Family Historian User Group

I must admit I've got terribly confused in my initial enthusiasm trying to track down ancestors, etc.

Am I right in thinking that the place I need to visit is the Family Records Office? (which, if memory serves me well, is near King's Cross). Or have I got completely the wrong end of the stick? I've done various searches on the net, but I always end up going round in circles and never actually finding anything useful - you know how one place says 'click here' so you do, then that place says 'click here', etc. and you repeat the process 29 times only to end up at the place where you started!

If it IS the FRO, can somebody tell me what information I can hope to find there? And a link please?

If it ISN'T the FRO, where should I go to get more info about BMDs, etc.

Please excuse my ignorance and thanks!

Mike

ID:409

There is the PRO in central london, but I think the one you mean is the FRC - Family Records Centre at Kew.

What are you trying to look up?

Have a read of the guides on the link below

http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/guides.htm

Yes, Jane, I think it must be the FRC. Is Kew near King's Cross? (I live in Spain, by the way, but I visit the UK in the summer usually)

I tried following your link but I just end up going round in circles as usual (they seem to throw you effortlessly from one site to another - all with infuriatingly similar names - without ever actually helping you - or me at least). So, I prefer to ask an expert directly: WHAT information can - or can't - I find in FRC? Can I see BMD certificates? Or only indexes?

Thanks
Mike

All certificates must be ordered and even if you go to the FRC you still have to have them sent or I think collect them 5 or 6 days latter.

If you only want certificates then I would find them via freebmd or failing that 1837online.

You can order them via
http://www.col.statistics.gov.uk/
As long as you have someone in the UK to forward them on to you or use

http://www.gro-certificates.co.uk/

Who will get certificates using index references or for an additional fee do the look up as well.

Certificate indexes used to be held in central London. Don't know London well, but I suspect Kings Cross is near the PRO not the FRC.

If you stick to the guides I found they explained quite clearly what records were held were. If you still struggling I would stick to the gro-cert option above, they are both helpful and knowledgable.

This page gives details of what the FRC holds eg Census images, Certifcate indexes etc

http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/default.htm

Just to follow up on the London geography.  The Family Records Centre is in Clerkenwell( a short walk from either Angel or Farringdon underground stations, and a short bus ride from Kings Cross).  This link takes you to address, opening hours etc.
http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/visits/visits.htm
It has a huge number of records, but as a novice I have found it most useful for:
Checking the BMD indexes before ordering certificates (just in case the details on Free BMD or 1837online are not clear or correct)
Ordering certificates
Using the indexes to the 1851 census and viewing the microfilms of any of the other 1841-1891 censuses (for which you need address information).
Viewing the 1881 and 1901 census online (they sell vouchers for the 1901).
They may also (can't remember) have access online to Ancestry.com records so you can check their census indexes for 1891 and (partial) 1871.
The staff there are very helpful.  
A stone's throw away is the London Metropolitan Archive which (again, amongst many records) holds microfilm records of London parish churches - so this is where you need to go if you have London events to check on pre-registration in 1837.  Haven't spent much time there so far, but again, staff are happy to point beginners in the right direction. This link gives visiting information.
http://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/leisure_ ... mation.htm
Hope this helps you make the most of your London visit!
Diane