Genealogy Chat

Rose's Act, in 1812 standardised Parish Register entries. The following entry from Hunsingore Church is 'Dade style' but yet again, in this instance, it is more a case of 'Vicar's perks'. BURIALS ANNO DOMINI 1776. MARGARET THE WIFE OF THE REVEREND JOHN OGLE, CHAPLAIN TO THE 6TH. REGIMENT OF FOOT, AND DAUGHTER OF THE REVEREND JAMES RUDD, VICAR OF KILHAM IN THE EAST RYDING OF THIS COUNTY, BY ELIZABETH HIS WIFE, DAUGHTER OF JOHN ROUTH OF HAWES IN WENSLEYDALE, GENTLEMAN. THE ABOVE NAMED MARGARET OGLE DIED OF HER FIRST CHILD AND WAS BURIED ON SATURDAY 18TH FEBRUARY IN THE NAVE OF HUNSINGORE CHURCH. How easy would family history be if all Parish Register entries were as above! Ray Whincup

Certainly up to the 1850s, it was a matter of great public interest as to the father of an illegitimate child, everyone being very concerned that the cost of that child should fall firmly on the father and not on the Parish. A clue to the father's name is often found on a baptismal register - an unusual, surname-y sounding middle name is often that of the father and was an aggrieved woman's way of stating to the world that she DID know who the father was. In addition, the Vicar, if he was kindly disposed, or the Parish Overseer pushed him to it, would pencil in the name of the father in the margin. But quite often, you have to look through the Poor Records for Bastardy Orders. These were almost exclusively taken out by the Workhouse Master, or the Parish Overseer, not the Mother, and they have been an absolutely invaluable source of information for me with regard to my slutty female ancestors! I sourced mine on A2A (Lancashire). Almost all 'bastards' (oh, how I hate that word) would have been the subject of one of these, from the late 1500s onwards. These Bastardy Orders were taken out in the County Assizes up to about 1850, when they were reduced to the Magistrates Court - they are more difficult, but not impossible, to find after that date. (Sorry, got right off the topic now!) Olde Crone

Rosalyn, Could you tell me where you accessed the Kirk Sessions? I think they might help with some questions I have about one lot of my rellies. Do you know how recently they used Kirk Sessions? Registration started in 1854 but would they still have used the Kirk as a kind of court? Regards Abigail

Taken from the burial register at St Donat's, Glamorgan: May 24 1792: John Harry of this parish was buried here on 24th May aged 110 years, remarkable not for his longevity only but he retained his faculties to within a few hours of his death, he had to see his great grandchildren walk before him. From the same register a sad entry: Alice, daughter of LLewellyn, burnt to death - a particular instance of carelessness and inattention in parents.

I am all for the vicars adding their little comments, especially where a child is born out of wedlock and the father is not named on the certificate, gives you that piece of jigsaw to research even if you cannot prove it. I have it many a time with my direct ancestors - no named fathers - and unfortunately the vicars have not been so kind and added a reputed father, family stories go that it was by who they worked for or even a lodger just passing through town!

Thankyou for all your interesting/amusing contributions. To Heather Positive Thinker I looked for a previous thread but only found one 'looking for that thread'. Will add another one myself, again from the records of Hunsingore Church. I believe that many years ago all Parishes had a CRIPPLE CART. If an 'outsider' died in the parish the cripple cart would bring the dead body to church for burial. If a person was found alive on the highway, that may become a charge on the Parish the Parish Constable was despatched with the cart to dump the person in the next Parish! This entry shows the existence of a Cripple cart in Hunsingore. 17th October 1729. A stranger who was brought to Walshford by the Cripple Cart bury'd Oct 17

I found a couple in the Oxfordshire parish registers when I was rummaging recently. When the banns for one marriage had been read, the marriage could not go ahead because of an objection by 'Black Mary'. Obviously not a woman to be trifled with. The baptism of one of my (illegitimte) rellies stated that she was 'the natural daughter of (both parents' names) as was sworn on oath'. I guess that they did that as the father was only 14 at the time!!! Another rellie had been baptised at the wrong church 'due to a mistake of the vicar' as they lived in a neighbouring parish. It can't have been that serious as he baptised all the siblings too.

Raymond Slightly off the burial theme, but I was very amused to observe the sycophantic Vicar in the parish of my Green family. (The Greens were a prosperous farming family for over 300 years, and also paid a good part of the Vicar's Benefice). The Vicar sweeps through the Births, spitefully scratching 'Bastard' heavily against the children of single mothers. However, we get to the eldest daughter of my Green family, who has obviously dallied in the Barn, and we read John Moreton Green, bap, the child of Sarah Green, and the natural Grandson of MR Thomas Green, benefactor of this Parish. Wonder how he squared his puritan conscience over that? Olde Crone

Janet, I would not have believed another windmill accident would be revealed.The following entries from HUNSINGORE Church in Yorkshire revealed 'double standards' depending on whom was being buried. The entries were just over a year apart. Spellings as written. 2nd June 1679. ROGER DOBSON SONNE TO ROGER DOBSON, AND MY OWNE DEARE CHILDE WAS BURYED THE 2 OF JUNE 1679. GOD GIVE ME GRACE TO REMEMBER MY OWNE END. ROGER DOBSON OF AGE GONE 53. 19TH SEPTEMBER 1680. A WOMAN SERVANTT OF ROBARTT OTTER OF CATTALL BURIED. Comment. Son of vicar gets full treatment. We will never know even the name of the servant. Ray Whincup

This from Cloughton PR's - the Press would have been proud of this Vicar's reporting!! This worthy & much respected man was shot by William Mead of Burniston, a native of Staintondale as he passed his (Meads) house early on Friday morning the 15th of February 1823. James Law had obtained a Verdict in the Court of Exchequer upon a Charge of Smuggling about the month of June 1822 and brought an action against Mead for wilful & corrupt Perjury in that cause, of which Perjury he was found guilty in the Court of the Kings Bench on Thursday the 19th day of December 1822 after a trial of 12 hours. In a short time after he was bailed by Government - then returned to Burniston, & shot his antagonist. Mead was committed to York Castle on Friday the 28th of February 1823.

Raymond, These windmills were obviously dangerous places to be near! Huggate burial register -30 March1848, aged 33 yrs Marmaduke Coverdale of North Dalton - killed by a windmill Jay

This is an entry in Glamis Kirk Session 2nd dec 1821-a distant relative of mine: Christian Doig appeared and acknowledged herself to be guilty of a relapse in fornication. She declared that she was with child to Alex. Graham who lately removed from this place and was now residing in Aberdeen. The woman promised to get a letter from him to the Kirk Session acknowledging him to be the father of the child, which would serve till he returned to make his confession before the Kirk Session. Christian Doig after being suitably warned of her danger and suitably chastised was dismissed for the present . Closed with a prayer! Rosalyn

My great grandmother's baptism is funny - in a certain light: 22 May 1885, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh - Catherine, daughter of Catherine Mitchell, hopefully last of 5 illegitimate children. She wasn't the last, two followed after her. Her mother never married and died a 'dried up' spinster in 1944. lol Chloe

I have a letter written by my 5x gr. grandfather in 1784 which says This morning my poor brother died, his death was occasioned by a fall he recieved in ringing the church bells. The bell rope entangled about him and threw him on his head, of which not withstanding all the Dr. could do, proved mortal. How sad is that?

I do have one in my family tree ..... My earliest ancestor is a John Trankmore who died 28 Dec 1704 and written against the entry from the Portslade B.Ts is 'lived to be 100 or so he always saieth' couldn't find his birth so who knows..! Lyndax

Raymond, some time back we did have an 'amusing deaths' thread. If you put a search in the top of the board it may come up. My favourite was 'suffocated in a cart load of feathers'. As you say, funny now, not at that time when it may have meant the workhouse for the rest of the family, eh?

Thankyou for your contributions. They make great reading. Another one from my records. It is also from the Burial Register of Kirkby Overblow (All Saints) 10th March 1810. BRYAN DAWSON, AGED 79. 'Killed by the sail of his windmill'. Of course this is anything but funny. It just made me feel so sad that Bryan had reached the grand age of 79, and then forgot the danger of the Windmill Sail. Also it adds a little to local history, in that it reveals that a windmill was in the area in 1810. No occupation stated but obviously a Miller. More additions please. (Also it would be great if someone eventually says, the person mentioned is on my family tree) Regards, Ray Whincup

There was a lovely one in one of my family tree mags a while back. It said that often parish priests would put cryptic little notes in latin by the entry and the locals, not being able to read latin would assume it was some sort of blessing. One entry next to a marriage said something like 'Well there is a good number of wellwishers at this wedding but how many would there be if you werent as rich as you are'.

in the vicars writing, which was an eighth of an inch high on the left of the page - increasing to over an inch on the right - covered in ink blots where he broke his quill!! 'bastard child of Ann Bromley who is an abominable and perjured whore''

I was looking for the baptism of James Finlinson who I knew was born out of wedlock. The baptism record read - 'James son of somebody alias Finlinson' Liz