Genealogy Chat

Hi Can anyone let me know why some certificates come back with your actual relatives signature and some don't. Trying to verifiy that somebody is the same person but he signature is not on the certificate even though he was the informant. Thanks

Yes, it's confusing when you find some things signed and some not and you think it's the same person. What date was your unsigned document? Heather

If you buy a cert from the GRO it will never have your rellies original signature on it (unless something has gone wrong with the system!). If you get one from a local reg office then they have the opportunity to give you a photocoopy of the original, but often they will copy by hand or type the record up for you, so make sure you ask for a photocopy if at all possible. I know a lot more on this subject, but I bore people stupid!! Any Q's?? Merry

Mmmmmm, I've had two from the GRO that are obvious photocopies of the originals complete with signatures! Must say I like it when a glitch happens in the system lol

Don't forget the vicar would have written the signatures (normally!) and often they do look like signatures....I have literally hundreds of certs and I used to think they were signed, but none of them actually are! To receive two together that have both bucked the system seems very unlikely.............But I'm not going to say you are mistaken! Update - sorry, I just realised you didn't say you got them together!! In order for a signed copy to be at the GRO I can only think someone in the past has requested a copy of the cert, but it couldn't be traced at the GRO. If the GRO asked the local reg office for a copy of theirs then this should have sigs on it, but I have never heard of the GRO doing that! (would have thought they would just say....''Sorry, we don't have it''!!) Merry

Lol s'ok sweetie, I can't understand it either but there you go! As you say, surely they would just come back with a 'we haven't got it' response. I'm not complaining mind, just puzzled!

I've nudged up my thread, ''Victorian Registrars and the GRO'' in case that helps anyone! Merry

The certificate I have is from 1943 and does not have the signature yet for a different person I got a marriage certificate from the local office and it has got original signature.... I think you have answered my question there...! Soooo...are you always better off trying to get them from local offices or not? I have just had two arrived this morning from the GRO and I can't read some of the writing - you can't win can ya? ;o)

Not all local offices will do certs for family history purposes (I've got a thread up about that somewhere), but if they do, then get them from the local ones, particularly if you really need the sig to verify something. The GRO is just more convenient! Why are you named after a cough medicine??! Merry

have you got a scanner?? I don't mind if you want to email me the certs you can't read.....if you want to, then send me a personal message (click my name) Merry

I had one once that I could not read - a scanned one - from the GRO. I emailed them, and they replied quickly saying that they found it difficult too!! but managed to decipher it. :-)

Re - tixylix...something that was given to me many years ago...thought it was a funny name... and always used it as a user name wherever possible! I haven't got a scanner but I am taking them to my mums to be scanned so if the offer is still open in a couple of days...?

Yes, sure.....just send me a PM anytime! (please can you scan them at 300dpi??) Merry