National Stillbirth register

[Liz Richards]

Can anyone look up in the national stillbirth register for my father Derek Bedford born 23/06/1932. His twin was stillborn but he knows nothing about the baby. Mothers name Mayes. Born in Oldham Lancashire

[Guy Etchells]

If his parents are deceased he can apply for a stillbirth certificate for his twin brother
Cheers
Guy

[KGarrad]

Nobody has access to the Stillbirth Register except staff at GRO Headquarters!

I needed my mother's twin's certificate; so this is what I had to do:

1. Telephone the GRO, and explain what I wanted. 0300 123 1837
2. They sent me a form in the post (snail-mail!).
3. Fill in the form, and send it back - also snail-mail.

Within a short time I received the Stillbirth certificate.

There will be no child's name on the certificate.
Just parent's names, surname, date, address etc. as on a birth certificate.

[LizzieW]

My mum had a stillborn boy when I was in the last year of junior school, so I guess about 1951/2, so the only info I would get from a certificate would be the exact date.  Obviously I know the parents names (they were my parents) and our address at the time.

I can remember going to be one evening (7pm as children did in those days) and not long after there seemed to be some sort of commotion.  I shouted to ask what was the matter and was told there was nothing to worry about.  Next thing the GP arrive (how things have changed  ) and my mum was sent to bed.  The next morning my dad told me that mum had lost the baby - she was 7 months pregnant at the time - it was a boy, and it had died because its cord was tightly wound round its neck.  I presume the GP took the baby away as it certainly wasn't with mum, and the GP told my mum the best thing she could do would be to get pregnant again in a few months' time!!   She did get pregnant again and June 1953 my youngest brother was born.  Sadly my parents outlived him as he died from a brain tumour aged 37.

Lizzie

[Joney]

Does a Stillbirth certificate show whether the child was a boy or a girl, please ?

When my cousin had a stillborn baby in the 1960s, the hospital staff refused to tell her whether the child was a boy or a girl. When she wouldn't take no for an answer, they told her that they would tell her husband if he asked, but not her. As her husband refused to ask the staff, she still doesn't know. Just shows how times have changed !
Thanks in advance to anyone who can answer this.
Joney

[KGarrad]

Yes it does!

Columns are:
1. When and where born
2. Sex
3. Name and surname of father
4. Name, surname and maiden surname of mother
5. Occupation of father
6. Signature, description, and residence of informant
7. When registered
8. Cause of death and evidence that child was still-born
9. Signature of registrar

[Joney]

Thanks again. I had to be sure before I passed the info about how to obtain the certificate on to her.
I'll write a note at once.
Joney

[LizzieW]

In Joney's cousin's case who would have registered the stillbirth?  Did the staff do it in the 1960s, if the father didn't want to know the sex and the mother obviously didn't know the sex of the baby.

[Joney]

Think it was the staff. My cousin said they were given a printed form that showed an entry had been made in the register with a reference no. on it.