Ordering Certificate/Films

[KGarrad]

OK, I'll ask the dumb question again!

What is it you are hoping to see on the film?

(It may well be that there is no further information to be had! )

[StevieSteve]

Hi, I'm interested in the process rather than these actual records (I'm not the OP).

I have more common surnames in my tree, so the address & occupation fields are often useful

[smudwhisk]

So I just sit down at a terminal, plug in the film number and up it comes? No £7.50 to pay? Maybe a cost if I want to print it or can I get a scan of it?

I've never been to Kew so couldn't say.  If they are on film, you will have to view them on a microfilm reader but I gather Kew probably has the facility to print (or save to a USB) from the films which many other LDS centres in the UK do not.  However, you'd need to check with Kew on what the exact facilities are.

[KGarrad]

Information that is on the relevant Birth or Marriage certificate?
Which costs only £9.25 - no postage; no travel costs; no parking charges!!

[SmallTownGirl]

If you only want to see the image for the one marriage and one baptism, then you could just request those, for free, via Photoduplication

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Photoduplication_Services

If you want to review those PLUS any other entries (to see if there's any more there of interest to you), then you'll need to order the film and go to an LDS centre to look at them (or to Kew as described above).

STG

[dawnsh]

If you can easily get to Kew, the London LDS library are currently on the first floor in the 'open access' area which means you don't need a readers ticket.

You can check their catalogue holdings on the left side of the screen here

http://www.londonfhc.org/

If they have the film there is no fee to pay.

Take the film number you are interested in to them and fill in a slip. They will get the film out of the stockroom for you, takes about 15 mins.

If you don't know how to use a microfilm reader, they will set you up.

If you then want a print of an entry, you have to remove the film from the reader and take it to a member of staff who will then load ip up to a reader linked to a printer. Yiou will work with them to find the entry again and they will manipulate the image to the right size and quality and either print it to A3 or A4 or if you take a usb stick, they will put in on that. There is a small charge for paper printouts or transfer to usb.

[smudwhisk]

If you only want to see the image for the one marriage and one baptism, then you could just request those, for free, via Photoduplication

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Photoduplication_Services

If you want to review those PLUS any other entries (to see if there's any more there of interest to you), then you'll need to order the film and go to an LDS centre to look at them (or to Kew as described above).

STG

From discussion on RC earlier this year, I gather if you live within 50 miles of an LDS Family History Centre you aren't allowed to order through this service.  How well it's being policed I don't know, but its worth bearing this in mind.  I think you have to provide a full postal address even though entries are emailed, so they can check how close to a centre you live.  This rule was I gather introduced because, not surprisingly, the service was heavily used.  Unfortunately I suspect many people in the UK do live that close to a centre.

[smudwhisk]

Its also worth bearing in mind for Cambridgeshire that a lot of the Family History Society's transcripts are now searchable on FindMyPast, although last time I looked they'd managed to screw up the formatting and were missing dates on the baptisms but hopefully they may have fixed that by now.   At least this provides a finding aid, albeit they should really be checked against originals before being relied upon.

[StevieSteve]

Information that is on the relevant Birth or Marriage certificate?
Which costs only £9.25 - no postage; no travel costs; no parking charges!!

Well, yes, if it exists.
And you choose the right one...

If you only want to see the image for the one marriage and one baptism, then you could just request those, for free, via Photoduplication

Wth a 100% failure rate, I'd have needed another step-by-step guide for that 
The 50-mile rule probably explains why I didn't hear anything back when I tried it though

Practical Kew stuff,

Thanks Dawn!

And thanks, smudwhisk