Parish Register Records

At first, monasteries were one of the early places where births of important people were recorded. However it was not until the year of 1538 when a mandate was set, to keep parish registers written up by the clergy. Initially these were kept on loose pieces of paper and, as one might imagine, parts were lost. In 1598 an improved scheme of register books containing parchment paper was started and the old loose leaves going back to 1558 had to be transcribed into these new books. Recording officially passed from the clergy to a Registrar in September of 1653.

Early Parish Registers often had baptisms/christenings, marriages and burials all recorded in one volume, but in separate sections. Marriages and burials were recorded reasonably well. Christenings, however, were often missed because of a number of influences. Dissention, tax on registration and charges to the clergy were all responsible at various times.

As the result of an Act in 1812 new register books were printed for use from 1st January 1813. These contained pages with headings, were in column form with separate volume for each type of event.

Early parish registers have often suffered as a result of being kept for a long time in damp church vestries. Many are now stored in better conditions, usually being deposited for safe keeping in county records offices.

Baptismal Registers

The information provided by a baptismal register is given in tabular form:

Two entries from the baptismal register of
**St Saviour, Dartmouth.**
When Baptised	Child's Christian Name	Parents Names		Abode	Trade or Profession
When Baptised	Child's Christian Name	Christian	Surname	Abode	Trade or Profession
21 Feb 1849	James Nicholas	William & Ann	ROWDEN	St Saviours	Wheelwright
12 Jan 1853	Jane Pack	William & Ann	ROWDEN	Dittisham	Wheelwright

In the above register the birth dates of James and Jane had also been entered in the spine as 18 Jan 1849 and 14 Dec 1852 respectively. There is no column provided in a baptismal register for the date of birth, however occasionally the parish priest may have made an unofficial entry. Even more rarely might one find that the mother's maiden name has been entered.

Marriage Registers

The information provided by a marriage register is given in tabular form:

Three entries from the marriage register of
**Berry Pomeroy, Devon.**
When Married	Name and Surname	Age	Condition	Rank or Profession	Residence at the time of Marriage	Father's Name and Surname	Rank or Profession of Father
3 June 1882	John Rowdon	27	Bachelor	Labourer	Berry Pomeroy	John Rowden	Labourer
	Elizabeth Perriam	28	Spinster	Domestic Servant	Littlehempston	John Perriam	Carpenter
1 June 1899	Thomas Hodge	27	Bachelor	Groom	Aish, Stoke Gabriel	Samuel Hodge	Labourer
	Alice Annie Rowden	23	Spinster		Berry Pomeroy	James Rowden	Labourer
21 Dec 1899	George Edward Harvey	22	Bachelor	Mason	Buckfastleigh	George Harvey	Mason
	Emily Jane Rowden	22	Spinster		Berry Pomeroy	James Rowden	Labourer

Burial Registers

The information provided by a burial register is given in tabular form:

Four entries from the burial register of
**Colebrooke, Devon.**
Name	Abode	When Buried	Age
James ROWDEN	Exeter	23 June 1852	46
William ROWDON	Colebrooke	3 October 1858	26
Lewis George ROWDON	Colebrooke	4 November 1858	4
Jane ROWDON	Colebrooke	18 March 1860	38

Occasionally in a burial register the date of death has been entered, usually as a note in the spine of the book.

View burial register page from Bow, Devon - 1833...