Which certificate should I order?

[Muggins in Sussex]

Some time ago, I came across a birth entry in 1919 - it was handwritten at the bottom of the page with a reference to an entry in 1932 , where it appears as a typewritten entry.

I wrote to the local register office requesting copies of both certs (to be on the safe side!) and enclosing a cheque to cover the cost of both certs.

About a month later, I had a reply, saying that they were unable to process my request and returned the cheque.

I can only assume that they were unable to process a refund for one certificate.

My question is, if I apply again, am I right in assuming that the cert I should ask for is the 1932 one? Actually, come to think of it, it shouldn't really matter should it?

(I have tried ringing them on several times and the line has always been engaged)

Thanks

[KiteRunner]

Joan, there won't be a 1919 cert in the name that appears on that page with the handwritten addition, only the 1932 one. Either the birth was never registered at all in 1919, only in 1932, or the original registration was in a different surname but the birth was reregistered in 1932. If you can find an entry for a 1919 registration in a different surname then I'm not sure what you would get if you applied for that one but probably it will be marked as an alteration of some kind on that page.

[KiteRunner]

Trying to clarify which you apply for:

If you applied for the cert saying "no" to the question of "Is the GRO reference known" and gave the 1919 birth date, then they would look in the index and find the 1932 references, but if you are answering "yes" to the question then put in the 1932 info.

[Muggins in Sussex]

Thank you, KiteRunner - that makes sense - I'll apply again, for the 1932 cert (and hope they don't take a month to reply!)

Just wondering - why would a birth be reregistered, as opposed to simply amending the original certificate?

[KiteRunner]

If the parents were not married when the child's birth was originally registered but got married later?

[Muggins in Sussex]

Thanks again, KiteRunner

Although the 1919 entry does show a MMN (which is the same as the MMN in 1932) - but I guess that is because the 1919 entry simply took details from the 1932 entry.

[KiteRunner]

Yes, Joan, the reason for that handwritten addition on the index page is so that if they wanted to apply for a copy of their birth certificate and didn't know about all this reregistration or late registration stuff, but just gave their name, date and place of birth and mother's maiden name, it would be possible for the GRO staff to find the certificate.

Have you looked for an entry in the mother's maiden surname on the 1919 indexes, by the way? (Although if she had a different surname in 1919 it wouldn't be listed under that, of course! For instance if she was a widow or married to somebody else not the baby's father)

[Muggins in Sussex]

Thanks again KiteRunner.

And I hadn't thought of looking for an entry in the mother's maiden surname on the 1919 indexes, but will do so

[Guest]

ooh Joan are you getting nearer then???? ?

[Olde Crone Holden]

Muggins

If you applied to the LOCAL Register Office and quuoted GRO reference numbers, then they would not process your request - GRO numbers mean nothing to local Register Offices.

I expect that is why they returned your cheque...but they might have explained why, the miserable so and sos!

OC

[Muggins in Sussex]

Hi OC,

No, I didn't quote GRO numbers - just gave names, place and the relevant quarter.

Val - I don't really think I am any nearer- am just regarding this as another possibility to eliminate!