No trace on GRO birth record though detailed Index record

[Fredsboy]

Any help appreciated - 20 minutes on the switchboard press 2 for boredom, three for frustration etc.
Via multiple searches (albeit they might reference same primary source) I have a birth Index, Q4 1870 Mary Ann Weatherby but I get a no trace at GRO Birth Records - I have tried phoenetics etc but no joy, and also reported on line as a possible error. Any hints or tips for re-searching please

[Radcliff]

the closest I can see is
Mary Ann Weatherley
J 1/4 1870
mother Peters,
Dartford REGISTRATION
yours is St Saviour ?

[jon541]

Seems to be on FreeBMD... where are you looking?

(1870 DQ St. Saviour 1d 63 as Mary Ann Weatherby)

I assume you're referring to the GRO's own index and, yes, it does seem to be missing or at least incorrectly indexed there.  I find this with about 5% of their records - i.e. that even a phonetic or similar-sounding variations search turns up nothing.  It is very annoying that they don't allow a restricted search without providing the surname (if you know the quarter and reg. district it's not going to overtax their server!).  That way it would be possible to determine if the entry had been mis-transcribed or omitted.

[janan]

 She is coming up on FreeBMD, here are details

Weatherby, Mary Ann St Saviour Vol 1d Pg 63 Oct-Nov-Dec qtr 1870
 but as you say not coming up at all on GRO website

Jan

Better twice than not at all 

[arthurk]

If you want a certificate you should be able to order it at the GRO site using the reference you've found at FreeBMD (and the image of the printed GRO index confirms it) - the way we always used to do it before the GRO produced its own index.

If you're simply using the GRO index as a way to get a mother's maiden name, you may be out of luck, and will need to buy the certificate to find out. (Again, as we always used to do.)

You might be able to avoid the expense if you can find the maiden name of any full siblings born either side of 1870, as you could probably assume Mary Ann had the same parents. Or if you find Mary Ann in a census, that might help you identify her parents and their marriage.

[AntonyMMM]

The issue is that the indexes are compiled using different rules - especially about how they treat births to unmarried parents. That means that differences in results are inevitable (and can be quite useful sometimes).

For unmarried couples, where both parents are named, the "old" indexes, as seen on FreeBMD, index the child under both surnames. The "new" GRO index, in similar unmarried cases where both parents are named seems to only index under the father's name.

On FreeBMD, if you look at the other entries on the same page (1d 63) in St Saviour District, there are two other entries with the forenames Mary Ann.....under ALLEN and SAWKINS.

There are eleven entries on that page, but should only be ten, so one entry has been indexed twice.

There are scenarios in which your entry could be either of the above - but without obtaining the certificate it is impossible to be sure which.

You can still order a pdf, just use the normal ordering process and the reference you have from FreeBMD and select pdf copy as the delivery method.

[Jebber]

There is the facility on the GRO website to notify them of missing or incorrect entries in their index. They are  very good  about making corrections, I have had several done.

[arthurk]

On FreeBMD, if you look at the other entries on the same page (1d 63) in St Saviour District, there are two other entries with the forenames Mary Ann.....under ALLEN and SAWKINS.

There are eleven entries on that page, but should only be ten, so one entry has been indexed twice.

There are scenarios in which your entry could be either of the above - but without obtaining the certificate it is impossible to be sure which.

Thank you, Antony - I should have thought to check the other entries under that reference before I wrote my earlier reply. For what it's worth, the GRO index has no mother's maiden name for the ALLEN entry, and FARR for the SAWKINS one.

There is the facility on the GRO website to notify them of missing or incorrect entries in their index. They are  very good  about making corrections, I have had several done.

But in this case, it almost certainly won't be possible to work out what is incorrect (if anything) without getting a copy of the certificate.

[Fredsboy]

Thank you all so much. So much to learn!

I have informed GRO and the next step will be to order the certificate so I can get to the bottom of this - I'll let you know what I find

Thx again

Paul