Genealogy Chat

Looking for references for members of my tree I've come across a couple of ones that could match. Is there a way of telling exactly wich certificate I want to order or do I just buy and hope for the best? I got my refences from the free BMD site, it's just that with a couple of them I don't know which one is the one I'm after. Would it be best to wait till I get to the UK and go into an office and look up both refences? Can I even do that? Gypsyjoe

Have you checked IGI as sometimes birth and marriage details can be found on the site. Good luck Irene

You can't look up references anywhere, the only way to find out what is on a cert is by buying it, unless its a marriage cert and you have the date and parish and can look up the marriage register in the relevant records office. If you order online you can put a checking reference if you know a fact, so you could specify I want Joe Blogg's birth cert but only if his dad was a dairyman. The problem is that if the birth cert says milk carrier, they might not provide it. If the event is pre-1901 you might find helpful info on the census. nell

Thanks Nell and Irene, Irene if that IGI is that later day saint lot, well I've never found a hit with any of my family on it, so I'm guessing they're not on it. Gypsyjoe

Is it a birth certificate that you want to order? If so have you got the marriage certificate for the person? That would give the person's father's name, which could be used as a checking point. Do you want to give us the details you do have? Kath. x

Actually Kath there's both birth and Death but mainly births. I know the parents names but when I do the lookups on free BMD it doesn't have the parents so I can't tell which references it is I need to use, if you know what I mean. Is there another place I can check maybe? Gypsyjoe

Hi Joe, Why not give us the name/s maybe someone would be able to help

yeh Sorry about that, Parents John Bailey and Minnie Bailey nee Allonby There's Mary Bailey births: June Quarter 1897, district of Fylde, Vol 8e pg 693 or March quarter 1898, district of Fylde, vol 8e pg 709 Harold Bailey births: Dec Quarter 1902, district of Fylde, Vol 8e pg 639 or Dec quarter 1906, district of Fylde, vol 8e pg 638 Parents John Bailey and Margaret ???? Mary Alice Bailey births: Sept Quarter 1880, district of Fylde, Vol 8e pg 692 or March quarter 1883, district of Fylde, vol 8e pg 713 (with this Mary I'm thinking it's the first one as she is listed as Mary Alice and the second one is only listed as Mary) Mary Alice Bailey deaths: March Quarter 1882, district of Barton I, Vol 8c pg 384 or June quarter 1882, district of Stockport, vol 8a pg 42 or Dec Quarter 1882, district of Bury, Vol 8c pg 355 or June quarter 1884, district of Preston, vol 8e pg 389 Hope this is clear Gypsyjoe

Joe Parents' names aren't in the GRO indexes, just the child's surname. After 1910 the mother's maiden name is also in the index. Before that you just have to go on which seems the most likely -one way is by checking the census nearest the birth/marriage/death you want and seeing which registration district and sub-registration district your family were in. You can also use the census to see how old a person is on the census nearest their birth - you shouldn't have to be choosing between 2 index entries a year apart or more. The GRO charge £7 for a certificate with the GRO index reference and £3 to check. So if you aren't sure what cert is yours, it will cost £3 to check, which is cheaper than £7 for a wrong cert. nell

joe i agree with nell. look at the census and try and match the age. first time i sent for certs i sent for the wrong ones in my haste to see them. if i had double checked the age and district on the census i would have saved myself £14. there does seems to be a big difference with the dates on some of your findings so i would re check and then if not sure go for the checking service at gro it is well worth £3 love linda x

Thanks Linda and Nell, Don't know why I didn't think of the census' myself. LOL Gypsyjop