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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: gh03 on Monday 31 October 11 09:12 GMT (UK)

Title: Closed Churches
Post by: gh03 on Monday 31 October 11 09:12 GMT (UK)
Just a quick question. Usually if a Church has closed what would happen to their burial records?

Thanks
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: Sandymc47 on Monday 31 October 11 09:25 GMT (UK)
Hi

Had a look for you and according to the Records of closed Churches
They have by Church law to be collected by the district Superintendant
and stored in a place of permanent safekeeping with the commission
of archives and history.
Basically, the nearest place they have.  If you know what Church
and area of the Country you are speaking about, how about letting
us know and someone will, I am sure, look it up for you.
Each city has its own place of saving this information.
Hope you find the ones you are looking for.

regards Sandymc   
 
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: aghadowey on Monday 31 October 11 09:33 GMT (UK)
Not sure if the above information applies only to Church of England records but if you can give us more details we might be able to help further.
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: spendlove on Monday 31 October 11 09:41 GMT (UK)
Hi,

Church Registers have to be stored in suitable, temperature controlled premises which costs a lot of money - this is why so many are held in County Record Offices, this said some are still held by the
various churches.

Think the first thing to do is contact the County Record Office for the County the Church is in to see
what deposits they have for that church.  If they are not in the RO, then approach Church Authorities.

Spendlove


Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: stanmapstone on Monday 31 October 11 09:42 GMT (UK)
Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials and registers of banns, confirmations and services are, when completed, permanently deposited at the Diocesan Record Office. The Diocesan Record Office usually forms part of the county record office.
(3)The diocesan record office for a diocese or part thereof shall be the place which is for the time being designated by the bishop of the diocese as such an office by an instrument in writing.
Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978, as amended to 2003. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/1978/2

Stan
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: pinefamily on Monday 31 October 11 21:40 GMT (UK)
Stan, you never cease to amaze me, quoting the official jargon all the time. You must have a very interesting bookshelf!
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: Nick Carver on Wednesday 02 November 11 10:40 GMT (UK)
Will relate an anecdote that might be vaguely useful. Upon taking office as a churchwarden, I found a completed marriage register in our safe. The new one had been in use for several years. Actually, there were two identical registers. I took them to the local register's office who told me that 'Yes, they should be given to us when they are full', but 'We haven't received any here in donkey's years'. Rather illustrates the challenge of genealogy - those that should do things not being aware of their obligations on such matters.
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: stanmapstone on Wednesday 02 November 11 10:55 GMT (UK)
Section XXXIII. An Act for registering Births, Deaths, and Marriages in England. [17 August 1836] 6 & 7 Will. IV. c.86
........and one Copy of every such Register Book, when filled, shall be delivered to the Superintendent Registrar of the District in which such Church or Chapel may be situated, or which shall have been assigned as aforesaid to such Registering Officer or Secretary, and the other Copy of every such Register Book kept by any such Rector, Vicar, or Curate shall remain in the keeping of such Rector, Vicar, or Curate, and shall be kept by him with the registers of Baptisms and Burials of the Parish or Chapelry within which the Marriages registered therein shall have been solemnized;

http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/View?path=Browse/Legislation%20%28by%20date%29&active=yes&mno=4044

Stan
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: ainslie on Wednesday 02 November 11 12:19 GMT (UK)
Stan
While you have your textbook off the shelf,could you advise on this one:  a 'live' church, CofE, sends its completed registers to the approved record office.  The vicar receives a request for a certified copy of an entry in a closed register.
Whose responsibility is it  [a] to obtain the copy from the record office and to certify the entry.
The record office, incidentally, is currently closed for normal business while renovationsa re carried out!

A
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: stanmapstone on Wednesday 02 November 11 14:08 GMT (UK)
Is this for a marriage? If so then only searches in marriage registers before 1st July 1837 are allowed for in the "Searches in Church Registers" table of Parochial Fees. The fee payable is £19 for up to one hour. Marriage Registers after 1st July 1837 are under the control of the Registrar General.
A certified copy of a marriage certificate can only be supplied  by the Register Office.

Stan
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: stanmapstone on Wednesday 02 November 11 14:14 GMT (UK)
Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials and registers of banns, confirmations and services are, when completed, permanently deposited at the Diocesan Record Office. The Diocesan Record Office usually forms part of the county record office.
(3)The diocesan record office for a diocese or part thereof shall be the place which is for the time being designated by the bishop of the diocese as such an office by an instrument in writing.
Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978, as amended to 2003. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukcm/1978/2

Stan

In the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1929, a diocese record office was defined as a church-owned building. However, the 1978 measure aimed to draw on the network of records offices that were subsequently established throughout the country and the Local Government (Records) Act 1962, which allowed local authority record offices to acquire and care for records of local significance.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/legislation/parochial-registers.htm

Stan
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: ainslie on Wednesday 02 November 11 14:46 GMT (UK)
Stan
Thanks for your expertise.  The enquiry was for a much more recent baptism, linked to an apllication for entry to a school.

A
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: stanmapstone on Wednesday 02 November 11 14:52 GMT (UK)
Then searches are allowed for a Baptism, again the statutory fee laid down is £19 for up to an hour including the provision of one copy of any entry. I don't know what the procedure is if the registers are not available. You would probably have to contact the diocesan office.

Stan
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: stanmapstone on Wednesday 02 November 11 15:00 GMT (UK)
Normally a baptism certificate is given to the parents at the baptism. Our vicar makes a point of telling them that the certificate is an important document and should be kept safe as you never know when it will be needed  :)

Stan
Title: Re: Closed Churches
Post by: ainslie on Wednesday 02 November 11 15:02 GMT (UK)
Very true.  I was baptised xxx years ago and have never seen or been asked for my certificate!
Thanks again.
A