The Church of England is the established Christian church in England. It is organised into local parishes. Baptisms or christenings are usually but not exclusively infants. Marriages (pre 1837) includes marriages of non-conformists. Burials may include Non-conformists where alternative burial grounds or cemeteries were not available. Records related to Poor Law including Poor rates, Overseers accounts – have been treated here as Poor Law records rather than Church records.
Principal parish recordsPrincipal parish records
- Registers of Birth, Marriages and Burials. Extensively indexed and published by local Family History Societies. Images may be online depending upon the record office. See MyHeritage baptisms collection marriage collection and burials collection.
- Vestry Minutes and Parochial Church Council Minutes (from 1919)
- Churchwarden Accounts – may include payments to post holders and trades people.
- Pew and Gallery rents
- Church rates
- Church service registers
Principal Archdeaconry and Diocesan recordsPrincipal Archdeaconry and Diocesan records
- Bishops Transcripts See MyHeritage Bishops Transcripts collection for Norfolk.
- Appointment of Church Ministers (see Clergy of the Church of England Database CCED))
- Visitation (Visits by the Bishop (typically every 4 years) or Archdeacon enquiring into the state of parishes)
- Probate Records (pre 1858)
- Church Courts
Non-ConformistsNon-Conformists
These Christian denominations split from the Church of England post reformation.[1] The main examples are Baptists; Congregationalists/Independents and Presbyterians who merged in 1974 to create the United Reform Church; Methodists/Wesleyans; Brethern; Salvation Army. Within these broad groupings there are many sub-groups. Whilst the Baptists practiced adult baptism the majority of the others infant baptism. These non-conformists churches could not undertake marriages until 1837. They may have had their own burial grounds.
Principal recordsPrincipal records
- Baptisms, Marriages (1837+) and Burials Registers
- Births and Burial Registers (often deposited with the Registrar General in 1837 and now deposited in The National Archives (TNA), microfilmed and available online).
- Church financial accounts and fund raising
- Pew and Gallery Rents
- Church Meetings – church governance but may include membership applications, baptisms, church discipline.
- Certificates of Registration of Meeting Houses (to circa 1851). These were deposited with the Church of England Bishop, or Quarter Sessions. A national list of registrations from the 17th century was compiled in 1855 by Registrar General and held by The National Archives (TNA). The records may name minister, trustees or founders.
- Church Trust Deeds with named trustees. A copy will be held with church records and a copy enrolled in Chancery and held at The National Archives (TNA) - see their research guide.
Society of Friends (Quakers)Society of Friends (Quakers)
The Society of Friends (also known as Quakers) were established in the 17th century and were allowed in England and Wales to undertake Marriages. They do not practice any form of baptism.
Principal recordsPrincipal records
- Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials. The Quaker Family History Society has indexed some of these records.
- Births, Marriages and Burial Registers (often deposited with the Registrar General in 1837 and now deposited in The National Archives (TNA), microfilmed and available online).
- Minutes of Quaker Meetings and County Meetings. Often deposited at County Record Offices.
- Financial Accounts. Often deposited at County Record Offices.
- Certificates of Registration of Meeting Houses (to circa 1851). These were deposited with the Church of England Bishop, or Quarter Sessions. A national list of registrations from the 17th century was compiled in 1855 by Registrar General and held by The National Archives (TNA). The records may name minister, trustees or founders.
- Quaker Meeting and burial ground Trust Deeds with named trustees. A copy will be held with church records and a copy enrolled in Chancery and held at The National Archives (TNA) - see their research guide.
- Wills in England and Wales (pre-1858) . Up to 1858 these will have been proved the same local and national Church of England Probates courts. The Quaker Family History Society has a in-flight project to record wills related to Quakers.
Roman CatholicsRoman Catholics
Following the reformation Roman Catholic churches were only permitted from 1791 and the Catholic Relief Act and the earliest registers date from this time.
Principal church recordsPrincipal church records
- Baptisms, Marriages (1837+) and Burials Registers.
- Church Trust Deeds with named trustees. A copy will be held with church records and a copy enrolled in Chancery and held at The National Archives (TNA) see their reseatch guide.
See alsoSee also
References
- ↑ Barry, J. P. (2009) [2003]. "Nonconformity, clericalism, and 'Englishness': the United Kingdom". In Clark, Christopher; Kaiser, Wolfram (eds.). Culture Wars: Secular-Catholic Conflict in Nineteenth-Century Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 152–180. doi:10.1017/CBO9780511496714.007. ISBN 978-0-511-05784-7.