Evening all. Short form certificates were still issued at least up to 1984, as I have one for my son as well as the full one. To the original question, I have one original short form birth certificate, for my mother, which was stamped on the back with an oval stamp Received 21 OCT 1952 Evidence The 2 words being in the top and bottom borders of the oval. And I have just looked again at the front of the certificate and realised that although Mam was born in 1920, the certificate was issued by the Superintendent Registrar in 1949. I wonder why? Cheers Steve On 24/08/2010 18:46, Patrick Williams wrote: > Hi Kevin > > A very interesting comment of yours re adoption, in 1969 short certificates > only were issued after the legal adoption process, this was certainly the > case when we went through it and as far as I am aware the original full > certificate has many restrictions placed on it. > > Our son has never had problems with any OFFICAL documents only petty > jobsworth's have made life difficult. > > I also do not have a long certificate but that was probably cost during > wartime. > > Regards > > Patrick Williams > > > > >> A standard (full) certificate is required when applying for official >> documents such as passports, driving licences and job applications. I did >> point out that short birth certificates can be obtained from the local >> registrar, not the GRO, for the same price as a standard certificate. >> >> Stan Mapstone >> > > That's interesting to read because I've never had a long certificate and yet > > I have a passport and driving licence! > > I've always joked with my parents that I could be adopted as my birth > certificate doesn't state who my parents are - only when and where I was > born. My dad registered my birth in North Tyneside and doesn't remember > being told there was a short or long certificate, and it wasn't because of > the cost... > > It's ironic that I've bought over 100 BMD certificates, yet I've never > bothered buying my own. > > Kevin > > > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== > To Post a message to this list send it to, > DUR-NBL-L@rootsweb.com > > ==== DUR-NBL Mailing List ==== > List Web Page > http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/durhamgenealogy/index.phtml > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DUR-NBL-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > >

A new short form of birth certificate was introduced on 15th December 1947, provided under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, 1947, costing 6d. It showed only the name and surname, sex, date of birth and (where possible) place of birth. There were no particulars of parentage or adoption. There had been a mistaken idea that the short certificate carried with it the stigma of illegitimacy, but that had almost entirely disappeared, and it was now in extensive use. The Times reported in September 1955 that the National Council for the Unmarried Mother and her child had been able to help a number of illegitimate people of pensionable age, who had been reluctant to produce a birth certificate, by making them aware of the new short certificate. In 1955 almost as many short as full certificates were being issued, every year, by Somerset House and local registrars. Stan Mapstone

Our elder son only has a short certificate ... and he was born 1998. By the time our other son was born, I realised the benefits of the long/full certificate and insisted that he be issued with that one. Only wish that I had a long/full one for our first son. Heather Steve wrote: > Evening all. > > Short form certificates were still issued at least up to 1984, as I have > one for my son as well as the full one. > > > <snip> > > Cheers > Steve > >