'27' written on birth certificate

[edalmun]

Hello,

I recently ordered a birth certificate registered in Chorlton, Manchester in 1912. The father's name has been filled in but then a line put through it. The number '27' has been written underneath. Also, the words 'Twenty seven' are written on the far right of the entry, outside the boxes.

I think that the father's name has been crossed out becasue the parents weren't married, and only the mother went to register the birth, so the father's name had to be removed. However I would like to know what the '27' means, does this reference some further information?

Thank you,
Elissa

[mosiefish]

Hello Elissa,

Any error in the register had to be numbered and entered on the right hand side and initialled by the registrar.  So this was error number 27 in that particular register. 

Regards,
Mo

[edalmun]

Thank you for your explanation Mo, that's very helpful. Would any record be kept of what the error was? Maybe explaining the mistake?

Thanks again,
Elissa

[mosiefish]

Hi Ellssa,

I actually don`t know if the registrars did keep a separate record of any errors or deletions. 

Sorry,

Mo

[Nick29]

The error was that the father's name had been written in.  Registrars were not allowed to erase or completely deface errors or alterations - they could only put a line through them and give a reference number.  Sometimes there could be a note against the error, giving an explanation, but not always.

[edalmun]

So if there's no explanation on the actual entry there wont be one any where else. If I'vve understood correctly!

Thank you both for your help, that's cleared that up for me.

Elissa

[stanmapstone]

All corrections of a minor nature occurring at the time of the entry have to be numbered, obviously to prevent someone coming along later and altering an entry. Therefore, in this case, the correction would have been made at the time it was entered and, as has been said, is the 27th such correction in the register. For errors discovered within a month of the entry being made then the Registrar in the presence of the relevant parties, or in their absence in the presence of the Superintendent Registrar and two other credible witnesses, correct the erroneous entry by entry in the margin, without making any alteration of the original entry, and sign the marginal entry, adding date when the correction was made.

Stan