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  • GRO Reference checking

    I'm hunting for a death cert for my 4xgt grandfather and have already received two wrong ones:(. So in an effort not waste any more of my hard earned I need some bright ideas on how to reference check for death cert!!
    The name is fairly common - James Butcher and he was born in 1807. Last seen in 1881 in Southwark living with his daughter and her family, I can't find him in 1891 so assume the death to be between '81 & '91.
    Any ideas??
    Sue

  • #2
    Sue

    I have this quandary with husband's gt gt gt grandfather and my own gt gt grandfather, having common names and not being any of the death certs I've sent for.

    1881 census should give the registration district which might help. There's also the possibility he's incorrectly entered in the index, maybe as Bulcher or a variant?
    ~ with love from Little Nell~
    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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    • #3
      I guessed I wouldn't be the only one Nell!! Yes it's perfectly possible that the name is wrong in the index but I'd still like to narrow down the chances of another wrong cert but can't think of how! I can see me either wasting a lot more money or just giving up on finding his death until I win the lottery!!
      Sue

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      • #4
        Hi Sue

        just had a quick look in the indexes and couldn't see any likely candidates for a Southwark death, so he must have gone further away.

        You could try calling the local registry office (if you find one you want to order) and ask them if they could check the cert for you, give them all the info you have including an occupation and see what they say, Often they will have a look and call you back. Saves wasting money, and often the registry office only charges £7.00 aswell (just like the GRO) so if its the right one they get the money instead
        Vikki -
        Researching Titchmarsh and Tushingham

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        • #5
          any chance he'd appear in historical directories? might take a bit of hunting him down and quite a lot of time ( you have plenty of that, dont you!) but at least it free.

          start with 1881 address and see when he/they go AWOL from that address?
          Last edited by Jessbowbag; 02-01-08, 22:14.
          Jess

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          • #6
            I try to put approx age in as ref check, also occupation, and maybe(so gro tell me) the names of anyone who could register the death ie * wife, or*daughter etc They said it doesn't matter how many you put in.
            Will tell you it backfired on me! I wanted Henry Smith, I out in a list of possible informants including an Elizabeth. They sent it - wrong one.
            Also one I put in as possibly living at ****(last known address) I was lucky on that one.
            Rita

            http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/.../User:Nappycat

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            • #7
              Is there any chance he might have left a will? If so, then you could search the National Probate Calendar - there should be enough info in there to know if it's him or not. Even if you don't think he would have left a will, it might be worth having a look through so you know which ones definitely aren't him.
              KiteRunner

              Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
              (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

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              • #8
                Just found James Butcher age 78 1884 Islington Dec 1b 160
                Is that any good?
                Rita

                http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/.../User:Nappycat

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                • #9
                  Thanks for all your replies!!

                  Jess - He appeared in a Directory earlier in his life when he was running a pub but not later as far as I know, his daughter and son in law are at the same address in 1891. But I'll have a look in case he left their home.

                  Rita - I did think of putting down his daughter/sil as possible informants or his last known address but I can't be certain that he hadn't moved on - but then you can't be certain about anything in this game lol! Oh, and the death in Islington is one of the ones I already got! Sent for that in case he'd moved north of the river with his son's family!! (he hadn't)

                  Kiterunner - will check probate records (I should have done that anyway:o)
                  Sue

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                  • #10
                    You should also consider that he might be alive in 1891 but not showing easliy on the census. I have several on my tree whose last census appearance is with their initials only, in an institution.

                    Also of course, some are normal mistranscriptions!!

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                    • #11
                      Thanks for that encouraging thought, Merry!!!lol
                      Sue

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                      • #12
                        I've got a lady totally missing in 1891 and 1901 who didn't die until 1933!!!!

                        Her daughter of the same name was missing in 1891 too but was married in 1901 so got her.

                        Would love to know what she was doing for 20 years!!!!!!!



                        Researching Irish families: FARMER, McBRIDE McQUADE, McQUAID, KIRK, SANDS/SANAHAN (Cork), BARR,

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                        • #13
                          I have several missing people on censuses, which doesn't help, does it?

                          James Robins, husband's gt gt gt grandfather is a case in point. I have his baptism and marriage from the IGI. I've also checked the baptisms of all his children, which give addresses and his occupation (which changed from clerk to furniture broker).

                          I have an insurance document from the Sun Fire company which has same address as several of the children's baptisms.

                          Neither he nor his wife Priscilla appear in 1841 (though I have found their two eldest daughters staying with different men with same surname as Priscilla's maiden name - cannot sort out how they are related though!)

                          1851 and 1861 Priscilla is described as married and working as a broker. No sign of James anywhere. 1871 Priscilla is a widow. 1879 her death cert describes her as "widow of James Robins, paper stainer".

                          But where James was 1841, 51, 61 and where and when he died are mysteries! Not even sure he was a paperstainer, as it's only listed on wife's death cert.
                          ~ with love from Little Nell~
                          Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                          • #14
                            I've just sent for the death certificate of someone who I had the burial date of.
                            She wasn't showing up in the transcribed records on Ancestry, but I checked the image for that quarter and she was there. It was a typed page and others with that surname had been transcribed. If I hadn't known the burial date, I could have sent for the wrong one.
                            Helen

                            http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/...enSmithToo-296

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                            • #15
                              Well done Helen. Not much use if you don't have a burial date though - and the problem I have with James is that he died somewhere in London!!! Could have been buried in any number of places and I don't even have a year of death, let alone an exact date.
                              ~ with love from Little Nell~
                              Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                              • #16
                                Well Nell, I think you win the competition for the hardest man to find ( tho' I do have a couple more up my sleeve!!) At least I've got my James from birth on the IGI and on every census until 1881 plus parish records for marrriage and childrens baptisms!
                                I have looked on 1891 and 1901 and he's not there but as he was born in 1807 its not really surprising!
                                There are a couple more deaths that I could get certs for but I'll keep looking for more info before I spend any more on this. Unfortunately he is in my direct line and it would be nice to 'tidy him up' and get him dead and buried!!
                                Thanks to you all for your ideas and help
                                Sue

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                                • #17
                                  We found my 2 x GGF's grave in 1972. We didn't find his death cert until 2002!!!!

                                  OC

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