Parish Registers

A transcript from the Hardback MSS book. C. F. D. Sperling. “Notabilia Quadam” I (1892), (S/LIB/9/1 f85) belonging to the Essex Society for Archaeology and History now deposited at the Essex Record Office.

Cromwell’s Injunction to the Clergy, 8 September 1538

“Every parson, vicar or curate within this diocese for every church shall keep one book or Register wherein he shall write the day and year of every wedding, christening or burial made within your parish for your time, so every man succeeding you likewise, and also there insert every person’s name that shall be wedded, christened or buried.

And for the safe keeping of the same book, the parish shall be bound to provide of their common charge one sure coffer with two locks and keys, whereof the one to remain with you and the other with the wardens of every parish wherein the said book shall be laid up.

Which book ye shall every Sunday take forth and with the presence of the said wardens, or one of them, write and record in the same all the weddings, christenings and burials made the whole week afore, and that done lay up the book in the same coffer as afore.

And every time that the said shall be omitted, the party that shall be in the fault thereof, shall forfeit to the said church iijs iiijd, to be employed on the reparation of the said church.”

This same injunction was re-issued by Edward VI in 1547 except that the penalty was to be paid “to the Poor Box of that parish.”

In 1555 Cardinal Pole directed the Bishops at their Visitation to enquire “if the parish had a register with the names of the baptised, of the sponsors, of the married, and of the dead.”

In 1559, a similar injunction to that of 1538 was enacted except that the penalty was to be divided between the poor box and the repair of the church.

On 25 October 1597 a constitution made by the Archbishops, Bishops and clergy was approved by the Queen under the great seal, ordering all Parish Registers to be copied anew into a parchment book.

A transcript from the Hardback MSS book. C. F. D. Sperling. “Notabilia Quadam” I (1892), (S/LIB/9/1 f86-89) belonging to the Essex Society for Archaeology and History now deposited at the Essex Record Office.

The Act of 1653

In 1653 the Parliament passed an Act on 24 August:

“That whosoever shall agree to be married within the Commonwealth of England after 29 September 1653, shall (21 days at least before such intended marriage) deliver in writing unto the Register (thereinafter appointed) for the respective parish where each party to be married lived, the names surnames additions and places of abode of the parties so to be married, and of their parents, guardians or overseers, all which the said Register shall publish three Lords days there next following, at the close of the morning ex viciae, in the public meeting place commonly called the church, chapel, or (if the parties desired it) in the market place next to the said church or chapel on three market days in the three several weeks next following between the hours of 11 and 2;”

Which done the register shall make a certificate thereof, without which the persons therein after authorised should not proceed with such marriage. That such persons intending to be married should come before some Justice of the Peace of the same county, city or town with such certificate, and if no impediment, the marriage was to proceed thus:

“I AB do here in the presence of God the searcher of all hearts take thee CD for my wedded wife, and do also in the presence of God and before these witnesses promise to be unto thee a loving faithful husband”

and then the woman taking the man by the hand shall plainly and distinctly pronounce these words:

“I CD do here in the presence of God the searcher of all hearts take thee AB for my wedded husband and do also in the presence of God and before these witnesses presence to be unto thee a loving faithful and obedient wife”

[Whereupon the said Justice was to declare them man and wife, and no other marriage was to be valid within the Commonwealth. Nevertheless, the Justice in the case of dumb persons, or persons having no hands might dispense with part of this ceremonial].

And that a true and just account may always be kept as well of publication as of all such marriages and also of the births of all children and deaths of all sorts of persons within this commonwealth.

Registration of Marriages, Births and Burials

Be it further enacted that:

A book of good vellum or parchment shall be provided by every Parish for the registering of all such marriages and of all births of children and burials of all sorts of persons within every parish, for the safe keeping of which book the inhabitants and householders of every parish chargeable to the relief of the poor, or the greater part of them present, shall, on or before the 22nd of September 1653, make choice of some able and honest persons (such as shall be sworn and approved by one Justice for the peace in that parish, division or county and so signified under his hand in the said register book,) to have the keeping of the said book, who shall therein fairly enter in writing all such publications, marriages, birth of children, and burial of all sorts of persons, and the names of every of those, and the days of the month and years of publications, marriages, births, and burials and the parents, guardians, and overseers names.

And the register in such parish shall attend the said Justice of the peace to subscribe the entry of every such marriage.

And the person as elected, appointed shall be called to the Parish Register, and shall continue these years in the said place of Register and longer until some other be chosen, unless such Justice of the peace, or the said parish with the consent of such Justice, shall think fit to remain here sooner.

Fees

• For such publication and certificate thereof: 12d and no more.
• For every birth of child: 4d and no more.
• For every death: 4d and no more.
• For publications, marriages, births and burials of poor persons who live upon alms: nothing shall be taken.

And the said Justices of the Peace (if it be desired) shall give unto the parties so married, a certificate in parchment under his hand and seal, of such marriage and of the day of solemnization thereof, and of two or more of the witnesses there present. And the Justice’s clerk for this certificate may receive 12d and no more.

And if such certificate shall be produced to the clerk of the peace for that county, a request made to him to make an entry thereof, there the said clerk of the peace is hereby required to enter the same in the book of parchment, to be provided for that purpose, and kept among the records of the said sessions, and to return the said certificate for which entry the clerk of the peace may receive 4d and no more.

“And be it enacted that all register books for marriages, births and burials already past, shall be delivered into the hands of the respective registers appointed by the Act, to be kept as records”.

Confirmation of the Act and the Restoration

This Act was confirmed in 1656, except so much as declares no other marriage to be valid.

At the Restoration (1660) the business of keeping the register book again devolved upon the Parochial Clergy, and an Act was passed (12 Car II cap 33) which legalised “Marriages by Justice since May 1st 1642,” or marriages performed according to the direction or true extent of any act or ordinances of one or both houses of Parliament, or of any Convention sitting at Westminster under the name stile and title of Parliament.

A transcript of the “Blackmore Register 1602-1812” was completed in August 1897 by R. H. Browne. At the back of the volume, Mr Browne gave a summary of his findings.

The first part or book of this Register is unfortunately lost that is to say from 1538 to 1602 – a period of sixty-four years.

It will be seen that the copie or transcript of all that was in existence at the time was made as usual in 1608 – some however were copied a few years earlier viz in 1598 – and that it is signed by the two churchwardens Edward Bradeby and John Tarling – the curate in charge or Vicar does not sign which is somewhat unusual.

This Register, like all others, has its own particular points of interest which will be better understood by those who are acquainted with the parish.

Gaps in the Register

There is no mention of the appointment of a ‘Civil Register’ under the Act of 1653 which may possibly account for the unfortunate lapses at this period: only one baptism for the year in question; four for 1654; two for 1655; none for the years 1656-7; two only for 1658, and two for 1659.

The following year – ‘the Restoration’ – the account of the Baptisms is fairly well kept and so on to the end – no less than twenty being set down for the year 1672 and twenty four for 1673.

The marriages were not so numerous as was seldom the case in these rural parishes – Widford being a remarkable exception. For several years in the early part of the [seventeenth] century only one took place; but after 1649 to 1662 – 13 years, only one is recorded as having taken place (ie) Chris Sache in 1658 and none whatsoever for the 4 following years to 1663.

From 1695 many marriages took place at Fryerning … Some explanation might be found for such an unusual occurrence – was Blackmore without a resident minister at the time?

The same irregularity is found when we turn to the burials, none being recorded after Mrs Walmsley in 1652 to John Sayer in 1660. If a layman had been appointed at the time he might have kept a separate book which is now lost.

Turning back to the marriages, only 5 took place from 1712 to 1720 and what is still more remarkable none for the long period of ten years – 1730-40.

Inns and Trades

Two of the Inns are mentioned: the “Bull” in the year 1607 kept by a family named Cooke and the Swan in 1700 by John Clarke.

The trades or handicrafts are rarely mentioned. Petchie was a smith – are there any survivors of this ancient family?

Another Petchie was a sawyer [1604]; Hogg, the miller, 1602. Thos Bones weaver, 1671; John Nicholson miller also in 1671; Robert Hall shoemaker in 1685”. In addition, John Reve butcher (1607); and references are made to an innkeeper, glover, wheelwright and clerk.

The most intriguing of all the trades is a burial entry to “Thomas ------ comonly called ‘The Tinker’” (1738).

Burial in Woollen

The Act of Chas II 1678 for making the burying in woollen only compulsory is always interesting and in this instance many names of local clergy and magistrates are given before whom the affidavits were made.

Two or three instances are recorded for non-compliance – Lady Smyth, 1693; Frances Stanes and William Lee in 1702.

Notable Families and Longevity

Several notable people were connected with the parish – Smyths, Luckins, Tendrings and Barretts of Ramsden Bellhouse.

One or two instances of longevity are mentioned. Ann Murrell, 1778, age 96. Richard Preston, 84; Henry Johnson, 94; Daniel Rust, 82; John Clarke, 84, [recorded between 1803 and 1812].

But on the other hand there was the usual great infant mortality during the prevalence of small pox and inoculation at the close of the last [eighteenth] century together with the distress and occurrences of all the commodities of daily life.

Briefs

Briefs. A few only are put down – the first being in 1689 but the purpose for which the collection was made has been omitted.

Public feeling must have been aroused at the persecution of the Protestants, for the inhabitants to have subscribed £2-0-0 on one occasion.

The Year 1897

Many more comments might be made: but I must content myself with just mentioning that this year [1897] has been a remarkable one in several respects.

The Queen’s [Diamond] Jubilee celebrations causing universal rejoicing.

There is an abundant harvest both of hay and corn despite the great storm of June last, which devastated about seventy square miles in the County between Epping and Chelmsford.

Large sums are being subscribed locally and at the Mansion House for the relief of the sufferers.

An extract from ‘A History of Stondon Massey in Essex’ by Rev. E.H.L. Reeve, M.A., published 1900.

The following order to the Churchwardens from the Archdeacon’s books is interesting, and gives a peep into the Church in 1683:

“The paveing in ye Chansell to be newe layd.
2 Locks for ye chest; and ye Register Book to be kept in’t.
The seates in ye Chancell to be mended.
The Communion Table to be mended and sett in its place.
The raine water to be prevented comeing in at ye chancell doore.
The Church to be whited.
The ffront to be removed to the Northe doore and that part of the floore to be brickt.
The wheels of the Bells to be mended.
The bushes to be taken out of ye Churchyard.
The Churchyard wants a new gate.
The ffence belonging to Stondon hall, now in the tenure of Col. Nathaniel Rich, wants reparation.
There wants a new Communion Prayer Book and Table of the Degrees of Marriage”.

The Missing Register

Time and careless custodians have dealt hardly with us. In 1683 the Archdeacon at his visit ordered “2 lockes for ye chest, and ye Register Book to be kept in’t;” but even the very chest has utterly disappeared!

Our earliest extant book dates from 1708, and for a century after this the entries are far from being complete or satisfactory. I am glad to say that by careful search among the ancient wills at Somerset House and other sources I have been able in some measure to repair the deficiency as regards burials at least, and have succeeded in recovering about 70 names, a few of them dating from the 15th century.

Rector Thomas Smith and the Registers

Our Rector, Thomas Smith cannot, I fear, be acquitted of the charge of culpable carelessness. We find entries in his handwriting inserted here and there apparently just where space seemed to offer itself, quite regardless of dates; and, while he gives us abundant information in some cases, he makes a note of others with a brevity which is, to say at least, timesome and perplexing.

There are, however, one or two points on which a few words may be said. And first I would like to call attention to the singular state of the early marriage register.

Out of 121 marriages between 1708 and 1754 entered in the book only 17 show one of the parties to have belonged to Stondon. In every other case both bride and bridegroom belonged to outside parishes.

And this is the more strange seeing that in the succeeding 37 years after 1754 no fewer than 68 marriages are entered showing either a Stondon bride or bridegroom.

Sometimes, again, a wedding is entered when a ceremony took place elsewhere. Mr Thomas Smith united the Curacy of Blackmore in 1756 to his other cures, but it is embarrassing to find the following in the Stondon books in 1744:

July 18th. “Married at Blackmore John Baker Batchelor and Martha Belcher Spinster, Both of the Parish of Danbury in this County”.

One wonders whether other Rectors were as much in request for tying the nuptial knot as Mr Smith, and whether, in cases where the entries were merely records of their work done in other parishes, the parishes interested were favoured with a copy for their own books.

Otherwise the work of hunting up materials for a pedigree must be felt to be a harder one than has been realized hitherto.

Marriage Before and After 1754

It is, I fear, extremely probable that our Rector was known to be a man who would ask no awkward questions.

Previous to 1754 any marriage performed by a priest was accounted valid, though it might not be legal; and, although the officiating clergyman was liable to heavy penalties in such a case, the law was not often put in force, if the parson could be found ready to run the risk.

The increase in so-called “Stondon” marriages after 1754 points some way, and tends to show that somehow Mr Smith still contrived to remain a popular clergyman.

A Double Marriage in 1789

An amusing incident appears in 1789, attended no doubt with distress and inconvenience at the time.

In the Church Marriage Book the marriage of the same couple is entered both on Feb. 7th and on May 1st. The Clerk’s informal book notes the double ceremony also, but in the second instance, I think, somewhat naively adds “at eleven o’clock in the morning”.

The inference, I think, therefore is obvious, that on the first occasion time and the fates were against the young people, and mid-day sounded before the ring could be safely placed on the bride’s finger.

Burial in Woollen

Among the entries of Burial we frequently find it mentioned that the “Affidavit was duly made.”

This affidavit was required by an Act of Parliament passed in 1678 attesting that the body to be buried “was not wrapt in any material but what was made of sheep’s wool,” the object of the Act being to encourage the woollen trade.

The Act was repealed in 1814, but had long before fallen into disuse. The penalty attached to neglect of it was £5, half to be paid to the informant, and half to the Poor of the Parish.

Stondon’s Oldest Recorded Inhabitant

Our oldest inhabitant known to the Registers is Mr William Smith, “late Farmer in the Parish, who was buried Nov. 10th, 1749 in the hundredth year of his age”.

Unfortunately, there is no reference to Parish Registers of Greensted, Stanford Rivers, Stapleford Tawney or Theydon Mount.

With its own history stretching back to 1852 the Essex Archaeological Society (as it was known before it was renamed the Essex Society for Archaeology and History in 1985) its lead members were keen to transcribe Parish Registers held in church safes. This was all before the era of public record offices.

(Written in March 2015) Online historical research is almost an expected feature of our digital age. In recent years the Essex Record Office, in its role as Diocesan archivist, has made available by subscription the collection of Essex parish registers. No longer is it necessary to go to the search room to view microfilm copies. Technology moves along as does the availability of these records.

The 1858 Parish Register Survey

When the Essex Archaeological Society was formed, one of its earliest projects was to establish the extent of registers in individual parishes. In a letter to clergymen dated 25 October 1858, Edward Cutts, Honorary Secretary, circulated “a paper of Queries, drawn up by members to indicate the points of interest … [which] will not only be carefully indexed and treasured among the Society’s papers … but … digested by him into a general paper on the Parish Registers of the County.” Twenty-three questions were asked.

Within tightly wrapped brown paper tied firmly with string I found what our Archives Catalogue describes as:

“Collection of returned forms for the Society's parish register survey 1858: Short returns from Chingford, Colchester St Peter, White Colne, Fairstead, Frating (and Thorrington), Castle Hedingham, Herongate, Hutton, Latchingdon, Manningtree, White Notley, Purleigh, Southminster, Stifford, Tendring, Wendon Lofts (and Elmdon), Wicken Bonhunt, Wickham Bishops and Wickham St Pauls.

Fuller returns from Bardfield Saling, Barking, Belchamp Otten, Birdbrook, Little Burstead, Chadwell St Mary, Colchester St Leonard, Cold Norton, Faulkbourne, East Hanningfield, Little Horkesley, Lawford, Messing, Navestock, Roxwell, Thaxted, Theydon Garnon and Great Warley.

Also included: copy of a letter from Morant to the Lord of the Manor of Aldham on the history of the estate, 19 Apr 1763. 2 pages from the St James's Gazette 5 Jan 1887 regarding the refusal of the tithe payers of Hatfield Broad Oak to pay their tithes to Trinity College Cambridge. Rubbing of a brass at Kirby-le-Soken to Rebekah Crease, died 1619, now (presumably) lost.”

The latter items have since 2015 been transferred to the Essex Record Office (S/SEC/4/1).

What the Returns Reveal

The opening question to clergymen was the year in which Parish Registers commenced. I compared all the returns to ‘The Atlas and Index of Parish Registers’ (2003) by Humphrey-Smith. All the earliest dates corresponded which indicated that the Society is not sitting on a unique record of lost ledgers.

That is not to suggest that these documents are obsolete.

The returns give insight into the study of such things as baptism of Puritan children, proclamation of marriages in Market-places, “interments specially described as with a coffin, without a coffin; with a sermon …”, Certificates of Burial in woollen, notes of Inductions to supplement “Newcourt’s Repertorium often incomplete, especially during period of the Great Rebellion, “extracts of events relating to local or general history”.

The great storm of 26 November 1703 is recorded at Purleigh which “layd naked most peoples dwelling houses, Barns, Stables & all other houses“.

A two-month long frost in 1683 is recorded at Cold Norton “so violent that several people for several days went backwards and forwards over Fambridge Ferry upon the ice”.

The Register at Messing records the “Provisions and other accommodations for the Army under his Excellency the Lord Fairfax” during the siege of Colchester in 1648.

Other than notes on the registers of Barking (published in the Transactions, Old Series, Volume II) a general digest was not produced. Perhaps the survey did not produce a sufficiently comprehensive record of the county.

Access to Parish Registers Around 1900

At the turn of the twentieth century, we see the efforts of local historians in gaining access to records in church safes. C. F. D. Sperling included some parish register transcripts in his manuscript books (S/LIB/9/1-7) and a notebook dedicated to the topic (S/LIB/9/15).

J. L. Glasscock’s manuscript notebook ‘Notes and gleanings from various places in Herts and Essex’ (S/LIB/9/28) mentions in 1903 that at Little Dunmow:

“My friend Mr Hastings Worrin of Priory Lodge Little Dunmow kindly invited me … & shewed me the Parish Reg. from which I made … extracts.”

There are many other examples.

“Revd J Monk [Henham, 1906] allowed me to inspect the 1st Vol of Register which contains Bap. Mar. Bur. 1539 to 1741.”

Glasscock also mentions the “Sheering Book of Rates and Accounts 1680. This old book was offered for sale to me (May 1914) & I was instrumental in getting its returned (by a payment from the Rector of Sheering to the owner) to its proper place the Church Chest of Sheering.”

He then goes on to describe its content. It is now preserved in the Essex Record Office.

The Transcription Projects of the 1930s

By the 1930s many members of the Society had been engaged in making transcripts of Parish Registers.

The Society’s archives include an envelope containing the work of C. F. D. Sperling and C. Partridge in obtaining transcriptions of Parish Registers (S/LIB/9/50/9). This contains:

1. Church Registers Marriages. Alphabetical list compiled by Sperling.
2. Letter from Henry, Bishop of Chelmsford, Bishopscourt, Chelmsford, dated 2.3.1932:
   

   “I am quite willing to give you permission to borrow the Registers of any parish in this Diocese, and I authorise the Incumbent to lend them to you for the purpose of copying them”.

3. Letter from Bishop of Barking, dated 26.9.1931.
4. Letter from A J Parry from St Peter’s Vicarage, Upton Cross, E7 to the Bishop, dated 7.7.1931.
5. Letter from Wanstead Rectory to the Bishop, 1.7.1931.
6. Letter from Little Yeldham Rectory to Revd Alfred Young, dated 2.7.1931.
7. Letter from Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich to Sperling, dated 14.2.1931:
   

   “As requested by Mr Charles Partridge I hereby authorise you to borrow the registers of any parish in this Diocese”.

8. Notes on Parish Registers transcribed by C. Partridge including a list of 12 refusals by clergy.

This includes Great Bentley:

“Bentley Magna. After correspondence, & after calling several times, I at last found the Vicar at home – Rev G. Colley. He has a transcript from 1558 to (I think) 1717, made by a former vicar. He showed it to me but refused to lend it on the ground that our work is ‘utterly useless’.

He said, ‘You would be better using your time in digging potatoes, or in working as I do – preaching the Gospel’!

He is quite impossible, an awful bounder, & was so impertinent that I walked out of the vicarage. I wouldn’t go again should he beg me to go. I leave him to you and the Bishop!”

Family History and the Society

In the 1950s there was a surge in enquiries to the Society from family historians. The Society has a large number of in-letters to its Secretary. The Essex Record Office noticed this too and commented in one of their letters (S/SEC/7/4).

These transcripts became a matter of controversy when forty years later the Essex Record Office was granted permission to make microfilm copies.

A Mr Whitehead, one the transcribers, objected strongly to copies of his work being undertaken (S/LIB/7/2).

In the late 1970s Hon Librarian Peter Boyden produced a catalogue of transcripts held in the Society’s Library (S/ARC/1/1). The documents have since been deposited at the Essex Record Office.

Parish Registers as Historical Evidence

Parish Registers are the bedrock for research. One such example is the essay written for the Third Series, Volume 4, of Transactions (1972): ‘The Plague in Colchester 1579-1666’ by I. G. Doolittle.

“On the basis of an analysis of the parish registers of St Leonards, St Marys, and St Peters and borough records, mortality of epidemic proportions seems to have occurred in the following years: 1579, 1586:, 1597, 1603, 1626, 1631, 1644, and 1665-6.”

The volume has recently been digitised by the Society making retrieval very simple.

The Victorian Parish Register return to the Society for St Leonards Colchester is silent regarding the plague.

At Barking:

“periods of great mortality” were “1593, 1603, 1625, 1665, 1666, 1729. In these years the mortality was double the average, or thereabouts: except 1603 by far the most fatal year, & in which there was more than 3 times the average.”

This illustrates the inconsistent reporting and perhaps why a digest was never produced. The exercise though was probably the first ever attempt to capture data on the subject.

From Church Chests to Online Archives

The Society’s long history reflects changes in local history and genealogical research. Today facsimile copies of registers are available online through Essex Ancestors and some have been cheeky enough to transcribe them and make them freely available on the Internet.

This represents a democratisation of archives which would make the Rector of Great Bentley revolve in his grave.

But as an amateur, under no pressure to create databases and meet dissertation deadlines, I quite like the brown paper packages tied up with string.

These are a few of my favourite things.