Phoning a registry office for information

[Fragorand]

OK....you can see that I'm quite new to this.  It's possible to get BMD Certifiicates from the GRO.  I've done that already for one birth certificate.  Local registry offices also provide certificates too I understand.  If I'm not sure if a particular reference I have actually belongs to somebody I'm researching, will the local registry office check the record whose reference you give them and tell you what's on it eg an address or spouse name etc?  I'm just don't know what kind of information they will provide over the phone.  Thank you.

[stanmapstone]

If it is a GRO reference then it means nothing to a local register office, who have a different system. A local office is unlikely to give you the information you want.

Stan

[weste]

Also if they look for someone and find them , you're expected to buy it. It also helps if you can give them an address  and if a marriage the church. They also vary in how helpful they are. One registry office I went to and filled a form in and if you go back after 10 the following day if it's a working day you can have the cert . Pay at time of order. Another reg office round the corner from me stuck to 5 working days! These 2 were 10-12 miles apart.

[halhawk]

It might be worth phoning and asking the local office, but you can also use the GRO, although you have to pay up front.  They will check details, as long as you check NO when the form asks if you know the reference from the Index.  You then get a page which asks you for as many details as you can give, and they will search.  If they don't find an entry matching your details, they will refund your payment.

[dawnsh]

Hi

The local register office will also require you to pay up front before they search. If there's no entry you should get your money refunded. They are under no obligation to give you any details over the phone.

Register offices actually charge more for their certificates and often add on an extra pound for postage and packing.

Dawn

[Fragorand]

I did just telephone and they said that they had a marriage matching what I was searching for but since they have Welsh names which are common I wanted to tie them down to a particular area but I was told I'd have to purchase the certificate to get that information. :-(

[rosie99]

Is it a recent marriage     Some older marriage church records are online on Familysearch or PPV web sites such as Ancestry & FindMyPast

Rosie

[Fragorand]

It's a marriage from 1859 and it will probable have been in a non-conformist chapel.

[KGarrad]

Perhaps if you gave us the names of the bride & groom, somebody in RC may be able to help?