Genealogy Chat

As the title says - where is the best place to order a number of BMD certificates from ? I've managed to find most of the reference numbers for the certificates I want and there are quite a few of them - where is the best place to order them from? I've done a google search, but considering these are meant to be official documents, many of the companies seem to be independant. I thought they all had to come from some kind of government organisation. Anyone got any suggestions? Many thanks

If you have a lot to order then it's probably best (quickest and cheapest) to order online from the GRO with a credit or debit card. You will need the GRO refs and the certs will cost £7 each. If you order from the local reg offices they are still £7 and if you ask for a photocopy of the cert rather than a present day transcription you MAY get your rellies signatures! However if you have a lot to get from different places this is more longwinded! Also, some London offices will not do Family History certs. Merry

youi can order from GRO they cost £7 each with the ref http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp Jeanette

Order from the GRO or the local registry office (local to the event) Cost is £7 from GRO with ref number and usually £7-£8 from a local office,. The advantage to local is often a quicker turnround and you don't need a GRO ref,but would need to quote a guide for the time of the event,you can also get the GRO ref and use that as a guide to when the birth/marriage/death occured. The only exception price wise is if you enter a check point,such as a parents name to ensure you recieve the right cert (if there are two or more posssibles).the cost is then slightly higher. Glen

You might be able to reduce the cost of the marriage records, if you're prepared to hunt down the Parish Registers (often in County Records Offices /Archives). The Parish Register entry 1] is the source for the cert (and therefore the Local & GRO index info) - so no transcriptions between you and the original 2] has the original signatures (or Xs) the parties involved 3] is usually cheaper than a legal cert - especially if you get it for yourself, just the price of a photocopy. Some of the Local BMD sites (see www.ukbmd.org.uk) do tell you in which Church (or other place) the marriage took place. If it took place in a Register Office, I'm not sure what happens then: I imagine you can only get a copy in the form of a cert. Christine

Glen, It doesn't cost more to enter a checking point for a certificate. If the certificate you order and the checking point match, then you still only pay £7. It's when the checking point doesn't match on the certificate that you pay £3 for the search they've done and they refund £4, so you are actually paying £3 and get nothing. Kath. x