RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: coombs on Saturday 03 April 10 18:28 BST (UK)
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Last week I ordered a birth cert as a priority and it arrived in two days. I ordered Thursday and it came Saturday. I ordered one as a priority this Thursday and it hasn't arrived. Could it be because of Easter or are people getting in before the price increase?
I ordered 3 certs in the standard way when I ordered the priority one that arrived in two days and they haven't yet arrived. Is there a surge in cert ordering?
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I ordered 3 before the price rise, took 10 days ( didn't pay for priority service) didn't think that was too bad as I expect they have been inundated! ;D
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Judging by the number of posts from folk saying they have ordered before the price increase I'd say the GRO staff could be in for a bit of overtime!
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Hi,
There is a notice on the GRO site warning that increased demand is adding a few days to the estimated despatch date.
The online ordering will be unavailable 7.00am - 9.00am on 6th April.
Nanny Jan
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I'm still waiting for 4 with a despatch date of 30th March, though not surprised. The last lot I ordered were a week late too, that was a couple of weeks ago.
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My certs are taking much longer to arrive--and I've received three cert that weren't the ones I ordered. One cert was completely wrong: Christopher Meade instead of Ann Kelly!--and two certs that had the wrong father's name, though I asked for reference checking using the father's name.
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Oh well it is not a surprise as people are getting in before the increase. I managed to find a rough death date from the certs by noting the other on the same page and I found a burial for one of them on the same page as an ancestor who died in 1883 in Essex. My ancestors burial is not yet on FindMyPast but someone whose death was registered on the same page has their burial listed in September so I now know my one probably died within days of them.
Same with one who died in 1900. Someone else on the same page is listed as having died 7 Jan 1900 so my ancestor must have died about then.
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I ordered one yesterday and it said that it will be dispatched in 10 days. Hopefully sometime in the future we will be able to do this all online and download them ourselves so this waiting business is a thing of the past.
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They are getting slower. The first ones I ordered after the price increase was announced took 10-11 days to arrive.
I ordered two on the 21st March, one arrived today, so it will be at least Tuesday before I get the other.
Goodness knows when I'll get my 28th March order.
Betty
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I think the GRO offices are in a bit of a frenzy - one of my death certs. arrived printed on a birth cert. form. They were most apologetic when I phoned them and asked that I return it in a pre-paid envelope they will sent with the correct cert.
Sue
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My certs are taking much longer to arrive--and I've received three cert that weren't the ones I ordered. One cert was completely wrong: Christopher Meade instead of Ann Kelly!--and two certs that had the wrong father's name, though I asked for reference checking using the father's name.
Sadly I've also had this experience, and heard this tale repeatedly on boards. It appears all too common. If they perhaps concentrated their efforts on running more efficiently they might just make a bit of money, and wouldn't need to have to be rising their prices in order to just break even.
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I may be impatient but I find the GRO waiting times exasperating, although I do appreciate being able to order online.
They seem to have under-estimated the effect that a substantial increase in price from 6 April would have on their customers.
They can comfort themselves with the idea that business is likely to decrease from 6 April as I would think people will be less likely to take a 'chance' on identity for £9.50, than for £7. Prices may not have increased since 2003, as they are anxious to tell us, but perhaps a lesser increase might have resulted in less of a problem.
As suggested by others, I look forward to an instant DIY download for BMD documents, as with many NA records.
Two days to go ...
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I ordered 2 Certs from Cheshire register office 2 weeks ago & they were delivered exactly a week from the date I ordered them.
I needed to get 3 more marriage certs before the prices go up 2 from Lancs & 1 from Cheshire so I decided to use the lancs & Cheshire RO site last night, but I am guessing they have also been overwhelmed by the GRO pice increase too as the online service wouldnt work.
I ended up having to order from the GRO .............and it says the dispach date will be 12 April so I will just have to try n be patient (which isnt easy for me lol)
Gaille
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I ordered 4 certificates on the 19th March. The one where I asked for a reference check arrived on 29th March. 2 more arrived on the 31st and the last one came this morning. That one had been typed out which I gather means there was a problem with the image. I'm not holding my breath waiting for the 3 I ordered on 30th March.
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I ordered a cert on 23rd March by priority, despatch date given as 24th March. Still waiting!!!
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I applied for about a dozen during March, all from local ROs. The longest delay for receipt was three days ..... that one was ordered by phone, for the others I posted a letter enclosing a SAE with first class stamp. They all came back by return of post. :)
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Judging by the number of posts from folk saying they have ordered before the price increase I'd say the GRO staff could be in for a bit of overtime!
Think it's not only the GRO staff inudated as they use TNT post which would also have to be sorted before the Postman actually gets the envelopes for popping through our doors ???
Perhaps it will be better later this month after the prices have gone up :-\
Jean
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You can all blame me for the delays - I've ordered over 50 certificates this week :o
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;D Wow! 50 !
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I think I've ordered at least 50 certs since I heard about the price increase. (Even I'm beginning to question my sanity ;)!)
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I thought I was treating my self ordering 3 - ;D
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Well I ordered 6 certificates about the 23rd March.
I live in Australia, wonder how long it will take to get to me.?? ::)
Pam
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I live in the US, and it can take more than 3 weeks for a cert to arrive. (I'm still surprised (and pleased!) that I don't have to pay additional postage to have a cert delivered to the US.)
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I ordered certs on Thursday, 1st April, and despatch was acknowledged as around the 12th, which is about 4 days more than normal.
The priority service shouldn't be affected, maybe the postal services are affected because of the holiday.
Dawn
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I think the holiday is affecting the priority orders. Does anyone know if postmen will be delivering tomorrow on Easter Monday or not?
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Hi,
If I order certs before the 6th - will I still get the certs at the reduced price?
Elaine
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Glad i am not the only one waiting.
Ordered a birth and marriage on 19th March, have only recieved the birth cert. up to now.
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I can get very impatient waiting for certs. Knowing the quarter and year is not enough for me. I like exact dates. Results. ;D
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No - sorry - I am not making myself clear - my fault!!
I have not ordered certs yet - but if I order them before the 6th April - will I still get them at the old price of £7?????
Elaine
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The 3 I ordered this morning were £7 each.
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I think the holiday is affecting the priority orders. Does anyone know if postmen will be delivering tomorrow on Easter Monday or not?
Royal Mail don't usually deliver bank holidays, but private companies sometimes do.
Ive just ordered a cert for £7 and it said expected despatch of the 12th - I will be amazed if that happens! ;D ;D
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certs will be £7, as long as the online order is dated upto 23.59pm of 5th April, but please remember we are on British summertime if you are ordering from abroad.
Dawn
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I've ordered over 50 certificates this week
Wow, I thought I was pushing the boat out ordering about 15 or so. Mind you, I would have ordered a lot more, but I use my husband's credit card and he might start complaining ;D ;D although most of the ones I've ordered these last few weeks have been for his ancestors.
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I placed an order for 3 certs on March 3 and am still waiting on one.Filled in a complaint form today and was advised that it would take 12 days before I would receive a reply.A subsequent order placed 4 days after the first arrived complet 10 days after the order date.
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Thanks BridgetM and Dawnsh - that is what I wanted to know!! Will order today!
Elaine
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If I ordered one final batch today I hope I will get charged £7 each. This should be the last day of the £7 for cert cost.
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I have just ordered 4 more certs before the price increases. Last day. get in while you still can.
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Oh - and one more question - where do I enter on the on-line form for ordering certs 'wife of ....'?
Elaine
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I've just upped my account on ancestry.co.uk for an extra £24 to include parish records and marriage banns. I didn't realise until I started searching that some documents found under 'marriage banns' contain exactly the same info as on marriage certificates.
So far I have found at least 5 full marriage certificates - so for £24 I've actually saved money.
I have no idea how this works and at least 30 have turned up just as what you would consider 'normal' marriage bann info. Although even these sometimes have the wedding date added as well.
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Hi,
When I visited the archives recently - one of the archivists told me that although I had a GRO copy of a marriage cert - if I looked up the original on the records there it would probably tell me more detail. He said that the cert I had was a register copy and the original would have more detail.
I looked up the marriage - and it was an exact copy of the cert I had already obtained. I pointed out to him that the copy I had said that it was a marriage 'conducted' via the Church of England. He had no answer.
I wonder sometimes if we are being told the truth or just what the archivists want us to believe!!???
I would welcome an opinion on this - from those of you who are more knowledgable. Was I being bluffed - or is there substance to what he told me?
Elaine
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I have often proven archivists wrong when they say things or they say they dont have these records when I look through the record office catalogues and they do.
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Hi,
This has probably been mentioned before - but cannot find it and am now in a bit of a rush [date!]
How - when ordering a death cert on-line - how do you ask for the check of 'wife of .......' I have seen no options for doing this, yet I understand that it can be done.
If someone could explain fairly soon [before the price goes up] I would very much appreciate the help!!!
Elaine
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When I visited the archives recently - one of the archivists told me that although I had a GRO copy of a marriage cert - if I looked up the original on the records there it would probably tell me more detail. He said that the cert I had was a register copy and the original would have more detail.
I looked up the marriage - and it was an exact copy of the cert I had already obtained.
It would be, but not necessarily an exact copy. What you see at the archives as regards marriage certificates is the form completed for the parish register. Another form would be completed at the same time for the Registrar. Both of these are original and will contain the signatures or marks of all parties. You would not expect to see "more detail", but you are looking at the actual document, whereas the GRO cert is scanned from a transcript made a little later by a clerk, so it may contain copying errors or mistranscriptions, and certainly won't contain original signatures.
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Hi Elaine
Go to the GRO site and place your order for a death cert, enter names, 1/4 reg, vol, pg and then at the bottom of the screen is a brown box for 'reference checking', click on that and you get options for date of death, place of death, date of birth, occupation of deceased, and marital status.
I would suggest that you put 'wife of' in the occupation box but I don't think that's a guaranteed ref check point. Then rsume ordering.
Hope this helps
Dawn
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I realise they are really busy - a marriage certificate I ordered on-line on 21 March hasn't arrived yet - but I ordered 4 more birth certificates today to try and cheat the price rise and they all went through at £7 so I don't think I can complain.
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I am compiling ancestor biographies for home use only though and add images of certs and such to the books.
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The post just arrived and no certs for me :'(, even the priority one. I ordered the priority one on Thursday but as said the holidays have slowed things down. The priority one my come tomorrow as they should be back today. I always keep my order confirmation emails until they arrive so I can query anything but I am so glad that I am not the only one who is having trouble with certs due to increased demand.
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Thank you for your reply last night Dawnsh - I was getting in a bit of a panic trying to get in quick - but managed to order the 4 certs I wanted. Thanks.
Just a point though - I was going to order all of the certs in the same order - but I put the first two on the same order - and the second cert came up as £10!!! I deleted it and just ordered the first one. I couldnt quite believe my eyes!! I went back to the site again - cos I really wanted the other 3 certs and they had gone back to the normal £7. I wonder where I would have stood if I had 'accepted' the increase, on the order form, by going ahead - even though the cost wasnt supposed to be increased until today?
Elaine
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Hi Elaine
You most probably forgot to tick 'GRO ref known' box, the system defaulted to 'not known' and that sets the cost @ £10,. Haven't ordered today so I don't know what the layout is now.
Dawn
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Doh!!! :-[ ??? :-[
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I never use the reference checking option. I shall certainly curfew the amount of certs that I order now unless our revolt is worthwhile but I do not hold my breath.
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My 'standard service' marriage certificate ordered on 21 March arrived today. According to the details with it, it was ready for despatch on 26 March as promised. Whether the delay was with their workload or with 2nd class mail I've no idea, but at least I know not to look for the ones I ordered pre-cut off yesterday for a couple of weeks at least.
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I think the delays was also due to the holiday.
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hello
i order all my certs over the phone. via the gro the first time you order they will give you a ref order no. when you phone they take your personal ref no, you tell them what you want & the great thing is you acc speak to a living person not a machine. you can express service for next day del or the standard gen arrives within 5 working days. iv had first class service for the last two years
jeannette
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April 7th and still waiting for my "Priority" cert!
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Hi Ozlady
You can make a complaint here
https://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1292.htm
I suggest though that it has most probably been despatched and is somewhere between Southport and you in the overseas mail system
Dawn
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My 'standard service' marriage certificate ordered on 21 March arrived today. According to the details with it, it was ready for despatch on 26 March as promised. Whether the delay was with their workload or with 2nd class mail I've no idea, but at least I know not to look for the ones I ordered pre-cut off yesterday for a couple of weeks at least.
Hi Maggie
All certs are dated as they leave Southport, what date is on the bottom ?
Dawn
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My priority cert arrived this morning. That's good.
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Hi Maggie
All certs are dated as they leave Southport, what date is on the bottom ?
Dawn
Good thinking Dawn! 1st April - no joke.
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So it was 4 working days late leaving Southport which is what is currently being experienced by others.
And has been in the postal system over the Easter Holiday not going anywhere, which is why it's taken another 2 working days to get to you.
Dawn
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One day they may digitise the registers then waiting will be conscripted to history.
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It might be a good idea to keep a close eye on debit/credit card statements. I pay by debit card & notice the payments are not showing up until three days after my order, so for anyone ordering close to the deadline it's possible you may be charged the higher fee. We all know what computerised systems can be like ;D
Betty
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The certs are still in the post. But I am not surprised due to the high increase in ordering. I ordered them 2 weeks ago today.
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I ordered two both due for despatch on 31st March.
Money taken off my credit card on 29th March.
Still not here though :'(
Carol
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I ordered mine of the 24th March. Just checked email and despatch date 31 March. I think it is due to the holiday and the vast amount of certs being ordered before the increase. I ordered another lot on the 5th April despatch date 12th so they may be here in mid April or later knowing my luck.
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Well 3 of the 4 have just arrived, I ordered on the 24th! :D :D :D
not sure if I have the right marriage cert though, or someone has been "impersonating" the wife in later censuses.
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Well 3 of the 4 have just arrived, I ordered on the 24th! :D :D :D
not sure if I have the right marriage cert though, or someone has been "impersonating" the wife in later censuses.
Alright for some. ;D
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I ordered 3 certificates on 15th March - 2 birth & 1 marriage.
I am in Australia & received the marriage certificate on 1st April. I am still waiting for the other 2 birth certificates to arrive !
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Its like waiting for exam results. I keep waking up thinking "Are they here" or when I am at work I get home thinking "Have they arrived today?" That is how addictive genealogy is.
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I ordered 4 on 29 March, no sign of them yet. Ones I ordered on 17 March arrived about a week ago.
To add insult to injury I think one of the ones I ordered is probably the wrong person :o
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today i ordered a priority cert for the slightly increased price of just over £23. It is estimated to be dispatched tomorrow. I ordered a priority two weeks ago when I ordered the 3 I am still waiting for and it arrived 2 days later.
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Its like waiting for exam results. I keep waking up thinking "Are they here" or when I am at work I get home thinking "Have they arrived today?" That is how addictive genealogy is.
Snap. Hopefully later this month when the GRO have sent out all the 7 Pounders we won't have to wait so long.
;D
Jean
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Its like waiting for exam results. I keep waking up thinking "Are they here" or when I am at work I get home thinking "Have they arrived today?" That is how addictive genealogy is.
Snap. Hopefully later this month when the GRO have sent out all the 7 Pounders we won't have to wait so long.
;D
Jean
I like to spruce up my family tree and get exact dates of birth, marriage and death.
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It's not like waiting for exam results-they give you a set date when they are going to arrive ;D
Carol
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THat's why I send off for them. Plus there are occasions you get those other bits of info that punch holes in the brickewall.
I have found married names on death certs and even found unknown siblings on marriage certs when they have been witnessess.
If only they were online one wouldn't have to wait for the post.
Jean
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Yes marriage witnesses and death cert informants have broken down a brickwall. On birth certs the informant was usually one of the parents.
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"If only they were online one wouldn't have to wait for the post"
I do wonder if it may actually have been, or would be more useful if the petitions had asked for the required law change needed to make this a reality rather than simply protest the price rise, which though I did sign, I doubt is likely to have any effect.
To my understanding the scanning of the Deaths and Births has already been done, (up to around 1930's?) just the marriages remain. You would think then, at least even if we could not see these online, at very least the GRO would be able to already make use of these to digitally call up and print the certificates and send. However according to a recent post on another thread by Guy Etchells, this doesn't seem the case, and they are apparantly still following the old system which must be extremelly laborious and unnecesarily elaborate, as the real cost for producing a piece of paper with a few lines of info could be as a high as twenty pounds for them. Whether true or not I do not know, but they are certainly running at a loss under the current system. It would surely be as much to their benefit as ours to switch to a totally digitised system. Maybe if M.P's thought this was an issue with some amount of public support it might speed up the process?
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sorry everyone - my friends and family have been ordering frantically for my future birthday and christmas prezzies....someone has saved over £50....but now I will have months or even years to wait until I actually see them, even though they will be in a secret hiding place so I can't find them - not that I'd go snooping!!!
:-[ ;D
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To my understanding the scanning of the Deaths and Births has already been done, (up to around 1930's?) just the marriages remain. You would think then, at least even if we could not see these online, at very least the GRO would be able to already make use of these to digitally call up and print the certificates and send. However according to a recent post on another thread by Guy Etchells, this doesn't seem the case, and they are apparantly still following the old system
I thought they were using the digitised records? Surely that was the primary purpose of the exercise, to modernise the GRO systems.
I'm not conversant with the details, but Guy has said more than once that there has already been an attempt to change the law, which fell through. I assume it was the law which insists that Register Offices may only provide us with information in the form of certified copies?
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My postman must think I've got a thing about him, for I rush out every morning to see him !
But alas, certs I ordered, which they said would be dispatched 30th March, still haven't arrived ... :'(
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Had to laugh at that Lydart- so did I today.
And felt very silly when he walked right past my house.
Not even a bill for me today ;D
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To my understanding the scanning of the Deaths and Births has already been done, (up to around 1930's?) just the marriages remain. You would think then, at least even if we could not see these online, at very least the GRO would be able to already make use of these to digitally call up and print the certificates and send. However according to a recent post on another thread by Guy Etchells, this doesn't seem the case, and they are apparantly still following the old system
I thought they were using the digitised records? Surely that was the primary purpose of the exercise, to modernise the GRO systems.
I'm not conversant with the details, but Guy has said more than once that there has already been an attempt to change the law, which fell through. I assume it was the law which insists that Register Offices may only provide us with information in the form of certified copies?
Well this is it, you would think so wouldn't you? But if they were using the digitised images already surely this would have already have cut their overheads considerably? I cannot see anyway they'd in that circumstance be able to justify any sort of price rise. Guy said in another thread that producing a certificate is not as simple as a 'click of the mouse' and his own personal estimate for producing a single cert under current system was between 15 to 20 pounds. From that it does not appear they can yet be doing so.
In regards the law, that is also my understanding, it has already fallen through once, (because it was poorly framed?), and now it wont be touched by any M.P. This is why I think it may perhaps be more constructive ultimately to petition for this law change than simply protest at the price rise, perhaps make someone in a position to do so, think it worthwhile taking up the baton? Sadly I don't think the current petitions will achieve very much, they are not likely to drop prices now they have raised them.
Somebody made a good point on this same thread that change was more likely to come from within the GRO, than without. Even if they do simplify their system, I can't see they will ever make as much profit at near ten pound a certificate under such system, than they would with a digital system similar to Scotlands People. Ultimately it must be in their interest as well as ours, to move towards such a system, but whether they see it that way.....
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I ordrered certs on the 23rd March, told they would be despatched on 30th. Hmm still waiting
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I am noting down entries on the same page or in the same quarter and seeing if the entry has been added to someone elses tree or on the IGI to try and narrow down the actual date while I wait for the cert.
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Hi amp001
As mentioned previously, due to the increase in demand to beat the price increase, you need to add 4 "working" days to the quoted despatch date, then a couple of extra days for the Easter holiday closure.
My best guess is that they'll be dated today 8th or tomorrow 9th and you'll get them Monday or Tuesday next week.
You have to wait at least 7 working days after the due despatch date before you can claim (see below) they've gone astray in the post.
https://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1292.htm
Dawn
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Hi Dawn
Thanks for the info. These are the first certs I have ordered online so thought it was maybe some mistake I had made.
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That means mine will probably arrive next Monday or Tuesday as I ordered mine on the 24th March.
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But if they were using the digitised images already surely this would have already have cut their overheads considerably? I cannot see anyway they'd in that circumstance be able to justify any sort of price rise. Guy said in another thread that producing a certificate is not as simple as a 'click of the mouse' and his own personal estimate for producing a single cert under current system was between 15 to 20 pounds. From that it does not appear they can yet be doing so.
I knew I'd seen it somewhere.
What has happened to the records which have already been digitised?
The digitised records are now being used by GRO within its certificate production system, known as EAGLE. As well as a database and image store, the EAGLE system also allows for the recording and tracking of all customer orders.
http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1090.htm
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That's very interesting Sloe Gin. It does seem that they ARE being used doesn't it. I cannot see then, at least for the certs that are covered and have been scanned, how it can possibly cost 15-20 pounds to produce a copy, it must surely have made it much simpler, just call up the image from a database, print and send. How much can that cost them? I think that makes the price rise even more dubious and extremely hard to defend. Also wasn't it taxpayers money that paid to have them scanned..shouldn't any benefit be passed on to us?
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Finally............ my cert arrived yesterday! Even taking into account hols etc., 15 days seems to be a long time for a priority order.
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It does seem that they ARE being used doesn't it. I cannot see then, at least for the certs that are covered and have been scanned, how it can possibly cost 15-20 pounds to produce a copy, it must surely have made it much simpler, just call up the image from a database, print and send. How much can that cost them? I think that makes the price rise even more dubious and extremely hard to defend. Also wasn't it taxpayers money that paid to have them scanned..shouldn't any benefit be passed on to us?
I dunno, I wouldn't presume to contradict Guy as he generally knows what he's talking about, and has a depth of knowledge of these matters whereas I'm just a humble googler ;D
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Lol, Fair enough Sloe Gin..Well I'm not claiming to have any greater knowledge on all this than Guy certainly, but it at least seems to me that their long term plan to make up their losses is make the system simpler and cheaper for themselves, i.e lower their overheads, which they must surely have already have done quite significantly if all the births 1837-1934 are done, and deaths 1837-1957. At the same time raise the price for and profit margin from the customers!
I think it all depends on whether this works for them as to whether we will ever see the images themselves online. If it does I doubt we have a hope in hell. If on the other hand the high prices put off enough customers, or reduces volume of orders to such extent that the losses continue anyway, then we might, because then the GRO themeselves might press for the law to change on this. I think the GRO lobbying the government on the basis to make them some profit, (or stop them at least making losses!) is of course more likely to carry far more weight and produce more results than us lobbying as a band of relatively small and self interested hobbyists. (Not saying it's not worth a go anyway....)
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You never know my certs might be here tomorrow but I wont hold my breath.
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Did your priority one give you any good info Ben?
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Did your priority one give you any good info Ben?
It was the remarriage of my 3xgreat grandfather in 1866 to Elizabeth Edney. I am awaiting his first marriage.
William Snell died in the Mar Qtr 1900 in the Abingdon district and on the very same page (8 entries to a page) is an Elizabeth Dandridge. Someone who is researching her says she died 7 Jan 1900 in a parish that falls in that district so could it mean William died within days of her?
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That's an intereting way of trying to 'guestimate' the date Ben. I think you will probably be right there. I can't imagine deaths were usually registered long after they had happened.
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I think it all depends on whether this works for them as to whether we will ever see the images themselves online.
Personally I would like to see the improved indexes online soon - there can't be any legal barrier to that, and being able to see mother's maiden name on birth entries and ages on deaths would be enormously helpful to us all.
As for Ben's theory, yes, you'll be right. Two of mine died in the same quarter in Birmingham in 1890, wife on 3 Feb (page 13) and husband on 16 Feb (page 18).
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That's an intereting way of trying to 'guestimate' the date Ben. I think you will probably be right there. I can't imagine deaths were usually registered long after they had happened.
I think he died in January 1900.
I have tried to guestimate his first marriage date by looking at all marriages in that district in that quarter and some are on the IGI. I have concluded he wed in the last week of July or first week of August 1845. Page 6 185. On page 183 is a marriage submitted on the IGI as having taken place 31 July 1845.
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Sloe
I agree, and I think this is what they must mean by creating an 'improved and enhanced service' for us customers. I wonder though if it will backfire on them, in as much as where people buy 2 or 3, or more certificates at moment, on a long shot, they may in future buy just one being able to identify easier which is correct. They would obviously then lose even more business and money than now! That could be a good thing if it again leads them to lobby to get the images themselves online.
Personally I think we will eventually get there, but who knows when. I know from using Scotlands People how truly addictive it is, and how much money you happily spend without even realising it, caught up in the moment on ancestor hunts. If the same system was in place here I'm sure I'd be bankrupt (maybe I shouldn't be pressing for it!). If I'm even slightly indicative of other users, that suggests to me the GRO, a massive loss making department as it stands, are sitting on a goldmine without even knowing it. If only we could awaken them to this potential, that's the problem I think.
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That is a way of tiding things over until I get the full cert.
Elizabeth Snell died in the Sep quarter of 1865 so I noted others on the same page and one was a John Glanville. I found him on the 1861 census in the right district in Clifton, Oxon and I googled his name and found an ONS website had his will index transcribed as having died 13 September 1865 at Clifton. So Elizabeth Snell must have died 5 days either side of him as deaths were usually registered within 5 days of the event.
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It all sounds right to me Ben. That said I have been puzzled of late as loads of people have my grandfather on Ancestry down as dying April 2004. He didn't he died Aug 2003.. I know this as I was at his funeral! For some reason his death is on Ancestry and registered in Apr 2004? I really havn't a clue why this is. He died in local hospital, nothing overly unusual about it.
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I wonder though if it will backfire on them, in as much as where people buy 2 or 3, or more certificates at moment, on a long shot, they may in future buy just one being able to identify easier which is correct. They would obviously then lose even more business and money than now!
Sure, some people do buy a lot of certs until they get the right one, but I bet a LOT more hold back because they can't afford to waste money on wrong guesses. Don't you think the sales might even increase if people could be more certain of getting the right one first time?
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Sloe, you could be right, but I don't know. I rather think the greater amount of people will just add the date and names to their tree, happy in the knowledge they are correct. I would think it would be only the hardcore of devoted genealogists who would buy the actual cert, now they are near ten pounds. It's a lot of money to most families isn't it.
Maybe they could trial a 'Scotlands People' type site for a certain section of the certs, alongside the new system, see which makes most money, and present the government with the results. I suppose though the law change needed again would block any chance of that though.
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Hi folks
I ordered 2 certs from GRO on the 22 March still no sign of them. Ordered 1 same day from Lancashire reg office and it arrived within a few days!!!
When should i expect to see my cert? !!!
Tierneylass
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I think it all depends on whether this works for them as to whether we will ever see the images themselves online.
Two of mine died in the same quarter in Birmingham in 1890, wife on 3 Feb (page 13) and husband on 16 Feb (page 18).
Hubby must have died of a broken heart.
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Sloe, you could be right, but I don't know. I rather think the greater amount of people will just add the date and names to their tree, happy in the knowledge they are correct. I would think it would be only the hardcore of devoted genealogists who would buy the actual cert, now they are near ten pounds.
Maybe, but the death certs are always a bit tempting as they offer not just the gory details ;) but also the possibility of something interesting via the informant. It's an unknown quantity, as are the witnesses on a MC.
I ordered 2 certs from GRO on the 22 March still no sign of them. Ordered 1 same day from Lancashire reg office and it arrived within a few days!!!
Yep, I have done a bit of crusading on behalf of the local reg offices! Bet lots of people have still ordered from GRO when they could have gone the local route. ::)
Hubby must have died of a broken heart.
You might be right there. I had wondered if it was an infectious disease (had ruled out accident as nothing in the paper), but it was bronchitis for both of them. It did occur to me that he might just have given up and 'turned his face to the wall' as they say. :-\
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"Maybe, but the death certs are always a bit tempting as they offer not just the gory details Wink but also the possibility of something interesting via the informant. It's an unknown quantity, as are the witnesses on a MC."
I agree 100%. Having bought all the certificates more or less for the Scottish side only too well aware of how incomplete a tree, any tree, truly is without ALL the certs, and all the extra details and secrets they so often contain. This is why it really pains me to think of them being put even further out of reach here, for a lot of people, in England with the price rise. I suppose though the GRO will ultimately go for whatever system makes them the most money, which is why I hope their intended system, if just an improved index and higher priced certs, once implemented does not. Not out of spite to them, but because it wont be good for English genealogy and will only serve to cement us in our position even further behind the Scots, perhaps permanently. That cannot be good!
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Finally............ my cert arrived yesterday! Even taking into account hols etc., 15 days seems to be a long time for a priority order.
What was the date on the bottom of the cert?
The rest of the time the cert has been in the postal service.
Dawn
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Hi folks
I ordered 2 certs from GRO on the 22 March still no sign of them. Ordered 1 same day from Lancashire reg office and it arrived within a few days!!!
When should i expect to see my cert? !!!
Tierneylass
When you received your acknowledgement, what date did they quote for despatch?
If you add 4 days for the delays, then 7 'working' days (don't include Saturdays and the Easter hols) and they still aren't here, you could make a claim here
You have to wait at least 7 'working' days after the due despatch date before you can claim (see below) they've gone astray in the post.
https://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1292.htm
Dawn
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Whilst it is interesting to here about certificate details, that is not the topic on discussion here.
Please keep to 'How long are GRO certs taking?'
New topics on other matters should be started either in the Common Room or 'the lighter side'
Dawn
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Mine should arrive next week as no post this morning for me. Although the priority one may arrive tomorrow.
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My last one ordered on the 24th with a dispatch date of 30th March arrived this morning
The date printed was 7th April, so looks like the delay is approx about 1 week
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After what people have said I was not surprised to find they hadn't come this morning. I understand we have to be patient due to the increase in the orders and the fact that it was Easter last weekend.
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The date printed was 7th April, so looks like the delay is approx about 1 week
So that will be the extra 4 days the GRO website quotes,plus 3 extra days for the 4 day easter hols ;D
Carol
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Pity they dont have a Sunday shift for postmen. At least it is only one day of the week they dont work.
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I ordered mine on 26th March with a despatch date of the 6th April, but no sign of them yet :(
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Never underestimate death certs. I have found several that say there was an inquest held or PM.
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I don't normally order death certs ( thought it was a bit morbid ) but i've ordered 4 this time so it'll be interesting.
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I ordered mine on 26th March with a despatch date of the 6th April, but no sign of them yet :(
I think the earliest you'll see them is Tuesday of next week.
Dawn
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I don't normally order death certs ( thought it was a bit morbid ) but i've ordered 4 this time so it'll be interesting.
I do as they fill up my family tree. I like exact dates, not rough dates given from the quarter they were registered in.
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Sorry to tell you all, but iam still waiting for a marriage cert. i ordered on 12th March.
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Gosh the GRO must be busy.
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Sorry to tell you all, but iam still waiting for a marriage cert. i ordered on 12th March.
That's long, have you tried chasing it up, it may have got lost in the post. They can normally tell you if it was sent out or is still in the system on the phone.
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Last year I ordered 3 certs and the one I was waiting for the most, typical, got lost in the post so I had to phone them and they sent me a copy straight away by first class mail. It arrived 2 days later.
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Sorry to tell you all, but iam still waiting for a marriage cert. i ordered on 12th March.
Hi Lennie
Report it as 'not received' here
https://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/ips_live/hs.xsl/1292.htm
Dawn
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Just rung now. The very nice lady at GRO explained that some certs.ordered around the middle of March did not get passed on for processing. A technical hitch. The only way that they know which ones, are when people ring up with a query. So hopefully it is on its way.
Good Luck to everyone waiting x
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I ordered mine on the 24th March so hopefully mine wont be affected by the mid March glitch.
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I ordered mine on the 24th March so hopefully mine wont be affected by the mid March glitch.
So did I Coombs- with a supposed despatch date of 31st.....so due any day now!
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Mine should arrive tomorrow or maybe Monday or Tuesday. God I will be jolly relieved when they do finally, I say finally arrive.
I wonder if the mad rush of orders has dropped since 6th April??
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My Certs arrived today woohoo.
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Ancestors, please reveal your details to us.
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I ordered by e-mail and received an acknowledgement that it would be despatched by 29 March. It arrived today and the certificate was dated 7 April 2010.
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My priority one was a bit late due to the holiday but when it did arrive it was dated for the day before it arrived.
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Ordered 12 certs on 23 March via web and all assigned despatch date of 30th March.
1 arrived yesterday (8th) and 5 this morning - all well worth the wait.
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They do say the waiting is part of the fun at times. It is worth it in the end.
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I ordered mine on the 24th March so hopefully mine wont be affected by the mid March glitch.
So did I Coombs- with a supposed despatch date of 31st.....so due any day now!
Yipeee- well half a yipee ;D
One of the two arrived today with a date of 8th April on it.
At least he's mine and his wife was the informant,so now to find her death ::)
Carol
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I got one today also dated 8th ... when it was supposed to be dispatched 30th March !
AND its a correct cert for a person I wanted ... but its thrown all sorts of spanners in the works ... as well as money spent at the NA on the wrong person !!
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FINALLY MY 4 ARRIVED TODAY. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I am just glad mine finally arrived today. i almost screamed in triumph when I saw 4 letters addressed to me when I got home from work. All from the GRO. 3 deaths and 1 marriage. 1883, 1900, 1915 and the marriage in 1845.
BTW this is my 2000th post. :D
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Congratulations on the 2000 !!
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Congratulations on the 2000 !!
Thanks. 1000 from being a marquessate. :) And nearly 6 years on Rootschat.
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You're nearer it than you were five minutes ago ... 2001 now !
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I ordered certs on the 31st march on line and despatch date was 9th. No sign of them yet! Of course weekends are n't working days to some!
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I placed an order on the 30th March and I worked out that there was almost no chance of seeing them in less than 2 weeks even though the dispatch date was the 7th. It hasn't stopped me looking hopefully at the postman the last couple of mornings.
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I ordered two on the 28th March, despatch date 6th April.
Still waiting :(
Betty
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I'll bet the UK postmen are getting quite worried at all these people rushing out to greet them enthusiastically every morning !
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I'll bet the UK postmen are getting quite worried at all these people rushing out to greet them enthusiastically every morning !
Flattered perhaps ;D ;D ;D
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I ordered 4 more on the 5th despatch date the 12th so they may arrive next Friday or Saturday.
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I ordered 2 certs from GRO on the 22 March still no sign of them. Ordered 1 same day from Lancashire reg office and it arrived within a few days!!!
Yep, I have done a bit of crusading on behalf of the local reg offices! Bet lots of people have still ordered from GRO when they could have gone the local route. ::)
I TRIED to order mine from the Lancashire office and both Cheshire ones, but they were all saying unavailble when I tried, and I needed to order them right away, so I ended up having to use the GRO.
I was a bit frustrated I had to use the GRO as I have used Cheshire before & their service is great, much better than the GRO, and I had wanted to try Lancashire & see how good they were.
Gaille
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Two of the three birth certs I ordered on 25th March have just arrived. They are both dated 9th April.
Jean
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The second(and last) of the ones I ordered on 24th March ,with an estimated despatch date of 31st March,arrived today.It is dated 8th April.
Carol
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Thanks Jean & Carol, that's useful to me, it means I might get my 28th March order on Wednesday or Thursday (I hope ;D)
Betty
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I guess that means Friday or Saturday for my order of 29th March and much later for my 4th April order. :(
I have a feeling they will arrive in the same post as the Wills (from York) and the divorce papers (from Kew).....
Nanny Jan
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Still no sign of mine in todays post. I ordered on 26th March and the estimated despatch date was 6th April. :(
Paula
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Mine are taking forever to reach me here in the US, but yesterday I received 5! It was almost like Christmas!
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I ordered 4 more on the 5th April so I may have to wait another week as they said their despatch date would be 12th April.
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I was hoping mine ordered on the 5th and with an estimated dipatch date of the 12th would be here this week but judging by everyone elses experience i shouldn't hold my breath :(
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Ordered a batch on the 5th with the estimated dispatch date of the 12th, not holding my breath. I guess no-one altered the automated response system to take account of the mad rush to beat the price increases. Ordered a batch in mid March, the first two arrived the day after the estimated dispatch date but the rest straggled in over the next week
Robert
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Rang the GRO today chasing an order placed on the 1st, due for despatch on the 12th.
I was told that last March they processed 200,000 certs; this March after the price increase announcement, orders were in excess of 500,000 certs.
My order is in the post.
The GRO is now quoting a delay of an extra 5 days on their online order page
Dawn
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Well lets hope this means they won't be in a great rush to increase the price again! I ordered 8 on 27th Mar for delivery 6th Apr - no sign, so I guess the other 2 I ordered on 30th Mar & 3 Apr I may see in about a weeks time (hopefully).
Its a bit annoying really because they must have known they would get a deluge of application when they were increasing the price so much - they should have been well prepared for it.
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i have ordered quite a few, i will be gutted if any of them are incorrect ones after waiting so long
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Its a bit annoying really because they must have known they would get a deluge of application when they were increasing the price so much - they should have been well prepared for it.
They couldn't exactly take on more staff just to cover a mad rush of a couple of weeks though could they ;)
Carol
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I was hoping that the one I ordered on the 1st of April est despatch 9th would turn up tomorrow....... looks like I have no chance ;D
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There's no sign yet of the ones I ordered on march 30.
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I managed to build a good biography on my 3xgreat grandfather William Snell now as the ones I ordered on 24th March arrived Saturday. William married on the 17th August 1845, 25th February 1866 and died 22 February 1900 aged 79 in Oxfordshire.
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A reminder, please see reply #109
Whilst it is interesting to here about certificate details, that is not the topic on discussion here.
Please keep to 'How long are GRO certs taking?'
New topics on other matters should be started either in the Common Room or 'the lighter side'
Dawn
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No sign of mine today either, :( expect it will be at least another week
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I'm looking at it this way.
I wouldn't have ordered these certificates yet if it hadn't been for the price increase (I have a budget to try & stick to :-X) So really I'm getting them early, not late.
If there's a 'philosophical' smiley I can't find it. :)
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I have not ordered any more certs since the increase. I thought that the mad rush would now have died down since the increase?
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I dident order mine due to the price increase , I need it to proceede further.
But I dont blame anyone who did :)
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Still no sign of mine in todays post. I ordered on 26th March and the estimated despatch date was 6th April. :(
Paula
I received 4 of the 7 i ordered today. One was dated 10th April, one the 11th and the other two the 12th , hopefully the others will turn up tomorrow.
Paula
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Its a bit annoying really because they must have known they would get a deluge of application when they were increasing the price so much - they should have been well prepared for it.
They couldn't exactly take on more staff just to cover a mad rush of a couple of weeks though could they
No, but more notice of the price increase would have helped.
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Ordered 3 from GRO 1 April, estimated despatch date 12 April, not arrived yet but who knows, may be there when I get home. Annoying thing there is that I immediately knew that I had put married name instead of birth name so will not get that one as can't amend after placing order - I know Dawn, that's another subject ;)
Ordered 2 from Lancashire 5 April, usually very good but not arrived yet. They have a facility where you can check status of applications. These 2 have been printed but perhaps not posted yet.
Susan
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Probably mines in the post :-\ .......our postal service is horrendous >:( and I dont live in a rural location.
The last 2 I ordered which were different despatch dates both arrived in the same post , so perhaps Royal Mail are more to blame than the GRO for the delays :-\
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Just arrived home. Mail been delivered but no certs :'(
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Just arrived home. Mail been delivered but no certs :'(
How many times have I also gone through that scenario as well? I come home from work and hope my mum has left my some GRO resembling letters on my bed.
When the certs used to be in those big envelopes I was awaiting one and when the post came I picked it up and there was a letter the size of a GRO letter, and I got all excited and it was addressed to me but it was about car insurance so I threw it down on the table and didn't open it. Finding an ancestors biographical details seems to be more important that sorting out car insurance amongst us genealogists.
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Finally the last of my 3 birth certs has arrived. It is dated 11 Apr whilst the other two were dated the 9th.
Must be because this was was an Isle of Wight (Hampshire) birth and the other two were born in Dorset :-\
Jean
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Hi
I ordered 4 certs on 28th March to beat price rise and have recd 2 today 1 dated 10th and 1 dated 12th.Delivery was given 6th April.
Kathy
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One more week to wait for my 5th April orders then.
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I ordered 4 certs on 28th March to beat price rise and have recd 2 today 1 dated 10th and 1 dated 12th.Delivery was given 6th April.
I ordered 4 on 29 Mary, delivery given as 6 April. No sign of any of them yet, maybe tomorrow - well later today - but I doubt it.
Lizzie
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G'Day All,
I ordered 5 on 12/03, dispatch date of 18/03. Recieved 28-29/03.
Pretty good to Australia, I thought.
Graham
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The notice on the GRO home page now advises adding 5 days to the est. despatch date. ::)
I must learn to be patient........
Nanny Jan
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I have learned to be patient now.
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No cert in the post yet again ::)
Mine is now 7 days over the est despatch date, ordered on the 1st
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Hi
Just to let you know I have recd the rest of my certs today GREAT.ordered on 28th.
Kathy
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Still waiting for my 28th March order :(
Betty
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The notice on the GRO home page now advises adding 5 days to the est. despatch date
OK, I'll add 5 days to 6 April and I get 11 April. The date today is 15 April, so where are my certs? Still it is only half past one and our postman hasn't been yet, so I've got another couple of hours until he arrives. Honestly, the post is worse than GRO.
Lizzie
Modified - Yippee they've just arrived, so even the postman decided to get up a bit earlier today ;D
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I thought postmen didn't deliver after midday.
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Your lucky round here (SW Birmingham) if they deliver before midday ::) 3pm is rare but not unknown, only seems to arrive very early on a Saturday ... I wonder why!
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I have had post after 3 pm and we only get one delivery a day. Think our village only has two posties and they have to go to the sorting office to sort out first. So I suppose it depends on which route they take.
Still I am happy I have got all mine now even though it took 17 days.
Jean
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Finally my order of 27th March has arrived - 7 yesterday & 1 today. Hooray!!
You lucky people who get your post in a morning - we have to watch the postman deliver to the other side of the road about 10.30, then wait another 3 hours before they deliver our side. We use to have to delivered at 7.30 every morning before all this change over - come back those days.
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I thought postmen didn't deliver after midday.
Shouldn't hog the original thread, but quite often it's nearer to 4pm before we get our delivery. I've complained to my MP as I thought she might pull more weight than me - before the election was called - but the copy letter she sent from Alan whatever his name is, who has now moved on to mess up ITV, was a complete whitewash. I'll try again after the election, maybe the new top man, whoever he is will be more proactive.
Lizzie
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Finally my order of 27th March has arrived - 7 yesterday & 1 today. Hooray!!
You lucky people who get your post in a morning - we have to watch the postman deliver to the other side of the road about 10.30, then wait another 3 hours before they deliver our side. We use to have to delivered at 7.30 every morning before all this change over - come back those days.
So my order of 2nd of April should arrive next week then. I can't remember what the despatch date was now. Regarding your post - at least you get yours before 2pm, we are lucky if we do as our postie just can't be bothered to walk at any pace quicker than a snail. We know when he is off as we get our mails hours earlier.
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Two ordered on 29th March have just arrived; one dated 13th April, the other 14th April.
Six more, ordered on 4th April, to wait for......
Nanny Jan
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order placed 28/3 arrived today. Certs are dated 13/4, a week after the original despatch date of 6/4.
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2 of the 3 I ordered on 30th March have arrived this morning, both dated 14th April. Original dispatch date was 7th April.
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My 5th April orders are for 3 death and 1 marriage cert.
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Another day and post.... still no certificate ....16 days from initial order date 7 days from est despatch ::)
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Another day and post.... still no certificate ....16 days from initial order date 7 days from est despatch ::)
We had better start practicing the notes to the national anthem. ;D ;D A boring wait but that is what genealogy is about I suppose.
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Oh the disappointment of arriving home at lunchtime to find the postman has been but still no certificates :( :(
It looks like late March orders are still being delivered, so I'll leave it to Monday before I chase them up.
I don't need these two certificates, they are just ones I wanted, but the longer I wait, the more I really want them ;D
I must be patient
I must be patient
I must be patient...
Betty
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Yes I have learned to be patient now.
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i orderd marriage certificate 31st march despatch date 8th april still awaiting the certificate. will wait till after weeknd then get on to them if non arrivall
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I ordered 8 certs on 30 march. The first of those - a marraige cert - turned up today.
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Hurrah !!!!!!! finally got missing marriage cert. today. Ordered on 12th March .
I won`t go into it on this thread but it has opened up a can of worms.
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There should be a thread where we can discuss info on on a cert we have been waiting for. ;D
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My certs ordered on 31st march (3 ) have n't arrived. I climbed the stairs to my flat full of expectation and when i saw the right size envelope i dared hope. You know what i am going to say, i'm still waiting for the certs. It was a bank circular! But as the despatch date was 9th, hopefully they may arrive tomorrow or else i should hopefully receive them the beginning of next week. The GRO need to alter the 5 days addition that they are quoting. I could n't order the marriage one as i did n't know the parish. It went as birmingham, warks 1940. This was ordered as i to had opened a can of worms. Sent for a marriage when i knew the husband of nan's sister and found out that both partners had been previously married . This was n't known and you can tell how looking forward we are to this one! We have trouble tracing that side of the family as nan's birth cert has n't got a father on and on her sisters marriage she seems to have quoted her grandfather as her father which i know is n't unusual.
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I STILL haven't received mine, I ordered on March 23rd and nothing, quoted 30 March despatch and I have been very patient but if they do not arrive tomorrow I will ring up and be very angry!
Ordered some on April 5th too but not expecting them until end of April...
:( GRRR
Matt
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There should be a thread where we can discuss info on on a cert we have been waiting for. ;D
Start a new one !!
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I could n't order the marriage one as i did n't know the parish. It went as birmingham, warks 1940.
You are much, much better off ordering any Birmingham certs direct from Birmingham Reg Office. (You don't need to know the parish as all their marriages are indexed.) You will also get a copy of the original, not a scan of the copy. They are much more helpful than the GRO and a lot quicker too: certs are often sent by return of post.
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I suppose that if you are overseas and your order hadn't left the country by yesterday morning you will have an even longer wait now. :(
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It has been a number of years since I ordered anything from GRO and I have to say I am extremely disappointed. It seems to me that service standards have really dropped. I used to find them quite easy and efficient to deal with.
On March 20th I placed two orders, each for 4 certificates. I had full info and provided that. The confirmation I received noted that the certificates would be mailed on March 26th, and that I should receive them here in canada within 7 days after that. Well here we are, on April 16th and nothing. I guess I shouldn't say nothing....I have received ONE of the certificates (dated March 28) from one of the orders.
To add to the frustration, there is no way to check the status of an order online. Instead, you must fill out a complaint form - which they promise they will respond to within 12 working days. Yeesh!
Lesson learned. No more dealing with GRO. It is so hard to be patient, when you think you have finally found who you have been searching for, and ordered the certificate(s). :)
OK rant over:). To post my interests: Ward, Taylor and Duffy in Northumberland/Durham mid 1800s to WW1, but I have also found in Norfolk and Yorkshire earlier.
Cheers!
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I suspect that they were inundated with orders at about that time. They had just announced a rather large increase in prices - effective April.
You are probably suffering from the effects of everyone getting their orders in before that :-\
Christine
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I think the problem has been a huge flood of orders in advance of the 6th April - probably triple what they would normally get in the same period
Once it was known that prices were rising by nearly 33% - everybody decided to buy their certs before the increase
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Yes, you are probably right but patience is not my long suit:). As an aside, I am surprised there isn't the capacity to check order status online (you would think it would save them lots of time - I really didn't want to send in a complaint (yet)).
I remind myself that these certificates have been sitting there 100+ years now, they aren't going anywhere!
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Another complication in addition to the increased volume was that the GRO was closed over the Easter period
This is on the front page of the GRO website
1 - Current Despatch Times
2 - Changes to Fees and Services from 6 April 2010
1 - Due to an increase in current demand for certificates from GRO, orders placed under the standard service are at present subject to a 5 day additional despatch time. Those ordered under the priority service are currently unaffected. .
2 - Customers are asked to note the change to the GRO fees structure from 6 April 2010. Further details can be found on the IPS website. In addition, GRO have reviewed the range of services on offer. We have been advised that there is no clear remit in statute for our charging for a service to check index references, or to retain partial fees. In order to ensure full legal compliance, we are regretfully withdrawing our reference checking service from 6 April.
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Thanks sloe gin for the info about the birmingham index. I'll bear that in mind for the future. Although i may not have many birmingham ones. I went to another midlands one and i had just started family history a few years back and of course one thing a lot of people don't realise is that the gro ref is no good to you at local ones. I got told that i needed to know the parish for the marriage. Fortunately i limited it down to 2 and picked the more obvious and got it right. I have to say the best service i ever got was for 3 certs from the lichfield office. I ordered the certs and i got asked if was going to do any shopping i said yes and got told if i got back in half an hour they would be ready for me. They were! I also ordered one from walsall reg office about 18 months ago and was told it would be ready for me the following day which it was. So local ones are very useful, i use on line because i work shifts but will try local ones more after this fiasco.
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Thanks Carole. This should be my worst problem, right? (although even adding another week for their increased workloads, I should still have by now.) We live in an era where I can access databases online from my home in small town Canada, in order to identify the existence of a certificate, never mind order it. So there is an awful lot for this amateur family researcher to be grateful for.
I know and appreciate all of this, but sadly I am still anxiously awaiting my orders. I'm hopeless:).
The release of the 1911 census opened some doors for me, and freebmd has made significant progress on Northumberland entries, so between those two things I recently knocked down some longstanding brick walls and can't wait to see what else will be revealed!
Watch - now that I have put it out there, Monday my mailbox will be full!
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Watch - now that I have put it out there, Monday my mailbox will be full!
There is, of course, the lack of flights at present across the Atlantic to add to the delay!
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Nice one Nigel - I'd forgotten about that.
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Hi
The topic below relates to time taken to receive certificates.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,448318.0.html
Andy
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I ordered some about a month ago and similarly they are delayed... but I am being patient... ??? >:( :(
However - I rec'd email notification from them regarding the one I asked them to check, as I am researching Clarkes and there are so many similar date time and place..... etc..
In the notification, they advised that due to the occupation being not as I had thought, they were refunding part of my payment....and not sending the cert. They didn't advise as to what his occupation was, which I felt they should, in case he had changed from simple labourer to farm worker. They didn't advise that age, place and spouse were as I had suggested. Now I will have to write and ask them this so that I can fully discount this cert.
Again However, I realise that this will be the last time they do a reference check on certs ordered... :-\
This result - has made me partly glad of that. I would rather spend the extra - and view the cert for myself - to enable cross referencing.
Of course I would MUCH PREFER it to be like Scots certs...... where you can actually view the details before purchasing.
I think my certs must now be on their way - due to email being sent... so I now cant wait for the postman.. :)
Xin
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Since they announced that the prices would increase everyone has been panic buying certs so the increase in orders has gone up.
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I have ordered several birth and marriage certs from Durham County Council website but they only have deaths from 1991 onwards.
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Received my March 23 order, finally... now just waiting for my April 5 order
Matt
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It may be another week before anyone receives any orders placed 4th or 5th April.
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Mine arrived this morning so thats great..
they were ordered on the 29th March.. and expected delivery was 7th April...
So 10 days extra due to all problems they must be getting.
GREAT
So what is Phthisis pulmon*****
ah well
Xin
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"Phthisis pulmon*****"
I believe it is a wasting form of lung TB - our families turn out to have had quite a few of such cases!
Rachel
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Pthisis is the Greek term for Tuberculosis. I'm always amazed at amount of my ancestors this disease claimed. At least 30%-40%. Slightly higher than the average I think as mine were mostly fairly poor, but it still at one time accounted for a quarter of all deaths in England. Well earned it's title of 'The White Death'.
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"To add to the frustration, there is no way to check the status of an order online. Instead, you must fill out a complaint form - which they promise they will respond to within 12 working days. Yeesh!"
This is something I have always wondered at too, it would simplify the process so much for everyone involved and surely save them much money spent now dealing with people ringing up chasing orders etc. But like everything else no, the system is bizarre, elaborate and no doubt accounts for why our system is so expensive per cert, yet still loses them millions! The extra orders they have recieved this month must have bought them in well over 2 million pounds extra revenue, but that still less than a third of the losses they made last published financial year. Their orders are bound to dive, now the price has dropped, over the next year...so silver lining in the cloud is they may be forced into action towards providing a full digital service, and perhaps sooner rather than later.
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My 3xgreat grandfather first wife died of "phthisis, years, certified" in November 1863. She must have suffered a lot.
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Another post ....... no certificate.
17 days from order and still counting :(
9 days from est despatch and still counting :(
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:) :)
I received mine this morning.
Two ordered 28th March, est despatch 6th April.
One is dated 13th April, the other 14th.
Betty
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I'm still waiting for 17 certs. It's going to be exciting if they all arrive at the same time!
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I hope my 4 arrive at the same time.
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I'm still waiting for 17 certs. It's going to be exciting if they all arrive at the same time!
17!!!.....did you take out a bank loan....or win the lottery ;D ;D ;D
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Hello
I ordered 6 on the 25th March despatched date 31st.
3 were despatched on the 8th April arrived here in Western Australia 16th April. Hoping for the other three soon.
Pam
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17!!!.....did you take out a bank loan....or win the lottery
I actually ordered more than 50 certs when I heard about the price increase. Luckily, my father is investing in the genealogical pursuit!
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just little update to my earlier posting i received mine to-day sat 17th april order 31st march despached date given was the 8th april i suppose not to bad considering easter holidays and the rush before price increase incidently they charged me the new price for my order on the 31st march but they have given me refund of the difference
cheers
harrywrag
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I've had my 30 plus certs I ordered for a few weeks now as I got them all from Local Register Offices & not the GRO.
As they came before the price increase the new leads allowed me to order further certs still at £7.00.
Jay
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I've had my 30 plus certs I ordered for a few weeks now as I got them all from Local Register Offices & not the GRO.
As well as the 50+ that I ordered from the GRO, I ordered a stack from the Kendal Register Office--which arrived in less than a week (and I live in the US!)
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I have just watched a news item on TV and it was about airmail post having to be sent by train to Spain so it can then be flown out to the USA.
Presumably this will apply to other Countries that post from UK goes by plane
as well.
Jean
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Hurrah! The rest of those I ordered on 30 and 31 March arrived yesterday.
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Three of mine ordered 28 March - estimated dispatch date of 6 April - arrived 17 April. No complaints about that really.
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Mine may arrive late next week.
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Another day..... another post..... still no certificate :(
I know they are very busy, now 10 days over the despatch date. ::)
Tried to call the this morning on 0845 603 7788 to enquire, answer phone " due to a high volume of calls, your call is being disconnected " >:(
Anyone know of another number for them please ???
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I ordered 3 on the 31st March, estimated despatch the 8th April, no sign yet :(
*watches tumbleweed blow down road*
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I think generally, from my last order, and other posts here, the certs seem to be arriving 11-12 days after the estimated despatch date given. I'm therefore expecting my 9th April ones on Tuesday or Wednesday, so hopefully angel fish and patrish yours should come in next day or so also.
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I ordered 2 death certs on 31st March. One of them arrived today, accompanied by a white (not purple) sheet of paper headed Identity and Passport Service. Has the system been changed too I wonder?
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I ordered 2 death certs on 31st March. One of them arrived today, accompanied by a white (not purple) sheet of paper headed Identity and Passport Service. Has the system been changed too I wonder?
Geoff the GRO became part of the IPS a few years ago.
Jay
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Here's the announcement on FFHS site from Oct 2007
http://www.ffhs.org.uk/news/news071009.php
Jay
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OK :)
Anyway, the form that came with the Cert was totally different, as was the colour.
Incidentally, there had been over 26,000 orders between my order on the 24th and that on the 31st.
Also, I only received order confirmation on 24th March but not on 26th and 31st.
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Post arrived - sounded promising. 2 envelopes on mat: right size, WRONG sender :'(
I did received a phone call about an hour ago from Lancashire certificate services so knew that 2 wouldn't be arriving. Apparently those I ordered on-line 5 April are outside the local area so not held at Preston after all but at Sefton North (local authority for Southport for those who don't know the area. Pre 1974 Southport was IN Lancs) so they will have to refund my money. I can either order by post from Sefton or on-line from GRO. Whichever I decide it's going to be another wait :-X
The ones I ordered from GRO 1 April are taking their time! If not received this week I shall get very angry >:(
You won't like me when I'm >:( . Someone said that once didn't they? Strange things happened to him I believe :D
Susan
Patience is a virtue, so I am told ;)
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There was some kerfuffle on the 31st, when I placed my order I was charged the new price and only got the payment e-mail, not the order confirmation. I then recieved another e-mail stating there'd been a system error and my money had been refunded. I then re-ordered normally. Guy Etchells said that GRO had been testing while the site was live and that's why I'd been charged the new rate.
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Anyway, the form that came with the Cert was totally different, as was the colour.
They must of ran out of purple paper then due to the increase in orders :D :D
Jay
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Applied for 3 more today. Estimated despatch date 26 April so hopefully will get them before bank holiday.
We'll see. Can't hold my breath that long anyway ;D
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On the GRO website they are still giving an extra delay of 5-10 days ,but they do now say this " We anticipate that normal service will be resumed by the week beginning 17 May. "
;D
Carol
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Oh well we look forward to that date.
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I ordered mine from the GRO on deadline day. I was given a dispatch date of the 12th.
As long as they come before Thursday i will be happy. I am probably hoping for too much :(
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The last of the batch that I ordered on March 30 arrived today.
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I ordered mine the day before the era ended of cheaper certs.
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NO certs received from the GRO at work today, the ones received on Friday 16th were 'due for despatch' dated 8th April, it's now the 19th.
There are a couple of alternative numbers on the 'Say no to 0870' site but I haven't tried them.
I expect though, that even if you do get through, they staff there won't tell you anything you don't already know.
If you phone to ask where an order is, they won't usually take action until it's 7 working days late, as today is the 19th anything due upto 8th April is now technically late.
Anything ordered over the Easter Holiday weekend from the 2nd to 5th will most probably be 'despatch due' dated 12th April. You can try claiming by the 22nd if it hasn't arrived, but I wouldn't hold your breath.
Dawn
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Estimated despatch date 26 April so hopefully will get them before bank holiday.
Think you are wise not to hold your breath, mine is 11 days over the despatch date of the 8th April ordered on the 1st.
I couldent even get through to them Dawn, they disconncted the call with an automated message.
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I ordered some on 1 April and some more on 3 April. Since those from 30 March have arrived in a trickle between last Fri and today, I'm not going to get fraught unless the rest fail to turn up by the end of the week.
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Looks like I am in for a longer wait then ::) I ordered right on the deadline about 23:45 ;D
Despatch date 12th so mine are just a week late so far ordered eight and no sign of any yet :(
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I just received 7 certs that I ordered on MARCH 20th! Dispatch date was to have been March 26th. I received one dated March 28th a couple of weeks ago, and these 7 are dated March 30th (but I wonder how correct that is).
Anyway, those of you worrying about orders placed at the end of March will need to be more patient I think.
Now to sort through and see what I have got...
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The website has been saying that customers may wish to be aware that standard orders are subject to a delay of between 5 - 10 working days,for a while now. So that's already a delay of up to 10 days on the despatch date they have quoted and if you ordered with Easter in the middle-add a further 4 days 8)
I'm sure they will just be plodding their way through the massive amount of extra orders as best as they can ;)
Carol
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UK residents waiting for post (such as certificates) should remember that much of the UK post goes by air now instead of by train or lorry.
Unless the Post Office is making alternative arrangements (which is very doubtful, though they do claim they are) ;) there could be delays caused by the Iceland volcano.
Cheers
Guy
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Wow , forgot to include that in my timing , Air Mail to Aus must be non existant. Rats.
Graham
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Ordered 3 on 4th April
Est dispatch date 12th April
Still waiting
Bob
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Anyone like to guess how much money has been taken over the last few weeks for orders not yet fulfilled ?
OK, I only ordered 3, but that £21 was charged to account at point of order. 1st April in my case ::).
For those of you who have order large amounts - OUCH! :o
Susan
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Follow up to last..................
As the 2 certs ordered on-line 5 April from Lancashire can't be provided by them, even though the system accepted the references ok, they have had to be re-ordered at the new cost of £9.25. If there had been an automatic reject I could have ordered from GRO on same day.
As it is, I was charged at point of order and my £14.00 is still out there somewhere, might be another week before I get it back I am told.
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Post just been. Another day, another disappointment :'(
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Nothing in todays post :(
Finally managed to get through on the phone :)
Cert ordered on the 1st April, est dispatch 8th, was despatched yesterday the 19th ::)
Only another 4 or 5 days to wait now :(
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My certs ordered on the 1 April haven't turned up yet :-\
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My outstanding certificate was ordered 27 March with a despatch date of 6 April and still nothing. Interesting to note the payment was taken from my account on 1 April. Even with a 10 day delay in processing, it is clear there is no delay on securing their payment.
It is possible it has now been despatched - unable to tell because they have not yet responded to my email as I am only into day 6 of their 12 day estimated response time.
>:( >:( >:(
Luzzu
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I have found that they are taking on average about a week longer than they used to, however fill in the complain form, they usually do get back to you eventually, but be aware they are not infallable, they sent me two certificates identical, only they were supposedly on different pages, they phoned to say it was my mistake, but on relooking they realised it was their mistake, they did rectify it, but if I had not argued the point I would have been led to believe that I was in the wrong. Also have you noticed the price increase? I thought at over 30 per cent extra it was a bit much.Oh and now instead of 10 days to reply to your complaint, they now take 12 days
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Come on, people, it was obvious they were going to be snowed under with orders trying to beat the price increase. Add in the Easter holiday and the unexpected loss of air mail services, and long delays were inevitable - everyone is in the same boat. The more people pester them with phone calls and emails, tying up staff time, the longer it will take to get back to normal service. Please only contact them if there has been a mistake with your order. You know it makes sense ;)
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They may not have been able to anticipate volcanic eruptions but they should have anticipated that a substantial increase in fees would prompt the response it has and as a government department, should have made preparations.
I work in local government and we anticipate a considerable increase in work at this time of year just in case fees are going to increase and TRY to adjust accordingly.
Management should have seen it coming but frontline staff, as usual will bear the brunt, so my sympathies are with them for having to deal with this but not with the hierarchy.
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Couldn't agree more. The announcement of the price increase should have been made much more than a month before the implementation, and scheduling it at Easter was poor timing.
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Management should have seen it coming but frontline staff, as usual will bear the brunt, so my sympathies are with them for having to deal with this but not with the hierarchy.
But then most of the senior management sit in their little offices and attend meetings with other managers and think up these ideas without a thought about what the frontline staff have to deal with. ::)
Not sure it would have made much difference if I had had more notice would probably still left it to the last minute ;D
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Couldn't agree more. The announcement of the price increase should have been made much more than a month before the implementation, and scheduling it at Easter was poor timing.
The prices are fixed and announced in a S.I. (in a fees order) and as such are out of the control of the GRO.
They (GRO) only had about a months notice themselves.
The date is in line with the start of the financial year
Cheers
Guy
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4B 2M 4D certs ordered on 1 Apr with est dispatch of 9 Apr - 3B certs arrived yesterday (18 Apr), so 18 days.
1 Adoption cert ordered 6 Apr, est dispatch 13 Apr, arrived 15 Apr, so 9 days. 1M cert ordered same day not yet arrived.
1M cert ordered 17 Apr, est dispatch 23 Apr.
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I wasn't blaming the GRO directly, Guy, but somebody somewhere made the decisions.
Not sure it would have made much difference if I had had more notice would probably still left it to the last minute
Well, that's you, but I sorted out and applied for what I wanted soon after I heard about the price increase, and had received them all by the middle of March. That left me time to order a couple of others as follow-ups. Mind you, I didn't get any of them from the GRO! ;)
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I am not very organised! am I ??? ???
They'll turn up in their own time. No rush, if it wasn't for the price increase I wouldn't have ordered them yet anyway ;D ;D
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No rush, if it wasn't for the price increase I wouldn't have ordered them yet anyway ;D ;D
The New NBI helped me locate the burial of my gt gt grandfather and wanted to found how he and his wife died at 48 and 42 when my gt grandfather was only 12 when his mother died and 19 when his father died.
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Whats the NBI not heard of that ???
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NBI - National Burial Index =)
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Hi Guys
This topic has reached the 2- page limit so will now be locked.
Feel free to start another if there is sufficient discussion that hasn't already been discussed!
Kind regards, Arranroots ;)