was I born in Limehouse?

[Richard]

It's certainly not in a location any Londoner would recognise as part of Limehouse, but I don't doubt your certificate is correct and it was in the 'sub registration' district of Limehouse at that time. For example people born in Bow right up near Victoria Park were at one time in the Poplar registration district, and Bow is nowhere near Poplar either! Very confusing. I wouldn't get too hung up about it either way.

[Olde Crone Holden]

I think at one time every sub district had a separate office, with its own stamp, lol. It's only lately (last 20 years?) the service has been streamlined and all the little useful local offices closed down.

Just a thought, but we ARE talking here about your original certificate, as issued at the time of your birth and not a later copy? I ask this because I do vaguely remember hearing/reading about the GRO using up a stock of outdated pre-printed certificates.

OC

[dgoult]

I emailed Tower Hamlets Council & have already received a reply (most impressive), as follows...
"between 1926-1954 the district of Stepney was divided into 4 sub-districts: Limehouse / St Geo. in the E / Mile End / Whitechapel".
So my birth cert. is correct.
However, as the familytreeforum community have ascertained that, geographically, I was not born in Limehouse, I suggest the sub-district name should be regarded as "East Stepney (adjoining Limehouse)" rather than "Limehouse". Similar interpretations could explain other London sub-district oddities (as Richard describes).
In future, I shall describe my place of birth as "Stepney" & never "Limehouse, Stepney".
Richard is right to warn me against paranoia, but I have spent my life until now thinking I ws born somewhere I wasn't ! (how odd).
Anyway, thanks to all contributors; case closed.

[dgoult]

just had a further (final) thought...
alternatively, sub-district "Limehouse" may, of course, geographically comprised "East Stepney AND Limehouse"

[P Easter]

Hello,
I was born at the East London Maternity Hospital in 1951 and my certificate gives the subdistrict as Limehouse in the Mteropolitan Borough of Stepney. So I don't think this was an error

[Rusty]

This post has solved a mystery that I didn't know that I had!!!!!! My mother-in-law was born on 12 October 1912 at 'Mothers Home 396 Commercial Road', I have always thought that 'Mothers Home' meant that her mother had gone back to stay with her mother for the birth. They lived in Rhodeswell Road, Limehouse and the certificate has the Registration District of 'Mile End Old Town', Sub-district 'Mile End Old Town South Western in the County of London'. Incidentally the mother registered the birth and gave her address as 396 Commercial Road.

Margaret