Glasnevin/HSE records for a stillbirth (1950s)

stinkle

Hello, hope I'm in the correct forum. I was wondering if anyone was in the similar position of looking up burial records from the Angels plot. My mother's twin was stillborn and we recently found the "old" plot by accident - my mum never knew an old plot existed and really wanted to find the exact place her sister was buried. Upon searching the website we had a few potential connections (searching surname and year) but either they weren't the exact year, or were male. I think the site has been updated and now I don't get any hits, bizzarely. Previously we could type in "baby" and "surname".

We are assuming of course that the baby was buried in Glasnevin, but have no reason to doubt that she wasn't. My grandmother never spoke about this, so we aren't 100% sure of a first name. We've also tried various other family names, such as my grandmother's maiden name etc on the off chance that was used, but to no avail.

My questions are: is there another burial ground? Or how likely is it that the Glasnevin record is misspelled, or something else that has left it under the radar? did all stillbirth records have a name for instance? My grandmother was very traumatised by this and I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't in a fit state to have named her baby, but surely a surname would be present.

Might it be a better idea to track down a stillbirth cert first? I've just been looking at the HSE website and could order one, but as I said the info is a bit sketchy in terms of a first name. I could call into Joyce House tomorrow if that's a better option. I'd really like to find this out for my mum, it's important to her right now.

Thanks in advance for any help!

pinkypinky

The register of stillbirths was only started in the 1990s. While it was possible to retroactively register a stillbirth, the onus was on parents. My grandmother went and registered her stillborn son from 1960 as soon as it was possible. He had never previously been given a name and I believe this was the standard position with stillbirths.

If your grandmother was still badly affected by it, she may not have registered her, and therefore may not have been given a name at all. Are there any older family members to check with?

Btw, there's no point calling to Joyce House. The reading room for the GRO moved to Building 7 in the Irish Life Mall in 2007. Joyce House is just for current stuff (registering a recent birth, marriage or death).

stinkle

thanks youve saved me a trip! so if the stillbirth wasnt registered there'd hardly be a death cert? I was just hoping to get some kind of document to cross ref with glasnevin in case theres a misspelling or other inaccuracy. No surviving older relatives to help unfortunately

pinkypinky

That's right, there wouldn't be a death cert, just the stillbirth registration. Afaik, before then, no official recognition at all.

stinkle

Thanks, I looked up ISANDS and maybe the hospital can help if we contact them. Its fortunate that the details are known due there being a twin, it must be awful trying to do this if there's much vaguer information. Its so sad that parents really couldn't grieve properly in such circumstances