Genealogy Chat

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Boards

Quick Search

Single word search

Tools

Findmypast DNA Banner

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

Another moan about the GRO !!!!!!

Login to Add Reply Watch This
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

moggyrud

moggyrud Report 8 Apr 2005 12:33

l have had a recent moan about them not sending certificates when you order 2 or more at a time.....well they did it again....and after l wrote to them they sent it to me....just got it....and it is typed in....not photo-copied. l am really fed-up about this....anyone else had this???? Half the fun is seeing a copy of the original....isn't it??? Maureen

Irene

Irene Report 8 Apr 2005 13:38

Hi there I do understand about your'moan' I order most of my certifcates from local register offices that do come typed and not written because they usually come quite quickly. I do order from GRO and did think they were copies of originals. A kind GR person sent me a copy of the register entry and it was much different to the copy I got from GRO, this copy was the one they had actually signed. I have had a few that are the much longer copies than the norm. Do you think they are actual copies of originals. Good Luck with your research. Irene

Judith

Judith Report 8 Apr 2005 13:38

I've had a couple of typed copies from them, but only when the 'original' was very early and apparently too faded to photocopy properly. I know the handwritten ones somehow seem more authentic but even they were transcripts, trancribed and sent to the GRO at the end of the quarter when the event was registered, and I think I'd rather have the typed one than one I can't read. Judith

moggyrud

moggyrud Report 8 Apr 2005 13:46

Yes, thanks for your input. Perhaps it was hard to read....it just doesn't seem the same, though, as a photo copy does it? Maureen

Anne

Anne Report 8 Apr 2005 16:27

I saw an 'info film' about the work of the GRO at a Family History Fair. It did say they are examined for legibility and if it is considered they are not of good enough quality they are either typed or rewritten by hand. The photocopy is only of the one which was written out by clerks at the time but getting that one does cut down on the transcription error possibilities. I believe that the copies on microfiche at local archives are the actual parish records which do have the original signatures on. (Someone will correct me if I'm wrong on this - I have seen some) Anne

Joe ex Bexleyheath

Joe ex Bexleyheath Report 8 Apr 2005 22:39

One reason that you will not have an exact copy of the original certificate is that we now use A4 paper for just about everything whereas the old certificates were much wider and narrower - at least fullscap size. I have some of the originals certs but for genea file have current copies there is really no difference in the amount of information but it is just 'condensed' in scale.