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Can I view BMD certificates at the FRO?

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Julia

Julia Report 31 May 2006 20:49

This question has probably been asked a lot but couldn't find one. If I go to the FRO in London, would I be able to view BMD certificates on a microfiche or similar. I have the same problem as others in that I am not sure whether certain entries in the index relate to my family.

Right said Fred

Right said Fred Report 31 May 2006 20:54

Hu Julia, I'm afraid the only way to view the cert is to buy it. At the FRO, you just look in the indexes. Tom

Unknown

Unknown Report 31 May 2006 21:10

The problem with the indexes is that sometimes there isn't enough info to know if its the right cert. You CAN use checking points, but this can also be a hindrance. For example, my husband's gt grandfather Zuzman Hart - his father on his marriage cert was Zalig. But on his birth cert it said Solomon. So if I'd ordered a cert specifying dad;s name to be sure of getting the right cert, the GRO wouldn't have supplied it. I have lots of common names in my tree and deaths especially after the census are a nightmare, when you have no idea when or where someone died. nell

Julia

Julia Report 1 Jun 2006 12:09

Thank you both replying. As I suspected, you have to spend a fortune to find the correct certificates!

Phoenix

Phoenix Report 1 Jun 2006 12:20

If you can wait - and it will be at least a couple of years, probably more - the GRO is re-indexing their indexes, so that they can ultimately go on line. This won't solve the problem of entries that never reached the GRO, but it will mean that we can see, all from 1837: 1. Mother's maiden name on births 2. Spouse's surname on marriages and 3. Age at death on deaths A lot of things have happened since the original scheme was formulated, more than five years ago, but the idea then was that the old entries (cut off date wobbles back and forth around 1906) would be available online as digitised images, and cheaper than certificates, because nobody had to emboss that bit of paper!