Compiling GRO registers books?

[James]

How long after the end of the year, did they start to compile the names for inclusion in the register?

[Olde Crone Holden]

They were done every quarter, presumably always one quarter behind.

OC

[James]

I have two boys both March 1924 both mis transcribe to 1919. the other odd things is they both have the same Christian name and Mothers name, both have the same registration details IE March 1924 Lambeth 1d 518 and the brother/cousin born In March 1922 the registration details, mothers name are the same Southwark 1d 211.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Sound like re-registrations to me, rather than omissions. Did the mother marry after the boys were born?

OC

[Richard in Perth]

James - the 1924 one is the same person, registered first in 1919 and then re-registered in 1924, with cross-references added to the 1919 index to point to the 1924 re-registration.

This is the original entry, in 1919 (the page number has been crossed out in the index):

Births Sep 1919
McGovern William Ramswell Lambeth 1d 497 (see M24)

These two additions have been added in 1919. They are hand-written at the bottom of the relevent pages, and refer the registrar to the March 1924 quarter:

Births Sep 1919
McGovern William Ramswell Lambeth 1d See M 24
Tinsley William Ramswell Lambeth 1d See Mch 24


... and these are the re-registered entries in 1924:

Births Mar 1924
McGovern William Ramswell Lambeth 1d 518
Tinsley William Ramswell Lambeth 1d 518

Therefore, I would say that your man was originally registered in 1919 as William McGovern, and this was amended in 1924 to show him as William McGovern or Tinsley.

[Richard in Perth]

The 1922 one was Southwark, not Lambeth?

Births Mar 1922
McGovern Frederick P Ramswell Southwark 1d 211
Tinsley Frederick P Ramswell Southwark 1d 211

He seems to have been registered under both names in that year - these entries are typed, not hand-written additions so he must have been registered under both surnames at that time. Maybe the mother was a widow (surname McGovern, maiden name Ramswell) and the father was Tinsley. If they weren't married then the father would need to be present in order to have his name added to the register. If he was not present in 1919 that could explain why William was only registered as McGovern in that year. If the father was then present at Frederick's registration, his name would be added to Frederick's cert hence Fred would be indexed under both surnames. Somehow they managed to re-register William in 1924, in order to add father's details to the cert.

[Richard in Perth]

Oh and to add weight to my theory, here's the mother's first marriage!

Marriages Mar 1912
McGovern William Ramswell Southwark 1d 48
Ramswell Mary McGovern Southwark 1d 48

[Richard in Perth]

James - William McGovern's WW1 pension records are on Ancestry. It's definitely him as it lists his marriage to Mary Ramswell. According to that, he was discharged from the army in 1916 due to mental breakdown. He was committed to the Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley - which was a military mental institution near Southampton: Royal Victoria Military Hospital Netley

So maybe that explains why Mary never married Tinsley - her first husband was still alive, albeit he was in an institution?

[James]

Thank you Richard, I have been unable to find a Marriage as such for Mary Ramswell to Frederick Tinsley and I have always been suspicious of having two names with the same reference No's and first names and mothers maiden names.

[Richard in Perth]

James

I posted this on your other thread but in case you missed it, this looks like the marriage:

Name: Mary E McGovern
Name: Frederick W Tinsley
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1939
Registration district: Southwark
Volume Number: 1d
Page Number: 127


... so they didn't marry until 1939, long after the kids were born. Probably William McGovern was still alive up until then? Anyway, glad that we've finally solved it! I would definitely get the two marriage certs though, if I were you (1912 to William McGovern & 1939 to Frederick Tinsley).

Cheers,
Richard

[Guy]

The GRO register must out of necessity be at least six to nine months “out of date”.

The local register etc. registers the birth, marriage or death in their register.
Every three months (January, April, July and October) the registrar, etc. makes a true copy of every birth, marriage & death registered by him/her and forwards that to the superintendent registrar.
The second stage is every three months the Superintendent Registrar checks he/she has received copies of every registered entry of birth, marriage & death, requests copies of any not already supplied makes an index of them and forwards certified copies of every birth, marriage & death sent to him/her to the Registrar General.
The final stage is the Registrar General make an index of every birth, marriage & death. (The GRO index)

It can be seen from this how many possibilities there are for mistakes and omissions in the process.
This is why it is best to only use the GRO as an office of last resort rather than of convenience.
Cheers
Guy