New GRO pilot birth and death indexes - discover lost children - mortality rates

[melba_schmelba]

One implication of the fact we now have maiden names recorded for births back to 1837 that I realised (previously only I think back to 1911?), is the ability to search for children that died as infants and never appeared on censuses, especially useful with more common surnames.
   I am not sure if it's a coincidence or not, but in London I have found particularly high infant mortality. In one family in Hackney in the 1870s, the last four out of five all died less than 2 years old, with the father dying shortly after the last was born. They were all buried in public graves in Abney Park Cemetery (free search http://www.devsys.co.uk/AP/ ). In another slightly better off family living in Bishopsgate in the 1850s & 60s, out of 12 children, 5 died under 14 years old.

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

Deaths now also list age at death back to 1837 where it was previously only back to around mid 1860s, useful to narrow down which is the right one if there are multiple candidates.

[Jebber]

The mortality rate for children was always much higher in the city than rural areas, the close  proximity in which people lived, meant diseases spread more rapidly. Poor sanitation also had a significant effect.

[rosie99]

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

Deaths now also list age at death back to 1837 where it was previously only back to around mid 1860s, useful to narrow down which is the right one if there are multiple candidates.

Be aware that on that index some deaths of children showing as under 12 could be months not years

[Jebber]

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

Deaths now also list age at death back to 1837 where it was previously only back to around mid 1860s, useful to narrow down which is the right one if there are multiple candidates.

Be aware that on that index some deaths of children showing as under 12 could be months not years

And some are weeks or days.

[melba_schmelba]

The mortality rate for children was always much higher in the city than rural areas, the close  proximity in which people lived, meant diseases spread more rapidly. Poor sanitation also had a significant effect.

Yes, I suppose pollution of varying sorts, sewerage, smoke, various hazardous chemicals and by- products being drained into streets & sewers etc. just added to the city being a terrible place to bring up children.

Be aware that on that index some deaths of children showing as under 12 could be months not years

Ah, that's no good ! I have noticed a few mistakes already which I sent corrections in for.

[rosie99]

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/default.asp

Deaths now also list age at death back to 1837 where it was previously only back to around mid 1860s, useful to narrow down which is the right one if there are multiple candidates.

Be aware that on that index some deaths of children showing as under 12 could be months not years

And some are weeks or days.

Very true   

[cuffie81]

Be aware that on that index some deaths of children showing as under 12 could be months not years

I've come across instances where the actual ages were up to 24 months, for which I have birth certificates, death certificates and/or burial records, so I now regard any age up to 24 in the GRO index as potentially iffy.

Surely the GRO must have recorded the time unit when they transcribed the records. If so, I really don't understand why they haven't got around to updating the display. Simply including the unit (y, m, w, d, h) would suffice.

[StevieSteve]

They have been carrying out three separate delivery trials since they released the search so they haven't exactly been sitting on their hands.

I'm going to assume that they'll amend the format as part of the feedback generated

[cuffie81]

My gut feeling is that if they have the data it'd be a trivial change to include the unit on the death records.

At the absolute minimum they could at least correct the wording from 'Age at Death (in years)' so it's not misleading.