Vera Herbert strange birth discrepancy

[AngelaF67]

Vera is my grandma Edna’s sister on the GRO the only birthday I can find says she was born in
Sep 1916 and so does Freebmd. However :-

The 1939 census states her name as Vera Binns birthday written as 24 May 1916.

Her details are: Vera Binns nee Herbert born 1916 in Accrington (Registered in Haslingden)
Mothers name Letitia Herbert nee Johnson
Fathers name Fred Herbert
Her sister is Edna Herbert born Nov 1917

Am I missing something or did people change their birthdays to suit back then, just seems a bit odd to me.  Mind you my family has been nothing but strange 

[mckha489]

I expect it is just that the GRO ref is for the September quarter
ie July August September.   
So she was probably born in May but they didn't get around to registering her birth until July.


added - also note the GRO ref has 'occasional copy A". I think that means there was an alteration to the initial registration. Someone will come along and explain that hopefully. '

added more.  just looked at an old thread

"an occasional copy usually means there has been a correction or amendment to the entry,

[AngelaF67]

I expect it is just that the GRO ref is for the September quarter
ie July August September.   
So she was probably born in May but they didn't get around to registering her birth until July.


added - also note the GRO ref has 'occasional copy A". I think that means there was an alteration to the initial registration. Someone will come along and explain that hopefully.

Oh ok that makes more sense, thank you, I’ve never seen “Occasional Copy A” before that’s very interesting. 

[ColC]

Vera Binns
Death Registration 2003
Lancashire, England.
Birth 26 May 1916 

Colin

[garstonite]

Hiya Angela - just enquiring - do you have any Herbert family connections in South Liverpool - I know quite a few as friends

[ALAMO2008]

Vera is my grandma Edna’s sister on the GRO the only birthday I can find says she was born in
Sep 1916 and so does Freebmd. However :-

The 1939 census states her name as Vera Binns birthday written as 24 May 1916.

Her details are: Vera Binns nee Herbert born 1916 in Accrington (Registered in Haslingden)
Mothers name Letitia Herbert nee Johnson
Fathers name Fred Herbert
Her sister is Edna Herbert born Nov 1917

Am I missing something or did people change their birthdays to suit back then, just seems a bit odd to me.  Mind you my family has been nothing but strange 

Not sure what you found saying she was born in September 1916
It doesn't say that.
It says her Birth was Registered at the Registry Office in the September Quarter 1916
Which as stated that Quarter commenced on 1st July to 30 September 1916
After 1 January 1875 Parents had Only 42 days to Register a Birth or be Fined
If Vera was born 24th May
Her Mother did not Register the Birth before the April May June Quarter ended on 30th June 1916
But appears to have gone over
 but on or before the 42nd day deadline on 2 July 1916
Which took the Registration into September Quarter 1916
1939 Register Births Transferred by the Enumerator can in my Experience can be often not believed correct.
Also a Birth Date on a Death Certificate may also not be Accurate as well.
Remember History is Not a Record of the Truth
It is a Record of What was "Said"
Which may Not be the Truth
You cannot Research the Past
Expecting 21st Century  100% Accuracy Eyes

[AngelaF67]

Vera is my grandma Edna’s sister on the GRO the only birthday I can find says she was born in
Sep 1916 and so does Freebmd. However :-

The 1939 census states her name as Vera Binns birthday written as 24 May 1916.

Her details are: Vera Binns nee Herbert born 1916 in Accrington (Registered in Haslingden)
Mothers name Letitia Herbert nee Johnson
Fathers name Fred Herbert
Her sister is Edna Herbert born Nov 1917

Am I missing something or did people change their birthdays to suit back then, just seems a bit odd to me.  Mind you my family has been nothing but strange 

Not sure what you found saying she was born in September 1916
It doesn't say that.
It says her Birth was Registered at the Registry Office in the September Quarter 1916
Which as stated that Quarter commenced on 1st July to 30 September 1916
After 1 January 1875 Parents had Only 42 days to Register a Birth or be Fined
If Vera was born 24th May
Her Mother did not Register the Birth before the April May June Quarter ended on 30th June 1916
But appears to have gone over
 but on or before the 42nd day deadline on 2 July 1916
Which took the Registration into September Quarter 1916
1939 Register Births Transferred by the Enumerator can in my Experience can be often not believed correct.
Also a Birth Date on a Death Certificate may also not be Accurate as well.
Remember History is Not a Record of the Truth
It is a Record of What was "Said"
Which may Not be the Truth
You cannot Research the Past
Expecting 21st Century  100% Accuracy Eyes

Thank you very much that makes so much sense now, I wasn’t aware that they only had 42 days to register the birth .

I will admit as a newby to genealogy I’ve a lot to learn. I mustn’t presume anything.

So thank you I appreciate your comments 

[ALAMO2008]

Finally as examples
My Mother in Law
Had on the 1939 Register a Date of Birth in 1920 in May entered by her Parents
She celebrated a Different date in May for 81 years for her Birthday till her Death in 2001
We Registered her Death with that known Birthday Date and put on her Headstone
Big Shock when I started Ancestry and sent for her Birth Certificate
I found she was Registered born on another May date No one ever used.
I have several Relatives their Birth Certificates on the 42nd day in August show they were Born in June
Weeks after the Priest Baptised them in early May
One Relative his Birth Certificate shows his Father was Deceased is possible.
But He died 8 years Before
So even Certificates do not show the Truth

[AngelaF67]

Hiya Angela - just enquiring - do you have any Herbert family connections in South Liverpool - I know quite a few as friends

Hello Garstonite, not that I’m aware of right now, my dad wasn’t that close to his family back then and his mum died back in 1972. So I never really knew that side of the family.

Her sister Vera was then living in Colne Lancashire until she passed away. I only ever recall meeting her a couple of times. My dad never mentioned relatives in Liverpool but who knows, he never talked about his past or his family either.

I’ll hopefully find some more relatives when I get into the Herbert line.