No Death Certificate for WWI Soldier

[StevieB]

Hi Rosinish,

I will add a postem on FreeBMD as you suggest.

Many thanks for you help and advice.

Best wishes,

Steve

[AntonyMMM]

GRO don't have the original record - so you would have to get any correction made by the local registration office who hold the actual register entry ( assuming that is the same - there is the possibility it may have been copied wrongly when submitted to GRO in the quarterly return).

However, getting a correction made to a historical register, which in theory could be done, is in practice virtually impossible to do.

As already mentioned - that is the information given at the time, and signed by the informant as correct.

A postem is the best option, to help other researchers in future.

[StevieB]

Hi AntonyMMM,

Thank you for your advice.

I did undertake a little research and it appears a correction is possible for recent errors, but as you state virtually impossible for historical ones.

I might email Bristol records office, just to obtain an official response, purely for my persnickety satisfaction 

Steve 

[polarbear]

Hello StevieB

I don't know whether you have seen this from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission? Scroll down for more info....

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/361745/HENRY%20JOHN%20BRYANT/

PB

[Girl Guide]

Steve - Please note that you will need to contact the Bristol Registry Office not the Records Office.

Contact details:-

The Old Council House
Corn Street,
Bristol BS1 1JG
United Kingdom (UK)
Phone: 0117 922 2800
Email: register.office@bristol.gov.uk

Open Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 6 pm

[StevieB]

Hi polarbear & girlguide,

Thank you for the information, it is much appreciated.

I was aware of the War Graves Commission site, but was unaware of the additional information you were able to to download.

I will post back on any reply I receive from Bristol's Registry office.

Steve

[AntonyMMM]

An error in a name on a death register would be an "error of fact or substance", the most serious type.

The evidence required to correct it would be ... "a statutory declaration setting our the nature of the error and the true facts of the case made by two qualified informants or, in default of two qualified informants, then by two credible people with knowledge of the truth of the case", and could only be made with the authority of the registrar general.

Note that the fact needing to be proved would be that he was not using, or known by, the name James as a middle name at the time he died and that he was using or known by John.  You could use his birth registration (although there is no requirement for a birth and death registration to match - plenty of people choose to use different names)  and any other documents naming him at or around the time of his death as evidence, but I wouldn't get your hopes up!

[Girl Guide]

Anthony - Would the registry office be allowed to put a note in the 'margin' to state that he was also known as Henry John?

I know that notes are sometimes put in the 'margin' to indicate a change of information.

[AntonyMMM]

Anthony - Would the registry office be allowed to put a note in the 'margin' to state that he was also known as Henry John?

I know that notes are sometimes put in the 'margin' to indicate a change of information.

No - that would be a correction to the register.

I also forgot to mention that there is now a statutory fee of £75 for considering a correction.

(£90 for those needing to involve the registrar general, as this case would)