Just a note to help those who are concerned about ordering certificates with uncertain information from FreeBMD. The ONS at Southport (available online) are very accommodating. If you are uncertain about the details then give them what you have and they will do a limited search for an additional fee. If two transcribers have enterred different values(e.g. 1d 541 and 1d 341 then that is checked for a small charge. I recently gave them a choice of two marriage entries from the FRC indexes with different years and districts where I happened to know the wife's forename. They checked both and sent me the correct certificate. If you give them as much information as you can you will find they are very helpful. Peter Hendy-Ibbs
However - BIG WARNING - don't give them TOO MUCH information if you don't need to. They are very literal in their interpretation of what you say. As an example, I once specified a father's name as 'John Charles VAUGHAN' - they refused to issue the certificate (and charged me £4.50 for the privilege) because the name was shown only as 'John VAUGHAN'. You have to look into the bureaucratic government employee mind when specifying things and give as many alternatives as you can think of or it may cost you more than you bargained for. Hugh Wallis -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: September 20, 2001 11:19 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: Uncertain information on FreeBMD Just a note to help those who are concerned about ordering certificates with uncertain information from FreeBMD. The ONS at Southport (available online) are very accommodating. If you are uncertain about the details then give them what you have and they will do a limited search for an additional fee. If two transcribers have enterred different values(e.g. 1d 541 and 1d 341 then that is checked for a small charge. I recently gave them a choice of two marriage entries from the FRC indexes with different years and districts where I happened to know the wife's forename. They checked both and sent me the correct certificate. If you give them as much information as you can you will find they are very helpful. Peter Hendy-Ibbs ============================== Visit Ancestry's Library - The best collection of family history learning and how-to articles on the Internet. http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library