Reference Checking

.:: Correctly Identifying your ancestor in the Indexes of Births, Marriages and Deaths 1837 - 2002

:: Explanation
:: Checking a single entry example
:: Checking multiple entries example
:: How to Order
:: Using Reference Checking with caution

 

Explanation
At present family historians cannot determine if an entry in the indexes is the correct ancestor without buying a certificate. The indexes are arranged by year, quarter and alphabetically by surname. A typical entry of birth before 1911 looks like this:

March 1857 Mary Ann Avery Plymouth 5b 123

Primarily, there are no other details given: no father, no mother, no date of birth and therefore no means of identification. Secondly, there are many Mary Ann or Mary Avery's born in this area of England.
So to ensure some return of our funds should this entry be incorrect, we can Reference Check this entry against a known piece of information that we have about Mary Ann (See Checking a single entry example).

 

Checking a single entry example
We are looking for the birth entry of Mary Ann Avery born south Devon 1857, she was the daughter of a Richard Avery labourer, deceased. We have found an entry in the birth indexes but do not know whether it is her (March 1857 Mary Ann Avery Plymouth 5b 123 - for an explanation of this reference click here) so when we make our Application for a certificate we provide the ONS* with a Checking Point; in this case it is her father's name 'Richard Avery'. The ONS will then check the original entry (March 1857 Plymouth 5b 123) and see if this Mary Ann had a father called Richard, if she did then they will produce the certificate - if she did not then they will provide a £3.00 refund.

Unfortunately there is no way of checking without spending cash, but the Reference Checking system does allow individuals to recoup some of their money.

 

Checking multiple entries example
There are occasions when family historians have several candidates for their ancestor:
June 1881 John Moore St Olave 1d 237
June 1881 John Moore Greenwich 1d 1011
June 1882 John Moore St Saviour 1d 88
Dec 1882 John Moore Lambeth 1d 517 (For an explanation of these references click here).
How can Reference Checking help?
To check each entry individually would cost £28.00, but if we were to use the Reference Checking system it would cost just £16.00 plus we would receive a £3.00 refund should none of the entries be correct (the first entry costs £7.00 and all subsequent entries cost £3.00 each).
How it works
We are looking for the birth entry of John Moore born circa 1881, he was the son of a John Moore, stone cutter. When we make our Application for a certificate we provide the ONS* with a Checking Point; in this case it is his father's name 'John Moore'. The ONS will then check all the original entries listed above and see if this John Moore had a father called John, if he did then they will produce the certificate - if he did not then they will provide a £3.00 refund.

 

How to Order
Contact us for a price quote. You can pay by Credit Card, Cheque if you have a UK bank account and by Wire. Supply all the information you have when you make contact then we can advise you better.

 

Using Reference Checking with caution
There are invariable problems with reference checking; these are for the most part caused by the reliability of the data you provide. The ONS* will only produce certificates if the information you have provided matches the entry exactly.
So make sure that you are absolutely certain about the information you supply and don't be too precise. If you want the ONS to take into consideration name variants, then supply them with your Application e.g. Hollman, Holeman or Holman; Susan, Susanna or Susannah; Sarah, Sis, Sal or Sally etc.

 

*ONS - Office for National Statistics.