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Is she a twin?

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Julia

Julia Report 28 Aug 2005 06:06

If it gives a time in the 'when and where column' on a birth cert, does it mean the child is a twin? I have an Emma Collins born in Sept 1842 in Pancras. I've looked on FreeBMD and there is an entry for a Caroline Collins in the same quarter and same district in 1842, but the page numbers are about 50 apart. Even for a London district I would have expected the numbers to be the same, or at least consecutive if they were twins. Emma did have a sister called Caroline, but in the 1861 census she is a year younger, and I can't find a death for Caroline between 1842 & 1843 in St Pancras. Perhaps it was just an overly thorough registrar who asked the time of birth along with the standard information? Any thoughts? BTW I won't be able to pop in again until Sunday evening in case you wonder where I've gone!

Wendy

Wendy Report 28 Aug 2005 08:17

My mother is a twin and the time of her birth is recorded on her birth certificate.Wendy

Unknown

Unknown Report 28 Aug 2005 08:45

Twins always have the time on their certs. But some registrars did put time on every cert. But I would say the fact that there are 50 pages between them makes it unlikely - both of them would surely have been registered together? If you are really curious, you could request the cert, specifying parents' details as a check. If it's not one of your family, you've only lost £3. Or, you could look for a death for this Caroline as she would presumably have died before the younger one was born. nell

}((((*> Jeanette The Haddock <*)))){

}((((*> Jeanette The Haddock <*)))){ Report 28 Aug 2005 11:30

I have twins both registered with the same page number. But when it comes to the parish register, the boy is there but not the girl. Jeanette x

Unknown

Unknown Report 28 Aug 2005 12:23

Yes there looks likely to have been a twin,but if it was born dead then there wouldnt have been a birth or death registered for it,,,,so may be a search for a burial of infant may discover this,,,,,,,,,,,, kay

Julia

Julia Report 28 Aug 2005 17:03

Thank you everyone for your replies. I assumed that if a baby was stillborn there wouldn't be a birth or death registered, but I'd forgotten that it might not have been given a name yet even if it had only lived a short time! I've seen those entries for 'male' Smith etc, and wondered how they could not have named him! I guess unlike these days where we have many months to think of names, in those days they could never be sure of the childs survival so left it until they were sure! I'll try that, thanks.