Hi Tony,

I think we should sort out Joseph first, in order to find the identity of his mother, Thomas's first? wife. For that you need his birth cert copy.

Name:CORKHILL, Joseph
Registration district: Whitehaven
County:Cumberland
Year of registration:1883
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
Volume no:10b
Page no: 631

However there was also a Joseph Edward Corkhill, same place, same age, but if you've never heard of a second name for your Joseph we can hope that the above index record is correct.

The marriage I posted had Mary KILPATRICK as one of the three options to be his wife (i.e. marriages recorded on the same page), so should be the correct entry for him.

Marriage index:
Name:CORKHILL, Joseph
Registration district: Tynemouth
County:Northumberland
Year of registration:1906
Quarter of registration:Jan-Feb-Mar
Volume no:10b
Page no: 372
[Worth getting? It gives both fathers' names and occupations, but not the mothers' details.]

Death?
Name:CORKHILL, Joseph
Registration district: Newcastle upon Tyne
County:Northumberland
Year of registration:1957
Quarter of registration:Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at death:74
Volume no:1b
Page no:38
[An English death cert gives very little information not already in the index. Name and address of informant is sometimes useful if you don't already know details of descendants.]

I would start with the birth cert copy.
The easiest way is to use GRO online with a credit card:
www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Click on “Order a certificate online now”.

Then: “First time users, please click Registration below”.

They ask you to register and choose a password to protect the credit card details with which you are buying the certs. You need to make a note of the password you choose (and record whether lower or upper case on each letter or they will reject it if you get it wrong the next time). I always use all lower case, and choose something simple for the password.
Once registered it makes it much quicker ordering the next cert with all your details already there.

Then go to “Certificate types” under “Certificate Choice”.
Choose Birth Cert.

Is the GRO Index Reference Number known? Yes
Year in which the event was registered: 1883
That’s all you need to fill in.
Submit

It then comes up with “Delivery address details” which they will ask you to fill in (they will keep these to save time next time).
Submit

Then it has (finally) “Application for an England and Wales birth certificate”

This is very important:
Don't put in any names or dates which are not exactly the same as they appear in the index! (Or they may say “not found” and no cert produced.)

Then:
"Particulars of the person whose certificate is required."
(Enter exactly as written in the index.)

Then
“Please choose the service you require”. I always use standard.

Then a personal ref number. Whatever you like. (I put something simple.)

Then Submit

Check that all details are correct in the Basket summary!
If not you can correct them before paying.

I think the cost is £9.25 per certificate, when the index ref is given.

There is a free website www.freebmd.org.uk where you can also check index refs - the above ones came from Findmypast.

Sue