Hi Bob The powers that be used other means to prove the birth date claimed Census in some cases or baptism, but also signed declarations, Army records etc If you think about it, if there were retrospective birth registration they would still have to prove it in the same way Apart from the obvious missing the registration, was he born to married parents or even to those parents, there was no official adoption system in England until 1927 Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) On 25/07/2012 13:31, Robert Holmes wrote: > I read quite recently that about 1874 it became the duty of parents to > report a birth rather than the registar going in search of birth. My > grandfather was born around 1873 and may therefore have been one of the > 30 percent of unreported births. Question is how did they get a pension > assuming they lived to 65? Was a birth cert required ; could they > register retrospectively etc > > > Bob Holmes in tropical Axbridge