Registry Offices

[smudger28]

Hi Guys

I have probably asked this question before, but is it possible to view the registers at the registry office for marriages?

I had a bit of luck recently when a lady gave me the exact location to a record I was after.  I phoned the registry office and asked if they could supply me with the details.  She said she would look for me.  She gave me what I asked for basically but I forgot to ask her about ages and if the Fathers were desceased.  I phoned back and left an answer phone message which she got back to me and said she could not release anymore information and I would have to buy the certificate.

Now my questions are:

1.  How do you know if any of your relatives are in the register without looking, is there an index to registers?  Then you can buy if you want!

2.  Why can't you openly view the records like you can at the records centers?

3.  Last one where do we stand with this new freedom of information act?

Thanks guys

Let me know if you have had the same sort of problems 

Paul

[KernishKim]

Hi Paul!
Dont know if this will help you or not but I always go on the familysearch.org website - its FREE and there are many births/marriages/deaths entries dating from 1700s. Just click on search at the top then pedigree files on the left. They also have the 1881 england census.
Give it a go!! Good luck, Mary