|
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
|
|
What does the database contain? |
|
|
The civil registration marriage index database in the Gooderson Archive contains an exact transcription of the entries for all instances of the Gooderson surname listed in the original green marriage index ledgers now held by the UK’s Office of National Statistics at the Family Records Centre in London. The majority of variant surnames (such as Goodeson) have also been included, together with a number of similar sounding but non-variant surnames (such as Goodison). |
|
|
Why are some parts of the index entries shown in italics in the database? |
|
|
Italics have been used in the Gooderson Archive to denote information that did not appear in the original G.R.O. index, but which has been derived from other sources such as certified copies of marriage certificates or entries in registers etc. |
|
|
Why are the names of spouses sometimes missing from the index? |
|
|
The G.R.O. did not include any reference to the names of spouses in their marriage index until the start of the year 1912. The names of spouses that are now shown in the database against entries prior to that date have all been added as a result of research by the Archive holder and are all therefore shown in italics to denote this. |
|
|
Since the beginning of 1912 the G.R.O. has included the surnames of spouses in the marriage index, but not their forenames. However, in the case of the Gooderson marriages, the Archive holder has laboriously searched each of the corresponding surname entries in the index, in order to determine the full names of all of the spouses. Similar searches are now being conducted for Goodeson and other variant surnames. |
|
|
Is the relevant index entry annotated in the database when a divorce occurs? |
|
|
No. It is not the Archive holder’s normal practice to annotate an entry in the database unless the original entry in the G.R.O. index has been annotated. The G.R.O. do not at present alter the marriage index entry upon divorce, but may well begin doing so if proposals made in the current Registration Review are adopted. |
|
|
Can I find out the location of a Registration District if only its name is known? |
|
|
Yes - The Archive Holder has details of all Registration Districts throughout England and Wales, including those that no longer exist. Please contact info@gooderson.org for information. |
|
|
Comprehensive information about Registration Districts (including their history) has been published by Brett Langston in his book "Civil Registration Districts of England & Wales". This can be obtained from the National Archives bookshop at Kew, the Family Records Centre bookshop in Islington, the Federation of Family History Societies Publications Department in Bury and the Guild of One-Name Studies bookstall. |
|
|
Why do entries sometimes fail to appear in the search results column that is headed "Quarter"? |
|
|
From the beginning of Civil Registration in mid-1837 until the end of the year 1983, The Registrar General produced indexes on a quarterly basis. However, at the beginning of the year 1984 this practice was ceased in favour of index production on an annual cycle. The results column headed "Quarter" will therefore not contain an entry for any marriage that took place after 31st December 1983. |
|
|
How many records does the database contain? |
|
|
The Gooderson Archive Marriage Index database for England and Wales currently houses approximately five hundred individual sets of records for the surname Gooderson, together with numerous others for variant surnames. |
|
|
Are any abbreviations used for first forenames in the database? |
|
|
No. |
|
|
What is the likelihood of transcription errors having occurred during the construction of the database by the Archive Holder? |
|
|
The Gooderson Archive marriage index database is at minimal risk from transcription errors because (unlike the corresponding birth and death index databases) each entry has been checked at least twice against the original G.R.O. index books held in London. |
|
|
In addition to this, entries for 1912 onward will have been checked yet again when later searches were made to determine the forenames of the spouses. |
|