Genealogy Chat

I am trying to find birth details of my Gt.Grandfather William Smith who was born in Tottenham in 1852. The information I have to date are his birth place, his fathers name which was David whose occupation on William's Marriage Certificate states he is a Gardener (as is William). The details I have from the 1881 Census I know are correct and in the 1871 Census there is a William Smith with the correct details. In the 1861 Census I have found a William Smith with a birth date of 1851 at the age of 10 born in Tottenham with a father whose name is David. It is quite possible that this is the same one. Can anyone tell me how I can confirm this and also find out the date of his birth so I can get a copy of his birth certificate

You can only obtain a cert if the birth was registered. You need to look on Ancestry - it is free to register - and see if there is a reg'n. It wasn't compulsory until 1875, so you may be unlucky............ Reg

On the census that you mention, the mother's name Caroline. Do you think this is correct? If I have the right family then William wasn't on the 1851 census, so you would need to look through the Complete Birth Index starting from the June qtr. of 1851 for two or three years to see how many births for William Smith registered in Edmonton there are. For a birth in Tottenham, the registration district would be Edmonton. Kath. x

You have to trawl through all the indexes and for a name like William Smith there are an awful lot of them. The registration District for Tottenham is Edmonton. I found one in Q1 Edmonton v. 111 page 168 1851. But there could be many more. Sylvia

You could choose the one you believe to be him and then when you order from GRO specify a check point for his father and mothers names? In the 1861 is dad David a gardener?

There are quite a few to choose from... Births Sep 1851 (96%) Smith William Penfold Edmonton 3 157 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Dec 1851 (95%) SMITH William Edmonton 3 190 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Mar 1852 (>99%) Smith William Thomas Edmonton 3a 99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Mar 1853 (93%) Smith William Edmonton 3a 103 Smith William Edmonton 3a 107 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Births Jun 1853 (98%) Smith William Edmonton 3a 113 Georgina.

Many thanks to Reggie, Kathleen, Sylvia, Georgina and Heather for their replies about William Smith. I have found all the suggestions you gave. I don't think he has a second name as the later information I have which I know is correct doesn't give one so that will rule some of them out. The 1861 Census which you referred to Kathleen where his father is David is certainly a possible. David's occupation is listed as a Labourer there which could possibly have also mean't Gardener. Yes, I know the registration district is Edmonton. Can someone tell me where I go from here please. Thanks, Jennifer.

Do you mean, how to buy a certificate? You go to the GRO online site and enter the information. I take it you have decided which of the above Williams is likely yours? http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/ The information you need is all there, you will need to choose Births, then enter the year of the event - you will be asked if you know the GRO ref. tick yes - then you will enter his name and the quarter (of the year - jan/feb/march or april/may/june or july/august/september or october/november/december. then the area - which will be above - was it Edmonton? - then the vol and then the page no. It is easy if you just follow it down using the info given in the list above (assuming one of those is your choice). You then fill in your name, address and card details and pay £7. Actually, you may have to fill in your details first if you havent ordered a cert before. There will be a bit that asks for your reference - just make one up - say William Smith birth. And thats it really, click, pay, make a note or print the receipt and see what the despatch date is and wait! Its about 6 days now. Oh, it may ask if you want a check on any point. You could put, fathers name David Smith. If your choice of cert doesnt have a David Smith as father then you will not get it but GRO will refund you £4.