General Chat

I would be interested to find out how many certificates other GR members think are too many, or how many you have, how far back do you go.

I am just starting to get some more and am thinking Gt Gt Grandparents might be far enough.

What are your thoughts.

S. x

As a rule of thumb I have only purchased certs for our direct line and then many of my marriage certs were photocopies from Records Office and I preferred those as they have original signatures on them.

I have only rarely purchased certs for others from GRO/Register Offices but only to solve a puzzle and/to move on. In 25 years + I doubt if I have purchased more than 15 but I do exchange copies of certs with others with an interest in my tree.

If you are researching in England you will only get back as far as Sept 1837 anyway - then it is the Records Office if you wish accuracy - as a beginner I would warn you against trees produced on internet - they are 9 times out of 10 error laden.

Use Freebmd, census and of course GR. Am sure other members will come up with good advice.

Yes that is where it gets costly my grandad was one of 12 and they all survived, married and had children, my great grandad was one of 4 that all married and had between 5 & 12 each that survived, married and had children so if I got certificates for all the births, marriages and deaths for just my grandad and great grandad and their siblings that would be around 50 on just the one side. Of course that would be if I only got their first marriage I know some of them married two or three times.

Chris,

I only asked the question out of interest, I have been doing my tree for a while now and like you have so far only purchased ones I needed to confirm things and ones I particularly wanted a copy of such as my grandparents death certs, and again like you I do have copies of some as they have their handwriting on and on some I was surprised they could write because of the years and the jobs they did.

S. x

I have a relative been researching for over 40 years - on another side to mine- he buys every cert which comes up - has a room devoted to research with purpose built shelves all around and no one to leave it all to - except the local Records Office.

I find my way suits me. Have also heard that sometimes the vicar wrote their names - so if a photocopy always look hard, also sometimes the bride could write but if her groom did not would sign with an 'x' not to show him up!

Whilst speaking of certs - has anyone else got one written on parchment? I have OH's gparents marriage cert Feb 1904 on this.

I must agree with you on a couple of your points Chris, I am, I think going to purchase some more of my direct line certs purely because I want them. I have been to the records office numerous times and got the information so I know I would be getting the right certs.

I also agree with you on not all trees being correct so any information I have had from anyone, my mums cousins usually, I have still checked myself not because I didn't believe them but just because I had to.

S. x

Amokavid,

I recently had to purchase one that I probably wouldn't have, one of my grandads aunts, the family story was she had gone to be a nun but no one seemed to know where she went and then when we got access to the 1911 census I found her, then found her death and sent off for the cert and her father was mentioned on it, fortunately she had three Christian names making it easier to find her, and yes she was a nun and is buried in the grounds of the building and the informant was one of the religious sisters.

S. x

I was very fortunate to have been left quite a few certs which are original especially on my Maternal side. for example I have not only my grandparents marriage certs but also great grandparents and one case Great Great grandparents.
Keeping them safe is always a concern for me, so I have them in acid free folders. One or two of the marriage certs are mounted on old wills but I cannot read them very well which is frustrating.
I also have my some of my grandfathers army records but would like to have more.

Given that my Grandfather was born in the 1880s I believe that I am very lucky.
My mother was the youngest by 9 years of ten children so I am now asking surviving cousins if they will share any certs with me. However they are about 15 years older than me and I am 65 soon and they are not in good health so I hate to keep asking.

Must go as going to local English Bar for a Fish & Chip Lunch!

Bridget

10.35hrs Spain

Staffslass

Only been doing this for a couple of years. The certs I have are to confirm dates only. I would love to have them just as a keepsake.

Chris

Like the sound of the pc of cert rather than the bald facts from GRO. Do you have to visit register office for the pc of original. I usually request online to GRO but can do the same at the register office paying by cheque?

I had something on parchment one - either an Irish or Scottish - lovely cert - unfortunately the wrong one.

Regards

Vera

It doesn't actually matter how many certs you have, it isn't a competition.....!

Incidentally, very few certs and certainly none obtained from the GRO, ever have original handwriting on them. The best you will get in most cases is a copy of handwriting of the clerk who copied the entry.

The question was never intended as a "competition" it was more out of interest to see the reasons why people buy them.

As I have said earlier I would like BMDs of my direct line going back to my Gt Gt Grandparents but have had to get some others to satisfy my curiosity and confirm some dates etc.

S.

Originally, I intended buying certificates only for direct ancestors but at times I have had a need to go sideways, partly to have a connection confirmed, partly when a sibling has been really interesting.

One birth certificate that I bought (not for a direct ancestor) gave the informant of the birth as the grandmother which then led me back another generation.

Vera - yes, the Records Office not Register Office - for many years I researched using only the Parish Records which gave me basically all I needed - baptism usually gave date of birth, marriage was exactly the copy of the original and the burial sometimes gave death of death as well but could always guess as being usually 3-4 days prior to burial.

I have had on occasion from Register Office a photocopy but this is not usual.

I was only forced into buying some certs because the family church was razed to the ground in the blitz and even the Bishop's Transcripts were lost.

Chris

I'm getting muddled between Records Office and Register Office. Unfortunately most of my ancestors are many miles from where I live so I have to rely on GRO or local Register Offices on line..


Inspector Green Pen

Yes. Just checked. All in the same handwriting. Only original signature I have is grandparents on 1911 census.

Regards

Vera

I must have around a hundred which seems excessive as I have been researching less than 3 years.

I started buying them so that I knew for certain my tree was accurate. The majority are my direct line but when I get chance to go to the records office, I photocopy parish records as it is much cheaper but it still proves the accuracy of my tree.

Chris