PARISH REGISTERS: SOME USEFUL DATES AND INFORMATION

1653

During the Interregnum (1649-1660), the responsibility for registration was transferred to an elected Parish Register (a term used to describe a person whom we would now call a Registrar). A one-shilling registration fee was imposed and this discouraged many people from registering at all.

1660

Along with the monarchy, the old system of church registration was restored, but the laws governing registration were not stringently enforced. As a result, many even, especially marriages, went unrecorded.However, many children who had not been baptised during the Commonwealth period because of the cost were baptised after the Restoration, when the practice was again carried out free of charge.The family historian should not assume that all baptisms, which took place during the early years of the Restoration, were of the newborn babies. Some were several years old.

1694

From this year until 1705 a tax of sixpence was imposed on registration, so many poorer families failed to register at all. Private baptisms often took place at home instead.

1752

The Gregorian calendar was adopted, whereby the year began on 1^st January. Prior to 1752, the year had officially ended on 25^th March (Lady Day). For entries before 1752, the dates between 1^st January and 25^th March need an extra year added to them.For example a baptism recorded on 7^th February 1728 would by convention, now be recorded as 1728/9.

1753

Hardwicke’s Marriage Act meant that couples now had to marry in the parish where one of them lived.Banns had to be called or a licence issued in advance.The marriage had to be entered in a book specially designed for the purposed, endorsed by the signature (or mark) of both bride and groom and witnessed in writing.Marriages could now only take place in licensed building, which were always churches or chapels belonging to the Church of England.

Only the marriages of Jews and Quakers were exempt. Roman Catholics and Nonconformists still had to register in an Anglican parish for the marriage to be legal, even if their own church kept records of the marriage.

1783

Under the Stamp Act of 1783, a duty of three pence was placed on all registrations.Many poorer families simply failed to register and the Act was repealed in 1794.

1812

Rose’s Act standardised Church of England Registers. It came into effect on 1^st January 1813. The registers now took the form of bound volumes of printed forms. Baptisms showed the name of the child and its parents, the father’s occupation, and where the family lived.Marriages showed the name and parish for each partner and also the names of witnesses.Burial records now gave the age and residence of the deceased.

1837

Civil Registration began.Banns and Marriage licences were no longer obligatory. Parish registers contain much of the same information, but can supply extra information and, if the family stayed in one area, can be cheaper to use than buying several certificates.Marriage could again legally take place in Roman Catholic and Nonconformist places of worship though a Registrar had to be present.

1874

Fines began to be imposed for non-registration in the civil registers.

1979

All parish registers now had to be deposited with the local record office, unless it could be proved that the parish itself had adequate storage facilities in which the registers could be preserved.