Genealogy Chat

Its the mediciation so forgive me......I'll type below as quick as I can!

When I order a birth or marriage cert from the local office, I often say I only want it if the father is Donald Duck or the bride's 1st name was Minnie or whatever. Do you think I could say that I only want the death cert if the person is over the age of 50???? The person died between the 1841 and 1851 census and was approx 50 in 1841 with rounding. I have THREE possibles for the name in the same area, all before the point when the age was stated on the indexes Thanks Lou

Not a daft question at all. The more info you can give them the more likely they are to root out the right certificate. They may work for the GRO, PRO or any combination of acronymic employers but they are after all, believe it or not, human. Jim

I think it is worth a go. It isn't a lot different from asking just for the birth certificate of the son of Donald Duck, or the marriage certificate of Superman and Lois. It is just another way of making sure that you are getting the right one.

I wasn't sure if that counted as reference checking or whether they'd just think I was deeply nuts! Will give it a try, thank you both! Lou

Hi Lou, I hope you're feeling better. Anyway, you can date of birth as a checking point when you order death certificates from the FRC/GRO BUT only for deaths in or after 1969 so this probably isn't much help to you. If you're going via a local records office I'd ask them. You never know they may be able to help. Louise

Lou Give them as much info as you can. Occupation, wife/husbands name, where you last managed to find them and when Remember with the local office, you will get all of your money back if its not the one you specify so the more info the better. The registrar has rung me on occasions to check info Margaret

Hi Louise Still feel yeuck but thank you for asking! Believe it or not, this death cert is the only piece of info I can find on my ancestor other than the 1841 census. No bap, no marriage, can find his kids no probs after finding them on the 1841, right down to baps, marriages, deaths, apprentice records....this chap is doing my head in! I'm kinda hoping that at least one of these death certs might be him OR they'll say they were all way too young to be him, in that case he was still alive in 1851 and I know I need to go back and start the hunt again! Lou Hi Heather!

Thanks Margaret Even with my limited info, I can give them occupation, wife's name and address in 1842 (from son's marriage cert) to narrow down the area. Got to be worth a try, they can only say no and its going to cost me £21 to get to the bottom of it! Lou

Lou Are these 3 certs all at the same office? If so, do what I did at Leicester. I needed an Ann Smith death cert. I had already had 2 wrong ones from the GRO so went through 1837 and found there were 5 more possibilities for the place. I listed them, gave them all the info I had and sent only £7. They sent me the right cert by return of post. Margaret

Lou, Be careful which info you select. For example a man may change his occupation frequently during his lifetime. Even a qualified Tradesman. So make sure you don't shut the door too tightly. Good luck Jim

Margaret Fab idea, thank you! Yep, same office Jim, I'll bear that it mind, thanks. He's still a Tailor in 1841 and on his son's marriage cert in 1842. These certs are for 1843, 1845 and 1846 so I'll keep everything crossed he didn't suddenly decide that he had the urge to give being an Ag Lab a try before his death! Lou

Lou Where is this? I know that there is no age on the index at that time. Might he be on the NBI, I can look. Margaret

Hi Margaret You know, told you I was doped up, never gave a thought to the NBI. We're back in Derbyshire again, I'm afraid! James Smitherd/Smithard...and looking at my notes, he was 60 in 1841, not 50. Born Melbourne, still in Melbourne in 1841 BUT wife Ann died in 1843 and was buried Derby All Saints so who knows. Shouldn't think there's too many of that name in their 60's, if any! Many thanks Lou

Lou, I would think along the lines that maybe it was his Widow who moved to Derby after his death. Possibly to share her life with a friend or relative rather than living alone. Just my opinion. Jim

Hi Jim Ann was buried in with her parents in a family plot but yes, he could have died first and she moved. I haven't yet got her death cert to find out where she died cos I was lucky enough to find the grave on my last visit to Derby. Lou

Lou Oh well it was worth a look. Nothing. Have checked all of Derbyshire and Melbourne isnt listed at all. Why didnt you come up with this when I went to Matlock LOL Margaret

Margaret I'm sorry and thanks for looking, but Derby are unbelievably helpful as a rule so I'm sure I'll get my cert without too much hassle! Lou

Lou When I saw the title and it was you, I just had to have a look and I wasn't disappointed:)) I didn't know that you were a descendant of Donald and Minnie:)) Seriously though, I wrote to the local register office recently for a death cert of one of my infernal Smiths. I was fed up with getting the wrong ones - there are so many. I had got two in mind, so I sent 2 £7 cheques and told them the area that I thought she was living in and her husbands name. I said that if the husband hadn't registered the death I would have them anyway as whoever had registered it might give me a clue. One week later I got the right certificate and a £7 cheque back. My first Smith breakthrough ever. I had to be brought down from the ceiling, I was so thrilled. Of course, I still can't find them without a marriage but it was great just to know that they really existed - I was beginning to wonder.:)) Good luck - Chrissie

Chrissie I wish! Mickey, Donald and Goofy would be far easier to find than my lot. Just turn on the Disney channel! Lou