I have a relative who’s just found out that his name is correct on the small certificate on the large certificate a middle. has been added is this correct Thankyou

If you look at the GRO birth index are both versions registered with the same volume and page number?

Heths

Hi Chris

The small (short) cert was intended as a 'summary' certificate, containing the basic information of birth but not neccessarily all the full information.

Its not uncommon for the small cert to not include middle names as it was often standard to only include the forename. The small cert was issued at birth, before official registration , so sometimes parents might have decided to add a middle by the time they did the full registration. So the small cert wouldnt necessarily be 'up to date'.

Denise

Hi Denise,

When I officially registered my sons’ births at the registry office in the 1980’s I was given the choice of either a short certificate or a long one. The registrar said that the short version (which was cheaper) was all they would ever need. They certainly weren’t sold to me as being temporary certificates and all three of them had the kids middle names on.

Heths

Hi Heather

Thanks.

Originally the short certs were free and provided automatically, with full certs being chargeable. That fact meant that many parents didn't bother to obtain the full cert and stuck with the short cert as it would have originally been sufficient for all needs.

Over time,as registration processes evolved the short cert became chargeable which is probably why you were then offered the option of short or full by the 1980s.

It was often standard to only include the forename, but sometimes middle names were included (and probably more so in more recent times, as you found). They didn't have to be.

I'm not sure where the description of 'temporary certificates' has come from ?

Denise

Chris. Please tell us what year your relative was born.
Dave

Thank you to everyone for their replies much appreciated , Hi Denise it’s been a long time hope you are ok Chris

Hi Denise,

I said “temporary certificates” because you’d put that the small ones were issued at birth “before official registration” and that the parents might add another name “by the time they did the full registration.” Which sounded to me like they were temporary.

Heths

Denise and Heather,
The definitive history of the cheaper version of birth certificate:
The full Birth Registration form was introduced in July 1837 and remains unaltered to this day. It has always been charged for at the going rate both at registration and retrospectively.
From the start it was possible to buy, instead, a “Receipt” form at much lower cost either at registration or retrospectively, again at the going rate at the time of application. This form contained the name of the child (as it appeared in the register at the time), the district of registration, the date of birth, the name and occupation of the informant, the name of the Registrar and the date of registration
Neither of these records has ever been available free of charge and neither was ever produced BEFORE registration.

The short form birth registration form was created after WW2 (in Parliament) in 1947. The information on it is very sparse: name of child, date of birth, district of birth, name of registrar and date of registration. (The reasons for this sparsity are given in the parliamentary debate).
From 1947 this short form was supplied, at initial registration, free of charge to anyone who purchased a full certificate. If they wanted ONLY the short form they would have to pay for it.
In 1968 it was decided that the short form would be given, free of charge, at every birth registration, regardless of whether or not a full form was being purchased. This situation continued until at least 1981 after which time it was phased out. No definitive date for the end of free ones is known but it had long since disappeared by the end of the 20th century.

I have in my possession an original Receipt form from 1945, a Short form certificate for that same birth but purchased in 1979. I also have 2 of the free- of- charge Short forms issued in 1970 and 1971. Would be happy to share them with you if you want.

Getting back to the question asked by Chris I assume her relative was registered after WW2 and obtained only the short form at registration. Perhaps the parents changed the registration a short time later to add a middle name.
Dave

An earlier version of the 'short certificate' existed prior to 1947 which was given free of charge and may or may not have included middle names, under the name of 'certificate of registration'.

Subsequent full registration was charged for and would include any middle names.

This earlier 'short cert' was the only birth certificate both my parents ever had and was sufficient proof for Passports etc.

Denise

My experience on this issue of short birth certs stems from our eldest daughters registration in Harrogate.(1966)

Hubby had to travel from Leeds to Harrogate to register her and arrived 10 mins before the office closed so was told he could only have the short certificate. I was very upset about it but didn't realize I could purchase the long certificate until I started Family History.She now holds both.

Elaine in Ottawa.

Under the terms of the Registration of Births and deaths Act of 1874 the registrar was required “ to provide an informant with a certificate of registration (the short form) upon demand AND payment of a fee not exceeding threepence”

The cost of a full cert at that time was one shilling.

So an informant had 3 alternatives at initial registration:
1. buy a full cert for 1 shilling
2. Buy a short form for up to threepence
3. Pay nothing and go away with no documentation.

Of course if they selected option 3 they could go back at anytime later and purchase option 1 or 2 (at the going rate) should they subsequently need a document.
In later years the prices for 1 and 2 increased but were never removed.
Dave

Whilst that might have been written 'legislation' at the time, in practice it was different, which as we all know is often the case, particularly in the past.

For example - regarding short certificates (post 1947)

From GRO
'When a birth is registered a short certificate is issued free of charge to all informants. There is also the facility to purchase further short and full certificates. A 'full' certificate or 'long' certificate is an exact copy of the register entry. A short copy is again taken from the original register but does not include parents' details.
Identity and Passport Service, General Register Office'.

Sorry Dave that you seem to think I'm not telling the truth, but there is plenty of evidence out there.

The original post from Chris was answered, so I suggest we close this particular thread.

Denise