Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Regimental birth index versus GRO index ?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Regimental birth index versus GRO index ?

    I have found a birth registration in the GRO Regimental Birth Index - details as follows:
    Regiment: 7th Foot
    Place: Shorncliffe
    Country: England
    Year: 1903

    If the birth took place in England, does anyone know why would it be recorded in the Regimental Index rather than the normal GRO index?
    Elaine








  • #2
    I assume that regimental chaplains kept a register of births/baptisms in their barracks whether overseas or in England and Wales and that's what appears in the Regimental index. When I've come across such births in England there has always been an ordinary GRO registration as well.
    Judith passed away in October 2018

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by JudithM View Post
      When I've come across such births in England there has always been an ordinary GRO registration as well.
      That's what I expected, but cannot see a corresponding GRO registration. :(
      Elaine







      Comment


      • #4
        The Regimental Index is really a Baptismal Index, rather than a Birth Index and whereas it shows where the person is baptised and often the date of birth, but in the Regimental Certificates I have they do not show the place of birth so the Birth still needs to be registered through the GRO. I have a record of a Regimental Baptism of one of my ancestors in 1868, but I also have the Birth Certificate from the GRO and found both in the two indexes. It can be important to have both certificates as the baptismal one of mine showed a baptism at Portsea but the birth register a couple of months earler showed the birth place as Sheffield, and for years I thought there was some mistake! I presume you have looked several years before Baptismal Certificate just in case it is not one of those who was Baptised about 10 years after the birth!

        I suppose the other possibility is born abroad somewhere like Ireland, but baptised Shornecliffe? I have one from 1866 baptised in Ireland, but in her case she was also born Ireland, but by 1867 the family are in Sheffield.

        Janet
        Last edited by Janet; 07-10-13, 17:06.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Janet View Post
          Are you sure that the Regimental"birth" is not the baptism?
          It is in the GRO Regimental Birth Index on FMP in the British Armed Forces births dataset. I can't imagine this would be a baptism rather than birth ???
          Elaine







          Comment


          • #6
            Sorry I was correcting my reply when you posted yours. As I have now corrected the above, the Regimental Birth Index is a more of a Baptismal Index rather than a Birth Index. The books used to be in the old FRC in London and I used to browse through them until the FRC disappeared and FMP now have them online. They are erroneously called BIRTh Indexes. I will see if I can find the correct name for them.

            Janet
            Last edited by Janet; 07-10-13, 17:17.

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks Janet. That's very interesting.
              If the Regimental Birth Index is a baptism index, then presumably there should be a birth registration somewhere else, e.g. overseas Army births ?
              Elaine







              Comment


              • #8
                I have just found the cert I was talking about above. It is taken from the Army Register Book of Births, Baptisms and Marriages and is issued by the GRO. These certificates are not true Birth Certificates, there is no mother's name on the certificate, although the baptismal place and date is given, the date of birth is given but no birth place. I then found Birth Certificate in the ordinary GRO register which when purchased showed me the mother's name and the place of birth as normal, so I have two certs. There might in your case be a birth registered abroad which could include Ireland. Many men were posted in Ireland early 1900's and then posted to Shorncliffe. I have one of those, but I am lucky enough to actually have the birth cert contained within the army records which was also an Irish birthHave you got the Army records which you can look at where he was when this birth occurred, just before or just after the birth? I am hesitating over whether or not you will find birth registered abroad through the army index beacuse they were in the FRC one and the same book.

                Janet
                Last edited by Janet; 07-10-13, 17:45.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I haven't got anything else other than this entry. I am trying to find the names of the parents. I gather there is an India connection somewhere along the line, but can't see anything obvious in FamilySearch.
                  It's not my tree so am reluctant to post the info online!
                  Can pm to anyone who might want to take a look.
                  Elaine







                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Can you search the Army discharge papers on FMP (or even Ancestry if he went on to serve in WW1) for a man of the same surname in 7th Foot?
                    The National Archives, Kew – Research Service Offered
                    Contact me via PM on Family Tree Forum or via my personal website - www.militaryandfamilyresearch.co.uk

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Ann, I cannot see where to specify 7th foot on a FMP search?

                      I've tried on Ancestry military records using 7 foot / 7th foot as keyword but nothing coming up!
                      Elaine







                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Do you want to PM the name to me and I will have a search though this will be later this evening. An India connection could mean a birth in India, but Family Search should help you with that one.

                        Janet

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          If you go to Advanced Search on FMP, there's a drop down menu for Regiment. Bear in mind though that not all Regiments are indexed so you might have to go through all men of the same surname (hope it's not Smith!), and see if any tally with the Regiment and date.

                          On Ancestry, he may have served in a different regiment in WW1, so don't put a regiment in - they haven't all been indexed anyway. Again - hope it's not a really common surname, but, of course you can rule out any men born perhaps after about mid 1880's
                          The National Archives, Kew – Research Service Offered
                          Contact me via PM on Family Tree Forum or via my personal website - www.militaryandfamilyresearch.co.uk

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Thanks Janet. Will send you a PM.

                            Thanks Ann, found the advanced search option but unfortunately it didn't help.

                            I've got a marriage registration in the 1930s so if the 1903 GRO regimental certificate is a baptism rather than birth certificate, at least she will have the MC to fall back on.
                            Elaine







                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Thanks everyone. Think I have found what I am looking for!
                              Not sure how I didn't see it earlier. Apologies to anyone who tried to help - sorry for wasting your time!!
                              Elaine







                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Elaine,
                                I'm not far from Folkestone and can check in the library for you if you want me to check for a Shorncliffe baptism.

                                Gwyn

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Thanks for the offer Gwyn, but I think I solved the problem last night. I missed a VERY obvious 1911 census which gave me what I needed!
                                  Elaine







                                  Comment

                                  Working...
                                  X