The Flyer
Family History Research
- Using Parish Records
A little history Marriages
In 1538 a law was passed that
all churches must keep records of
baptisms, marriages and burials, and
that a copy should be sent in to the
archbishop every year. Not all have
survived, and the earliest records may
say no more than a name and a date,
but these registers are invaluable for
taking your search for family members
further back than the Victorian censuses,
and for adding details to your tree. Early marriage records will usually just
say the names of the couple and the
date they were married. From 1754,
there is a lot more detail: name, parish
(i.e. where they lived), signatures of
both (or X if they could not write),
and the signatures of at least two
witnesses. From 1837 there will also
be the profession of the groom (and
sometimes the bride), plus the names
of the couple’s fathers and their
professions. Again, be aware that not
everyone got married – the censuses
may list them as man and wife, but
fi nd the proof to be sure!
Baptisms
Not every child was baptised. In the
17th & 18th centuries, when most
people lived in rural parishes, they
would have been known to the local
vicar and susceptible to pressure to
conform, but during the 19th century
many families moved to the cities for
work, attending church less regularly
or not at all. Note there was a fee for
all ceremonies, and you will sometimes
fi nd a family baptising several children
at once, possibly because the vicar was
having a special offer (buy one get one
free?!).
In most records, you will fi nd the date
of the baptism, the child’s name, and
those of their parents. If the child was
illegitimate, it will usually say so, often
as ‘baseborn’ or ‘spurious’. From 1813,
the father’s profession will also be
given, and the place where the family
lived. In early records only the father’s
name will be given.
Burials
Busy Month of March for Suffolk Charity
Bury St
Edmunds-
based GeeWizz
Charity have
declared ‘all
systems go’
on an exciting
and life-
changing build
for Jasmine
Moxom and her family. Following an
appeal made by the charity, donations
have been made to fund a project that
will allow Jasmine, who suffers from
Spastic Cerebral Palsy, and her family to
live safely in their home.
The 6-year old from Beck Row, Suffolk
has defi ed the expectations of medical
professionals who predicted her to
never walk or talk. As a result of a life-
changing operation and twice weekly
physiotherapy, Jasmine is able to walk
along with the assistance of splints and
her walking aid Buddy.
However, narrow doorframes and
uneven fl ooring makes it dangerous for
Jasmine to independently manoeuvre
herself around the home, and she
becomes anxious if in a separate room
from her mother, Sally. ‘The Jasmine
Appeal’ has seen many people in the
community donate to help fund this
project for the family. Yet the kindness
does not stop there, local contractor
Neil Hempstead from NB Hempstead
Building Services has pulled together
with GeeWizz, to complete the works
that begin on Monday 11th March. The
build which is estimated to take 4 weeks,
is also supported by Capricorn Carpets,
Bury St Edmunds and Graham, a painter
and decorator.
Crystal Barber, Manager of GeeWizz
Charity, says “It is so heart-warming
to see local people rally together and
provide such a fantastic project for a
family in need.”
GeeWizz Charity are also a benefi ciary
of this year’s Ultimate Charity Auction.
The global online auction goes live on
Thursday 21st March, with a fantastic
collection of prizes from the biggest
names in sport and celebrity.
Star prizes for this year’s auction
include a VIP trip to New York City
to watch Anthony Joshua defend
his world champion title at Madison
Square Gardens, the ultimate matchday
experience with Manchester United and
the chance to enjoy breakfast on the
Great Wall of China.
If you would like to view and have your
chance to bid on a prize of a lifetime,
please visit www.charitystars.com/
ultimatecharityauction
For more information about
GeeWizz Charity, please visit
www.geewizzcharity.com or contact
[email protected].
One thing is certain, all of your
ancestors died, and until cremation
became popular, they would have been
buried somewhere and this would
have produced a record. Most burial
records just give the name, abode, and
age of the deceased. Be aware that
many city parishes ran out of space in
their churchyards during the Victorian
period, and people were buried in
cemeteries – these records will be
separate to church records.
Where are they?
Most parish records are kept in the
local county record offi ce, and have
been microfi lmed. Many fi lms or
indexes are online, and some can be
viewed for free on familysearch.org.
Taylor-Made Trees
P le a s e m e n t i o n ‘ T h e F l yer ’ wh en r esp o n d in g t o ad ver t isements
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