This help text is the third in a series prepared for the IGA_net UK and Irish echo UK&I_Gene. It is intended soley as an introduction to United Kingdom and Ireland Genealogy research and should not be treated as a definitive work. I hope you find it useful. Nick Rowland Fido 2:2501/308.2 IGA_net 440:244/309 Internet nick.rowland@sunwharf.centron.com =======================Start Text=================================== ENGLAND AND WALES ================= In England and Wales Civil Registration commenced in 1837 and formalised the system already in existence of Parish Registers. It did not render Parish Registers redundant and these continue today. The parish register is still a useful reference especially when the civil record does not seem to exist. Parish registers did, however, become less well used as a result of registration. Civil registration began as a result of the 1836 Births and Deaths Registration Act together with the 1836 Marriage Act. The country was divided into Registration Districts controlled by a Superintendent Registrar, these were then broken down into a series of sub-districts with their own Registrars. Many of these Registration Districts corresponded with the old "Hundreds" which were an old-style grouping of parishes, hence the unusual names, for which we can often find no modern parish, town or village equivalent - Barton Regis in Gloucestershire being one such example. The information was not very well controlled prior to 1874 and many Births and Deaths were not recorded. In fact it was not possible to register a birth if parents delayed registration for more than six months. In 1874 the Births and Deaths act was passed and effectively made registration compulsory with deaths having to be certified by a Doctor. Each quarter the Superintendent Registrar had to provide copy details to the Registrar General in London. This data was also kept quarterly as a national index. The system for marriages was different to Births and Deaths with the registers kept in the Church or Chapel (if it was licenced for marriages) and not deposited locally until the book was full. Some very old books in small churches are still in use. It is still possible to obtain details from St Catherines House as all weddings from 1837 were centrally recorded. The system of "Registry Office" marriages was introduced whereby a couple could have a civil wedding if these did not wish to use a church. All indexes are available for public access at The General Register Office, St. Catherines House, Kingsway, London WC2B 6JP. Please be aware that it is only an INDEX of entries that may be viewed, free of charge, and not the complete certificate details, these are only available on purchase of a copy certificate. (At the time of writing Jan 1995, this fee is 5.5 UKpds for a full certificate, the short certificate for around half the price, is not as informative.). If you wish to obtain copies by post, applications should be sent to Postal Applications Section, Office of Population Census and Surveys, Smedley Hydro, Southport, Merseyside PR8 2HH. (This at the time of writing costs 12 UKpds if you know the full reference or 15 UKpds which includes a 5 year search.) Yes, you have read that correctly. It is more than double the price to apply by post, even if you have the full reference, and they do not need to search on your behalf. However, if there is more than one name in the indexes which possibly matches the details you have, and if you have additional details, such as father's name, St Catherine's will check against several entries, to ascertain whether the certificate concerned matches your details before charging you the full amount. Birth Certificates (full certificate) show, Date of Birth, Where Born, First Names, Gender, Fathers name and Occupation, Mothers name and maiden name and who registered the birth. Marriage Certificates show, Where and when married, If marriage was by Banns, Licence or Certificate, Full names and ages of the couple, Marital status prior to the wedding (i.e divorced etc.), Grooms occupation, Addresses of the couple, Both fathers names and occupations and Two Witnesses. Death Certificates show, When and Whre Death Occurred, Full Name, Gender, Occupation, cause of Death, and details of the informant. It is also possible to obtain copy certificates from the Superintendent Registrar of the District in which the event took place. These can also be obtained by post or in person. ( 15 UKpds for you to attend and search the index and obtain eight verifications by staff, 5.50 UKpds if you know the full details and this can include a 5 year search). It is probably best to write first to the local registar asking for the cost and degree of service as this is not always to the same standard in each office. It is however very useful for UK residents who live near their search locality to avoid travelling to St. Catherines House. It is my own experience that some local offices give a much better service than the rules imply and the staff can be very helpful. The searching of indexes has been made much easier in recent years by the production of the indexes on microfiche which can be purchased. Many Mormon (Latter Day Saints) Family History Centres have these as do some reference Libraries. In most cases the local Family History Centre is worth a phone call. SCOTLAND ======== Civil Registration commenced in 1st January 1855 and follows the English and Welsh system fairly closely. The registers are held General Register Office for Scotland, New Register House, Edinburgh, Scotland EH1 3YT. The diffence to English records are that the full entry can be seen without purchasing a certificate once the index entry can be given. The indexes are also largely computerised; however you should be aware that access to use the system costs 15 UKpds a day! IRELAND ======= Civil Registration commenced 1st January 1864, with non-Catholic marriages having commenced 1st April 1845. The system is similar to the English and Welsh Systems. Registers and indexes for ALL Ireland (including Northern) up to 1922 and Eire only from 1922 to date are held at General Register Office, Joyce House, 8 - 11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2, EIRE. Indexes only can be searched by the public and a fee is charged (approx 12 punts) which only allows a search of one category. Records of NORTHERN Ireland (Ulster) from 1922 are held at General Register Office, Oxford House, 49-55 Chichester Street, Belfast BT1 4HL The office is only open to the public by appointment and costs about 5 UKpds for admission, postal applications cost approx 4.5 UKpds. =======================================END===================================