Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone, As a relative newbie to this , can some please tell me about the local offices. I have seen a lot of thread advising that they are better and quicker than GRO. But are the copies you get any better, i.e. do they give any further information than GRO? I have just recieved a birth cert for one of my ancester from GRO to get the mothers maiden name but becuase there are so many mistakes on the cert, I am finding it difficult to read. I just wondered if I get a copy from the local office whether it would be clearer? or give me any more information? Thanks Claire

For the cert you already have, what I would do is either email it to some kind souls on here to see if they can read it., or phone the local office, explaining that you have bought the cert from the GRO, but cannot read all of it.......They should easily be able to find their copy of the cert to check the details. Basically the info on both should be identical (baring transcribing mistakes!), except that any signatures on GRO copies will not be signatures at all, but written by the Victorian registrar at the end of the Q when the event was registered, whilst the local office will have original signatues on their certs. Merry

1. The copies from the GRO are usually photocopies of the copies sent to them by the local register offices. Sometimes, if they are difficult to read, GRO send a typed copy. 2. The copies from the local register office can be a) direct photocopies of the original entry in the register book - though I think you have to specify if you want this, I don;t think they do it automatically. b) typed or more usually, handwritten then and there to meet your request. So the actual information on either copy will be the same. GRO timescales vary according to demand, but you can order online and order lots of different certs for different registration areas in one go. Local offices tend to be much quicker as there's less demand. The draw back is that many London register offices do not provide certificates for genealogy purposes, so you have to use GRO. Useful webaddresses you might like to book in your favourites: www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/ GRO site to order certs. www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/reg/ List of registration districts in England and Wales www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/RegOffice/ list of local register offices and the brilliant http://home.clara.net/dixons/Certificates/indexbd.htm a website set up by a registrar, that tells you what is on bmd certs and what it means. nell

Do you want to email me your cert? If you do, then send me a personal massage asking for my email address! Merry

I think - I hope - Merry means message and not massage!

HAHAHA!! I won't change that, because it's funny! I always do that typo, but usually see it before I post! Merry

Claire Local Registry Offices hold the FIRST copy of an event, i.e. the originals for births and deaths. For marriages, they either hold the original if it was a register office wedding, or a COPY of the entry made into the Church Register. GRO hold copies of copies. Sometimes the copies didnt make it from the local RO to the GRO, which means that the GRO records are less complete than local ROs.And there is an additional opportunity for errors of transcription, when you are making a copy of a copy! I ALWAYS use local ROs whenever possible and I ALWAYS ask for a photocopy.Furthermore, you can often phone the local RO if you cannot read a cert and ask them what THEY think it says. Hope this helps. OC

Hi Claire You won't get more info from the local offfice BUT When a birth or death is registered the informant gives the details to the local reigistrar,the registrar records the details and keeps a copy at the local office. The details are also copied for the GRO,forwarded to them and copied by the GRO several times to produce the index.The errors creep in when the details are copied several times. I have several local issued certs,mostly from Lincoln and that office copies the original register,straight from the horses mouth so to speak,and i get to see signatures from my rellies from way back too. The certs cost the same as GRO versions,are usually quicker and the local office staff are 'human' unlike the big corporate GRO. Fancy seeing a local issued cert?pm your e-mail addy and i will e-mail one to you. Glen

Thanks everyone for the advice. Unfortunately I dont have a scanner so cant scan a copy for someone to look at. but thanks for the offers. I understand the difference at lot more than I did 10 minutes ago!! My brain was looking very hazy!!! Thanks again Claire

Glen I have just pm'd my addy Thanks again Claire

Just sent them Claire,any problems with them just let me know. Glen

Thanks Glen I got your mail. I do see what you mean by the original signatures. How fasinating to see their handwriting as well, which you dont get on the GRO copies. I think I may be converted!! Although most of my ancesters come from london. I will check out your a-z thread for more info. thanks Claire

The marriage certs held by district offices should all be originals. For church marriages TWO registers are signed, one held by the church / records office and one by the district registrar. Bob