Genealogy Chat

I regularly get my certificates from Southport. The last I ordered was last monday and I am still waiting even though I gave full references. Does anyone else find that they take an age to arrive? Its so frustrating when you are champing at the bit for the next piece of your jigsaw!!

Hi - I've never actually obtained a cert. from Southport - I usually go straight to the Reg. Office concerned - I have a really good relationship with one (on first name terms with the ladies there) and if I put in a s.a.e. it's usually back by return of post. Could you try ordering on a local basis to get the info. back? I think it is also cheaper to order this way. - I know what it's like waiting for the postman so you can put the pieces together and possibly get on. Jacqui p.s. one of my "ladies" has in the past also tipped me off about other relatives she has seen in her index - nothing too specific but names and approx. dates.

My experience is that Southport are very slow. 7 to 10 days. Local offices are usually quicker 4-5 days. Perhaps you should ring them and ask. I did this last month on a Saturday and was told 'these things take time, but it has been posted'. It duly arrived on the Monday with a Sunday mail stamp. lol Ring them and gee them up. I always try to order locally if possible. Good luck, John

I'm disappointed to hear that. I ordered one on Monday and the website said 4-5 days, dispatched on 13th. So was hoping to get it on Monday.

I ordered 2 last Tuesday and am still waiting as well, i usually get them from Southport within the week.

It normally takes a week or so, but I received one yesterday that took about 12 days, they are probably a bit behind.

I have never applied to a local office. The offices that I would need are in London. London Metropolitan archives and Westminster Archives. Are they helpful? The website for the former suggest that either they need very specific information or they could charge £35/hr for finding information for me. Has anyone used this service?

Marcelo I have tried to order from Westminster, no luck, they won't supply. They say they are too busy with passport applications etc and the need for current certificates. They make you use Southport. That is the only one that I have found that say this. I have used Oxford, Notts, Derby Staffordshire and loads of others with no problem Margaret

I never bother with Southport,,,I just go straight to the local register offices,,enclosing a SAE. I got some back today that I ordered on Monday

I always order from Southport and order it on the internet and they give a day it will be dispached, but I do find them difficult to read. I did phone and say this, and they asked for me to return it, I didn't because I eventually made it out, only because I have local knowledge of the area I knew where a street was, had I not I would have had to return it, therefore adding another week. I'm not very impressed with the quality.Does anyone know, If you order locally are they any better, or do the certificates come from a main source? Lynda

I think the quality of the copy you receive depends on the state of what they are copying from. I've been lucky so far in that all the certs I've sent for have arrived within 10 days and have been legible. Jan.

Lynda The certs I have received via a local reg are typed or hand written not photocopied as the GRO ones are. The only trouble with that is that there could be an error in the transcription. Margaret

I use the ONS site for cetificates and it normally takes a week, ie if I order on Sat they arrive the next Sat. The last certificate I ordered took a couple of days longer but to be honest, when I first ordered certs I had to order by fax, because the online facility hadn't started then, and it took a month to get to me! I don't think having to wait a week is too bad, if fact its probably cheaper if it takes longer because the longer it takes to arrive, the longer before I order my next one!!! Rachel

Although the local registry offices are quicker than Southport I much prefer the look of the latter. The certificate doesn't seem so 'special' when it is just typed or written by the local registrar. Although the photocopies of the original entry from Southport can sometimes be a bit hard to read, they are much more fun!

I ordered one (my first one) from Southport. I went away for a few days and it was there when I got back, so I don't know exactly how long it took - not less than a week, though. They enclosed a little 'sorry for the poor quality' note, but a magnifyng glass, local knowledge and info I already had from a census helped me decipher most of it.

Thanks everyone. At least its not just me! Fingers crossed they arrive tomorrow I have people across the globe waiting with bated breath!