There's also a lot of justification for the 'why' within the Registrar's report at the beginning of the First Annual Report of the Registrar General (which I linked to previously) and most of it relates to improving health statistics ....however, as Gill says, it's inevitable that politics played a crucial role as well

Cheers
 
Doug Knock
Deputy Librarian / Information Skills Trainer
Knowledge Services
Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust
Stadium Road
Woolwich
London SE18 4QH

Tel:  020 8836 6752
Fax:  020 8836 6744
E-mail: [log in to unmask]

Search the Healthcare Library catalogue http://selh.sirsi.ltd.uk/uhtbin/qelizabeth




---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 11:24:18 +0100
>From: Gillian Foster <[log in to unmask]>  
>Subject: Re: Death certificates  
>To: [log in to unmask]
>
>   Hi Marilyn
>
>    
>
>   As far as I can see, everyone's covered the when but
>   not the why.  The best I can find for you is that
>   the Marriage Act 1836 and the Registration Act 1836
>   were to break the monopoly of the Church of England
>   for dissenting faiths so your marriage became
>   recognised and legal even if it was not in a C of E
>   church.  A government registry seems to be the
>   neutral trade off to avoid totally recognising non
>   Anglican faiths. 
>
>   See: 
>   http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Cornwall/ChurchRecords.html 
>   (very bottom of the scroll page).  I guess if it was
>   so for marriages, it also followed for births and
>   deaths.  Practically thinking (and this is just my
>   view) it is possible to take a baby to be
>   registered, but just a death certificate is better
>   than moving the body or getting someone official to
>   come and view it.
>
>    
>
>   Again, just my thoughts (you really need a
>   historian) but I would also think a central register
>   of BMD would be useful in deciding who could vote
>   (easier to bribe the living and exclude the dead)
>   and, by 1842, easier for the govt to levy income
>   tax...  As always, death and taxes!
>
>    
>
>   Hope it helps,
>
>    
>
>   Gill
>
>    
>
>   Gill Foster
>
>   Librarian
>
>   NHS Direct (North East)
>
>   Tel: 0191 238 1129
>
>   Fax: 0191 238 1187
>
>   email:  [log in to unmask]
>
>    
>
>   NHS Direct is applying to become an NHS Foundation
>   Trust.  To find out more and get involved by
>   becoming a member, visit
>   www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/foundationtrust
>
>    
>
>   ----------------------------------------------------
>
>   From: UK medical/ health care library community /
>   information workers
>   [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
>   Marilyn Shaw
>   Sent: 09 July 2008 14:31
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Subject: FW: Death certificates
>
>    
>
>   From: Shaw Marilyn (ULHT)
>   Sent: 09 July 2008 14:29
>   To: [log in to unmask]
>   Subject: Death certificates
>
>   Hello
>
>    
>
>   Can anyone help with an urgent request for
>   information on when death certificates were first
>   issued and why?  We have found a date of 1837 for
>   the first issue of certificates but no reason as to
>   why they were issued?
>
>    
>
>   Our requester is giving a presentation on Friday
>   morning and would like to include some historical
>   detail in it - hence his request.
>
>    
>
>   Any offers of help will be much appreciated!
>
>    
>
>   Regards
>
>    
>
>   Marilyn
>
>    
>
>   Marilyn Shaw
>
>   Clinical Librarian
>
>   Staff Library
>
>   Grantham and District Hospital
>
>   101 Manthorpe Road
>
>   Grantham
>
>   Lincolnshire
>
>   NG31 8DG
>
>    
>
>   T: 01476 464321/4368
>
>    
>
>   www.hello.nhs.uk
>
>    
>
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