Hi Chirani, Sorry for delay in response, but BTinternet playing silly beggars and I had to resubscribe under another id. If I had known that you were there at WDYTYAL I would have suggested that we met for five minutes for a chat ! I too spoke to the GRO representative in a similar fashion. The previous contractor (Seimens) and the GRO parted company when the project was partly completed (40-50%??). My understanding is that the images of registers have been digitised, but the preparation of the indexes was the stumbling block. Genealogists must remember the way the the government (who pay the bills) view the whole project. The reality is that it is not being done for us, but for the GRO, the benefit to us is a by-product. The GRO process a huge volume of certificates every year and need a system to make the production more efficient. So all the registers are to be digitised and a completely new index produced. Certificates will then be fairly automatically produced from the image rather than by photopying the registers. The project when completed will bring considerable benefits to us, e.g. mother's maiden name in the birth index back to 1837 and age at birth for the deaths also back to that date. We will also benefit from searching a single index for each category, rather than the quarterly indexes for most years. They are at the 'Pre-procurement' stage (if I have the terminology correct). I.e. preparing for tenders to complete the project. When these will be initiated and when the real work will recommence, is probably some way off given the bankrupt state of the public purse. Regards, Geoff At 09:00 01/03/2010, Chirani wrote: >Whilst at the WDYTYA Live fair at the weekend, I took the opportunity >of asking representatives of the GRO when/whether/if there was any >movement on getting the post 2006 indices online yet. > >The gentleman I spoke to, Peter, said the intention was still to put >the indices online and free of charge *but* it isn't going to happen >in the forseeable future. They are a little further forward than they >were when I spoke to them last year but they are still talking. > >In all fairness, it is a big project even though these indices are >already digitised. It's also a costly exercise so they do need to >ensure they get the right people to do the job: a firm who really >understands the extent of the interest in family history and genealogy >so there isn't a repeat of the fiasco of the 1901 census. > >Not the news we all wanted to hear, especially those overseas, but >better they get it right first time. One Name Study of WEDMORE worldwide and linked interests in BRISON, DUCK, POLE, TOLSON and One Name Study of PUCKLE, SCARNELL and SCUFFHAM in the UK. http://www.wedmore.org.uk

Geoff wrote: > The project when completed will bring considerable benefits to us, > e.g. mother's maiden name in the birth index back to 1837 and age at > birth for the deaths also back to that date. Age at birth...?? Sorry Geoff, I couldn't resist! ;o) Jan ---------------------------------------- > Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2010 09:19:22 +0000 > To: bristol_and_district@rootsweb.com > From: GeoffStone@wedmore.org.uk > Subject: Re: [B&D] Post 2006 GRO Indices > > > Hi Chirani, > > Sorry for delay in response, but BTinternet playing silly beggars and > I had to resubscribe under another id. > > If I had known that you were there at WDYTYAL I would have suggested > that we met for five minutes for a chat ! > > I too spoke to the GRO representative in a similar fashion. > > The previous contractor (Seimens) and the GRO parted company when the > project was partly completed (40-50%??). My understanding is that > the images of registers have been digitised, but the preparation of > the indexes was the stumbling block. > > Genealogists must remember the way the the government (who pay the > bills) view the whole project. The reality is that it is not being > done for us, but for the GRO, the benefit to us is a by-product. The > GRO process a huge volume of certificates every year and need a > system to make the production more efficient. So all the registers > are to be digitised and a completely new index > produced. Certificates will then be fairly automatically produced > from the image rather than by photopying the registers. > > The project when completed will bring considerable benefits to us, > e.g. mother's maiden name in the birth index back to 1837 and age at > birth for the deaths also back to that date. We will also benefit > from searching a single index for each category, rather than the > quarterly indexes for most years. > > They are at the 'Pre-procurement' stage (if I have the terminology > correct). I.e. preparing for tenders to complete the project. When > these will be initiated and when the real work will recommence, is > probably some way off given the bankrupt state of the public purse. > > Regards, > > Geoff > _________________________________________________________________ Tell us your greatest, weirdest and funniest Hotmail stories http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/195013117/direct/01/