Genealogy Chat

I presume that when I order copy from the GRO it is a copy of the entry of the cert in the registers and not a copy of the actual cert itself. How do I know that my ancestors actually signed their names, or just marked with a X? On MY marriage cert (copy) it says (signed) and then my name typewritten but the (signed) bit obviously means I signed it with my signature. I presume if I couldn't write it would say something like (marked by). As the copy I have just says 'this marriage was solemnized between us' and the the copy of the names, can I assume they signed their own name? Would it say different if they could not write? I would just like to know if my ancestors were literate at all. Am I correct to presume that I need to order a copy of the the origional from the parish RO and not the GRO if I want to see the original? TIA Claire xx

You are correct! It has to come from the parish records to see the signatures... you can also get things like a certificate of baptism, rather than a birth certificate (don't know much about it though).

On my certs where they could not write it just has a cross next to their written name and the words 'the mark of'. That I presume to mean that they could not write. Gloria

That is what I thought. Thank you both. But would someone transcribing from the original indicate whether it was signed, or just marked? Claire xx

Transcription means to copy exactly what is written on the original. All the certificates I have from the GRO where the the person signed with a X or made their mark, the information has been transcribed. Jennifer

A ''Victorian'' cert bought today from the GRO will be a photocopy of a copy written out by the registrars clerk at local level, at the end of the quarter the entry was made and then submitted to the GRO for indexing back in 18XX. If you buy your cert from the local reg office you MAY get a PHOTOCOPY from the original register. This means you COULD get your rellies sig (if they signed!!). I have several certificates like this. More usually though, the modern day registrar (at the local office) will make a transcript copy by either handwriting a copy or typing out the record. One thing that can be useful to know (when PR's are not appropriate) is that if you plead with the local reg office they may be able to copy your rellies signature from the original cert in their ledger. I had this situation when I bought two certs from the GRO and, knowing in both cases the rellie had signed, I needed to compare their signatures. The local office did a tracing of the two sigs involved, as the old ledger was too fat to go into their copier!! Happy Hunting MMM

For church weddings there are TWO original signed copies, one with the church/records office and one with the district registrar. What you get is another thing always ask local offices if they can supply a copy. For civil weddings there is one copy held by the district registrar. GRO do not hold any originals, they have some photocopies of originals. For the periods most of us are interested in they will be trancriptions. Bob

Thanks for all the info everyone. :o) Claire xx