News from the family records centre in London

11 March 2008 - the news was announced that the closure of the Family Records Centre will take place after close of the day on the 15th March 2008. This will come as a blow to people in London used to using the service, which wil now be replaced by services available at the National Archives in Kew. This will include the census returns. Wills proved after 1858 will continue to be available at thePrincipal Registry of the Family Division, First Avenue House, 42-49 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6NP Phone 020 7947 6000.

Certificates for births, marriages and deaths will be available to buy Online, at www.gro.gov.uk• By post from GRO, PO Box 2, Southport. Merseyside, PR8 2JD • By telephoning the GRO at +44 (0)845 603 7788 • From the local register office in the district where the event was registered.

To search the GRO indexes, you can go online to www.findmypast, or ancestry.co.uk if you have a subscription, or free of charge, in person, at the Greater Manchester County Record Office during April 2008), at Birmingham Central Library during April 2008, at Bridgend Reference and Information Library during April 2008, at Plymouth Central Library also during April 2008 and at theNational Archives at Kew during March 2008. Many other libraries have bought the GRO index fiche over the last few years - contact your local library or main county library for details.

See the following for more information about what happens after March and at progress to make the GRO indexes available free online.