Just Curious?

[terrysfamily]

I have also chosen the scanned option from Victoria just so I can get the information immediately and I would love and use an instant response from the UK. The Victorian email service is cheaper than them posting the certificate (or at least it was). Because I keep digital copies of all my certificates and only make a hard copy on occasion, this option would actually suit me better.

Jane

I'm with you on this one Jane.

[Waitabit]

I once applied for a certificate via a person in Lancashire. He sent info via email immediately to off set the wait. Lovely, but more costly than GRO.

[Hilda Woodley]

I have amongst my certificates
1. A death typed on the day of purchase - incorrect initials for wife,
2. A marriage scanned portion of register printed on lovely green certificate - the scan is so grainy it's barely legible,
3. A marriage handwritten on the day of purchase (not GRO) so it's not possible to see the original signatures of bridge, groom and witnesses - the original is now available on Ancestry and it solved a small mystery being able to match up the signature against a later marriage.
So all in all I would prefer just an email scan of the original parish register, and they contain enough errors on their own without the GRO adding to them and, at no more than 2 pounds then I would have it immediately - no waiting for 4+ weeks and possible loss in our postal system in South Africa.
Or better still the GRO should digitise everything like ScotlandsPeople and use the credit system but, I doubt they will go that route, won't make as much money from the "genealogy cash cow".
Our current rate of exchange is 13 to 1 pound so for anyone in South Africa with English roots every cert costs R120 and that is why I have stopped buying certs and live in hope that all parish registers will eventually be available on Ancestry or FMP.

[mfwebb]

I live in the UK so the week wait for a certificate is no problem. I wouldn't opt for an "e-mail only" option or pay extra for an "e-mail as well" option. There's nothing like the feel of a paper copy. But I can understand why people would like the cheap option by e-mail if they were phishing for the correct certificate. I have been caught a few times paying £9.25 for a wrong certificate.

Having just received my first death certificate from the USA I now realise what great value the GRO Certificates are at £9.25 including postage.

I ordered a death certificate from King County Department of Public Health for a death occurring in Seattle, Washington. You can find the details on-line but can't order direct from them -- you have to go through a private company called VitalCheck. They charge the standard $20 for the certificate plus a $6 agency fee plus a $6.50 processing fee, a total of $32.50 (about £24). Then they wanted to charge me another $37.50 to send it by courier. Because I was an overseas applicant the order defaulted to the $37.50 charge and it took me some time for it to accept the standard delivery at no extra charge and getting rid of all the warnings that standard delivery was not recommended for international delivery etc. etc.

It took 2 weeks for it to be delivered after I placed the order (no complaint there) and the certificate was delivered by standard delivery to Lincoln (UK) just 3 days after it was posted in Seattle. Well done mail services here and in the USA.

Just for the record, there is far more detail recorded on a USA death certificate than there is on a UK one.

All the best,

Malcolm Webb
Lincoln UK.