Unconfigured Ad Widget

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Do the local RO's want us to order certs from them?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Do the local RO's want us to order certs from them?

    Just wondering.....
    Several register offices consider the likes of us a bit of a nuisance, and because I have had a long wait at two of them I always order from the GRO now. I have had a few certs lately and I am only waiting 7 days which is excellent.
    I would happily support the local registry offices if they would benefit.
    Do they charge the same £7 as the GRO?
    Is the certificate charge mostly profit for them? Which is fair enough.
    What does everyone think?

  • #2
    I rang Beverley last Wed and ordered 2 certs over the phone - they arrived Saturday morning. Same price as GRO and included postage.

    No idea if it supports them financially, as I paid by card. Cheques are made out to local council, so I suppose it all goes in the general local authority coffers. The local registration services have supposedly been expanded and reorganised over the last 3-4 yrs, which has included taking on extra staff.

    I was very pleased with the service.

    Jay
    Janet in Yorkshire



    Genealogists never die - they just swap places in the family tree

    Comment


    • #3
      In general the charge is the same, though some local offices charge more for postage and one or two add an extra charge for a priority service (but so does the GRO)

      The GRO isn't supposed to be a profit making machine, so I presume neither are the local offices.

      I'm sure the local offices make a loss when we ask them to to make an involved search for something as it must cost them more than the £7 for the time involved in looking through ledgers, but on the other hand it may be keeping somone in a job. Having said that, many local offices have cut staff dramatically in the last year or so.

      Comment


      • #4
        I wanted two this time, a marriage from Wandsworth so I did that through the GRO, also a death cert from Northampton, so I have emailed them to as the procedure never having used them before.

        Comment


        • #5
          I sent off for two marriage certs ( straightforward and no checks) enclosing a cheque for £14.00 and a stamped self addressed envelope for their return from Bolton, Lancs RO using second class post. I had my certs in a week. ( that was a fortnight ago) I've used 1st class post before and received certs in 4 days...not really enough time to clear the cheque properly. I use the local offices:
          1. To keep them open.
          2. Because I can't fault their service.
          I always add a simple small note of thanks in the margin at the bottom of the downloadable form on LancsBMD.....Many thanks AB.
          I like to be thanked. I bet they do too.

          Same applies to Wigan and Liverpool.
          Last edited by Anne Brown; 23-03-09, 22:03. Reason: addition

          Comment


          • #6
            I think that the London ROs are often less enthusiastic - but then Tower Hamlets has an online search/order facility.

            If you look on UKBMD - Births, Marriages, Deaths Indexes & Census Transcriptions On-line for UK Family History and Genealogy, you can find a list of (all*) the ROs with online facilities - especially databases. *That is - all the ones they've found out about.

            Christine
            Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

            Comment


            • #7
              I've used Tower Hamlets and they are very good, no problems at all.

              Comment


              • #8
                I try to use local ROs when I can, because they are always more helpful and flexible AND I figure it helps to keep them open and someone in a job.

                Having said that, my local is now closed, except by appointment, and I do know that at least four full time jobs and several part-time jobs have been axed in the wider local area.

                OC

                Comment


                • #9
                  Some counties have set up their own online order systems and indexes and I would say they certainly do want you to order from them, or why would they have done that? But some others maybe aren't so enthusiastic.
                  KiteRunner

                  Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                  (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    My main problem with some Local ROs is that they don't take credit cards. I'm willing to pay a little extra for a credit card as I'd prefer to have certs that have my ancestors hand writing on it.

                    Kate I think some counties may like to have online ordering but that means they have to get the records indexed and a credit system set up. They may simply lack the resources to do such a thing at this time.
                    Kit

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      I have used the local ROs and usually find them very helpful and quick. However, some charge £7.50 for a cert and they are usually transcribed. I've alwayd included a stamped addressed envelope to the extra 50p could not have been for that! I make cheques out to 'the registrar'.

                      When I contacted the Berwick office for a death cert, they also told me that there was a death cert for one of the children. To give me that information, they must have done a full search, as the father died a couple of years before the child. They then went on to offer more information.

                      Anne

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Wor canny Lass View Post
                        I have used the local ROs and usually find them very helpful and quick. However, some charge £7.50 for a cert and they are usually transcribed. I've alwayd included a stamped addressed envelope to the extra 50p could not have been for that! I make cheques out to 'the registrar'.

                        When I contacted the Berwick office for a death cert, they also told me that there was a death cert for one of the children. To give me that information, they must have done a full search, as the father died a couple of years before the child. They then went on to offer more information.

                        Anne

                        Often the small surcharge is to cover the credit card fee, Lincoln don't make a charge for cc payments or a postage charge but there isn't a standard that all offices abide by. They now offer telephone, postal and online order facilities.

                        Hertfordshire for example have an online order facility but they charge around £10, Lancs ask for an SAE but only charge £7.


                        It's interesting to hear about Berwick, i have a couple of births and deaths in the area but the only cert i have from them was issued many years ago, i know Linda at the archives has tried to improve things for the local and family history researcher in general and the register office and archives occupy the same building so perhaps the standard has gone up accordingly.

                        My main dislike of the London offices is mainly the official council websites. Each borough does have a registrars section and many of them are quite detailed, the main problem is that they keep revamping the sites and changing the links too frequently, most can re-direct an enquiry to the relevant office in the case of a boundary change for example but they can be a pain when the webpages are always moving.
                        http://www.flickr.com/photos/50125734@N06/

                        Joseph Goulson 1701-1780
                        My sledging hammer lies declined, my bellows too have lost their wind
                        My fire's extinct, my forge decay'd, and in the dust my vice is laid

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          My dream would be for all the London boroughs to get together and set up a UKBMD type online index which automatically sends you to the right office to order any particular cert, but I don't suppose it will ever happen.
                          KiteRunner

                          Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                          (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by KiteRunner View Post
                            My dream would be for all the London boroughs to get together and set up a UKBMD type online index which automatically sends you to the right office to order any particular cert, but I don't suppose it will ever happen.
                            I don't have much cause for using the London offices post 1837, the lines are too distant to look into at present but i think there are cases where the best and worst offices are often in adjacent boroughs or are the ones people need the most. It is annoying if you need one of the less enthused offices as the best London offices are amongst the best in the country.


                            Now seeing as the Mayor of London has has the WDYTYA treatment perhaps it might be worth bending his ear
                            http://www.flickr.com/photos/50125734@N06/

                            Joseph Goulson 1701-1780
                            My sledging hammer lies declined, my bellows too have lost their wind
                            My fire's extinct, my forge decay'd, and in the dust my vice is laid

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I had a reply by email from Northampton saying I could order over the telephone & pay by card. I have just done this and the cert will be sent later today or tomorrow! Great service I say;)

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                The majority of my rellies are from lancashire and in the main I use the main RO at Preston which give excellent service even ringing me up with a few details or if they are going to take more than a couple of days to respond, I've used Wigan & Blackburn RO's also and again certs recieved in a couple of days.
                                I've had to use Oldham for 3 certs that so far I've waited 10 days for and no comms. So if I need any more from Oldham I'll use the GRO
                                L

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  I recently contacted Bridgend office, South Wales. As I was chasing a pre 1911 birth certificate of a child with a very common Welsh name, I e mailed to ask if a particular registration was for a child with mother ( named).... I was rather spoilt for choice !

                                  I had an e mail reply within a few hours confirming this, together with details of how to order. I phoned, ordered over the phone by card ,£7..( a new facility for that office) and received the certificate the following day.

                                  Comment

                                  Working...
                                  X