Genealogy Chat

The 2 certs I ordered from the GRO with a dispatch date of 8th Dec have not arrived as yet..... but on a positive front I ordered one directly from Carlisle Registry Office by post on Wednesday last week, they received it Thursday and I got the cert in the first class post on Friday!!!! That has got to be the quickest yet (for me anyway!!) Hopefully the 2 from the GRO will arrive before 2005, Regards to all Karen.

My certificate (despatch date 3rd Dec) finally arrived on Sat 11th - my tree is safe!!! Wendy

I was just reading these messages and got to thinking how sad it is when we are getting excited about receiving Death and Birth Certificates. I used to like Perfume or Earrings now I have asked for a subscription to Anchestry and money for purchasing my Certificates my Husband thinks I am nuts. Roll on tomorrow and the Postman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've still not got mine with a despatch date of Dec 7th so the ones with the 19th Dec date will be a long time coming! And Valerie, I totally agree...how much has this obsession grabbed us? We've decided that once baby is home from hospital and 100% again, we're going to have a weekend away, leave the children with my folks. He asked me earlier where I'd like to go and I said to see my grannie's brothers war grave at Tyne Cot in Belgium! Lou

I ordered 16 certs which should have been despatched on 7 Dec - that's what they told me when I chased them up. I'm still waiting - FOR EVERY POST hahaha. Jan

Help!!.......how and where do i order birth, death, marriage certs from?? and what ifo do i need to obtain these certs????...... Thanks, Caroline

Caroline ~Have e mailed you the info Lou

Rio A lot of people do use the local offices, but just recently they've been taking a while to respond cos they're getting overloaded too with people bypassing the GRO. A fair few local offices also wont do certificates and ask you to use the GRO. And I'm not sure about other people but the local office here states specifically they do NOT deal with walk-in enquiries, they're not equipped to with having so many current registrations to deal with in addition to their daily duties. You have to put the request in writing or via e-mail. You must be one of the lucky ones being able to turn up and leave with your certs! Lou

You lot just don't know what waiting really means - to get my certs (which I have to order online as I can't eactly pop in to the local RO) I have a wait of about 6 weeks. Lord knows how long the Christmas backlog will add to that. Still, by the time I get back from my Summer Hols (yes- January here!) they may be waiting for me - I HOPE!!!! LOL. Patient but quite frustrated at times Sue (in NZ)

YIPEE!!!!!! Cert with a dispatch date of 8th dec has arrived this morning....... Don't give up folks!!!!! Kx

Hi Karen, exactly the same experience. A number of certificates ordered between 15/11 and 3/12, no sign of anything. I rang and they confirmed a backlog, ho hum Steve Moss

I had mail from GRO saying mine were despatched 7/12/04. I'm still waiting groooooan. But....there's still time. J

I'm one of the lucky ones too. Most of my certs are Durham and you can order them online and they usually post them the same day. I went to Sunderland yesterday and only waited fifteen minutes for two certs - although they won't always let you wait if they're busy but I have been lucky and have never had to go back the next day. Middlesbrough is also great, they take payment over the phone and post the same day. I even had a problem with one and the lady went and got the record out while I was on the phone and we discussed it before we decided it was the right one. She then sent me an exact photocopy of the record plus the cert just so I could make sure as there were two different spellings. Must admit to having given up on GRO for a while, the local offices round here are so helpful and I'm too impatient to wait. Andrea

Good to hear about the quick service from Durham, Andrea. Yesterday I ordered one from GRO and one from Durham...we'll see who wins the race! Sue (Still waiting patiently in NZ)

hi all. Ive just rang them this morning Friday 16th and the reason give for the delay is due to being flooded by requests for certs due to that DAMM PROGRAMME on BBC entitled "who do you think you are" They say they cant cope but have taken on more staff to try and get rid of the backlog by Xmas, BUT they didnt say which Xmas. I wouldnt mind but that programme makes researching so easy, and we all know that aint true. It might be easy one week then lots of false trails and some time nothing. and when the programme is finished the novelty will soon wear off . TED. thats my moan for the day.

Mine were due for despatch 7/12 but I didn't get any until this week. I've got all now, bar about 3. I'm over the moon but I know there is still a huge backlog from when I was chasing mine on the phone. They are really under pressure. I hope you all get yours in time for Christmas. Good luck. Jan

Mine have now all arrived. All despatch date 9th December but arrived over 3 days!!! Lou