GRO General Register Office

[rockyracoon]

Is it possible to actually go to the GRO to look for birth records. I need to find the date of birth of a family member, I've been on Ancestry but it only gives me the quarter in that year that the birth was registered. I've tried looking for any details on Directgov but it's really not very helpful.

Thanks for any responses

[mxyzptlk]

I think that is all you will find at the GROI too. You will need to purchase a copy of the birth certificate for more info.

[rockyracoon]

I don't mind ordering a copy of the birth cert but I need the date of birth, bit of a catch 22.

[craft1948]

no rocky you don't need the date to get a certificate. Go on ancestry and copy down from the entry the year, quarter, volume number, and page number and you can order one on line using those details for £7.00

[rockyracoon]

craft, where can you order it from, I was on directgov/gro and needed the date of birth even with the index number.

[rockyracoon]

Just been on ancestry and it's £20. How come they can do it?

[dothawkes31]

because they have paid thousands and thousands for the index es they let us pay to use and they are in business to make money.
use that link I gave you. which RD is it?

[dothawkes31]

check the addy here:
http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/regoff.html

though an older RD may have merged with another especially after the county changes in 1974

[craft1948]

rocky follow these instructions on the GRO site, not ancestry, obviously filling in your own details
http://www.theanswerb...y/Question860914.html

[rockyracoon]

Doh, been on there, put it all in and it is still saying as under 50 years I need date of birth

[rockyracoon]

I am clearly, very thick!

[craft1948]

oh right rocky I've never applied for one for someone under 50 so have never come across that before.....sorry.........l'd ring the registrar's office where it was registered and make sure they can supply what you want without the date of birth.....sorry again...I've learnt something new.

[craft1948]

No you're not thick.....I've just put in my daughters details (she's 40) and you're right you do need the date of birth.

[dothawkes31]

I've never heard of that, mind I never get any so new myself.

[rockyracoon]

Thank god, thought I was going mad. I don't mind travelling to look myself if I can't do it online, but there is nothing helpful telling me whether I can or not, or opening hours etc.

[dothawkes31]

'Under UK legislation, birth certificates are designated as 'public records', and as such anyone can request a duplicate certificate to be produced. The only caveat to this is that for births that occurred within the past 50 years, the full details are required to be provided (which includes full date of birth, and parents' names including the mother's maiden name). This is to protect against identity fraud'

[dothawkes31]

You'll just have to ask a close relative then, or do you know a policeman? Or can you check on yell.com , maybe they're on a site like that.

[dothawkes31]

If that is the case, how come the researchers on heirhunters get to buy birth certificates like they do for people who are still alive, but they can't know the DOB? Or has that never happened on ther, am I imagining that?

[rockyracoon]

I can answer all the questions except DOB, very frustrating. I can see the sense in the identity fraud thing, but you think it would be greater than that wouldn't you, more like 90 years. Many thanks for all your help, I'll have to wait 4 years and hope they don't up the age any more lol.

[rockyracoon]

Thats what I was quering earlier, why do they have a right to have this info?

[rockyracoon]

I can just click on 'order certificate' and away I go for £20. May have to resort to that.