New GRO feature? How are you finding it?

[coombs]

Now you can get an online copy of births from July 1837 to 1922 and from July 1837 to 1887 within 30 seconds or so for £2.50 each, how are you finding the new service? I have bought about 15 or 16 certs so far. It also shows how "phthisis" (pulmonary TB) was a major killer in those days. I am really grateful for this new service, and can understand why the online downloadable births only go up to 1922 yet you can still order a 1923-onwards birth cert online and send off for it.

[Davedrave]

I’m finding it really useful. I’m using it to “mop up” a few death registrations of various great grandparents, but mainly I’ve used it to investigate the deaths of all those infant siblings in my great grandparents generation. Quite striking how there was an urban/ rural split. 8 out of 10 children died in West Ham, 1850’s to 1860’s, diarrhoea and lung problems (they lived next to the gasworks and Channelsea River). OTOH, all 12 children on a farm in Warwickshire lived (1840’s-1870’s).

At £7.50 a go I wouldn’t have taken the plunge.
The other thing is that the quality of the images has been consistently good.

ps Also an interesting death in 1854 ascribed to cow pox vaccination.

[Davedrave]

I must admit that I have found the information a bit frustrating at times. When they were £7.50 for the cheapest version and I already had a burial record with abode, I tended not to order the death reg if I was pretty certain who the person was, and they died at an advanced age in a village, because cause of death was quite likely to be “old age” and the address just the name of the village.

I did just order a couple of records for old people, who are almost certainly the parents of a well-documented individual in the same village, just in case the informant’s name was a clue. Unfortunately, the address is simply the name of the village, the informants were probably just neighbours, and both deceased died of “old age”. Still, certainly better to spend £5 than £15 to remain in the dark.

[ansteynomad]

I'm very happy with it and for £12.50 I now know a great deal more about my great great grandmother's life.

[coombs]

In those early years the causes of death described was quite basic, just "old age", "decline", "phthisis" etc. But well worth the £2;50 to get exact date of death or exact date of birth, and to even get certs of potential relatives. Yes, often the informants were just neighbours, or close relatives but occasionally in laws or cousins etc. Marriage witnesses were often relatives but could also have been friends or neighbours invited to the wedding. One day they may release online downloadable marriages.

[Pennines]

I love the fact that you can order and see the record immediately -- as you can on Scotlands People.

Having said that, I have only obtained one so far, and unfortunately the image was slightly 'askew'. It showed the lower part of the entry above, thereby omitting the lower part of my pdf. Could not see the relationship and/or location of the informant - and other lower less important words.

I still will use it again with eagerness though!!

[lisalisa]

I love the fact that you can order and see the record immediately -- as you can on Scotlands People.

Having said that, I have only obtained one so far, and unfortunately the image was slightly 'askew'. It showed the lower part of the entry above, thereby omitting the lower part of my pdf. Could not see the relationship and/or location of the informant - and other lower less important words.

I still will use it again with eagerness though!!

I ordered a death cert where the top line of cause of death was missing, the image being slightly out of alignment.
I filled in the contact form for reporting image quality
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/contact_us.asp
https://www.certificate-enquiries.homeoffice.gov.uk/about

and although I said I'd like to know what the top line said, I received a refund for the £2.50.
It must be cheaper for them to do that than spend time looking for an entry. 

So I have ordered 4, that one was mis-aligned, one I got today was also slightly out, but I can work out the missing words.

Am pleased so far, I wish the range of dates for death certs were beyond 1887.

[Comberton]

www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=874290.27

newbie had the same problem in reply 18, see reply 35

[Old Bristolian]

In those early years the causes of death described was quite basic, just "old age", "decline", "phthisis" etc. But well worth the £2;50 to get exact date of death or exact date of birth, and to even get certs of potential relatives.

That's what I was expecting for a ggg grandmother in 1861, but she died from'Accidental burning' and the informant was the coroner. Sadly  I can't find any newspaper report of the inquest