Genealogy Sources
Ordering Certificates
Acquiring the Exact Details
If may be that you are unable to make it to the FRC. This doesn’t mean that you cannot find the certificates you require. You could visit your local births, marriages and deaths office, but beware – this will not be a place to browse. To find and order a certificate you will need specific details – approximations won’t do. And you can obtain certificates only for the area covered by the local office.
Another, perhaps easier, option is to go to a major library that holds BMD indexes on microfiche. Find the reference you require and make a note of it.
Where to Order
You are then presented with three options for obtaining the certificate: either by post from the General Register Office (GRO), by phone, or, only if you live in the UK, online at www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates. The first two options will cost you £8.50 (£24.50 if you want the certificate as a priority and dispatched the next working day). For details of addresses and phone numbers visit www.statistics.gov.uk/registration. The third option, ordering online, is relatively new and, at £7 and £23 respectively, is a cheaper option. You will need to give your credit or debit card details, your full name and your postal and email addresses, as well as the details of the certificate you are looking for.
Of course, this option is fine if you know the exact registration details. If you don’t, the GRO will conduct a search for a certificate without a specific reference for an additional £11.50, regardless of how you order. The more information you send, the more chance staff will have of finding the right certificate, so full names and exact dates and places are helpful. Spending, as much time as you can to find the references you need at the nearest library that houses the BMD indexes will reap dividends.