Genealogy Chat

A footnote to Nell's very clear list... there is an increasing number of GRO index images available in FreeBMD (like the 1837Online ones but for free). You can find it from a non-return link on FreeBMD (i.e. there's a link from FreeBMD to the images but not the other way round). However, the search system is a bit clunky. Christine

To clarify: The GRO indexes are on FreeBMD (free but incomplete) and 1837online (complete but chargable). The LDS site, www.familysearch.org has many records taken from parish registers and also the 1881 census. It does not have any GRO indexes. I read recently that the govt. plan to allow us to view certificates onscreen for a charge of £3, starting in 2005. Don't hold your breath! nell

On GROS, if you don't need certification of the data, you can get the images of the actual register pages, but not in England & Wales on GRO. The reason isn't (necessarily) a money-grabbing one - it's because the law is different between the two areas. I gather that there is a move afoot to get a similar dispensation for England & Wales so that those who want certificates purely for information need not pay the full whack (it probably costs more than £7 in man-hours to organise the certs, post them out, and record the financial transactions, so it would probably be better for them) - only those who actually need the information certified (for passport , say, or employment) would have to pay the £7. Christine

Oh, have they still not sorted that out? Tut tut. Once again a business run for genealogists but not by genealogists.

The only trouble with Ancestry is you can't be sure if you are looking at a birth, marriage or death, they are all listed together!

I don't think the Familysearch website has any of the GRO index. You can access the GRO index via Ancestry, which is a slightly less up-to-date (ie less complete) version of FreeBMD but apparently much easier to access. You don't need to subscribe, just register for free.

hi Karen, if you have name & year I have some spare credits for 1837 sandie

thanks everyone. I agree...........is an electronic certificate too much to ask for?? Karen

And wouldn't it be wonderful if the certificates were scanned and available to view/save/print..... can't see that ever happening, they earn too much money from us saps ordering them! But I can wish, can't I?

Hi Karen Whether you use 1837online or FreeBMD, you will need to note the name of the person (obviously), the year, the quarter (Mar, Jun, Sep, Oct), the District, the volume number and the page number in order to obtain a certificate. I still dream of the day that they transcribe the certificates themselves. I think that's along way off! Jonathan

oh ok. FreeBMD doesn't seem to want to work tonight & I can't figure out 1837. I'll try the family search. thanks Karen

Hi, All events after July 1837 should be on the GRO index of Births, Marriages and Deaths. If you search the index you will find the reference number that will allow you to send for the certificate. The GRO index has been filmed by the LDS so can be viewed at one of their centres anywhere in the world. Some of the index is on line on freebmd and there is a pay to view website 1837online. The addresses for these sites are in the resource centre. Gwynne

I am trying to apply for a birth cert online thru the GRO, but they say I must have a GRO index. Do you how I find out what it is?? Thanks Karen