Hi Daphne Birth registration was compulsory from mid 1837 , the onus was on the Registrar to find the event at first until the parents or the householder was made responsible in 1874, a fine was also introduced However many events were not registered in the early years of civil registration, particularly births, many events were registered but never made it to the GRO index or were mistranscribed in the process Opinions vary but I have heard the figure of 10% to 15% of events were not registered It is also possible he was not Baptised, many were not Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) Ages can be wrong and often are but It's quite possible his birth was never registered, it wasn't compulsory until the 1870's. You are more likely to find a Baptism. Daphne