Since there may be others with similar questions on ordering birth certificates from the Barbados Registration Department, I shall quote here from Geraldine Lane's "Tracing Ancestors in Barbados" and hope that will be of some help. (This book is inexpensive and is an invaluable aid for anyone doing serious research on Barbados families). Ernest Wiltshire The address is as follows: The Barbados Registration Department Supreme Court of Barbados Law Courts Coleridge Street Bridgetown Barbados Telephone (246) 426-3461 FAX (246) 426-2405 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Excerpts pps 19-21. "... It is helpful when you approach staff at the Registration Department for help in retrieving records, if you can give them as much information as possible about the people you are looking for. These are not easy records to access and any details gathered from family papers and relatives will make the task easier. Contents of the records Births Registration of births began in 1890 and the information given has changed slightly over time. A certificate will have columns for the following, some or all of which will be completed: When born; name; sex; name and surname of father; name and maiden name of mother; place of residence and occupation of both parents; date registered; name and abode of informant. ...If you are based outside Barbados you should write, fax or phone (no email is available); ... A staff member will conduct a brief search of the records held on computer and you should provide as much of the following information as possible: Birth The person's name, date of birth, names of parents and parish of birth. The cost of certificates is currently as follows: birth B$1, death $B$5, cause of death B$10, marriage B$10 if at least one party was a citizen of Barbados or $20 if neither party was a citizen. ... Births can be confusing since up to about 1970 they are listed by the name of the parent or parents rather than the child's name. So if you know the child's name but not the names of the parent/parents you will not be able to use these records*. An alternative is the baptism records, which are indexed under the child's name. These are held in the same office and can be seen by the public." *[Geraldine was referring here to people doing research themselves, but when ordering from abroad it might be wise to specify that a baptism record would be an acceptable alternative: the baptism certificate usually gives the birth date as well as the baptism date]. EW -----Original Message----- From: caribbean-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:caribbean-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Marg Smith Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 3:05 AM To: caribbean@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [Carib] New Orleans, West Indies A big thank you to Ernest (and your very reliable informant), Rory and Augusta for your information and input. On Google Maps I have now found the district of New Orleans, St Michael, Bridgetown, Barbados! Yes, just a little bit more info helps! I have also looked at the Department of Archives website, but realise we must start at the Registration Department. The links to this department and the http://lawcourts.gov.bb/ website seem to have little advice re ordering certificates. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade at http://www.foreign.gov.bb/pageselect.cfm?page=110 have directions and a form for ordering, however I cannot find any information re: * what information will be on a birth certificate (born 1937 New Orleans, St Michael, Bridgetown, Barbados)? * can anyone order a birth certificate from the Registration Department, or is there (like most countries) a restriction (eg: in Australia we cannot purchase a certificate for anyone born after 1908, with certain exceptions of course) * can you order online, or over the phone, with credit card, if you know the date of birth?? Hopefully we can obtain more information from the gentleman himself, however, we are not sure as yet whether he is very interested!! Thank you again everyone Marg Smith Mardi, NSW Australia

Thank you for your detailed explanation Ernest. I really appreciate your assistance. Regards Marg Smith ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ernest M. Wiltshire" <murcot@synapse.net> To: <caribbean@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:02 AM Subject: [Carib] Ordering birth certifictaes form the Barbados RegistrationDepartment > Since there may be others with similar questions on ordering birth > certificates from the Barbados Registration Department, I shall quote here > from Geraldine Lane's "Tracing Ancestors in Barbados" and hope that will > be > of some help. (This book is inexpensive and is an invaluable aid for > anyone > doing serious research on Barbados families). > Ernest Wiltshire > > The address is as follows: > The Barbados Registration Department > Supreme Court of Barbados > Law Courts > Coleridge Street > Bridgetown > Barbados > Telephone (246) 426-3461 > FAX (246) 426-2405 > Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. > > Excerpts pps 19-21. > "... It is helpful when you approach staff at the Registration Department > for help in retrieving records, if you can give them as much information > as > possible about the people you are looking for. These are not easy records > to > access and any details gathered from family papers and relatives will make > the task easier. > Contents of the records > Births > Registration of births began in 1890 and the information given has changed > slightly over time. A certificate will have columns for the following, > some > or all of which will be completed: > When born; name; sex; name and surname of father; name and maiden name of > mother; place of residence and occupation of both parents; date > registered; > name and abode of informant. > > ...If you are based outside Barbados you should write, fax or phone (no > email is available); > > ... A staff member will conduct a brief search of the records held on > computer and you should provide as much of the following information as > possible: > Birth > The person's name, date of birth, names of parents and parish of birth. > The cost of certificates is currently as follows: birth B$1, death $B$5, > cause of death B$10, marriage B$10 if at least one party was a citizen of > Barbados or $20 if neither party was a citizen. ... > > Births can be confusing since up to about 1970 they are listed by the name > of the parent or parents rather than the child's name. So if you know the > child's name but not the names of the parent/parents you will not be able > to > use these records*. An alternative is the baptism records, which are > indexed > under the child's name. These are held in the same office and can be seen > by > the public." > > *[Geraldine was referring here to people doing research themselves, but > when > ordering from abroad it might be wise to specify that a baptism record > would > be an acceptable alternative: the baptism certificate usually gives the > birth date as well as the baptism date]. EW > -----Original Message----- > From: caribbean-bounces@rootsweb.com > [mailto:caribbean-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of Marg Smith > Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 3:05 AM > To: caribbean@rootsweb.com > Subject: Re: [Carib] New Orleans, West Indies > A big thank you to Ernest (and your very reliable informant), Rory and > Augusta for your information and input. > On Google Maps I have now found the district of New Orleans, St Michael, > Bridgetown, Barbados! Yes, just a little bit more info helps! > I have also looked at the Department of Archives website, but realise we > must start at the Registration Department. The links to this department > and > the http://lawcourts.gov.bb/ website seem to have little advice re > ordering > certificates. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Trade at > http://www.foreign.gov.bb/pageselect.cfm?page=110 have directions and a > form > > for ordering, however I cannot find any information re: > * what information will be on a birth certificate (born 1937 New Orleans, > St > > Michael, Bridgetown, Barbados)? > * can anyone order a birth certificate from the Registration Department, > or > is there (like most countries) a restriction (eg: in Australia we cannot > purchase a certificate for anyone born after 1908, with certain exceptions > of course) > * can you order online, or over the phone, with credit card, if you know > the > > date of birth?? > Hopefully we can obtain more information from the gentleman himself, > however, we are not sure as yet whether he is very interested!! > Thank you again everyone > Marg Smith > Mardi, NSW > Australia > > *************************** > The Caribbean List now has a Resources Page at Historic Antigua and > Barbuda http://www.rootsweb.com/~atgwgw/ > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > CARIBBEAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >