Full marks and gold star to Luton Register office

[Anne in Carlisle]

I sent two cheques to Luton in the post on Thursday (6th). They rang me on Friday (7th) and we had a detailed discussion about the two death certs I wanted. We decided on the phone that neither were correct so they returned my cheques today (Sat 8th). Incredible service!

Sadly they could not find any reference to the two certs I wanted, my ggg grandfather and his wife. They obviously never made it to registration - they are not on the GRO index either. I recently went to the Bedford Archives and wrote down all the burials with the surname PECK from 1845 to 1856. there were eight. Of those eight, three are not registered at all!!

I know exactly when my ggg grandfather was buried in 1856 (aged 88!) and will just have to make do with that. It would have been nice to have the only certificate he was 'eligible' for though. PECK was my maiden name.

It really does make you wonder just how many are missing!

Anne

[Christine in Herts]

That's seriously impressive!

As you say - Well done, Luton!

(Hope my Watford FC fan son never sees this posting!)

Christine

[Little Nell]

It is a worry that people talk about complete indexes, where in fact there's no such thing.

Glad Luton were able to impress you. I can't stand the place myself!

[KiteRunner]

Don't forget that they could have been buried in a different registration district from the one they died in.

[Anne in Carlisle]

No Kite, thanks for the suggestion, but I went to the Bedford Archive and found the burials in Barton le Clay which was always in Luton registration district at that time.

I challenge anyone to find the death certificate for James Peck who was buried in Barton le Clay, Bedfordshire on 2nd August 1856, aged 88!

It is not the James Peck registered in Luton Q4 1856 - he died in Streatley aged 70! If he belongs to anyone they can have the cert!

Anne

PS Sorry Kite - I misread your suggestion. I guess its possible but given the age and date, fairly unlikely.

[Uncle John]

When we first moved to Luton (late 1960's) the was an elderly couple named Peck who lived up the road. And Nell's off my Christmas card list.

[Little Nell]

***sobs uncontrollably***

sorry, but not keen on Luton - last time I went there I was in a car with Viv en route to Coventry and on the way there a dog jumped into the road in front of us (not harmed, fortunately). Then when we came back we got beeped and flashed by a stroppy taxi driver.