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General => The Common Room => The Lighter Side => Topic started by: patty38 on Friday 28 January 22 15:30 GMT (UK)

Title: Registering a death
Post by: patty38 on Friday 28 January 22 15:30 GMT (UK)

Does anyone know if there is an age limit on registering deaths.

I purchased a death cert for a child who died in 1879 at Newport, South Wales and the informant is his sister who would have been aged 12. This seems very young to me even in those far off days and I've always wondered if it was legal.

All the other deaths (and there were many) were registered by the mother, so I assumed she was too ill and her eldest daughter did it, but so young.

It's not of major importance and won't alter anything, but every time I look at this family I do so wonder. 

Patty  :)

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: BumbleB on Friday 28 January 22 17:49 GMT (UK)

Not sure BUT I have access to records where a young man born in 1883, registered the death of his sister in 1897.

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: Jebber on Friday 28 January 22 18:44 GMT (UK)

You only had to be old enough to understand what you were doing, a girl could marry at  12 and a  boy at 14

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: Maiden Stone on Saturday 29 January 22 01:06 GMT (UK)

I've come across children as informants of a sibling's birth in Ireland. Father may have been away working or too busy to spare a couple of hours to walk to town & back.
It's possible that the child informant was accompanied by an adult as back-up.
12 year-olds were doing paid work in 1879.
Much schooling was learning by rote. Remembering a few vital facts to tell to an official should have been easy. They may have been written down at home and all child had to do was give piece of paper to registrar. 

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: AntonyMMM on Saturday 29 January 22 10:42 GMT (UK)

I don't think there has ever been an age restriction on being an informant -the registrar just has to be satisfied that the person is able to give the required information.

The youngest I allowed to be an informant for a death was 14.

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: patty38 on Saturday 29 January 22 11:13 GMT (UK)

Thanks for that everyone, it really has been a help, it seems as I was fretting about nothing, just different attitudes and ideas.

I didn't realise the age of marriage was 12 and 14, I thought it was 16 and that work started officially at 14 although unofficially it was any age, they say you learn something new every day so thank you for that.

Patty :)

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: AntonyMMM on Saturday 29 January 22 12:03 GMT (UK)

It was 16 from 1929 onwards - I have an example of a marriage certificate (from 1906) with a 12yr old bride !

  (rare, but it could happen).

Title: Re: Registering a death
Post by: Blue70 on Tuesday 01 February 22 10:38 GMT (UK)

I know of a birth registration informant in Dublin who was ten years old when he registered his sister's birth in 1864.


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