Author Topic: Birth Registation 1850s  (Read 3240 times)

Offline Marmitch

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Birth Registation 1850s
« on: Tuesday 14 September 04 14:13 BST (UK) »
Just a general question.
Is it possible for someone born in the late 1850s, not to have had their birth registered. The person I am looking for had other older and younger siblings registered, so presumably the parents were aware of the need to register a child legally, and not to rely simply on baptismal records. Can anyone think of a reason for this omission?

Offline Darcy

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 14:58 BST (UK) »
Hi Marmitch ;D

I have a similar problem trying to find the birth of my grandfather circa 1888. I know when his birthday was and have his death certificate to prove the year - but no luck.

The Northern Ireland GRO have searched 3 years either side of the date I gave them but cannot find a birth entry for him.

They have given me three possible reasons for this - either he was not born in Northern Ireland, or his birth was never registered,or I have given them the wrong date.

I am positive sure that he was born in Northern Ireland and, as all the other children where registered, can't imagine that he wasn't - that leaves the wrong birth date which means the age on his death certificate must be wrong. The only other thing I can think is that he is registered under an incorrect spelling of his name.

Hope the other RootsChatters can give us a few more suggestions.

Regards
Darcy :D
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Offline trish251

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 15:21 BST (UK) »
In my family, the age at death has been significantly wrong a number of times. Check who the informant was on the certificate. If it is not a child, spouse or sibling, the age may be a "best guess".

Spelling can also be a problem. My grandmother's birth certificate spelt Ethel as Ahel and the surname bore little relationship to her name. When the registry eventually found it we were most impressed by their efforts especially as she was born 3 years earlier than she had thought.

Trish
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Offline Chris in 1066Land

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #3 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 16:01 BST (UK) »
Hi there

All Births, Marriages and Deaths since the 1st July 1837 are supposed to have been registered by the state, but in the earlier years some escaped the net because the onus was on the Registrar to record the birth, not the parents.

This changed in 1874 when the onus was tranferred to the parents to register a birth, and a fine was imposed if they did not register the birth within a certain amount of days. (think it was 1 month)

The registration system was not completely effective in its early years, and has been estimated that up to 15% of births were not registered between 1837 and 1860.

Before 1875 parents were not penalised for not registering a birth, nor was there any way in ensuring that the information supplied was accurate.

Hope that helps

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 16:35 BST (UK) »
Just to follow up on Chris excellent reply the time for registration of a birth was always set at 42 days after the event but as has been said in the early yyears this didnt happen because the registrars didnt get paid to go out knocking on doors. 

There was a piece in one of the histroical Times newspapers on this subject where the registrar had written a letter to the editor of the times explaining why he had decided to return to the family trade of carpenter instead of being a registrar.  He was complining that because people were living longer having fewer children he could no longer make this job pay apparently he took a percentage of each registration.  With that in mind I wonder if this was why the births from 1st July 1837 and January 1875 ( or is it 1874 now you have me thinking Chris) in some cases were never chased down

rob

Offline Chris in 1066Land

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 16:51 BST (UK) »

Take your pick

1875 - The Oxford Companion to Local & Family History by David Hey, page 96
1874 - Beginning your Family History, George Pelling, page 46

Chris in 106Land
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Offline Boongie Pam

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 17:13 BST (UK) »
Can I just point out to anyone reading this thread that it only applies to England and Wales.

Northen Ireland... http://www.groni.gov.uk/index.htm

What Information is Available ?

Registers of births and deaths (from 1864) and registers of marriages (from 1845). These civil registers make up the main series of records maintained by the General Register Office.


Scotland... http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/grosweb/grosweb.nsf/pages/histgros

The 1854 Act provided for the setting up of the General Registry (sic) Office, the appointment of a Registrar General and the appointment of registrars in every parish. It also provided that the Registrar General should produce an annual report to be forwarded to the Home Secretary to be laid before Parliament containing 'a general abstract of the numbers of births, deaths and marriages registered during the foregoing year'. The first general abstract (relating to 1855) was submitted in 1856.

marmitch,

What area are you researching?  The closer you are to the start of statutory registration the higher percentage of BMD NOT registered.

Also what job did the father have?  I ask because I had a missing reg in Wales in 1871, the person in question had 10 siblings all registered in Conway but she wasn't. 

Turned out she could have been registered in Altringham.  Her father was a builder and was on a big job - big enough he took all the family - this only came to light when they weren't where I thouhgt they'd be on the 1871 census.

Cheers,
Pam
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Offline Marmitch

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 14 September 04 18:32 BST (UK) »
The father worked as a tailor. What you say about movement could apply as one of his children was born in Salford in 1854, and by the 1860s they lived in Rochdale. I haven't yet located them on the 1861 census, but then I am relying on the kindness of others to do look ups which I understand can be time consuming if you don't have an address or at least a fairly exact location.
As most people will appreciate, clues can be quite limited.
Will post a request for 1861 census again with the best info I have.

Offline Kazza

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Re: Birth Registation 1850s
« Reply #8 on: Wednesday 15 September 04 10:41 BST (UK) »
And there is the fact that often expectant mothers went to their mothers as their due date approached.  If they are out of the area,  you should bear in mind that the birth should be registered in the district in which it took place.

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