On the record . . . and online

Registration certificates for births, marriages and deaths are among the main building blocks in family history research. ROBIN VYRNWY-PIERCE takes you through the steps to find them online.

Although the indexes to birth, marriage and death certificates can still be examined without a computer the online method of viewing details and ordering certificates does save a lot of time, and money.

If you're not online

For those people who do not like computers the indexes are available on microfiche at the Heritage Centre at Norwich library or at the Norfolk Records Office. They can also be viewed at the Family Records Centre in London. Forms are available at these sites to order the certificates from the General Record Office at Southport. The certificates cost £11.50 if provided by post or £8.50 if ordered by telephone. The online cost of ordering certificates is £7

You don’t even need to own a computer as you can go to an internet café, or log on at your local library — or find a friend who will let you use their computer.

In this article you will find out how to use the 1837online site which uses images of the original handwritten and printed indexes to the registration details held by the General Register Office.

The initial search at the site is free but once search details are rewarded with actual pages you do have to pay to view each page. One unit provides a view of one page of the indexes. Units cost 5p each but you have to purchase a minimum of £5 worth. The site does, however, offer a 10 per cent bonus. Units can also be bought in greater numbers providing even better discounts.

The units do not have to be used all at once and can be held over from one session to another. The time they remain usable varies depending on the number you buy — but even £5 can be cheaper than a trip to London.

1 Begin by logging on to the site at www.1837online.co.uk
At this stage you are offered the chance of a free trial which will let you try out navigation etc. This allows access to a limited number of the indexes.

2 If you are happy you can then register for full access.
Remember that you only actually pay once you try to access a specific index.

3 Once you have registered you will be taken to a page which allows you to download the DJVU viewer program, this allows you to see the original indexes online once you find the page you want.

4 At this point you can buy units or go straight to the search page at which point you select births, marriages or deaths, then choose the period at which you wish to start looking (the year is split into quarters — January, February March; April, May June; etc — and events are filed under the time of registration, which in the case of a birth or death could be up to six weeks after the event. This means a death at the end of February could be listed in the first quarter if registered soon after death or in the second quarter if it went the full six weeks and was registered at the beginning of April). Then put in the surname and first name (if known) before clicking the search button.

5 The next screen will show you the pages which may or may not contain the name you are looking for. All that the search engine has done is to find the first name and last name on a page which would include the required name if it was there. In the early days you could only enter three letters of the surname and this could leave you with a lot of pages to search, the new refined search using a full surname and a forename saves time and money.
At this stage you will need to click on view. If you have purchased units earlier you will be taken straight to the page otherwise you will be taken to the purchase units screen.

6 Once the index page is on screen you can move it around in the frame to check the names and find out if the one you want is there. These pages can be saved onto your computer or a disk to be checked over at a later date. If your name is not there then close the window and try the next page that is offered.

7 If the name you want appears on screen you need to note down the year, the quarter and the name as given. Then take a note of the place of registration followed by the first figure, which is a volume number, and the second figure, which is a page number. You will need these details when it comes to ordering your certificate. Then close the page and click on the ‘order certificates’ button on the right hand side of the options bar.

8 The next screen gives you the option to order online or explains how you can order by telephone or ordinary mail with options to find out more information. We will go for the online ordering.

9 Once you have registered you will be taken to the order screen. Here you must click on one of the options (1 to 7) but do not need to supply age at death if you do not know it. Some earlier indexes do not include the age. Click on YES for knowing the GRO reference (this is what you took off the index page) and then enter the year. This will take you to a delivery address page and after you have filled in details here you will be taken to the certificate application section.

10 The year will be on screen as you filled it in earlier. You now need to enter the name (surname and forename) of the person whose certificate you want and the quarter in which the event was registered along with the volume number and page number.
There are more details which could be filled in but these are not compulsory. They are mainly needed when the applicant has a doubt about the person and a check can be made to see if other details, such as parents’ names, match up. If the information does not match part of the fee will be kept to cover the cost of checking but it does mean you have not lost the total amount of the certificate fee on someone who does not belong in the family.

11 Finally check the details then go to the payment page and send for your certificate.

12 Then wait — depending on how busy they are it could be between four and six days before it is posted to you.