Stage 1 - Beginning your family tree

Begin by asking your family to help map out a family tree. Make a note of any places the family may have lived and also ask about middle names and occupations. This could be a good excuse to get in touch with ‘lost’ relations!

With a date of birth (or approximate year) and place of birth (Sandal, Wakefield rather than just Wakefield), you can apply to the Register Office in the district where the birth occurred. You can obtain the contact details of any office from your local office or the national General Register Office (GRO) website See "Related Links".

In most cases a birth certificate will give you the names (including mother’s maiden name) and occupations of both parents.

Stage 2 - Marriage certificates

Now you can look for the marriage certificate of these parents. Some guesswork may be needed to decide on a possible year and place. A good place to start is the 5 years before the birth of the eldest child, in the district where the birth was registered. If you are not successful you will need to look in the GRO Index.

The GRO Index is a list of all the births, marriages and deaths registered in England and Wales since 1837 (It was not actually compulsory to register until the 1860’s). 

• Balne Lane Library in Wakefield has the index up to 1960; tel: 01924 302224 
• the Central Library in Leeds has it up to 2000. tel: 0113 247 8290

There is no charge for using the index but it is a good idea to phone before you visit. The records are on microfilm and you will need to book a machine to read them on. 

If you can’t get to the library you can access the index on the internet at www.1837online.com see "Related Lnks". However, there is a charge of 5p –10p to view each selected entry. See stage three for more (some free) alternatives

Stage 3 - Alternatives for finding certificates

Alternatively you could look on www.freebmd.web page - see "Related Links" .  As the name implies there is no charge to view entries, but not all information has been entered yet. In general the older entries are more complete.
 
For each year entries are organised alphabetically in 4 calendar quarters, with the registration district at that time shown. Apply in the first place to that district; however registration boundaries may have changed and the register may be in a neighbouring district. The reference number given is only useful if you apply to the General Register Office (GRO) in Southport, they hold copies of all registers.

Local Offices charge £7.00 to produce a certificate. Many (including Wakefield and Pontefract) can take payment over the phone.

GRO (PO Box 2 Southport PR8 2JD. 08456 037788) charges £8.50 for a certificate if you give the St Catherine’s Index reference number, or £11.00 without the reference number. 

You can obtain the contact details of any office from your local office or the national General Register Office (GRO) website see "Related Links".

Note: prices were correct at the time of writing but are subject to change

Stage 4 - Using other resources - census records

Another very useful source of information is the census material. For a small fee you can access the returns for 1851 to 2001 at the National Archives web site - see "Related Links". 

Note: old census returns are NOT available on the wakefield.gov.uk website

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Visit your local library

All libraries have some information on their communities, while larger collections may be found at libraries in Castleford, Pontefract and at Balne Lane, Wakefield.  

• General books on local towns and villages
• Census returns, West Riding 1841 - 1881
• Census returns, Wakefield District 1841 - 1891
• Census name indexes
• Trade directories, which list inhabitants, shopkeepers etc.
• Poll books and electoral registers
• Newspapers and indexes
• International Genealogical Index
• Printed parish registers
• Published pedigrees
• Photographs
• Family scrapbooks
• Maps
• Preliminary research only (free)

Visit the archives 

• Parish and non-conformist registers
• West Riding wills 1858 - 1940
• National wills index
• Registry of Deeds
• Electoral registers and land tax returns
• Quarter sessions records
• Maps
• Fee-based research service

Visit your local museum 

• Photographs
• Objects and other material relating to local individuals and families