GRO New Functionality

[tony vines]

I know that I am about to display my complete and incomprehensible ignorance here so please don't scoff. I have used the GRO site to order certificates for years but have only ever used sites like FreeBMD and findmypast to obtain an index reference. The posts above clearly indicate that the index is available online on the GRO site. I never knew that, but where? How do you get to it?

[tony vines]

Please ignore my post above. While I do not deny my hitherto ignorance I have now found out how to search the GRO indices. For anyone else who was unaware it is necessary to log in (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/c...es/default.asp) if you already have an account and GRO will require you to confirm by email. If you haven't previously registered for their service you need to do so. Both actions will then take you to a menu where searching the indices is one of the options.

[margarita]

I have used the GRO site to order certificates for years but have only ever used sites like FreeBMD and findmypast to obtain an index reference.

You are not alone. Until this new development it had never occurred to me to look on the GRO site for the references. I suppose the facility to search the indices had always been there - I had just never looked for it. I will certainly use it more often in future.

[macwil]

. . . . I suppose the facility to search the indices had always been there - . . .

No. It is a NEW service.
It still contains errors though. Just added two new variations to my Boraston list*.. Braston and Bordston, same ref. no. and that no. on FreeBMD brought up the correct name as well.

Posted error correction to GRO.

*Boraston variations... https://www.british-genealogy.com/th...040#post614040

[Mitch in Notts]

It's quick as well. 3 certificates ordered Wednesday arrived Sunday lunchtime! One was a birth at home - but according to the hospital record the child was born 3 days earlier than the certificate date & in hospital not at home. The second added a 14th child, illegitimately, for a 61 year old man - though the child used her Mothers late husbands surname and hence why I had been unable to find any evidence of her existence. The third - a death -I needn't have bought if I had bothered to search the burial registers under COOPE instead of COOPER! Hope the service continues though.

[David Tuson]

I like the new feature - it allows me to find the mother's maiden name for births pre-1911. It is really useful when finding a marriage for a male on FreeBMD only to discover there are a few females with the same first name but different surnames.
Helps identify children born in between census returns who may have died in infancy.

[Guy Etchells]

An example of uncertified copy of an entry in a Death register may be viewed at
https://anguline.co.uk/cert/burial.html

An example of uncertified copy of an entry in a Birth register may be viewed at
https://anguline.co.uk/cert/birth.html

I would be interested in hearing what other genealogists think of the images.
Do they meet your requirements, do you have any suggestions for improvements?

Cheers
Guy

[wimsey]

the first two deaths I looked up had completely the wrong ages for the deceased even though they are correct on the "Civil Registration Death Index" (as found on Ancestry) . Is the Civil Registration Index a completely separate entity from the General Register Office ?

[wimsey]

the first two deaths I looked up had completely the wrong ages for the deceased even though they are correct on the "Civil Registration Death Index" (as found on Ancestry) . Is the Civil Registration Index a completely separate entity from the General Register Office ?

I've just realised what has happened. These two died at the ages of 6 months and 18 months. The GRO has turned this into 6 years and 18 years respectively.

[elsinore]

I've just realised what has happened. These two died at the ages of 6 months and 18 months. The GRO has turned this into 6 years and 18 years respectively.

Snap!

I've just received a death certificate pdf (which I ordered last Wednesday) only to find the age at death was 8 months and not 8 years as stated on the transcript. £6 down the drain. Wonder if I can get a refund?

Peter