Guy,
I have just posted an application for a still birth certificate to the GRO. They will search from 1931 to 1933. If their search is unsuccessful, would it be worth my while to buy The Historic Stillbirth Register which you mention? Does The Historic Stillbirth Register contain any stillbirth type events which occurred in the 1930s but which are not recorded by the GRO?
I wish I could say "yes it will" but unfortunately though my Register is growing it is not growing quickly enough.
Due to the secrecy with the Official stillbirth register I cannot say wether any of the stillbirth on the Historic Register are not held on the GRO register in theory every stillbirth is on the GRO register but I have accounts from many people who have found that their own stillborn child is not registered on the official register.
There are roughly just over 3,500 stillbirths in England & Wales every year a figure that has remained the same for around 10 years.
The Historic Register though still growing only has around 11000 stillbirth recorded, a drop in the ocean.
One claim I can make for the Historic Register is that it clearly shows that some stillbirths are linked with locality some pinpoint a problem with a district or even a single street.
Often in areas of heavy industry or coal mining.
The ultimate aim is to upload the database to the web to enable free access but at present there is a charge to help fund the purchase of registers and data sets to assist in the compilation of the Historic Stillbirth Register
Cheers
Guy
PS
The database covers entries between the years 1551 and 2005 ; though does not claim to be an exhaustive list of such stillbirths.