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Old Photographs, Recognition, Handwriting Deciphering => Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition => Topic started by: suzyvan on Friday 29 November 19 23:30 GMT (UK)

Title: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: suzyvan on Friday 29 November 19 23:30 GMT (UK)
I have been trying to find deaths of my relatives that may have occurred between 1957 and 1984.....there is a gap of 27 years missing?
Is this temporarily or that those years have never been available?
Thanks Kaz
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: CaroleW on Saturday 30 November 19 00:10 GMT (UK)
I have several deaths in my FH between those years - all found without problem
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Rosinish on Saturday 30 November 19 00:14 GMT (UK)
I would doubt there were gaps for the era, however, is the surname one of many variations which may cause a problem?

It may be worth posting details as there are many well experienced researchers here who may be able to help?

Annie
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: suzyvan on Saturday 30 November 19 01:50 GMT (UK)
The Gro index online shows that the years from 1957 to 1984 is missing.
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Dundee on Saturday 30 November 19 02:06 GMT (UK)
Always worth reading the GRO guides:

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/images/CG11.pdf

Debra  :)
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: suzyvan on Saturday 30 November 19 02:37 GMT (UK)
Thank you all for your quick response and to Dundee for the correct result.
I found part of that explanation of the gap  but no information as to why, that explains  why I haven't been able to find my required deaths, I was happy to blame myself to start with.
Kaz
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Guy Etchells on Saturday 30 November 19 09:20 GMT (UK)
I have been trying to find deaths of my relatives that may have occurred between 1957 and 1984.....there is a gap of 27 years missing?
Is this temporarily or that those years have never been available?
Thanks Kaz

The explanation is quite complex but starts with the  2002 scheme to modernise BMD records. In 2015 I wrote the following. -

“Back in the mists of time (2002) it was deemed that the GRO undertake a modernisation project for the BMD records.
That project was divided into three sections
DoVE (Digitisation of Vital Events)
EAGLE (Electronic Access to GRO Legacy Events)
MAGPIE (MultiAccess to GRO Public Index of Events)

These were later replaced by DIP (Digitisation and Indexing Project)

DoVE proceeded a pace but unfortunately the contractor pulled out before the project was complete. The digitisation only covered births 1836-1934 & deaths 1836-1957. No marriages were digitised.

EAGLE is used to access and supply the public with printed scans of entries for the above years of births & deaths.
Any certificates outside the above dates and requests for marriages are supplied by either printed microfilm copies or computer “typed” transcripts of the entries.

The egg containing MAGPIE never hatched (perhaps it was infertile) and was discarded.

DIP is a very secretive bird that is only occasionally spotted, nobody knows of its habits.

I can report that it was seen motionless in September 2008 (experts said it was paused) but later reports said its work was partially completed in August 2010 and has since been abandoned.
The official line is
“Digitisation and indexing of civil registration records in England and Wales was partially completed by 2010. Completing the process would require significant investment and there are no current plans to resume this work. HM Passport Office will continue to monitor the scope for future opportunities to digitise all birth, death and marriage records.””

Since then the GRO has provided an online index for the records digitised under “DoVE” see above.
These digitised records have been supplemented with digital records of deaths (these records were created as computer records and did not require digitising) and cover the period 1984 to 2019.

It has been suggested that the records between 1957 and 1984 will be digitised when funds become available but no timescale has been set down for this to happen.

Cheers
Guy
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: suzyvan on Saturday 30 November 19 22:53 GMT (UK)
Thank you Guy.
By that seems like I maybe waiting a very long time for my deaths!
Thank you for your very descriptive explanation. Will be helpful to others searching the index as well.
Kaz
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Jamjar on Saturday 30 November 19 23:00 GMT (UK)
Have you tried: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2285341

Jamjar
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Annette7 on Sunday 01 December 19 03:08 GMT (UK)
Have you tried: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2285341

Jamjar

Plus, of course, there's Ancestry, Find My Past, and FreeBMD who all have the deaths.  I really don't see the problem.

Annette 
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Guy Etchells on Sunday 01 December 19 07:43 GMT (UK)
Thank you Guy.
By that seems like I maybe waiting a very long time for my deaths!
Thank you for your very descriptive explanation. Will be helpful to others searching the index as well.
Kaz

Not really you could try Free BMD to see if they have transcribed the relevant entries, or FindMyPast or Ancestry or familysearch (preferably more than one of these to check the transcriptions are correct).
If there is still doubt the safest was is to look in the indexes at

    The Library of Birmingham
    Bridgend Local and Family History Centre
    The City of Westminster Archives Centre
    Manchester Central Library
    Newcastle City Library
    Plymouth Central Library
    The British Library

Cheers Guy
 
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: BumbleB on Sunday 01 December 19 07:46 GMT (UK)
You can always check here to see how far FreeBMD has got with transcribing:

https://www.freebmd.org.uk/progress.shtml
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Jebber on Sunday 01 December 19 08:07 GMT (UK)
You should find what you want on Free BMD they have vast coverage for that period. When I search for deaths of some of my family names it shows nearly 4000 hits for a less common name, a common name gives more than 50000 hits between 1957 and 1984.
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: NorthernGeezer on Friday 26 July 24 17:55 BST (UK)
I see this is an old post but it doesn't answer the question regarding a digital record instead of the certificate.
I have my relatives  GRO reference number but so therefore the year and the quarter but GRO will not let me access his digital record.
Neither Ancestry nor Family Search give me the exact date I'm looking for.
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: rosie99 on Friday 26 July 24 17:59 BST (UK)
Not all years are available as digital records for births and deaths, what time scale are you searching
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: NorthernGeezer on Friday 26 July 24 18:07 BST (UK)
4th quarter 1965, my relative is Kenneth Alderson Ward GRO reference 6a/81, I dont really need the full certificate, just his exact date of death.
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: Ashtone on Friday 26 July 24 18:09 BST (UK)
The GRO digital download option covers deaths up to 1957.
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: NorthernGeezer on Friday 26 July 24 18:11 BST (UK)
I know Ashtone, I suppose the only other alternative is church records??
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: rosie99 on Friday 26 July 24 18:55 BST (UK)
If they were buried in church though the registers don’t always give the death date.  Newspapers are an option

There is always the grave marker if they were buried
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: NorthernGeezer on Saturday 27 July 24 09:56 BST (UK)
I think that's the end of the journey then, I'll have to stump up for the full death certificate, which in the grand scheme of things aint a big deal, it is a great grandfather who seems to have lived a very colourful life  ;D

Thanks everyone for your help
Title: Re: GRO missing years in death index?
Post by: carol8353 on Saturday 27 July 24 16:53 BST (UK)
If he left a will,that would list his exact date of death in the indexes.