GRO indexes on gro.gov.uk !

[Jon_ni]

Regarding dashes for mother's surname & being illegitimate - just had an odd one out with a dash in the enhanced index for 1915 & a mothers name in the old index: Helen G Bennett, Southwark 1915. A wife on a distant branch, been working through my tree checking for extra births & filling all mms in, but not intending tracing her parents/siblings anyway. Checked it to find what the middle initial was.

[TinaRoyal]

Thanks KGarrad.

Tina Royal.

[ctrunfree]

Unless I'm mistaken, there seems to be one additional feature that has crept into the new system.

I've had a number of family members who apparently were born or died in a Workhouse.  The new GRO search now seems to indictate this in the Registration District search result field.  So for eg what was previously shown just as "Barnsley" registration district now shows as "Barnsley Union".

Or am I misreading this?  (I'm aware that this doesn't necessarily mean they were Workhouse inmates)

[Girl Guide]

Hhmm, interesting thought Free.

I have a book called Poor Law Union Records which lists all the places covered by registration districts.  For Barnsley there is no mention of Barnsley Union, just Barnsley.

Looking on freebmd gives the same, no specific mention of the Union.

It may well be that the GRO are being specific when a child is born in a workhouse.  I guess one way to check would be to check the census record to see where the child is living, especially if the child was born close to a census year.

[Romilly]

Unless I'm mistaken, there seems to be one additional feature that has crept into the new system.
I've had a number of family members who apparently were born or died in a Workhouse.  The new GRO search now seems to indictate this in the Registration District search result field.  So for eg what was previously shown just as "Barnsley" registration district now shows as "Barnsley Union".
Or am I misreading this?  (I'm aware that this doesn't necessarily mean they were Workhouse inmates)

An interesting point, - I've noticed this too...
Looking at the Birth Entry for Ellen Hamilton, Born 1845 Greenwich, - the Entry on the GovUk Site now says 'Greenwich Union'. It just says Greenwich on all of the other Sites. I was puzzling over 'Greenwich Union', and wondered if it was a Registration that included Deptford? Or does it indicate a Workhouse Birth?
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Greenwich/
Romilly

[ctrunfree]

Hhmm, interesting thought Free.

I have a book called Poor Law Union Records which lists all the places covered by registration districts.  For Barnsley there is no mention of Barnsley Union, just Barnsley.

Looking on freebmd gives the same, no specific mention of the Union.

It may well be that the GRO are being specific when a child is born in a workhouse.  I guess one way to check would be to check the census record to see where the child is living, especially if the child was born close to a census year.

Here's an example...

[Romilly]

Likewise with this Record:

Name:    Mother's Maiden Surname:     
HAMILTON, ELLEN        EDMONDS      
GRO Reference: 1845  D Quarter in GREENWICH UNION  Volume 05  Page 188.

And this is Ellen with Mother Charlotte Hamilton on the 1851 Census, - not in a Workhouse, I don't think?

1851 HO107; Piece: 1586; Folio: 83; Page: 1
Char’t Hamilton 45 Middlesex Green’h ? Pen’r Wife
Ellen 5 Deptford

Romilly.

[Andrew Tarr]

Unless I'm mistaken, there seems to be one additional feature that has crept into the new system.

I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but there seem to be more records in a 'Union' than I would have expected.  I've found plenty in my wife's ancestors, but never any of them in a workhouse on a census.  I would give the word Union another interpretation - I'll have to think what ...

[ctrunfree]

Unless I'm mistaken, there seems to be one additional feature that has crept into the new system.

I'm prepared to be proved wrong, but there seem to be more records in a 'Union' than I would have expected.  I've found plenty in my wife's ancestors, but never any of them in a workhouse on a census.  I would give the word Union another interpretation - I'll have to think what ...

As I indicated above, it doesn't mean they were residents.  I imagine it was the only available medical facility for some people giving birth or seriously ill.