GRO BDM Indexes from 2007 onwards

[JBee]

will only be available on fiche at selected centres around the country.

Also findmypast has only some marriage indexes for 2006.

This info was from the May 2008 edition of Your Family Tree

[KiteRunner]

What issue number is that, please? I have issue 63 but that is called the "Spring 2008" issue. Is the May one issue 64 or 62?

[Phoenix]

Isn't this the news that - in addition to access at TNA - there will be microfiche copies at various selected centres?

Since I started a one name study in the early 90s, it has been the case that indexes take a minimum of 18 months to be available. In theory, computer indexes could be released on - say - a monthly basis, now it isn't produced in hard copy.

[JBee]

Sorry for delay in replying

May edition No 64 page 10.

Just had another read through - think it means the fiche will be available at selected places until the GRO's own online service is ready - whenever that will be.

So I wonder if that means that all the online index places we can look at at the moment won't get them "at all" in the future and will the GRO start charging?????

[KiteRunner]

JBee, I haven't got that issue of YFT mag yet, but my guess is that the reason for the microfiches is because the GRO have to fulfill their duty of making the indexes available to the public, and while they are working on their new system the microfiches will do as an interim provision. As far as I know, they have no intention of removing the licences that various websites have to provide access to the indexes - the GRO's long-awaited new index service is supposed to replace the printed volumes that were held at the Family Records Centre. As for whether they will charge for access to them, I don't know.

[KiteRunner]

Oh, JBee, now I've seen the article and I see what you mean. Sorry I didn't quite understand before. Yes, it says that the indexes from 2006 or 2007 onwards will not be given to sites such as ancestry, findmypast etc and will only be available on microfiche until the GRO's online service is ready.

Personally, I can't say I use the very recent births or marriages in my research anyway, although I suppose I do sometimes use the recent deaths as a kind of shortcut to find a date of birth.