Why would a BDM record be amended?

tonyt · Post by **tonyt** » 04 Nov 2007 15:55

Hi all,

Was wondering if anyone could shed any light on why a Birth entry in the BDM records might be edited please?

The record was originally written as vol 5b and crossed out is page 635 (i think, it's been crossed thru so a bit unclear) and next to it has been written 5888/S (which looks unusual to me)

Had a nose around and there's a few changed like this

Was wondering why it might be changed from a normal page no to somekind of reference

I do know the person in question was adopted almost straight away, so could it be to do with this please?

Thanks
Tony

ID:2600

PatrickT · Post by **PatrickT** » 15 Nov 2007 09:35

It looks as though the birth has been registered late. I have had one example of this when someone was born in 1914 but the birth was not registered until 1928. The 1914 entry was handwritten at the bottom of the page (presumably in 1928). The Free BMD explanation is as follows:

'Possible late entry
Normally GRO Index page numbers are numeric, optionally followed by a letter. As this page number ('see S/28') does not follow this format it is possible that it is a Late Entry. Late Entries mean that the registration of the event was delayed, e.g. parents did not attend the Register Office to record a birth but the birth was registered much later when the child was about to begin work, or an Inquest after a death prevented the immediate issuing of a death certificate. A Late Entry attempts to show a searcher where to look for the actual GRO reference. Unfortunately the format of such Late Entries is not standardised, but the usual pattern is a letter showing the Quarter of the Registration [March (M), June (J), September (S) or December (D)] followed by the last two digits of the year, thus giving the quarter and year when the Registration was entered into the GRO records. A reference that reads 'see J/75' would therefore indicate that the GRO registration and reference is probably to be found in the June Quarter of either 1875 or 1975 (depending on context).'

So, maybe your entry refers to 5[1?]888 Sep

PatrickT · Post by **PatrickT** » 15 Nov 2007 09:35

Or 1928 even

tonyt · Post by **tonyt** » 15 Nov 2007 17:51

Hi Patrick,

Thanks for the reply

The child was born about 1967/8 (gro entry is in Q1 1969). I know the child was born no earlier than 1967 though.

I can see that S might be september, but not sure i understand where 5888 might come into it?

Many thanks
Tony

Jnine · Post by **Jnine** » 17 Nov 2007 22:05

Hi
When a child is registered in the mothers maiden name that entry in the Index is later amended,if the child is re-registered in the fathers name, and the parents marry. Usually there is a note in the Index by the side of the original entry, then the birth is added to the Index at the bottom under the new surname, in the original birth year and Q.
Jan

tonyt · Post by **tonyt** » 18 Nov 2007 07:53

Hi Jan,

Thanks for the info

In this case though they defintely never married (the child was adopted and given a completely new name, i currently only know the new christian name) and there's no additional notes on the index page

Thanks
Tony

Jnine · Post by **Jnine** » 19 Nov 2007 13:21

Hi Tony
The ref. next to the crossed out one is probally the link GRO use to the new birth certificate that would of been issued for the adoption. I have been told by the GRO that you can apply for the original entries and then they advise you of the re- registration, whether in the this case of an adoption they would do this I do not know.
Jan

tonyt · Post by **tonyt** » 19 Nov 2007 13:28

Ok, that makes sense

Many thanks
Tony

Family Historian User Group