In a message dated 31/10/2009 11:13:51 GMT Standard Time, NEGenealogy@aol.com writes: In a message dated 31/10/2009 07:35:27 GMT Standard Time, cq@aapt.net.au writes: I am after a birth certificate (to conform parent's names) in Houghton Le Spring in 1836 does any one know if this is available? If so Where from? Pom: Further to my first reply to this query. It strikes me that possibly you may not have fully understood that parish registers do not normally tell you the date of birth. A few do so but when they do that should be taken as an "extra" and not as something to expect. The register records baptisms so if only one date is given that will be the date of baptism, not of birth. If two dates are given then the earliest will be he birth date. Nothing extracted from a baptism register can be considered as a "birth certificate": there simply weren't any before 1 July 1837. Also, it could only be officially regarded as a "baptism certificate" if it is signed by the Rector of Houghton le Spring (the one in place when it was extracted)! Otherwise it will simply be "an extract" or "a one-entry transcript". Geoff Nicholson