Under what circumstances would a birth NOT be registered.

[AlanC]

Helping a neighbour with her Tree, I cant find her mother's birth reg. The lady is still with us born 1920 and one of 13 children. My neighbour thinks perhaps her birth may not have been registered. I just cant find anything close to it and wondered if this is likely?

[AntonyM]

At that time there was a clear legal requirement for all births to be registered in the district in which they took place (as there still is).

If the parents didn't bother/forgot then the birth could go unregistered, and would be dependent on the vigilence of the local registrars office in following it up. I have seen very very few confirmed examples from the C20th where a birth has not been regsitered, but they do occur. With 13 children it would be easy to imagine why it may have been forgotten.

The usual explanation is the birth took place somewhere else, and is registered there, or was registered under a different name to that they were later known by.

[Elaine ..Spain]

If the parents didn't bother/forgot then the birth could go unregistered, and would be dependent on the vigilence of the local registrars office in following it up. I have seen very very few confirmed examples from the C20th where a birth has not been regsitered, but they do occur. With 13 children it would be easy to imagine why it may have been forgotten.
.

I would agree, unlikely but yes occasionally it was forgotten!
My mother was born October 1914.
Her birth was not registered until 1966 when she needed a birth certificate for passport application and discovered that she had not been registered when born!

Have you been searching the index using the surname plus MMN (with variations on spelling for mistranscriptions) ?

[AlanC]

Thanks again Anthony.
Elaine, the plot gets worse! The lady now 93years young cant remember which of 2 names is her mother's maiden name and I cant post them here.

[LangleyValeSue]

Can you look up the birth registrations of her siblings to find her mother's maiden name, or were they all registered before MMN was listed on the records?

[Chrissie Smiff]

Could she possibly only be a half sister to the others, but we unaware of the fact? Were the other children all older than her and have you been able to find the family in 1911 at all?
It's a bit frustrating not knowing the names you are looking for and what you already know, but of course you mustn't

[Elaine ..Spain]

Elaine, the plot gets worse! The lady now 93years young cant remember which of 2 names is her mother's maiden name and I cant post them here.

I don't mind looking if you want to send details to me by PM.

[AlanC]

Pm to Elaine.
Chrissie & Sue near the racecourse, I have asked for the names of siblings........will advise.