England vital records, General Records Office (GRO) and Public Record Office(PRO) records.

By agilchrest on Thu, 10/03/2019 - 16:08

Forums

After reviewing the discussion on the GRO here https://www.evidenceexplained.com/index.php/node/1564

I have taken a slightly different approach. I am now wondering if I need to amend my approach. I have a significant number of these records. For the vast majority, I went to the PRO’s in the actual registration district.

For those I use the following citation:

  • Wakefield Registration District, West Yorkshire, certified photocopy of death entry in the register for William Eccles, 8 October 1839; Wakefield Registry Office, England.

At the time I was in Dewsbury, (2007) the registry office transcribed the births and deaths. They would photocopy the marriages directly from the register. For the transcribed records I use the following format.

  • Dewsbury Registration District, West Yorkshire, certified transcription of birth entry in the register for Eliza Ann Vero, 25 April 1863; Dewsbury Registry Office, England.

The “title” on the birth & death forms is Certified Copy of an Entry Pursuant to the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953.

The “title” on the marriage form is Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage Pursuant to the Marriage Act 1949.

I have not included the “title” of these forms in my citation and am now wondering if there is a reason to include them? Are they necessary?

In my working notes, I include the GRO index information, volume, and page number. But it is important to note that the registers held by the GRO are copies of the local PRO registers and they are not numbered the same.

I also have several records from the GRO. I cite those as follows:

  • Wakefield Registration District, West Yorkshire, vol. 22, p. 744, no. 477, birth entry of Sarah Eccles, 2 February 1846, certified photocopy of birth entry in register; General Registry Office, Southport, England. [How I received the copy I have]

I have received these in three different ways.

  1. From a cousin in the form of a digital image by email.
  2. A paper copy from the GRO via snail mail.
  3. A PDF copy from the GRO in an email.

By citing the GRO records this way if need be I can lop off how I got the document and still retain the basic citation.

Thank you for any thoughts,

Ann

Submitted byEEon Fri, 10/04/2019 - 12:39

Ann, your approach works. As for whether to include the title, that can help others better understand exactly what you have. If you choose to include the title, do eliminate the italics because the certificates aren't published and none of them are a standalone publication. The words you quote from the title of the certificate (or any other unpublished manuscript) should be in quotation marks.