Getting a certificate.

I can't believe they are making you jump through these hoops and
am I trying to get an old certificate in order to pass myself off as a deceased person...?

In fact, I have never ceased to be amazed at how easy it has been to obtain bmd certificates through the GRO (but have never tried to obtain Scottish ones) and I could be passing myself off as anyone!

I've had various certificates online although not Scottish ones - and always found it easy. Irish ones are particularly easy and cheap!
I have NEVER done it through Ancestry - a warning here, they are extortionately expensive!

Yes they are (must take a huge cut!)

Why ever did I think they would actually ring me back?

The Lewisham registry Office, I mean.

Could that be a delaying tactic? If you were only after the certificate to get a new identity, you might slink away at this point and not keep on at them. How about a letter, with the relevant details in it and asking for them to please reply to tell you what to do to confirm your own identity?

I was thinking of ringing them again as a first step.

Yes, then be prepared to write if you get nowhere. I wonder whethr they are are stringent with the real villains?

It is SO frustrating!

See next instalment tomorrow....

Had to be in a meeting this morning so I have just phoned Lewisham Registry Office back - and they - after asking a few more questions, like my mother's full name - have done it! I've paid for the baby's certificate and should get it within 7 days....phew!
They obviously did do some checks on me, but I passed....
I had a backup character reference ready from someone well known in Didcot, but it wasn't needed.

Phewww! I suppose you should be glad that they would not have let a dodgy stranger get hold of a copy.

Yeah, I guess...

They phoned me again, though! Apparently wondering if the baby had been registered? Duh.
I was able to tell them I had just seen the record online.

I think I may believe it when I get the certificate.

good luck, I have used GRO & never had a problem but all mine were English. More difficult was National Archives as my in-laws came over from Austria around time of start of WW2. I had to prove my MiL had died & provide copy of her Death Cert & my DHs Birth Cert for copy of FiLs records. Once I had those records released (at a fee). MiLs name was in records which was why I had to prove her Death. Hope you have Cert soon

My father had been married before and I traced the marriage even though I didn't k ow the date. I had to give the names of the two people and round about what time, they had no trouble tracing it, but this was in London. Though they wouldn't let me have a copy of the divorce certificate which is what I wanted. I don't think it should be too difficult. You must have some idea of when you married. I was married in 1965, I remember it was Churchills funeral in January that year. Any help?

Usually the approximate date (month and year) is sufficient when order from a Government department.

Please, I don't need the marriage certificate. It was only that a friend thought it might convince the GRO that I was ok.
I don't want it, I just wanted the baby's.

This is the .gov.uk site for Scotland's marriage certificates

www.nrscotland.gov.uk/registration/how-to-order-an-official-extract-from-the-registers

Hope this helps

Again, I don't need the marriage certificate!

It shouldn't be difficult to trace the baby's death certificate. I think you can do that on line!

Please, everyone, read this thread from the beginning?

Regarding no issue number on debit cards, I was told to put a 0 in and that worked when I had problems ordering online.

Look, thank you everyone for trying to help, but we've been through this one too!

I'm ok, please stop!