Obtaining BMD Certificates

I gather you can obtain certificates from local Registry Offices as well as
the CRO. Is there any advantage - eg are they any cheaper, either by post
or in person? Up to now I've been getting them from the CRO, and Ł7 a time
isn't too bad if you're just looking at direct ancestors but can work out
pricey if you're looking at siblings as well.

john...

Beware, the only copies I've obtained this way were several copies of a
marriage certificate for legal purposes (I had the original certificate
which I didn't want to send out). I received several hand-written copies
of the certificate and the clerk didn't transcribe the entry correctly
on any of the copies. I had to request replacements and told the local
Registry Office the correct names they should put on them (having
re-checked the entry, they did)! Much better to get an image copy from
CRO if you don't know what you are expecting.

Frank Erskine...

My local register office does image copies from the original entries.

Charles Ellson...

Register offices are less likely to keep your money if you make a
mistake in your order or if a register entry fails to match checking
details. They also have the benefit of local knowledge making mistakes
less likely in transcribed copies and also sometimes making relevant
information available (e.g. "that address was the workhouse"). In most
cases though, the only practical difference is the ability to obtain a
certified copy on the same day, although telephoning first is still
recommended.

Slarty...

The big advantage with *some* local Registry Offices where marriage
Certificates are concerned is that you get to see the actual signatures of
your ancestors and their witnesses. Occasionally extra remarks have been
written in on some I've got, and I don't know if they'd have been there on
the other sort.

Frank Erskine...

They're the same price at local register offices. Some ROs don't
charge postage!

Jeff...

And has been pointed out before does NOT work for Marriages
unless you know the actual location of the wedding.

Frank Erskine...

I've never had any problems in that regard...

Slarty...

Quite untue, if you know the area concerned, which you would have to if you

Eve McLaughlin...

tisn't.

were contacting the local Register Office. If the person concerned can be
found on Free BMD, there's all the help there needed to fibd the correct
office.

Eve McLaughlin...

The GRO index information applies to the GRO files only.
Local registers in the past all had marriage events recorded in
separate files for each church, chapel etc. So they could find a
marriage if the church was known and the date was vague, but not, except
by sheer chance, where the date was spot on but the church unknown. In
rural areas, IF the couple happened to marry where they 'awlays' lived,
then the registrar would check this church for you. But then, so many
people married well away from their birthplace/later place of residence.
More recently, a few districts have started computerising their
marriage indexes, so that it is possible to locate such a marriage. I
did have a list of places -which has vaished at the moment, but I think
Leeds, Buirmingham, parts of Kent, parts of E London - tell me more.
As well as this, in areas like Cheshire, parts of Lancashire, parts of
Staffs, ?? small parts of Yorkshire, the local FHS have helped to get
the local registration indexes on line, with further local references
which will make marriages accessible. These are online as UKBMD indexes
(select county).

Jeff...

I'm afraid not.

All Free BMD gives is the Registration District. There can
easiy be 50 possible marriage locations in that District.
All (unless they have been re-indexed) indexed separately.

Slarty...

That should also provide you with a full address to which you can write. It
certainly did the last time I needed to look. Don't quote the Book and page
numbers which are irrelevant as far as local offices are concerned. You do
have a problem with three possible offices though. Looking again at my map
of current borough boundaries makes Barnet look more likely, but that's no
guarantee and is only my guess. You could, if you wished, try writing to or
applying in person if that is possible, each of those offices in turn. If
you make out a cheque to 'Superintendent Registrar', this will cover any of
them.

The local office should be able to do the rest.

Good luck anyway.

The Index Reference is useless to the Local registrar (other
than to prove the event took place)

For instance FREE BMD gives you this:

Marriages Sep 1866

Jeff...

It does vary by Registration District, based, I suspect, on
the number of possible marriage venues.

But, I'd have to say you've been lucky. There can be up to
50 churches in a RD, each of which is indexed separately

Chad Hanna...

Some Register Offices, such as Reading's, have created their own
marriage index for some periods.

Frank Erskine...

This is what my local RO has done. If they have indexed the one you
want they'll usually do a certificate while you wait (apart from
Mondays, when they busy registering all the weekend's "events"!). And
if you ask nicely!

I seem to recall that there may also be some difficulties if the church
wasn't able to forward the second marriage register to the Register
Office on completion but I'm not sure of my facts here.

Cross George Hendon 3a 178

Hendon (3a) includes
Edgware, Great Stanmore, Harrow on the Hill, Harrow Weald,
Hendon, Kingsbury, Little Stanmore, Pinner, Twyford Abbey
(1837-62), Wealdstone, Wembley, Willesden (1837-98).
Literally scores of churches (all indexed separately)

Worse- Registers now divided between Barnet, Brent and
Harrow districts.