Genealogy Chat

Just thought I'd share this with people. Last Thursday i ordered death certs from Wakefield RO. They both came Friday. On Friday Evening I ordered one marriage cert, came this morning, None were anything that I particularly needed - just curious, but they are great, they have my rellies signatures on them - a bit of history you don;t get with the GRO. I'm now tempted to re-order all the certs from local RO's, but that would be silly, and expensive LOL. Does anybody know - is it only Wakefield that do this or does the majoroty give you a 2006 copy, thanks,

Not sure what you mean, when you say they have your relatives' signatures on - do you mean they are photocopies of the original entries? The certs I've ordered from various local register offices have all been handwritten modern copies of the entries. nell

Yes Nell - they are copies from the original registry book from the time. with the signatures

The ones I have from local offices seem to be split about 50:50 Photocopies:typed/present day handwritten. Several of the typed or present day handwritten ones have dreadful spelling errors on them (of names and addresses)!! Can't get the staff these days! Suppose they can't make out the Victorian handwriting?? But local offices are usually very helpful (except Poole). Merry

some LOndon office will NOT supply certs for family history!!!! they refer you to GRO.

I have also had good results from my local RO (Walsall) went in today to see if they have my g grandmas marriage cert, they check while you wait and dont charge you 4pound to search! I could have had it posted but am picking it up tomorrow instead.

Linda - I have some rellies from Walsall - so how much did it cost you all together? Willit be a 2006 copy or a 'then' copy?

just the 7pound (sorry my keyboard thinks its european and no pound sign). I sent for a death overseas from GRO and it cost me 11.50 they couldnt find it but charged me 4.50 for looking! unfortunately the other ones I got were 2006 copies, but am happy with those

i've had certificates back from flintshire, kensington, norfolk and cambridgeshire and will continue to deal with registrar offices direct. most are done by return of post and staff are willing to help you with info on your ancestors. they have all been hand written copies by registrar but no signatures though. julie

Tom I don't understand why you are paying MORE at a local RO? I have only ever paid 7.00 + 50p postage. I will say it yet again - when ordering from local ROs, ASK for a photocopy. You will almost certainly get it. My top two local ROs are Blackburn and Salford, both Lancs. Both offices went the extra mile for me, many times without payment of any sort. Salford even dispatched a certificate BEFORE we had agreed on a method of payment! Olde Crone

Thanks for the offer Cath - I actually live in Leeds and visit Altofts fairly regularly - family cemetry etc. Just wondered if you could help me though - do you know where old parish records for Altofts are kept - thanks. Have PM'd you just in case you don't get this.

Old Crone - I'm only paying £7.

I always send my request to the register office for births and deaths certificates - £7 - and especially Buckinghamshire and Suffolk have 'gone the extra mile'. :-) Joy

Sorry to add onto the thread, but does anyone know if Liverpool RO is any good? I have family from the Bootle/Liverpool area and have never tried a RO before

i was hoping to get some certs a bit quicker so I've just been in touch with Leeds registrars office and spoke to a lovely lady only to be told, no phone applications for family history purposes, e-mail applications are accepted but there's a 2 week delay in dealing with them due to a demand currently running at approx 200 per day, You can go in person (NOT between 12.00 -2.00) be prepared to wait and they will deal with you that day. So still waiting impatiently, Joan

Maybe i'm missing something here but the certificates you get from the GRO are photocopies and have copies of the actual signatures on. I've ordered a marriage certificate from GRO before and then seen the actual parish register at the records office- it was an exact copy

Paula I don't understand how you got a photocopy of your rellie's signature from a GRO record, unless it was a fluke! Church marriages - the Vicar fills in the Church Register AND another register, which he eventually sends to the LOCAL Registrar. The local Registrar then makes a copy to send to the GRO, along with the Civil marriages he has performed himself - these too are copies because he keeps the original register for himself. I dont see how the GRO ever gets anything other than a copy of a copy of a copy! Olde Crone

I orderd two certifecates from the London office and paid £11 each for the express delivery.As I was putting the phone down ,I asked how long it would take untill I would receive them, 4 WEEKS.!!!!!!! To get them from the local Leicester R/O you have to go into the office and then it will still take with the w/e 10 days. If they'v got all this extra buisness why dont employ more staff. Thats my moan over I'm just desperate for my certifecates to arrive. Regards Faith

I always use local offices when I can,not always possible for marriages if you don't have a Church name.They are always much quicker,though thanks to Joan,I now know why my Leeds one has taken a week! I think nearly all my marriage ones have been copies of the originals,it really does make a difference seeing actual signatures from over a hundred years ago!

When I was very new to family history and ordering certs, I used to think that the certs from GRO were actual photocopies of the original certs - until I realised that those 'Signatures' were in exactly the same handwriting as the rest of the certificate!! This made me query it and then I found out that it's a certificate filled in by the Registrar hand copied from the original entries in the books. You live and learn, eh?