeful but there you go! I have found the Irish and Scots Sites far clearer and accessible sadly, makes you wonder why after paying Taxes etc., we are denied 'Online' viewing of Public & Government records, leaving us poorer in the process and not affording to buy? Still, appreciating your reply as said.

Some Yorkshire ones also on Ancestry.

Gwyn

Would it be correct to say that the marriage records which are available on-line are not officially Certificates, but scans of the original marriage registers, which just happen to look similar and have the same information on them?

As the reasons for wanting to view certs are usually to satisfy curiosity, and/or to further a hobby, I would be less than pleased if my taxes were used to fund such things.

I agree wth Flick - the GRO is a government department paid for by our taxes - digital information still needs time and effort for processing, by staff who probably deserve more than the minimum wage! And this is where we should repeat the warning not to pay the high fees that are charged by agencies other than the GRO to send us copies of the actual certificates as opposed to scans of the index.

The government's view is that departments such as the GRO, incidentally now a division of the Passport Office, are self financing with no burden on the taxpayer.

There was budget made available for digitization but this ran out and the project was put on hold. It was also identified that changes in the law would be necessary before on-line access could be implemented and in the current climate, this is not on any agenda.

Hasty apologies for delay in reply along with thanks of course, I too very annoyed we don't have access as wished and, saying no burden on taxpayer is a continual issue for us all who still pay up regardless, both ways!
Those scans of 'Originals' are just as useful and saving of money where not really wanted other than name/date/ references alone. Indeed as said, several such have given me unknown Family and Trees hereto unknown along with new Cousins etc of my Line and now we revell in contact weekly!
Appreciating all your pointers and comments, many thanks everyone! M.