Looking for a place in Wales - watch out!

[Megan Roberts]

I have been looking at one of my family lines and trying to fill in a few gaps, but its difficult with a name like Thomas Evans - there's a lot of them about.

That's one complication, but its just been compounded by a conversation that I have just had with the GRO in Southport.

Last month I ordered two death certificates on the basis that I did not know the GRO references, but I did know the approx. year of death, either 1892 or 1898; based on looking at the death indices and likely ages, but I did not want to specify his age because that had jumped around a bit in the various censuses. So instead I thought as I haven't found a record of an accident or an inquest, I will take a guess that he died at home, and specified his home address as the place of death.

Today I received one certificate based on the 1898 search for an entirely different location, some 15 miles away, and when I spoke to the GRO the attitude, was we don't take much notice of that information you specified, because we don't really understand places in Wales , and anyway the occupation you specified matched!!

I suspect that there were dozens of Thomas Evans who were slate quarrymen in North Wales at that time!

When I queried what's the point of having a box specifying the place of death if they are going to ignore it, all I could get were comments like, people die away from home, and it's in Wales.

I now have to wait whilst they review whether or not I will get a refund, but if I do I will have to return the dud certificate............

[Sue Mackay]

Duw! mae geiriau'n methu â mi....

[helachau]

'Dw i'n cytuno!

[Peter Goodey]

I don't understand why you specified the occupation if that was of much less significance than the place of death. Why didn't you specify the place of death only?

[Jomot1]

You might have had better luck trying directly from the relevant register office. I was recently seeking a birth certificate in Wales - I knew the likely town but the year of birth was within a 2-year range and I wasn't certain of the parents either (she was never with them in a census - turns out they both died before she was two). Despite this they came up with the correct certificate. OK it cost £10, but it was worth it, and so quick too.

[Megan Roberts]

I don't understand why you specified the occupation if that was of much less significance than the place of death. Why didn't you specify the place of death only?

Because there would have been more than one Thomas Evans living in the village.

[Megan Roberts]

You might have had better luck trying directly from the relevant register office. I was recently seeking a birth certificate in Wales - I knew the likely town but the year of birth was within a 2-year range and I wasn't certain of the parents either (she was never with them in a census - turns out they both died before she was two). Despite this they came up with the correct certificate. OK it cost £10, but it was worth it, and so quick too.

With respect you are missing the point about the GRO admitting their ignorance about place names in Wales, which is not acceptable from a government organisation. Why should their ignorance cost me more money?

[Megan Roberts]

I thought people might like to hear the follow up to this sorry saga:

1. The second possible certificate that I had ordered has now been refunded - below is the reason why; you'll notice there is no mention of the occupation, which was on the request ...






2. With regards to the first one which was the subject of my original post I received the email today - its seems a telephone conversation is not enough, but of course I have yet to received the "pre-paid" envelope".





I have no problem with them not finding the certificate it's the inconsistency of approach I cannot agree with.

[geneius]

Different 'agents' as they call their staff....different ideas!

[kiwibarb]

[QUOTE=Megan Roberts;657908]I have been looking at one of my family lines and trying to fill in a few gaps, but its difficult with a name like Thomas Evans - there's a lot of them about.

That's one complication, but its just been compounded by a conversation that I have just had with the GRO in Southport.

Last month I ordered two death certificates on the basis that I did not know the GRO references, but I did know the approx. year of death, either 1892 or 1898; based on looking at the death indices and likely ages, but I did not want to specify his age because that had jumped around a bit in the various censuses. So instead I thought as I haven't found a record of an accident or an inquest, I will take a guess that he died at home, and specified his home address as the place of death.