Genealogy Chat

Hello Everybody, I have been reading Valerie's thread and I am confused with what searches can be done at a local registry office. I have only ever used the FRC so far. My nearest local registry office is in Barking and Dagenham, I am after a birth cert from Lancashire. The problem is I have a choice of 2, first one is 'March 1869 Preston' the second is 'March 1870 Preston'. Can I ask my local registry office to check to see if the correct fathers name is on one of these cert's first before ordering them? Steve

You have to contat the office responsib;e for the distirct of the birth,marriage or death. Barking will only hold certs for events within their area,Lancashire events will be held at a Lancashire office. If you have a district number for the birth or whatever then you can find which office you need via the Genuki website. Glen

Hi Steve, when you order a birth you can ask for a reference check on the father's name and if the one you ordered doesn't match they will charge you about £3. Its the only way I know unless you can go to rec office and search the parish registers for his baptism. Lou

Just realised you have qouted Preston. The Preston Register Office will supply a cert,if you specify the father should be a certain name they will check this for you,before issuing the cert,no extra charge is made,the cost is still just £7..If no entry matches they would not issue the cert,(usually they do not charge unless a cert is issued.) The Lancashire offices will be listed on the ukbmd site. Glen

Lancashire Certificate Service Address: Quayside Court, Chain Caul Way, Docklands, PRESTON. PR2 2ZP Phone: 01772 326881 Fax: 01772 326886 Website: www.lancashire(.)gov(.)uk/environment/birthsmarriagesdeaths Opening Times: Monday to Friday - 9.30am to 4.30pm (10.30am first Wednesday every month) Glen

When you write making the enquiry always send an SAE, so that the office will send your £7 cheque/po back if they cant find the right one. I've never had monies deducted for an unsuccessful search. Also dont forget your phone no - many an office have phoned me to compare other info. If you cant find the address of the office you want - go to the website of the council of the town involved - you should find help there. Good luck jen

Thanks for your replies everybody. As I'm still having my thick moment I will add everything I know. On the 1881 Census I have Robert Winstanley 12 Hutton Lancashire. Not to sure what date and month the 1881 Census was done so looked over a couple of years on the FreeBMD site to look for births. Hutton comes under Preston so I have assumed births at Preston will be correct. So now I have left the two dates as listed above. Can anyone help with the date of the census? Steve

In summary if you were to ask for a cert in the name of; xxxx yyyy,with father aaaa zzzz in 1875,if no such entry appears you won't be charged. If there is an entry the cert costs £7 even though the local office have checked the father is the one you name. Preston usually supply a scanned copy or the original cert,so you will see the actual signature of the informant. If you were to order from the GRO and there was no entry you lose your £7 (it pays for the search), Glen

The 1881 census was 03/04/1881 Glen

OOOh spooky - I was born there Steve ! Although you dont say the address in Hutton Jen

Jennifer, your very lucky as they have charged me every single time with & without the reference check. I've never had a full refund. Even when I put in the ref check that the person should be widowed and aged in 70's - they sent me one aged 46!!! and with wrong wife's name, they still charged the full price even though it was obviously the wrong one. Lou

Lou, Poor you :0(( Part of my family were from widnes/liverpool/cheshire area and i use Halton/Prescot Offices and they've always been brilliant. I thought this was normal - but perhaps not. What a shame. Jen

Steven An even better dodge - it works for me! - is to either phone or email Preston with your problem - you don't know which of the two is right. I can practically guarantee that they wont charge you for the wrong one. Dont give them GRO numbers though - that infuriates them, the GRO numbers are useless to a local Register Office. See if you can find your two entries on the Lancsbmd site first and use those references when you phone or write. OC

Preston registry office is fantastic - very helpful. They've rung me before now to query things and sent my cheque back when it was discovered to be the wrong cert. But they also like to hear the story behind the certs as well -such as the suicide of my mad axe murderer (well, it brightened up their day didn't it!). Go on ring them, they won't bite (well, not that I know of anyway - lol). Snowdrops

Hi OC, Great idea, being from Dagenham I love dodges so I will look into that. Steve

Hi Jennifer, The address on the 1881 Census is 33 George St Lancaster, Lancashire, England. Steve

Hi Steve So he moved further up north then to Lancaster? When you find out his Hutton address pm me and I'll see if a photo is possible, as I often go 'home' (crikey left there about 25 yrs ago!); to visit old friends and rellies. wish you success jen Hutton used to be a tiny farming community (maybe another ag lab :0)) but its much much bigger now but a lovely place.

Is this the family in 1881? Richard WINSTANLEY Head M Male 40 Euxton, Lancashire, England Gardner Domestic Servt Margaret WINSTANLEY Wife M Female 37 Longton, Lancashire, England Robert WINSTANLEY Son Male 12 Hutton, Lancashire, England Scholar John WINSTANLEY Son Male 10 Birkenhead, Cheshire, England Scholar Elizabeth A. WINSTANLEY Daur Female 8 Birkenhead, Cheshire, England Scholar Ellen WINSTANLEY Daur Female 5 Standish, Lancashire, England Scholar Joseph WINSTANLEY Son Male 2 Lancaster, Lancashire, England Francis R. WINSTANLEY Son Male 6 m Lancaster, Lancashire, England If so, the same ones in 1871......... Name: Richard Winstanley Age: 30 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841 Relation: Head Spouses's Name: Margaret Gender: Male Where born: Layland, Lancashire, England Civil Parish: Claughton with Grange Ecclesiastical parish: Bidston County/Island: Cheshire Country: England Registration district: Birkenhead Sub-registration district: Tranmere ED, institution, or vessel: 16 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 186 Household Members: Name Age John Winstanley 1 month John Robt Winstanley 2 Margaret Winstanley 27 Richard Winstanley 30 So, maybe you should be looking John Robert's birth, as opposed to just Robert............ Of course, registration wasn't compulsory until 1875.............so bear that in mind. Reg

Hi Reggie, Yes it is the correct family that you have posted. I had a look for John Robert Winstanley's omly one came up, at W Derby in Dec 1970. Don't think it is the one as the ages don't add up the same. I do not have access to the 1871 census so I have not seen it but I find it strange that they would have called two sons John. Could it be a mistake? Steve