Genealogy Chat

Hi, thanks for the advise. I did write to the Leigh Records office hoping they would be the correct ones, but I've not gotten an answer back even to the question as to whether I should be writing to them. Is this common? Denise

Denise The website I got my info from covers lots of different offices in Lancashire. Have a look at www(.)lancashirebmd(.)org.(uk). It will give you the details about payment etc. I have paid £7.00 to date per certificate. The site has a range of birth, marriage and death details but it is by no means a full index. If you find the entry you are looking for you can print off a form to request the certificate and it will say on the form which office to send it to. So far I have had certs from Salford, Liverpool, Wirral and all have been very speedy. Rinnie

And...Something to bear in mind... I applied to the GRO for a Marriage Cert for 1841. It took over a month to arrive (not in the times of the bad delays)and, when it did, it was hand written. All in the same hand and with a question mark after the Bride's surname! (Not a problem for me :) ) Looking at the accompaning sheet it was obvious the original was not good enough or to fragile to photocopy and it was sent to the 'Writers'. Chris

Denise Go to www.ukbmd.org, then click on Lancashire. You will then see instructions on how to order (you cannot do it on-line, but you can download forms). As you are overseas I would email them - google for the email addy of the particular RO which holds your certs - there are quite a few Lancashire Register Offices. Good luck Olde Crone

Where is the Lancashire office located for copies please? Do they take credit card from overseas? Cost? Thanks, Denise

Rinnie You are in luck! Lancashire Register Offices are where I have requested and received photocopies! Blackburn and Salford were particularly helpful in this and phoned me to say they couldnt do it, and why! Blackburn offered to trace the signatures and did so at no extra cost. Olde Crone

Rinnie, if I were you I would phone or email the register office and ask if it would be possible for them to do a photocopy of the original, before you place the order. I tried this with one register office and they said yes, as long as I specified that in my order. Kate.

Oh heck! Now I am confused!?!? The marriage was in 1932 and I think it was in the registry office rather than a church (found the details on lancashirebmd). I think I might take Old Crone's advice and write a grovelling note to ask for a photocopy. Certificates (birth, death and marriage) I have ordered in the past have so far been a mixture of photocopies or handwritten and I have ordered from both GRO and local RO. No wonder I don't know where I'm at. Thanks for your help everyone. Rinnie

Rinnie Order from the local RO and ask for a photocopy.I have only been refused this twice, both times the Register was too fragile to photocopy. But if it was a Church wedding, then the local RO copy (from the Church) may not have their signatures - it depends on whether the Vicar got them to sign the copy he would be sending to the Registrar. In that case it would be better to find the entry in the Church Registers. Copies from the GRO are COPIES sent in by the local RO. Therefore if you request a copy of a marriage which took place in a Church, from the GRO, you are getting a copy of a copy of a copy! Hope that makes sense. Olde Crone

You won't get the original signature from any certificate. Southport just photocopy the entry in their book. To see the original signature, you have to look at the entry in the parish register. Jenny

Thank you both. I was having a serious mental block over this even though I have ordered a few certificates before! Good job I checked as I was just about to fill out the form to send off to the local office for it. Rinnie.

The GRO photocopy originals, whereas local offices usually send new copies.

southport, you get a photo copy of the original

Just a quick question. If I want to have the best chance of getting 'original' signatures of the bride and groom on a marriage certificate is it best to order from the local register office or from Southport. Or is it pot luck? Thanks Rinnie