Civil Registration Indexes - BMDs information

Ordering birth, marriage and death certificates

The General Register Office (GRO) Births, Marriages and Deaths (BMD) Indexes allow you to search for a family relative, and once found the Indexes provide that vital information that will enable you to order a certificate or to confirm your own research. The Indexes list the year, quarter, district and depending on the event - and the period will give you the information regarding the Mother's Maiden Name (Births) or Spouse's Name (Marriages) or the Age at death (Deaths). In addition the Indexes give two other vital pieces of information - the Volume number and the Page number of the Register which will allow the ordering of a certificate.

Merchant Vessels - World War II

Certificates are a valuable and useful source of information for tracing your family history as they usually provide details like an address, occupation or cause of death. Including the full name of the individuals you will also find the following information on certificates;

A birth certificate includes the date and place of birth, the name and address of the mother and sometimes the mother's maiden name. The name and occupation of the father is also shown on the certificate.

ROYAL NAVY - Key Dates 1847 - 1945

 [IMAGE-1]

Royal Navy Lists

[IMAGE-1] The Royal Navy Lists are like a catalogue of history - The Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the occupation of Beijing and Egypt all of which involved the supply of troops and the protection of troop transports and much later conflicts such as the Boer War and the forcing of the Dardanelles in the First World War.

The Navy Lists contain the details of all Royal Navy and Royal Marine commissioned officers on the Active List of those serving at the time of publication. It was said that every Captain in the Navy had a copy of the list as he was always anxious to know the exact status and seniority of other officers he met.

TRACING WILLS AFTER 1858

[IMAGE-1] You will find it very easy to trace English and Welsh wills and administrations made since January 1858; the Principal Registry in London holds records since that date.

Over the years, most copies of wills held by families, executors or administrators have been lost. However, the originals are preserved in official court records. The Probate Act of 1857 required that all applications for probate or administration be made to the newly established civil Court of Probate with Probate Registries across England and Wales. The Principal Registry in London holds copies of all the wills proved, or administrations granted, in these registries. It also has calendars (alphabetical lists of wills proved and administrations granted) since 1858. Microfilms of the calendars for 1858-1935 can be seen at the Society of Genealogists and other major archives. Copies of Welsh wills (except Montgomeryshire) are also held at the National Library of Wales.

Starting your search

[IMAGE-1] Old parish records provide vital evidence of your ancestors' baptisms, marriages and burials. Detailed indexes and guides can help you to track them down

The Phillimore Parish Marriage registers are fully transcribed although the images are not available.

Parish registers - the Church's records of baptisms, marriages and burials-date from the 16th century and are key to finding out about your family's past before the introduction of civil records. If your ancestors stayed in one place for centuries you may be able to find generations of your family among the records of just one church.

Most people can find relatives who in the past were forced or chose to go overseas. A wealth of material in British and foreign archives can help you to track them down

Britons abroad - A roaming nation

[IMAGE-1] At some stage you will probably discover family members who emigrated from the British Isles, for reasons ranging from religious persecution to transportation or just the search for a better life.
Hundreds of thousands of people left for the Americas in the 17th and 18th centuries. Around 10 million Britons emigrated in the 19th century, to the United States and all parts of the British Empire. Searching for overseas links with your past is exciting. But it is crucial to do your homework before undertaking research abroad.