I have been preparing the Estate Accounts of my late father, and among his papers I came across both his and my mother's original birth certificates and their original marriage certificate. All of them provided (to me at any rate) minor surprises. Father's Birth Certificate 1) I had believed all birth certificates were printed in red ink - but this one, dated 19 April 1911 - was in black. When did the colour change? 2) The price was 2s. 7d [13p in Funny Money], while for a copy (if requested later) it was 3s. 7d (including 1d Stamp Duty and a 1-year search) plus 6d Search Fee for every other year that year [18p + 2½p]... Mother's Birth 'Certificate' 1) Although printed in red, it was a 'Certificate of Registration of Birth' dated 19 November 1913. 2) The only information it gave was her name, date of birth, date of registration, and the Register number and Entry number. It also bore a "NOTICE - This Certificate when duly filled up by the Registrar, is to be given (*on demand*) to the INFORMANT at the time of Registering th Birth, on payment of a fee not exceeding Three-pence [1¼p]". I have never seen such a document before - it is printed on flimsy paper and measures some 6½ x 4½in [165 x 115mm], and isn't stamped. 3) It would seem that she never had any other certificate - my father was meticulous in his filing of 'Important Papers' - but she nonethelss held a series of passports... Parents' Marriage Certificate 1) Dated 25 September 1937 it was evidently written out in full by the Vicar of Claines Church - who copied *everything* - including the signatures of the happy Couple and their witnesses. 2) Was this a usual practice - and if so, when did it cease? Gus PS My apologies for the cross-posting

Hi John, This site might help. http://www.dixons.clara.co.uk/Certificates/indexbd.htm Joyce ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Tysoe" <gtysoe@jtysoe.fsnet.co.uk> To: <ENG-WORCESTER-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, May 23, 2005 11:32 AM Subject: [WOR] Certificates in general > I have been preparing the Estate Accounts of my late father, and among his > papers I came across both his and my mother's original birth certificates > and their original marriage certificate. > > All of them provided (to me at any rate) minor surprises. > > Father's Birth Certificate > 1) I had believed all birth certificates were printed in red ink - but > this one, dated 19 April 1911 - was in black. When did the colour change? > 2) The price was 2s. 7d [13p in Funny Money], while for a copy (if > requested later) it was 3s. 7d (including 1d Stamp Duty and a 1-year search) > plus 6d Search Fee for every other year that year [18p + 2½p]... > > Mother's Birth 'Certificate' > 1) Although printed in red, it was a 'Certificate of Registration of > Birth' dated 19 November 1913. > 2) The only information it gave was her name, date of birth, date of > registration, and the Register number and Entry number. > It also bore a "NOTICE - This Certificate when duly filled up by the > Registrar, is to be given (*on demand*) to the INFORMANT at the time of > Registering th Birth, on payment of a fee not exceeding Three-pence [1¼p]". > I have never seen such a document before - it is printed on flimsy paper > and measures some 6½ x 4½in [165 x 115mm], and isn't stamped. > 3) It would seem that she never had any other certificate - my father was > meticulous in his filing of 'Important Papers' - but she nonethelss held a > series of passports... > > Parents' Marriage Certificate > 1) Dated 25 September 1937 it was evidently written out in full by the > Vicar of Claines Church - who copied *everything* - including the signatures > of the happy Couple and their witnesses. > 2) Was this a usual practice - and if so, when did it cease? > > Gus > > PS My apologies for the cross-posting > > > > > > ==== ENG-WORCESTER Mailing List ==== > Transcribers wanted for Worcestershire FreeREG > for more information see http://freereg.rootsweb.com > UK Census on-line > http://freecen.rootsweb.com/ > http://www.worcestershiresurnames.co.uk/ > >