Does time of birth inevitably mean twins?

[Peter Evans]

I have just received a birth certificate from the GRO with a time of birth stated. Hitherto I have found this to be a sign that the child was a twin but there is no other Evans birth listed on the same index page according to freebmd; the nearest is two pages away. I have some later certificates completed by the same registrar but without time of birth.

Any thoughts?

Peter

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

The earlier the birth reg the more possible the birth isn't a twin.....esp before about 1845 many registrars put a time for every birth.

If the birth was a twin, normally the "other" birth reg would be the same GRO page or only one number different.

Have you found the child on a census??

[Peter Evans]

Merry,

Yes, he is on the census but no other child of the same age.

Peter

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

What year was the birth, Peter?

Evans.....are we in Wales for these events???? :o

[Peter Evans]

1854. No thank goodness we are not in Wales; it's Streatham in Surrey.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

lol!!

Have you checked the page numbers on the actual GRO page images, or just FreeBMD?

(who is it?!)

[Peter Evans]

Merry,

It's John Henry Evans, and I've looked at the page images on freebmd.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Martha H Evans shows up in 1861 with a different mother!

I don't suppose Wandsworth registrars would be inclined to help by checking the original register, just to be sure, but on the surface it seems like John Henry was a singleton birth with an over zealous registrar!

[Peter Evans]

That's brilliant, Merry. I did have thoughts about Martha Harriet being connected as they are both names of John's aunts. You have set my mind at rest. Many thanks.

Peter

[becky81]

What about the possibility of a still-born twin? would they still record the time of birth for the living twin?

[Jill on the A272]

I made a mistake when ordering an 1850 birth cert for a Sussex ancestor, the GRO not only phoned me up to clarify, but sent me the correct cert and a photocopy of the original page with about 10 other entries, every single one had time of birth, none were twins.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

What about the possibility of a still-born twin? would they still record the time of birth for the living twin?

I don't think the registrars would have been asked to do that. As far as I know the reason for recording the birth time is to do with inheritance. Knowing who was first born........Though how that works if both children are called "Male Smith" or "Female Brown" I don't know! Also, if both are the same sex, you might chose to say "this one is Fred and this one is Harry when originally they were the other way round, because you decided the younger one would make a better first born! lol