We have often been asked by not only members but also our web site visitors from outside Looe how they can explore their family history. Well here is a primer that will help us all.
Barbara Birchwood-Harper is an expert in Family History and she has prepared the following which will give us all a great start in this fascinating subject.
Exploring your Family History
Part One
Every journey begins with the first step, and in exploring your family history, the first step is with you and what you know already.
Begin by putting down your current family in the pattern you find most acceptable to charting your “ Tree”.
The next steps will involve your parents, if you have birth, marriage and/or death certificates, these will enable you to begin to establish the generation preceding your own and, in turn, establish the pattern by which you can eventually search for your antecedents back to 1837. Don’t give up if you are adopted, there are ways to find out details, more of that later.
Why 1837? Because , on 1st July 1837 civil registration began. Returns of all births, marriages and deaths were sent to the General Register Office (GRO) Until recently, copies of the registers were available in the Family Records Centre in London, but, now this has closed, the best way is to search online, If you do not have access to a computer, most local libraries can help or a local internet café or centre. Cornwall is particularly lucky in that the Cornwall Family History Society in Truro has the facility to look up Cornish records online or GRO records on microfiche. The Cornwall Records Office in Truro also holds parish records on microfiche plus they can provide access to a wealth of interesting & useful documents. However, if you are on the Internet, you can access the registers through:-
www.findmypast.com
It is a pay to view site but only costs £6.95 for 60 units & each page searched is 1 unit.
One word of warning about the GRO in the early years, some people did not register events, usually illegitimate births. The process was only made compulsory in the 1870s.
The registers are arranged alphabetically in Birth, Marriage & Death sections, then by years & then in quarters e.g. March, covering January, February & March & so on, so a search of one year involves looking through 4 quarters. The information given is minimal, Surname, Christian name(s) and details of registration district and reference numbers for entry, volume & page.
ALWAYS KEEP A RECORD OF WHICH QUARTERS YOU HAVE LOOKED AT AND WHEN YOU FIND AN ENTRY WHICH MAY BE YOUR RELATIVE, RECORD THE DETAILS & MARK YOUR CHECKLIST.
The information to be gleaned, from these certificates, lead your search, boosted as you go into the 1800s, by the Census returns which provide more useful information from 1841 to 1901. ( of which more later).
The General Register Office is now at Southport and, provided you have
the correct references, you can apply either in writing or by telephone.
You can also order a certificate online, go to Google & search for ONS.
N.B.
Most publications tell you to interview relatives…be aware, the generations before ours were very concerned with privacy and respectability, many families have secrets they want to keep!
Give yourself thinking time to evaluate the feasibility of information, be a detective.
THE CENSUS
A Census has been taken, in England & Wales, every 10 years since 1801. The only exception being 1941 because of the war.
Censuses from 1841 – 1901 are open to inspection.
Before 1801, population estimates were calculated from parish registers and tax returns.
People were very superstitious of enumeration, they feared a disaster as in Biblical times
In 1800, as the country was at war with France, the Government decided to take a census in order to gauge manpower resources. It was merely a headcount as were the following 10 yearly censuses to 1831.
The Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834 set up a framework for the drastic reorganisation of society, previously the province of the parish. It paved the way for the Municipal Corporation Act of 1835, the Birth & Death Registration and Marriage Acts of 1836 leading to Civil Registration in 1837.
The newly appointed Registrar General, Thomas Henry Lister, divided the whole country into Registration districts based on the Poor Law Unions. In the initial stages, doctors were often responsible for the registration of births, deaths and marriages, then forwarding the information to the General Register Office.
In order to turn this registration system into a census taking administration system, registrars divided the sub districts into smaller enumeration districts with a temporary enumerator for each 200 homes. The enumerator was usually someone with local knowledge.
The first Census Act decreed that the census was to be centred on one night in the year, giving a snap shot of society. From 1851 onwards, the census would be taken in the spring as, in the summer, many agricultural workers moved about the country following work.
The 1841 census contains less definitive information than in later censuses, place of birth was either Y or N ( yes or no ) in terms of whether the individual was born in the county of census. Also, adult ages were rounded down to the nearest 5 year mark, childrens’ ages, up to 15 years are generally accurate. Add to that, illiterate people, variations in spelling names and possible problems with transmission of information. The result being that the 1841 census is less helpful than later censuses yet it is still a vital investigative tool for the family historian.
The 19th century censuses from 1851 followed a common administration pattern and gradually expanded in terms of information required. Schedules for crews of merchant vessels appeared in 1851 and in 1891 women were allowed to be enumerators.
In addition to problems with communication between enumerators and those to be enumerated, some people would have obviously wished to avoid prying official eyes. One cannot imagine Fagin wanting his details or those of his boys, noted down for inspection!
It is not unusual to find that a relative is missing from the family home,
children often went to work in service or to an agricultural post at age 13. Others went into industry or away to sea, depending on the location of their home. Some younger children may have been omitted in case
school authorities found out that they were helping with the family income or minding younger siblings instead of being registered for education. Survival was all important to our antecedents, especially with the ever present threat of the Workhouse and children played a vital role in the family effort. Children born and who died between censuses will not be recorded here so it is necessary to use parish registers for these, or maybe to visit family graves if possible.
There were census returns for workhouses, schools etc.
To get the best from the census, it is essential to have an idea of where the family might be living at the time of the census. This is fine if the search is in a small parish or village; if the location is in a larger town, it is useful to note in which parish within the town or city, the baptisms, marriages and burials have taken place.
Detective work again but the free to view 1881 census allows you to search the whole country on FFHS sites or IGI. This may help to fix the place where a relative was born & on which census they may appear when younger. The Victorian era was one of change and, for instance, many people from East Anglia, suffering from agricultural decline, were moved en masse to the new factories in the north of England.
The FFHS site has widely varying coverage of Census returns, Cornwall FHS has all online plus lots of Parish registers on the database. Coverage in other counties vary considerably.
Pay to view Site:-
www.familyhistoryonline.net
CENSUS DATES 1841 – 1901
1841 6th June
1851 30th March
1861 7th April
1871 2nd April
1881 3rd April
1891 5th April
1901 31st March
.
PARISH REGISTERS
Before Civil registration in 1837, all records of events such as baptisms, marriages and burials were recorded in the Parish Registers of the parish in which they occurred.
In order to research family history, pre 1837, we need to get to grips with researching Parish Registers. The first thing to find out is the parish in which the family was resident. The research undertaken after 1837 will probably have given an indication as to which parish ought to contain the relevant registers, this information may have been reinforced by the 1851 & later censuses, as here, the last column gives place of birth.
Parish Registers are usually to be found at the County Record Office of the County in which the parish is situated. However, thanks to Cornwall Records Office and the South East Cornwall Museums Forum, here in Looe, at the Museum, we hold microfiches for 13 local parishes. This will save a trip to Truro. Other local museums which are part of the Forum, have similar facilities.
Another helpful step is to join the Local Family History Society which covers the area in which you are interested. You will be able to advertise your “ interests” in the society magazine and, (hopefully) to find others who are researching the same families. The Cornwall Family History Society is in Truro, however, many of their databases can be accessed from the Internet on www.familyhistoryonline.net
In addition to this, most societies have fiches and/or books of information from the registers etc.
Another source of information from Parish Registers is the International Genealogical Index (IGI) from the Church of Latter Day Saints or LDS.
( The Mormons) This organisation copied millions of names from parish registers worldwide, coverage is not complete or comprehensive but can be useful if you are lucky enough to find “your” parish. It gives you a starting point in cases where the parish is in question and, by using the sheet which covers the name you are researching, county wide, you may well locate the correct parish.
online:-
www.familysearch.org
IGI is a free site but be aware that not all parishes agreed to have their registers transcribed. Cornwall has 60% coverage. The site usually covers the period from the date the individual registers start (not always back to 1538) to mid 1800s. This site will be discussed later.
Another aid is to consult indexes, you can find details of which indexes are available in the publication, Marriage & Census Indexes by Gibson & E. Hampson. available through the post from the Family Tree Magazine. £ 4.45.
Early records may be written in handwriting which is difficult to read, do not despair, helpful guides to deciphering old handwriting are available!
Points to Remember
1. Infant mortality was high, be careful to check both birth & death pages. If a child died in infancy, it was not unusual to find that the next child of the same sex was given the same name.
2. If a new bride died, she may have been buried in her former
parish.
3. Spelling may be erratic! Not everyone could read & write
History of the Parish Records
The majority of England’s medieval parishes were formed by 1200 AD
The pattern of parishes in urban areas is markedly different from those in
the countryside. London had over 100 parishes by the end of the Middle
Ages. The new industrial towns such as Manchester & Sheffield were
not divided up into numerous new ones until the second & third quarters
of the 19th century.
Surnames
Prior to 1538, any records that were kept were usually of noble families, since they needed to have accurate records of their lineage, records were kept by the monks or by family priests. The nobility were the only people to have surnames at this time, although some rich Londoners had hereditary names by the late 12th century.
Surnames, for the rest of the population, for the most part, rose in the Middle Ages and were in general use by 1450.
Each county has its own distinctive surnames which originated there in the middle ages and these have remained largely concentrated in that area. Other, more general surnames arose from occupations, personal features, “son of” eg Dick Smith, George Black, Robinson. In just the same way, generations of fishermen in Looe have had nicknames.
In 1538, Thomas Cromwell ordered each parish in England & Wales to
keep a register of baptisms, marriages and burials. At first, the records
were kept on loose sheets; only a few parishes began their copies in 1538, many began in 1558, the year in which Elizabeth 1st came to the Throne.
In 1597, it was ordered that, from the coming year, records should be kept in a bound register with the accuracy of records verified by the minister & two churchwardens. The same act ordered that copies should be sent to the bishop’s office, these copies, called bishop’s transcripts are now kept at diocesan record offices.
Many of the sheets of records were there to be transcribed, however, some had been carelessly treated, others nibbled by mice or suffered from damp.
Early Records were in simple Latin.
Baptizatus est………………..baptised
Nupti erat……………………married
Sepultus erat………………...buried
Latin ceased to be the language of law in 1733.
Interregnum
During the Commonwealth, people called Registers were appointed by law, in 1653, to deal with registration. Some people did not believe that these records were legal and preferred that their rites of passage were blessed by the Parish Church. Many records during this period have been lost. The law was repealed in 1660.
Burials in Woollen
In 1666 and again in 1678, laws were made instructing that all corpses were to be wrapped in shrouds made of wool, this step was taken in order to revive the flagging woollen trade. From 1678 an affadavit had to be sworn and recorded to verify the use of wool, fines were levied against those who failed to comply. Noble families still used finer fabrics and paid the fines! The laws were repealed in 1814.
Hardwicke’s Act
In order to prevent irregularities in marriages, such as hasty marriages in the Fleet area of London or in St George’s Hanover Square , which had a bad reputation, An act was needed to record marriages properly.
There was no standard form of entry at first but in Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act ( 1753) and, later in Rose’s Act of 1812, entries were standardised and Banns were required to be kept.
Quakers and Jews were exempt.
After 1813, baptisms & burials were entered in special registers already printed with boxes to fill in. After consulting pages of 18th century entries in lines cramped together, reaching 1813 is a blessing.
Dating
In consulting registers before 1752, you will notice a difference in the method of dating. The present day calendar came into force on January 1st 1752, it was based on the Gregorian calendar rather than the earlier method of using the Julian calendar. Prior to 1752, there were two methods of dating, one, that of the Church and the legal world, began on the Feast of the Annunciation ( Lady Day) the 25th March. The other form of dating, for historical purposes, began on 1st January. Thus, in recording dates which fall between 1st January and 25th March, the method used is thus i.e. February 5th 1723 would be written
February 5th 1723/4
Some months were written as follows:-
7ber September
8ber October
9ber November
10ber December
Transcribing
Some errors are to be expected in terms of spellings, generally, the people were illiterate and had no idea how to spell their names. Between the minister, clerk and others, a form of spelling was adopted, only to be interpreted differently by the next incumbent! Even today, some mistakes can occur & an enumerator with a flourishing hand wiped out my whole Neville family group in 1901 census by embellishing the “N” so that it looked like a “W”. This also happened in an earlier century when my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather also appears as “Weavill”.
Burials usually took place within a day or two of death but the gap between birth & baptism varies slightly according to the various fashions of the time. The usual time was at 5 days. It must be noted that some non- conformists did not wish their events to be entered in Anglican registers. Quakers also eschewed the ceremonies of the Church of England.
Before Civil registration in 1837, all records of events such as baptisms, marriages and burials were recorded in the Parish Registers of the parish in which they occurred.
In order to research family history, pre 1837, we need to get to grips with researching Parish Registers. The first thing to find out is the parish in which the family was resident. The research undertaken after 1837 will probably have given an indication as to which parish ought to contain the relevant registers, this information may have been reinforced by the 1851 & later censuses, as here, the last column gives place of birth.
Parish Registers are usually to be found at the County Record Office of the County in which the parish is situated. However, thanks to Cornwall Records Office and the South East Cornwall Museums Forum, here in Looe, at the Museum, we hold microfiches for 13 local parishes. This will save a trip to Truro. Other local museums which are part of the Forum, have similar facilities.
Another helpful step is to join the Local Family History Society which covers the area in which you are interested. You will be able to advertise your “ interests” in the society magazine and, (hopefully) to find others who are researching the same families. The Cornwall Family History Society is in Truro, however, many of their databases can be accessed from the Internet on www.familyhistoryonline.net
In addition to this, most societies have fiches and/or books of information from the registers etc.
Another source of information from Parish Registers is the International Genealogical Index (IGI) from the Church of Latter Day Saints or LDS.
( The Mormons) This organisation copied millions of names from parish registers worldwide, coverage is not complete or comprehensive but can be useful if you are lucky enough to find “your” parish. It gives you a starting point in cases where the parish is in question and, by using the sheet which covers the name you are researching, county wide, you may well locate the correct parish.
online:-
www.familysearch.org
IGI is a free site but be aware that not all parishes agreed to have their registers transcribed. Cornwall has 60% coverage. The site usually covers the period from the date the individual registers start (not always back to 1538) to mid 1800s. This site will be discussed later.
Another aid is to consult indexes, you can find details of which indexes are available in the publication, Marriage & Census Indexes by Gibson & E. Hampson. available through the post from the Family Tree Magazine. £ 4.45.
Early records may be written in handwriting which is difficult to read, do not despair, helpful guides to deciphering old handwriting are available!
Points to Remember
1. Infant mortality was high, be careful to check both birth & death pages. If a child died in infancy, it was not unusual to find that the next child of the same sex was given the same name.
2. If a new bride died, she may have been buried in her former
parish.
3. Spelling may be erratic! Not everyone could read & write
History of the Parish Records
The majority of England’s medieval parishes were formed by 1200 AD
The pattern of parishes in urban areas is markedly different from those in
the countryside. London had over 100 parishes by the end of the Middle
Ages. The new industrial towns such as Manchester & Sheffield were
not divided up into numerous new ones until the second & third quarters
of the 19th century.
Surnames
Prior to 1538, any records that were kept were usually of noble families, since they needed to have accurate records of their lineage, records were kept by the monks or by family priests. The nobility were the only people to have surnames at this time, although some rich Londoners had hereditary names by the late 12th century.
Surnames, for the rest of the population, for the most part, rose in the Middle Ages and were in general use by 1450.
Each county has its own distinctive surnames which originated there in the middle ages and these have remained largely concentrated in that area. Other, more general surnames arose from occupations, personal features, “son of” eg Dick Smith, George Black, Robinson. In just the same way, generations of fishermen in Looe have had nicknames.
In 1538, Thomas Cromwell ordered each parish in England & Wales to
keep a register of baptisms, marriages and burials. At first, the records
were kept on loose sheets; only a few parishes began their copies in 1538, many began in 1558, the year in which Elizabeth 1st came to the Throne.
In 1597, it was ordered that, from the coming year, records should be kept in a bound register with the accuracy of records verified by the minister & two churchwardens. The same act ordered that copies should be sent to the bishop’s office, these copies, called bishop’s transcripts are now kept at diocesan record offices.
Many of the sheets of records were there to be transcribed, however, some had been carelessly treated, others nibbled by mice or suffered from damp.
Early Records were in simple Latin.
Baptizatus est………………..baptised
Nupti erat……………………married
Sepultus erat………………...buried
Latin ceased to be the language of law in 1733.
Interregnum
During the Commonwealth, people called Registers were appointed by law, in 1653, to deal with registration. Some people did not believe that these records were legal and preferred that their rites of passage were blessed by the Parish Church. Many records during this period have been lost. The law was repealed in 1660.
Burials in Woollen
In 1666 and again in 1678, laws were made instructing that all corpses were to be wrapped in shrouds made of wool, this step was taken in order to revive the flagging woollen trade. From 1678 an affadavit had to be sworn and recorded to verify the use of wool, fines were levied against those who failed to comply. Noble families still used finer fabrics and paid the fines! The laws were repealed in 1814.
Hardwicke’s Act
In order to prevent irregularities in marriages, such as hasty marriages in the Fleet area of London or in St George’s Hanover Square , which had a bad reputation, An act was needed to record marriages properly.
There was no standard form of entry at first but in Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act ( 1753) and, later in Rose’s Act of 1812, entries were standardised and Banns were required to be kept.
Quakers and Jews were exempt.
After 1813, baptisms & burials were entered in special registers already printed with boxes to fill in. After consulting pages of 18th century entries in lines cramped together, reaching 1813 is a blessing.
Dating
In consulting registers before 1752, you will notice a difference in the method of dating. The present day calendar came into force on January 1st 1752, it was based on the Gregorian calendar rather than the earlier method of using the Julian calendar. Prior to 1752, there were two methods of dating, one, that of the Church and the legal world, began on the Feast of the Annunciation ( Lady Day) the 25th March. The other form of dating, for historical purposes, began on 1st January. Thus, in recording dates which fall between 1st January and 25th March, the method used is thus i.e. February 5th 1723 would be written
February 5th 1723/4
Some months were written as follows:-
7ber September
8ber October
9ber November
10ber December
Transcribing
Some errors are to be expected in terms of spellings, generally, the people were illiterate and had no idea how to spell their names. Between the minister, clerk and others, a form of spelling was adopted, only to be interpreted differently by the next incumbent! Even today, some mistakes can occur & an enumerator with a flourishing hand wiped out my whole Neville family group in 1901 census by embellishing the “N” so that it looked like a “W”. This also happened in an earlier century when my Gt Gt Gt Grandfather also appears as “Weavill”.
Burials usually took place within a day or two of death but the gap between birth & baptism varies slightly according to the various fashions of the time. The usual time was at 5 days. It must be noted that some non- conformists did not wish their events to be entered in Anglican registers. Quakers also eschewed the ceremonies of the Church of England.
Infants
The entry “ privately baptised” describes the early baptism of a sickly child, not expected to live, at home. Should the infant survive, the “public baptism” or presentation at church would also be recorded
Dead infants were often slipped into the coffin or shroud of an adult for burial. Such practices were still in place in the 1950s, and were very traumatic for the parents, although infant mortality was high.
For those looking for the records of an infant burial, it should be noted that the child may have been buried on family land or taken back to the mother’s home.
Sometimes, when a mother died in childbirth, the baby would be baptised at the same time as the mother’s funeral service.
A “ Chrisom child” was one who died between baptism and the day on which the mother was “ purified” by the church. The body of the child was wrapped in the christening cloth, this could also be used for the unbaptised.
A “ nurse child” could be either illegitimate or out to a wet nurse.
There are several ways of recording illegitimacy:
Base born
Natural child
Bastard
Illibegitimate! ( found in Essex records)
Parish Register can be fascinating, frustrating and vital for the family historian. Other Parish Records pop up from time to time between the BMD notes. These can provide a fascinating peep into how our ancestors lived their daily lives.
In Cornwall, if the burial of an ancestor cannot be found, consult the records of Bodmin Asylum, where a burial of an inmate will also include the parish of normal residence. Workhouse records are also worth consulting.
Pauper deaths may be recorded in Overseer’s records. The Overseer was empowered to raise taxes (or rates) to fund poor relief. The Parish officers usually met in the Vestry. From the 16th to the 19th centuries, they held the power in the Parish. In 1894 the civil function of parishes were transferred to parish councils.
Civil Registration began in Scotland in 1855; parish registration began in 1522 for baptisms & marriages. The order for burials began in 1565.
In Ireland, civil registration began in 1864, the earlier records were destroyed in the fire of 1922.
Other useful Information
Adoption
Many people who are adopted are anxious to find their birth parents, recent legislation gives those born & adopted in the UK, the right to obtain their original birth certificate & the name of the Adoption Agency when they reach 18 (16 in Scotland). Contact the relevant GRO for details.
Since 2005, birth relatives of someone who was adopted have the right to ask to have the adoptee advised that they would like to have contact.
War Graves Commission
Many families know that a relative was killed in 20th century wars. The War Graves Commission site is a good starting point for the search. www.cwgc.org
The site is easy to use and you may find details which will add to your tree.
Illustrating your Tree
Find as many photographs as you can, ask older relatives if they have snaps you can copy. Always note down who or what is in the photograph & when & where it was taken. In the early years of the 20th century, postcards were popular & can add to your knowledge of their lives & where they worked or took their holidays.
Family History Magazines & Family History Societies
There are several Family History Magazines, they are published monthly & your newsagent will be able to get them for you. They are packed with information and articles on a wide selection of aspects of life in previous ages.
It is always useful to contact the local family history society in the area you are searching for antecedents. There may be fiches of registers or census years. There may also be an archive of photographs of the area in the old days. Of course, the Internet can help locate the societies & you can usually
find images of the local church in most villages just by using a search engine.
And finally……………… be a detective, think about ages, places, family stories, traditions and possibilities. Be methodical with your records & sources. Don’t be surprised to find “skeletons in the family cupboard” or things which the older generation may want to hide.
Most families have an aunt or uncle who had a guilty secret, or a child brought up by relatives because the mother was unmarried. Try to look at life through their eyes in times when “respectability” was most important.
Draw out your “tree”, or use a Programme, make a file of photos or other memorabilia & above all, Enjoy the journey.