Parish Records(not!)

[ptjw7]

As is my wont I again forayed into the Essex parish records for my daily headache!

This morning I was struck by the genral inconsistancy with which various Vicars etc duly filled in the records some with little regard to the actual information written with the shorthand record for 'John son of Johnathon' to 'Mary Smith was buried'

I thank whoever made them actually put the marriage information into a printed book from about 1754 - some are actually very readable whilst some are hardly decipherable due no doubt to the meagre amount of the obviously very expensive ink! actually used.
Then there are the most diligent records where the keeper actually records date of birth as well as date of baptism.
I suppose we should be grateful that we have the records at all - lots must have been lost during WW2.
Oh well back to the headache.

 

[benny1982]

Some of the pages for 1754 onwards marriages are in the printed grid form and others are all written down while still following the rules of the 1753 act, two witnesses etc. The printed ones are much easier to read.

 

[oatcake]

I'm new and a bit curious. These Parish records are generally held where? In the council offices or at the churches....or....?

 

[ptjw7]

It all depends where the Parish is!
Some are on Society sites as are a lot of Cornish and some are on paid sites like Essex Seax records officeor Paid site as per Ancestry and FMP
You pays your money and hope!

Mind you you can get no further information it all depended on the Vicar with such info as 'Mary Smith daughter of John Smith baptised today' no use at all!!!

 

[benny1982]

I wish Suffolk had more records online. Due to the Covid outbreak I have been unable to visit Lowestoft record office and are chomping at the bits to do so again.