Genealogy Chat

O.K. Now I am ready to search parish records. I have the L.D.S. info but would rather leave that kind of search until winter. So I am going to the birthplace of some of my ancesters, and don't want to waste valuable time. What is the usual proceedure? Should I tel. first and make an appointment at the church, surely they cannot just allow you to look through such valuable books. I also would like to see the graves.. I will certainly enjoy getting the feel of the area, and also looking around the cemetries. I just wonder if I am being a little naieve, expecting to see parish records. Is it luck or judgement?

Apart from the ones currently in use (and in some small villages the bp & burials registers may go back for 70 or 80 yrs) most churches will have deposited their registers at a record office, as there are regulations about temperature & humidity levels. Look on Genuki for the parishes you are interested in and it will tell you where they have been deposited. Remember that not all graves are marked with a stone, and in towns burials are usually in cemeteries rather than churchyard. Churchwardens will have a plan of the graveyard, so you may want to contact one of them in advance of your visit, if you are hoping to look for graves.(you will need to find out who the cw is if you want to ring them, but a letter addressed to the churchwarden, ST xxx church, tinyville should get there.) Not many village churches would have a phone. They will be also be able to help you with current bp & burial registers, although churches are allowed to charge a fee for this. Marriage registers tend to be called in more regularly - these have the same information as the certificates you get from the GRO. oh yes, some churches are kept locked for security, so it may be as well to check that in advance - most of the ones in my area are open every day. Jay