unhelpful vicars?

[robert shaw]

hi

has anyone else had problems with vicars? ive emailed two, rang and left messages about the possibility of viewing burial records, but ive had no response whatsoever.

ok, they are busy i guess, but they are only the temporary custodians of where my/our ancestors lie.

 

[Ladybird1300]

Hi Robert

I can't say that I've written or emailed any, but we don't know how many of these requests they get and it probably isn't a priority to them. The only suggestion I can make is try the curate, it may be more helpful

Amanda

 

[Pilgrim]

As both an experienced genealogist and the husband of a Vicar, I felt that I should join the forum and reply to this thread.

The first thing to say is that the Vicar’s primary role is what is known as the “care of souls” of those who live in the parish, and I have never met a vicar who feels that they have enough time to carry out this adequately. Having said that I cannot excuse the lack of courtesy in not replying to e-mails or phone calls.
On behalf of my wife I reply to about one such request most months, she has four small parishes. I would say half of these tend to be phrased as “I think one of my relatives was buried in your church, I am in the area tomorrow and would like to look at the burial records”. It is surprising how many people do expect to be able to arrange a visit at short notice, or even worse expect the Vicar to do the searching for them.

Having mentioned that: Vicars do have a duty to provide burial details (and throughout this e-mail the same things apply to burial, marriage and baptism – not banns, confirmation or general service records). This is subject to a charge of £28 for each hour (or part of) some churches may not charge this but please think about this figure and make a donation to the church if no charge is made,

My final plea is please ensure that when you contact a vicar, you confirm the following:

1) That you have checked with the local records office that the registers have not been deposited with them. In our churches all the pre-1915 registers are in the local record office, so there is no point in visiting, unless you know the location of a grave, Indeed in some counties such as Essex all such records are available online.

2) That you have checked with the local FHS that they do not have copies of the records.

If you confirm the above and you are sure the relevant registers are in the church contact the Vicar or preferably the contact details given on achurchnearyou.com with the following details: the approximate date of the event, and the name (given name and surname) required to be searched.
Then do allow time for a reply. I have had genealogists e-mail one day and then phone the next to say that they have not had a reply! Lastly do not follow the advice and contact the curate as given in the reply above. A curate is a specific training post and will be working to a agreed training programme, it is not their role to act as a backup to a Vicar.

Nick

 

[robert shaw]

As both an experienced genealogist and the husband of a Vicar, I felt that I should join the forum and reply to this thread.

The first thing to say is that the Vicar’s primary role is what is known as the “care of souls” of those who live in the parish, and I have never met a vicar who feels that they have enough time to carry out this adequately. Having said that I cannot excuse the lack of courtesy in not replying to e-mails or phone calls.
On behalf of my wife I reply to about one such request most months, she has four small parishes. I would say half of these tend to be phrased as “I think one of my relatives was buried in your church, I am in the area tomorrow and would like to look at the burial records”. It is surprising how many people do expect to be able to arrange a visit at short notice, or even worse expect the Vicar to do the searching for them.

Having mentioned that: Vicars do have a duty to provide burial details (and throughout this e-mail the same things apply to burial, marriage and baptism – not banns, confirmation or general service records). This is subject to a charge of £28 for each hour (or part of) some churches may not charge this but please think about this figure and make a donation to the church if no charge is made,

My final plea is please ensure that when you contact a vicar, you confirm the following:

1) That you have checked with the local records office that the registers have not been deposited with them. In our churches all the pre-1915 registers are in the local record office, so there is no point in visiting, unless you know the location of a grave, Indeed in some counties such as Essex all such records are available online.

2) That you have checked with the local FHS that they do not have copies of the records.

If you confirm the above and you are sure the relevant registers are in the church contact the Vicar or preferably the contact details given on achurchnearyou.com with the following details: the approximate date of the event, and the name (given name and surname) required to be searched.
Then do allow time for a reply. I have had genealogists e-mail one day and then phone the next to say that they have not had a reply! Lastly do not follow the advice and contact the curate as given in the reply above. A curate is a specific training post and will be working to a agreed training programme, it is not their role to act as a backup to a Vicar.

Nick

thank you very much for the most helpful reply

the parish concerned is local to me, im in no hurry and havnt bothered them again - yet. however it is information i need, who is buried there with whom. i would do the search myself, all i need is access to the documents which wouldnt take long.