The General Register Office for Scotland
Based in Edinburgh, the General Register Office holds all national records - the GROS records - including the Statutory Registers started in 1855 which contain details of births, marriages and deaths, as well as census information. It also contains other records such as the Old Parish Registers which go back further but are less and less informative going deeper into history. These records are available online via www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk and can be accessed for a small fee.
For those wanting a more hands on approach, the records can be inspected in person at the General Register Office.
There are four explanatory leaflets freely available, numbered surprisingly S1 to S5:
- S1 describes the main records in the care of the Registrar General.
- S2 describes the mechanism by which their staff will search for a particular record on your behalf and the costs involved.
- S3 gives the costs and procedures for searching the records yourself. As of April 1997, it costs from £10 per part day to £1500 for a year’s pass just to get a pass for admission. Uncertified photocopies cost £2 and can be collected on the day that you order, whilst official extracts cost £8 and take a maximum of five working days.
- S4 seems to be missing.
- S5 gives a list of Genealogists who can act on your behalf.
If you are interested, then it is well worth getting these leaflets before you travel to Edinburgh, as they also detail the procedure for pre-booking a seat.
Further information about the services offered by the General Register Office for Scotland may be obtained by writing to:
- New Register House, Edinburgh, EH1 3YT, Scotland, UK
Telephone: 0131 334 0380
Fax: 0131 314 4400
The English Public Record Office
The English Public Record Office has recently moved to 1 Myddleton Street, Islington, London EC1. The telephone for general enquiries is 0181 392 5300, and the Fax number is 0181 392 5307.
There is no charge for entry, but the certificates (which are only available certified) cost £6 each.
There are other differences to the services offered:
- The English Office has, in addition to the normal indexes, Estate Duty Office registers from 1796 to 1858 and also registered copies of wills and administrations up to 1858 from the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
- The Scottish Office, on the other hand, has the Old Scottish Parish Registers from 1553 to 1854, where they still exist.
Whilst it could be said that both Offices are essentially ‘self service’, they do have a very friendly and knowledgeable staff who are happy to give assistance where required.