Many thanks, David, for this. I did know that in some cases the place of death shown in the indexes was not always exact, but didn't know why. What is the Death Index Database? Regards, Jennifer http://colston-wenck.com -----Original Message----- From: australia-cemeteries-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:australia-cemeteries-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of D Weatherill Sent: Sunday, 19 September 2010 11:24 AM To: australia-cemeteries@rootsweb.com Subject: [AUSTRALIA-CEMETERIES] VICTORIAN BDM INDEXES Good Morning; I am not too sure if I have mentioned this before, but just in case I thought I would send this information. It concerns the Place of Death (and Birth on Birth Indexes) on the Index listing for death place with the Victorian Registry of Births, Death and Marriages Indexes. It deals with the place of death for the Pioneers Index and up until the Great War Index (to 1920) and in some cases further on. The Colony/State of Victoria after 1 July 1853 when the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages Department came into being, divided the colony/state up into Registration Districts. In each district a Deputy Registrar of BDMs was appointed. These people changed over time and are noted on the certificates. Now these Deputy Registrars lived in a specific town and this is the town name on the top of the certificate page and with the signature of the Deputy Registrar on the certificates. All data on deaths, births and marriages went through the Deputy Registrar of the area and he wrote up each event. So when these certificates were forwarded in to the Registrar each quarter the indexes were written up by clerks in the Department. What they used as the Place of the Event for the Index data on each person was the town where the Deputy Registrar lived. I don't fully know why, but this happened. When you check the index after 1880 for deaths in Victoria you get a place of death. In many cases this is not where the person died. Prior to 1880 you only get place of birth for the death. While I was researching the old Tarwin Lower Cemetery many years ago I found all these place of deaths on the VPI and beyond listed as at Fish Creek. This created some confusion given there was no Fish Creek Cemetery. As I checked out the death certificates I noted death/burials at Tarwin Lower Cemetery, Wonthaggi Cemetey, etc. The listings on the Indexes showed a huge number of people with Fish Creek as Death Place. More than were actually living in the area. I then queried this with the Victorian Registry and was given the answer. The index place of death is the place where the Deputy Registrar was living at the time. Ah, this things that can happen!! One final issue is that even though you have a correct place of death on the index, it does not mean the person was buried in the local cemetery. For example, in the case of the death place as Heidelberg, many people died in the Austin Hospital and their family buried them elsewhere. Not everyone noted as having a death place of Heidelberg, means they were buried in the Warringal/Heidelberg Cemetery. I hope this is of value. I do get requests for burial assistance from people just using the index death place data. I many cases the person is not buried in the local cemetery. The only main way to identify place of burial is from the death certificate. Still, when and if, the Death Index Database comes out in Victoria it will give a place of burial for the person. If you have any questions re my brief write up above, just ask. I hope it is clear. Have a good Sunday. Cheers, David