Genealogy Chat

I read a reply on this site that although registration started in 1837, it wasn't compulsory to register births until about 1873. Does anyone know if this is true for marriages and deaths? If you think I'm sad for being on GC on Christmas Day its because i've been told 'GET OUT OF MY WAY!', so what else is there to do? Merry Christmas.

I know that there was a Birth and Deaths Registration Act passed in 1874, which meant that it was the responsibility of the public to report births or deaths at local register offices. Lucia

Hi, Grahame The Act of 1874 mentioned by Lucia made registration compulsory from 1875, certainly for births, and I believe for deaths also. Marriages had been required to be notified to the local Registrar's office from 1837, having been required to be registered in Churches prior to that date. Best wishes Stan

Registration was compulsory for all BMDs since 1837. But you had to pay to register, and there were no recriminations if you failed to do so. Let's face it, for poor families with six kids to feed, registration fees for the birth of a seventh baby are not going to be a high priority. The 1874 Act meant that you could be fined if you didn't register an event. It wasn't perfect but it was the prod some people needed.

Even after 1875 some births were not registered. Also some people gave false dates for births if they were outside the 42 day limit to avoid the fine! Bob