Genealogy & Family History
Parish registers
Prior to 1837, there was no system for recording births and deaths. The main sources of information about individuals are church registers or parish registers, of baptism, marriage and burial. Parish registers were first introduced in 1538, but very few survive from this date. In 1598, parishes were ordered to keep their registers in parchment books instead of paper. Earlier entries were supposed to be copied into the new books. But many parishes started only at the year 1558, the year Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne.
The accuracy of a parish register was published in 1995 in the National Archives Magazine.
Introduction of the Gregorian Calendar 1752
Britain and the British Empire (including the eastern part of what is now the United States) adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752 by which time it was necessary to correct by 11 days. Wednesday, 2 September 1752 was followed by Thursday, 14 September 1752. Claims that rioters demanded "Give us our eleven days" grew out of a misinterpretation of a painting by William Hogarth. After 1753, the British tax year in Britain continued to operate on the Julian calendar and began on 5 April, which was the "Old Style" new tax year of 25 March. A 12th skipped Julian leap day in 1800 changed its start to 6 April. It was not changed when a 13th Julian leap day was skipped in 1900, so the tax year in the United Kingdom still begins on 6 April. Source: Read More »
Marriage Registers
In the 17th and 18th centuries acts of parliament came into force to standardise marriage registers. The most important being The Marriage Act 1753, its full title being An Act for the Better Preventing of Clandestine Marriage, though it has since popularly been known as Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act. This was the first statutory legislation in England and Wales to require a formal ceremony of marriage and came into force on 25th March 1754. The act was precipitated by a dispute about the validity of a Scottish marriage , although pressure to address the problem of clandestine marriage had been growing for some time . This was done to improve the quality of the records and prevent clandestine marriages. The new register had to be signed by bride and groom and their witnesses. The registers were standardised and bound into printed volumes in 1814. They contain the names of bride and groom, their parishes, date, and name of witnesses.
Many Parish Registers Continued to use the Julian Calendar after 1752
After 1752 many priests attempted to use the new calendar BUT they would appear to have in many cases abandoned this practice. A good example of this being Worsbrough ST Marys in Barnsley. In 1796 the Archdeacon at York in his October visitation decreed that ALL registers dated from 1741 to 1794 that had continued to use the old style be copied and the new style calendar implemented. He ordered that: there be a new folio parchment Register and that the Entries in the old register be transferred to it beginning at the year 1741.
In copying the registers MANY mistakes where made as the scribes attempted to align the old and new calendars.
In other words, do not always take a date in a register from 1741 to 1800 as an exact entry. It could actually be out by + or - 1 year dependant on whether you are holding the original pre 1796 register or a 1796 copy.
Links
1538-1611
1559-1812
BMD 1559-1722
1853-1913
1567-1812
1558-1837
Buxton, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Repton, Fairfield: 1538-1837
Ilkeston, Aston-upon-Trent, Weston-on-Trent, Swarkeston, Barrow-on-Trent and Twyford, Stanton-by-Bridge, Melbourne, Smisby, Parwich, Alsop-en-le-Dale: 1565-1837
1557-1784
1785-1837
Lancashire. BMD 1564-1632
marriage, baptismal, and burial 1558-1619
Chipping Ongar
Ongar
St. Margaret's, Toppesfield Parish BMD
Firbeck BMD from 1596
Harthill BMD from 1586
1778 Christenings from Harthill Parish Register
Doncaster: 1626-1812
Hooton Roberts Rotherham
Letwell Rotherham
, Boston, BMD 1552-1599
, Boston, BMD 1599-1638
Doddington
Irby upon Humber
West riding of Yorkshire: 1538-1678
Barton Turf, Bedingham, Burnham Sutton with Burnham Ulph, Carleton Rode, Gresham, Hedenham, Hickling, Weeting
Billockby, Burgh St. Margaret, Caister-on-Sea, Filby, Hemsby, Oby, Ormesby St. Margaret, Ormesby St. Michael, West Somerton Thurne with Oby and Ashby, Winterton with East Somerton.
Cossall, Torwell, Stapleford, Strelley, Wollaton, Nuttall, Awsworth, Greasley: 1570-1812
Balderton, Barnby, Coddington, Cotham, Newark Castle, Elston Chapelry, Elston, Farndon: 1538-1813
Edwinstowe: BMD 1634-1758 & Misc.
Headon: 1566-1812
Langford, South Collingham, North Collingham, South Scarle, Girton, North Clifton, Thorney:1558-1837
St. Marys Church 1566-1813
St. Nicholas Church 1562-1812
St. Peters Church 1572-1813
Wellow
1542 to 1784
1798-1837
1574-1628
1560-1634. Baptisms, marriages, 1635-1653
Burials 1560-1634, Baptisms, Marriages 1635-1653
Baptisms, Marriages 1560-1635
Extract from Sheffield Parish Registers
West Riding
from 1684 1626-1812
from 1636 1626-1812
1556-1721
Thorpe Salvin Parish Registers Extracts 1600-1655
Thorpe Salvin Parish Registers BMD from 1592
Wadsley Parish Registers 1905-1908
Nottingham, 1583-1792
Mansfield Nottingham
Baptisms and burials, 1598-1778.--Marriages, 1598-1779
1853-1915
1558-1771
London
1538 to 1754
BMD from 1551
1539-1660, churchwardens' accounts, 1460-1603
marriages, baptisms, and burials from 1558-1754
St. Martin in the Fields. B M D
Rotherham Registration Districts
Rother Valley Registration Districts
West Riding Registration Districts
United Kingdom and Ireland Parish Finder
Current Civil Parishes in South Yorkshire
England and Wales, Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983
Scotland Civil Parishes
See also Birth Marriage and Death Certificates