Would I look for a birth or death certificiate?

[doorkey]

I'm looking for infomation about a baby born in the 1960's. My family believe she lived for a short while and then died in hospital. Both parents of the baby have since died but as it was an upsetting time none of my family want to talk about it, but as she was my sister I would like to know more. After readign soem of teh excellent answers other people have given to other questions I ffel some one could tell me do I look for a birth or death certificiate?

[Lakeslass]

If the baby survived for a little while her birth and then her death would be registered. I speak as a retired Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages and this was one of the saddest duties I had to perform. If you know where she was born you should contact the Superintendent Registrar of that town who will be able to help you.
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[doorkey]

Thank you for your answer, it will help me decied what to do next. My parents told me the hospital offered to handled all the registering, was that the usual procedure? As I said before, my parents have died and my family are reluctant to talk about this time as it affected them deeply, but I would like to know more...

[Lakeslass]

Hello, doorkey,
Although it isn't the usual procedure an event can be registered by a person who was present at the birth or death as the case may be. No doubt this would be a great help to the parents. What a sad story.

[doorkey]

Thanks Lakeslass for the helpful answers, now I know more I can start to look further, without bringing upseting memories to my relatives.

[spudqueen]

You can look up the birth and death on either www.ancestry.co.uk or www.1837online.co.uk. That would give you the quarter that the events took place in (all registers are done in quarters ending March, June, September and December of each year). The easiest thing would then be to order the certificates from the register office in the town or location where the events happened.

[doorkey]

Hello lakeslass and spudqueen. I think I've hit a dead end. I tried looking up my sister on the births and deaths, but I could not find her. I think that must be the end of my search unless you know of any other leads I could follow.