This is something I have accepted over the years, but never really understood the reason for it. If I want a marriage certificate for any of my family I can quite happily apply for and receive it unless of course they married at the Register Office. I could perhaps understand even if there was a time limitation, but why are no historic registers from the Register Office available for general public search, or even for scanning by the subscription-based companies? I am aware that on occasion they grant access for indexing projects (Herefordshire being a good local example for me). I assume they are simply retained by the RO - why are they not deposited in the same way that (most) parish registers are? I'm guessing there is a very obvious reason, I await enlightenment! Ian Preece