Genealogy Chat

Thanks Penny, but the gist is that I found two births, same quarter, same mmn, same ref, and assumed they were twins. I sent for the birth cert of the twin that the family had never heard of, only to find that her original birth name had been altered to the one they DO know about (and is still living) - hence there would be two records in the register, but only one certificate. I assumed that was the end of it - they changed their minds as to what to call her. The family now says there was a twin who died, but if that twin was stillborn, I cannot access those records.

There is no death for either name. So either I am right, the child's name was simply changed, or there is a stillbirth that I cannot access.

I'm fairly certain that even in the case of a stillborn twin the survivor has a time of birth on the certificate. (For legal reasons.) However, I know of a case in the 1940's where this didn't happen. What did happen was horrendous for the family concerned.

Hi Madmeg

You might like to email GRO and ask if the birth in question was a Correction or a re registration?

GRO have always been very good in answering any questions I have thrown at them.

Hope this helps and let us know how you go :-)

Cheers Gerry

Geraldine, what would be the difference between a correction or a re-registration? Surely either would result in a new name recorded in the final column of the certificate, and if no time of birth is given then the child might, or might not, be a twin.

Fair point though, it won't cost me anything to have a go.

Hi Madmeg

I wrote to GRO asking the difference... but their answer was in relation to the Births and Registration Act 1953 so I don't know if applies to your birth so you will need to ask that.

This was part of their reply:

***Thank you for your recent correspondence which has been forwarded to the Corrections & Re-registration section.

Corrections to a child's name in an entry:-

It is only possible to correct a child's name in a birth entry when the
Registrar General can be satisfied that an error occurred at the time of
the birth registration.

If the Registrar General cannot be satisfied that an error occurred or if
the parents have simply had a change of mind, Section 13 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 does provide for a different forename given to a child within 12 months the registration of the birth, whether in baptism or not, to be inserted in the birth entry. Please note there is no provision to change a child's surname in this manner.

Alternatively, there are two main types of re-registration of which I have
outlined below:-

Section 10A of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 allows a
birth to be re-registered so that the father's name, place of birth and
occupation can be recorded.

Section 14 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 allows a birth
to be re-registered where the parents marry each other after the child's
birth in order to legitimise a child, under the Legitimation Act 1976.

During the re-registration application process consideration may be given
for a child's surname to be changed to either a (Mother's surname, Father's surname or a combination of them both). Unless the above section 13 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 applies, a child's forename cannot be changed at this point.***

My husbands birth is entered 3 times in the index (Thank God there is only one of him :-) First in the typed list and two handwritten on the bottom of the page. (The second entry was crossed out) I think they later inserted his mother's maiden name and would have come under a correction.

Hope this helps :-)

Cheers Gerry

Thanks for all your hard work Gerry, but I think this is just a name change. I have contacted the GRO for advice, could take some time.

Margaret