how to find recent death

[Ladkyis]

I am trying to find out if an aunt has died recently and I simply can't think how to do it. A Christmas card has been returned to me with "Addressee gone away" on it so either she has died or gone into a home. Her son disowned the family forty years ago so he won't reply - he could have died too

Just want to find out what's happened so need to check for deaths but as I say I cannot remember where or how.

[arthurk]

A few possibilities:
(a) Recent GRO indexes are at a handful of locations around the country, but I don't know just how recent the indexes are, so it would be worth enquiring before travelling. The full list of locations is at https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/c...FamilyHistory1 - I suspect your nearest one will be Bridgend.
(b) You could enquire about a death registration and/or try ordering a certificate from the register office for where your aunt was living.
(c) See if a will has been proved - https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills (This site is kept very up to date.)
(d) Local papers etc
(e) Letter to a neighbour, with SAE

[Pam Downes]

If you can get to Bridgend you can do it quite easily yourself. If not, then you'll have to throw out a 'help' notice to someone who lives near the British Library, City of Westminster Archives, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle or Plymouth.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/c...nt_to_know.asp

Sixth option - how to get started in family history

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/c...#FamilyHistory
Then first section, about the GRO number. To the best of my knowledge, those seven places listed have the indexes complete to the last quarter.
I did notice in an earlier section that you can't order death certificates for registrations which occured in the last six months from the GRO, only the local register office.
(Section 3 - what certificates can be ordered, last question.)

ADDED: Feeling very miffed that my reply got beaten by arthurk's by a matter of seconds, but have to for the suggestion about writing to a neighbour.

Pam

[Pamelawagster]

This happened to us a few years back.I phoned local register office explained situation to them and they checked for recent death.Fortunately for us there was no death registered they had simply moved and failed to inform anyone in the family of new address!

We did track them down but that's another story!

[tony vines]

Another thought is to find out which is the newspaper in the area that publishes family notices and on the assumption that such things are online to search over say the last year for obits.

[geneius]

As others have intimated, may have moved and not advised others, try electors list.

London Gazette in case their is no will....

[Chris Doran]

Putting "family announcements", "death notices" or similar phrases into your favourite search engine will give you a number of sites to search, but judging by our local rags, such notices are going out of fashion, especially if she had few family ties.

[Peter Goodey]

If you know the relevant register office you would have to ask them anyway for deaths in the last 6 months.

Otherwise, the probate calendar should be up to date.

[Ladkyis]

Excellent advice, thank you all I will get stuck in just as soon as the bread comes out of the oven