Registration of birth

[Colin Rowledge]

I know this has been asked before, but I cannot find the answer.

What was the maximum time allowed to register a birth in the 1870's in Wales and if the time frame was exceeded what was the penalty?

[Guy Etchells]

The Births and Deaths Registrations Act came into force in 1874. It was only from this year that registration was made compulsory. This applied to both England and Wales.

From 1874 a birth had to be reported within 42 days or a fine of £2 was imposed. Deaths had to be registered within 5 days and it was the responsibility of a relative to obtain the certificate from a doctor to support the registration.

Not quite correct Graham.
From 1837 42 days was the time limit to register births and 5 days to register deaths, the same as after the 1874 Act.
The difference between the two Acts was under the 1836 Act the registration of births and deaths was the responsibility of the registrar who was "required to inform himself carefully of every Birth and every Death which shall happen within his District" and it was illegal to refuse to give the information if asked to do so by a registrar.
The 1836 Act states-
"XX. And be it enacted, That the Father or Mother of every child born in England after the said First Day of March, or in case of the Death, Illness, Absence, or Inability of the Father or Mother, the Occupier of the House or Tenement in which such Child shall have been born, shall, within Forty-two Days next after the Day of every such Birth, give Information, upon being requested so to do, to the said Registrar, according to the best of his or her Knowledge and Belief, of the several Particulars hereby required to be known and registered touching the Birth of such Child."

Under the 1874 Act the responsibility lay with the informants to furnish the information.
Cheers
Guy

[G.V.Ford]

How it worked in practice however ......... I know of one incidence where a birth registration (of my grandmother) in late 1800s was made after the time limit and a false birth date given, thus avoiding the penalty. She always maintained she had two birthdays - the actual and the official.

Geoff

[benny1982]

Yes until 1874 it was the duty of the registrar and his deputies to scour the district making notes of new births and deaths in the district. From 1874 onwards it fell on the informants to register the events. I have a few births before 1874 that were registered late and one or two not at all. Although in 1899 one ancestor was born June 1 and not registered until 12 August.