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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Surrey => Topic started by: themetalchicken on Wednesday 20 January 10 11:44 GMT (UK)

Title: St Saviours Southwark parish register legibility?
Post by: themetalchicken on Wednesday 20 January 10 11:44 GMT (UK)

Looking at the scans of the 18thC parish registers (births) of St. Saviours Southwark on Ancestry a lot of the entries are illegible ... can anyone please tell me if the scans are the problem or if the registers themselves have deteriorated as badly as it appears. Also, does anyone know if access to the actual registers (as opposed to microfiches) is ever possible?

Thank you

Title: Re: St Saviours Southwark parish register legibility?
Post by: dawnsh on Sunday 31 January 10 22:28 GMT (UK)

Having looked at a lot of the films at the LMA and then the actual registers, it's a combination of both, but more due to the state of the registers.

Many of the older registers are printed on parchment, which doesn't hold ink very well in some areas due to the nature of the skins, the other pre-printed registers are sometimes badly faded or damaged or both again.

As long as the register is not at risk (this is indicated in their parish register catalogues on the shelves at the LMA, you can ask to see the originals, but a member of staff has to counter-sign your request after showing them that the microfilm in question at the LMA (not the Ancestry image) is illegible.

Hope this helps.

Dawn

Title: Re: St Saviours Southwark parish register legibility?
Post by: themetalchicken on Thursday 04 February 10 22:27 GMT (UK)

Thank you  :)