Genealogy Chat

Hi all. Christine, Thankyou for taking the time to answer and thanks for the Information. Brenda, Thanks to you also. I realise that the vicars and wardens are not there primarily for our "look up" satisfaction, that is why I would like to get in touch, to arrange a possible visit at their convenience. Thanks for the information about charges being displayed in church porches. Anne, I would much prefer to visit the area of my roots than sit in an office. Somehow it seems to feel as if your closer to the ancesters. Still, each to their own. Stephen, Thanks for the info. I will be looking into that. Cheers. Heather, I agree with what you said re sitting, touching and seeing things that our great grandparents did. Thanks for replying. Thanks to you all for taking the time to answer. Have a lovely Christmas, Regards, Mick D.

Hi, I just put a fiver in the donation box as I left. I wasnt asked for any money. However, since then I have become quite involved with the Church and am good mates with the warden. I am arranging to get one of my ancestors stones repaired (hubby is a builder) and also my Aunt sent them a donation for all the info they provided. I think its great to go and sit in the little church and look around knowing my ancestors sat there looking at the same beams and same coloured glass. Brilliant experience, well worth doing.

There's an excellent (if expensive) book: The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers (ed: Cecil Humphrey-Smith) 3rd. Edition, 2003; ISBN: 1 86077 239 0 This gives a complete list by county and parish of the location of all parish registers - which are in the IGI, which deposited where (in County Records Offices mostly), which are in the Society of Genealogists, in Boyd's, Pallot's, etc. I also find the maps valuable for determining which are the adjacent parishes (so if your ancestor is not found in one parish you can try adjacent ones in a sensible order). I recommend this before travelling. Good luck, Stephen.

Personally I would always prefer to go to the county record office. There all the church records will be together saving lots of precious searching time. Anne

As everyone has said, most records will now be in record offices. Where they are kept in the parish, and this may still be done, provided it can be demonstrated that they are safe and dry, make contact well in advance of your proposed visit and mention that you are aware that charges are payable. The costs of looking at registers are usually printed on a leaflet, posted in the porch of the church. Bear in mind that the vicar, or lucky churchwarden who has been delegated to supervise your inspection of the registers, has a busy life and other obligations. I have always been treated hospitably, nobody has ever produced an invoice, but I wouldn't dream of not making a donation, as much as anything to secure their goodwill against the day the next family historian descends on them. After all, it might be me again! Brenda

If you're trying to find contact info for churches, you could do worse than go to: http://www.*cofe.anglican.org/contact/findus/ (remove asterisk - didn't notice, first time, that CofE starts with the dreaded letter combination!!) You'd probably want the "information sheets" link, but I thought the general "find us" page would have a wider use. Happy Christmas All! Christine

Thanks Peta, Very encouraging. Regards, Mick D.

Morning Gwynneth and Heather, Thanks for your answers. I might have known that there would be a small fee involved, no doubt a spire needs a slate or something!! I,m looking forward to doing it though. Better than sitting in a PRO office I think, but there, if I must! Thanks again, Regards, Mick D.

Hi Margaret, It,s great when something like that happens isn,t it. I know what you mean about the family, mine have no interest in the finding out, just like to be told whats been found. Bless em! (or something). Regards Mick D.

Most of them will be at the Records Office. I know that I was lucky that at my ancestors' church the warden had hung on to them (probably illegally) and I was able to touch the actual signatures or marks of my ancestors back to early 1800. So, I think you need to look up where the records office is and check if they have a website. That should give you what records they have there. Good luck.

Hi, Parish registers over 100 years old should be deposited in the County record office. Some records are still with the church and you have to make an appointment to view them. There is often a charge of around £25 for this. Gwynne

I was visiting Stanhope a few years ago before I started doing genealogy.It was a Sunday.Out of curiosity I went to the church which was open a very kind lady showed me a book with all the names of those buried.Since starting my tree I now have realised the names I saw were my family.Pity I didnt see the graves but the family with me were getting bored.

Morning All, Brain picking time again. It is my intention to visit the north of England next summer to try to find some of the old "haunts" of my ancesters. It would also please me if I could look through an old church record or two. Now I,m sure that you do not just turn up on some vicars doorstep and say "hey oop lad, I,ve come to look at tha books", so, can some knowledgable soul enlighten me as to how to go about things in a diplomatic way? Happy Christmas to you all, and I wish you all that you would wish for yourselves, for the new year. Regards, Mick D.