Doh! GRO - That's really annoying!

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I ordered some death certs from the GRO which arrived today. I had got the refs from FreeBMD but checked them against the GRO index before I placed my order.

One cert was for Hannah Allen aged 84. I gave her age on the order as requested on the first screen.

I've received a cert for Hannah Allen aged 72!

Having looked at the indexes again, I see there were two ladies with the same name who died in the same Q and were on the same page of the index (1892 Q1 6a 136). The two entries are not next to each other - had they been, I might have noticed and warning bells would have rung!

Soooo........I don't think the GRO check the age at death bit (why do they ask it then?)

I have written them a pleading email mentioning Christmas Goodwill and stuff!

Does anyone know if the best email addy to use is: col.admin@ons.gsi.gov.uk or is there a better one?

[Vivienne]

Hi Merry, mine arrived today also, two were right, the other a mystery.

I'm sure the GRO will replace your cert, they are usually quite good about that sort of thing, in my experience anyway.

ps. The email addy is on the order summary.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Thanks Vivienne!

I'll tell you a secret - don't tell anyone, but one of the other two I ordered I already have - It's been in the drawer since 2003!!! lolol

I hope you solve your mystery

[Vivienne]

Ooops, done that a few times myself.

I not sure I'll be able to solve my mystery. It's not really the side of the family I'm researching, I leave most of it to my cousin but he has slowed down so I suggested that maybe I would get some of the death certs he hasn't got.
Found one that came at the right time to explain a missing relly but there was no age given.
Just looked at it again & realise she is not ours as too young. Serves me right for not looking at it properly.

Anyone want a Sarah Philpot age 39 drowned in the Regents Canal Bethnal Green 8th April 1855.

[KiteRunner]

I wonder if it is a mistake in the index, because looking at FreeBMD, it lists 11 entries for that page number but it looks as though there should only be 10? (I haven't checked each one of the 11 to make sure it's not a FreeBMD mistranscription though.) So it could be that there is no 84 yr old Hannah on that page.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I can't have that happening!! What about the death of MY Hannah??

There are no others to choose from, unless she left her OH and went galavanting off to some other county (in her 80's)!! He died in 1893 at the home of their daughter where they were living in 1891.

The Hannah they have sent me the death cert for was in the Bristol City Workhouse in 1891, which is where she died.

*frets*

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Oh sorry, you meant a mistake in the page number (*blushes*)

Maybe. I could always go to the local office I suppose, but then I want my £7 back!! lol

[KiteRunner]

There are only 9 entries listed for page 135, so it could be that one of the 136's has been mistranscribed on FreeBMD and is supposed to be a 135. I did try looking at the images on FreeBMD but they weren't really clear enough to be sure. You would probably have to look at the index images on ancestry to see if any of them is wrong, but hopefully the GRO will sort it out for you anyway.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I'll wait and see what they say first.....then blind them with ideas when they say they can't find it! lol

[Mary from Italy]

Merry, if you e-mail the GRO at that address you have to put GQ in the subject line, or the message bounces back.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Merry, if you e-mail the GRO at that address you have to put GQ in the subject line, or the message bounces back.

Thanks Mary - I got it right on the second attempt!

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I've received an email back from the GRO today. They have confirmed that there were indeed two deaths for the same name in the same Q and in the same district with the same page number. They say that they will only check the age at death if you put it as a reference checking item.

I don't think this is the time to argue that there's little point in them asking for the age at death if they don't look at them! (I did know they didn't really, but it's still irritating!)

They have said this is a gesture of good will and a ONE OFF. So......I will try not to get annoyed that this is the first mistake I've made in 20 years of ordering and they have probably had at least £2,000 of my money!!

I'll sit tight and see what comes through the post first! lol