My mysterious Gt Uncle.

[Bertha]

Sorry MB, I was only going by what I had been told many years ago by a fellow researcher.
Bertha

[Montrose Budie]

Sorry MB, I was only going by what I had been told many years ago by a fellow researcher.
Bertha

Hi Bertha

Nae prob ! Whoever it was, they were completely wrong !!

Some Scottish registrars no doubt preferred those registering a birth or a death to turn up with supporting documentation, but it was never, still isn't, a legal requirement. In the absence of such documentation, the registrar could only go by what he (much later she!) was told by the informant.

In small rural parishes the registrar could well have been the minister, or the session clerk, or someone else who was well acquaint wi' a' the oangauins in the parish, so that they could easily have suggested a correction or two !

That written, however, such an action was never a required function of the registrar, and, based on 25 years experience I can quote you a guid number of situations where it was, or should have been, patently obvious to the registrar that something was seriously amiss as regards the information provided by the informant for a birth or death, or even a marriage, but the registrar just accepted the information given to him.


Registrars were only required to register events in accordance with the information supplied to them. In other words, there were very limited situations in which they were required to inquire further as regards the details supplied by the informant.


It fell to me a few years ago to be the informant for the death of the uncle of my wife, as his son lives in London, so it was much easier for me to act as the informant, so easing all the requirements surrounding the interment.

When checking the location of the nearest registrar's office, I also came across the info that I was 'required' to have with me Wullie's birth certificate, and marriage certificate, when I attended to register Wullie's death.

Given my 'expert' knowledge, I totally ignored this advice, not least since I knew full well, that a few minutes checking on the GROS computer system would provide the registrar with any required cross check information; although I will admit that I did take along with me a copy of my father-in-law's death certificate, Wullie's brother Wee John, to 'prove' the names of Wullie's parents.

mb