Thread: Need help with Marriage Lookup

Hi Marion



I think someone at the GRO has got it wrong. I have checked the entries on the original image on FMP and the are both there with the same ref no.



I should demand your money back



Good luck

Carol

Quote My friend paid seven pounds to GRO and they are keeping three pounds for wrong reference quoted and year.. Not fair in my books.. Unquote



Hello,

Standard practice, I am afraid. Yes, there are lots of transcription errors on FreeBMD and definitely on Findmypast and this is clearly stated in their terms, as are the terms of the GRO on its site. The Local Registrars who sent their books and transcribed lists up to the GRO also made/make transcription errors in the first place. If you know the registration district etc. it is sometimes better, if more expensive, to apply for certs by post at the local office.



Usually, if it can be *proven* that the GRO itself has made an error a full refund is given or the correct certificate sent. Before you blow off steam and embarrass yourself, perhaps you first ought to check that the correct information was actually given to them by your friend.



I very rarely fill in both bride and groom when ordering a marriage cert. Just the spouse's name that you are definitely sure of. You can specify that you don't want the cert if a *known* spouse's/father's/mother's name does not match what you think it should, but the GRO will still charge you £4 out of the £7 you remit online if they don't match, to pay for clerical time etc. The GRO is not a charity. It is part of the Home Office and its expenses are paid for out income tax etc. Mine, for example.



Other countries have similar and some, much more austere, refund policies and their certificates can be a lot more expensive.



You have the right telephone number ( +44 (0) 845 603 7788, Monday to Friday 8.00 am - 8.00 pm, or Saturday 9.00 am - 4.00 pm) but you are highly unlikely to get through to the department on the phone despite the website saying that you can. It is also the Passport Office so always very, very, busy. There is a queuing system so you could wait up to an hour or more before someone is free.



If you want to complain which you obviously do, then you would be far better off doing it by email or by landmail.

certificate.services@ips.gsi.gov.uk

Customer Service Manager

Room E101

General Register Office

Identity and Passport Service

Trafalgar Road

Southport

PR8 2HH

This page will give you more details on how to go about it

http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/rde/xchg/i...s.xsl/1020.htm



Hope this helps.

Yours

Victoria

Hi Marion



Are you aware that you can actually view the original image on FreeBMD? It is the same as FMP.

It might be a good idea to print the image off or make a note of the page number and send it to them.



(if you click on the pair glasses at the side of the entry, it will take you into the 'Entry information page' If you scoll down you will see ' View the original' )



Hope this helps

Carol

Hi Marion,



I too have checked both of the original images and the references you have are correct according to St Caths House.



On both pages the people above and below do not have similar entries so the possibility of the original typist, typing the wrong information is excluded they have typed what they were given.



Unless the person copying from the register got the page etc wrong when they wrote down the information to be compiled, then the fault looks likely to be GRO.



If the problem is with the original copier of the register then it is most likely that the page number is wrong and I would guess by +/- one.



When I complained in the past to GRO as they never sent me a cheque back when I put down the wrong page, I was told they no longer had a record as they keep notes for just 3 months, they have about 15,000 requests a month I was told.



Fistly I would re-email them you could even attach both copies of the original images from Freebdm and ask them to recheck.



I suppose if you reordered you can put additional information to get them to search wider or get them to search without the GRO reference. I guess next to a wrong page the wrong year becomes next likely mistake rather than the quarter.



I have found them very helpful via email.



Recheck the order was not mistyped however, assuming a copy of the order exists either electronically or in their receipt.

I hate getting ripped off myself....and in your eagerness to help other people and obstacles being put in your way gets you very upset ...but don,t .....it does you no good.! No more telephone calls , you have the customer services email address...now relax and enjoy the movie Lady Marion http://ajoymovie.com/?SRC=DI806 .



your AA friend . kenneth.