General Chat

Thanks for the chuckle Jean!! Maz. XX

Julie Anne, You certainly have a job on your hands trying to find your great gran. Do you think they did it on purpose just to confuse us? Wish you luck. Jean x.

Maz, You are so sweet. Thanks for the tip about Ilford library but I assume they have the GRO indexes which , as you know, I have already searched numerous times for what seems like hundreds of years. If I ever find Grandad's birth I think the shock will kill me and then I will be able to talk to him personally' Looking forward to seeing you on 27th. Jean x.

Hi Jean how are you luv??!! Did you know that Ilford library has the indexes on fiche in the Local Studies section on the 2nd (?) floor. Free to search and usually no-one else there much. Also, did I say to you to look at those registered just as 'male'??? We couldn't find our grandmother - we were looking on and off for years - then someone gave me this tip and we found one - just 'female' - sent off, and it was her!! And yes, 18 quid is out of order!!! Maz. XX

i have to agree with you jean, im not mean but i hate paying for something that may mean didly squat to me , ive been trying to trace my g granmother but didnt want to pay in case she dont want to be found. well a real kind person on another site looked up in her local library the address i had for relevant dates and g gran wasnt registered there five years either side of date , only a hsband an wife who happened to be a nurse so i now think g gran had my nan there with the nurse to help her and then left as nan was adopted. dont pay 18 pound to them theiving people its paying to do it yourself. good luck tho with your search

Chrissie, I live on the borders of London so perhaps I should try libraries. I don't think 1837 will help as I believe that is just a transcription of the GRO indexes. Thanks for your suggestions. Mary, Thanks. I will e.mail you. Everyone, So glad it is not just me that thinks this is a rip-off. Jean x.

Jean. Cant promise anything but i have a lot of info if you are looking in Southwark. If you would like to email me I will look for you. Mary

No, I'd be the same, Jean. It's a bit intimidating to me. Glenys x

Hi Jean Do you have a library near you with the records? I believe they are free. £18 is ridiculous. Could some of us help you by looking on 1837? Chrissie

Jean They charge YOU £18 per day for simply looking at what is a public record? How can it cost them that? Crikey, you can go to the National Archive in Kew and look at whatever you fancy all day every day for free! I can see that perhaps they don't have the resources themselves to search, but charging you to do your own does strike me as excessive. I know that some London registrars refuse to issue certs for genealogical purposes, which I also think is a bit rich. NELL

Hi Everyone. Many of you will be bored to tears by the ongoing saga of my Grandad Durant, but must ask you this. Know Grandad was born in Borough in April, 1874 but cannot find him in the GRO indexes. This morning rang Southwark Register Office to see if they could help. Was informed they do not do searches in the 1800's anymore but I was welcome to search myself. Getting very excited now. Then came the cruncher. It is £18.00 for a day plus £7 if you need a certificate. I am not mean in any sense of the word but I really cannot afford that kind of expenditure on the 'off chance'. Am I alone in thinking this is exorbitant? Jean x.