GRO Indexes

[clematbow]

I have been using the new GRO Indexes online, and occasionally can't find an entry that appears on the Quarter Book pages that you can view on FREEBMD. I've tried using the Error report page on the GRO Indexes, but sometimes the Report shows that after investigation the online Index has been updated. However, even when I try looking again for the entry, after the updating, I still can't find it. For instance, I want the birth entry for Albert Charles Martin in 1863, registration district Bermondsey, March quarter, district 1D page 95. The entry appears on FREEBMD but not on GRO Indexes on line. Can any tell me if this is usual, or am I doing something wrong.
Daphne

[ozgirl]

I think they have missed a quarter/page at the GRO. None of the 10 names listed as being on that page in the Mar Quarter (on BMD) come up in a search on the GRO site. Doesn't seem to be a problem for the other quarters in the year though.

[Anne in Carlisle]

Sadly I have also found that there appear to be some missing ones. They are quite random, for example for one I couldn't find I looked at the page on FreeBMD and others on that page were there on the GRO index. In other cases I think the index was made from a different version than those on FreeBMD. I have also found a couple of cases where the surname is spelled differently on the GRO index to that on FreeBMD.

Anne

[clematbow]

Thanks for your replies. I think there are quite a few missing ones. What I don't understand is why GRO say the index is correct when you submit an error report for a missing entry. How can they say the index is correct when the entry is clearly missing!

[AntonyM]

It may be that some entries have been missed (all indexes have errors) but the GRO index isn't just a on-line version of the old index, it is a fresh indexing from the (copy) registers that GRO hold. But the old printed indexes and the new GRO on-line indexes have been complied using different indexing rules - that is why you will sometimes get different results.

An entry appearing on FreeBMD but not on the GRO index isn't necessarily missing - it may be indexed under another name.

This particularly applies to the indexing of births to unmarried parents, where both are named on the register.

[maesglasssclub]

I have been using the GRO index since it first started, I have report approx 50 discrepencies and about 30 have been changed, they usually say investigated and emended or remain the same, even though I know from personal knowledge that they all were incorrect, but at least they do look again.

[webwiz]

The site seems to be down just now.

Later: OK now