Death Registration

[Felix]

Hi

How common would it have been for the death of a baby not to be registered in 1940 in the UK? A live birth and then the baby died when young, say a few months old? Has anyone come across something like that before?

Thanks!

[Janet H.]

It should have been registered. If you are looking at the death registers have you checked the following quarter to the date you know they died ?

[Olde Crone Holden]

It would be extremely unusual, illegal and evidence of some kind of criminal activity. It was not possible to (legally) bury anyone without a death certificate.

Of course, from time to time we hear of cases where a death was concealed but as I say, most unusual and definitely illegal.

OC

EDIT to say: It is I suppose just possible that a registration of death was lost between local RO and the GRO. I don't know what percentage of registrations were lost due to the war, not many I think.

[SmallTownGirl]

Is it possible that the child's birth was registered in a different name (either GN or SN, or both, and possibly in a different registration district) to the one you're expecting. It was war time, the family could have been away from their usual home, perhaps?

I've just seen a Baptismal Register where a child was Christened Katherine Jane and there's a note in the margin that says "Registered Kate". So, possibly try variations of the name. Or, if you're sure the child is dead, post the names here and see what the super sleuths can find?

[Guy]

Hi

How common would it have been for the death of a baby not to be registered in 1940 in the UK? A live birth and then the baby died when young, say a few months old? Has anyone come across something like that before?

Thanks!

It is possible given the time period but obviously depends where. During war time anything is possible, if for instance the family lived in a city and the house was bombed there could be no remains to show there was a baby in the house.
It is an unlikely scenario but possible, it is more likely that the death was registered but either not in the name being looked for or not in the location expected.
Cheers
Guy

[Olde Crone Holden]

Another possibility - a bit unlikely, but this has actually happened in my tree - a baby dies very young, a matter of weeks old. As deaths have to be registered within 6 days but births have to be registered in 42 days, it is just possible for a death to appear IN THE INDEXES in the quarter before the birth. Both certificates would of course have the correct dates on them.

OC

[Christine in Herts]

How possible is a significant misreading of the surname leading to a mistranscription... like my maiden name was for my marriage registration. Flamboyant handwriting at source can lead to error - though I'd have thought that would be less likely at a death registration.

Christine

[Felix]

Thanks all for the great help. Much appreciated. :o

[Olde Crone Holden]

Felix

If you go to Freebmd, enter the surname "UNKNOWN" you will get a depressing list of about 200 people who died unidentified in 1940.

OC

[Felix]

Didn't know that. Have just gone and looked at the list. It is depressing, yes.

The birth I'm trying to put in perspective was registered when the baby was 11 weeks old. All the details are correct. I'm still stumped and trying to eliminate all the possibilities.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Do you know why the registration of birth was delayed? There would have been a fine imposed usually.

OC

[JBee]

My mum and her first child were evacuated to the country so perhaps the death was registered elsewhere. It could also be that the child was raised by someone else and assumed their name.

[Felix]

I've always assumed it was because the baby was evacuated straight away to her grandparents in Wales, same as when her brother was born in 1939. The brother's birth was registered in Wales when he was a month old and then the information sent back to London, according to his birth certificate. :o

[Felix]

If I'm reading the birth certificate OK, the birth was registered in London where she was born - just registered later than usual. Registered by her mum. Dad's details all accurate - he was in the army by then and his regiment is named correctly. Nothing odd about it at all except for the lateness of the birth being registered itself. But she's a mystery girl afterwards alright.