Parish Records

This sub sub sub fonds is divided into 3 series as follows:

• Parish Register Transcripts, c1600-19th century. Few transcripts survive between 1600 and 1643. From 1643-1659 no transcripts survive at all. The transcripts resume in 1660and continues until the mid 19th century. [PRT]
• Parish Register Returns. Returns from incumbents in respect of their parish registers made in accordance with the Parochial Registers Act 1812. Arranged alphabetically by parish, 1813 [PR.Ret]
• Records of Confirmations. 1758-1771, 1892-1908, 1933-1984. Names of individual candidates have only been kept since 1940. [Bp.CFM]

From 1598, transcripts of entries to baptism, marriage & burial registers from the previous year had to be made and sent from the parish to the Archbishop, Bishop or the head of a peculiar jurisdiction. This practice gradually disappeared after civil registration of births, marriages & deaths was introduced in 1837.

Confirmations take place when individuals who have been baptised can renew the promises made on their behalf at infant baptism by the parents & godparents. All confirmations are recorded in the church's confirmation register. At confirmation an individual may be confirmed with a new name. A note of the new name is made in the confirmation register & often also in the margin against the individual's entry in the baptism register.

Gurney, N.K.M, 'A Handlist of Parish Register Transcripts at the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research', Borthwick Text & Calendar 3, York 1976. Available in hard copy at the Borthwick Institute.

Gurney, N.K.M, 'A Handlist of Parish Register Transcripts at the Borthwick Institute of Historical Research', Borthwick Text & Calendar 3, York 1976. Available in hard copy at the Borthwick Institute.