Where do I search for 1700 info?? help

[Ria77]

Morning all,

I was hoping someone out there could help me or push me in the right direction at least .

I'm stuck!, i'm trying to find out info on relatives in the 1700's... where do I look?...how would I find out parents of these relatives?....

Also what does it mean when someone isn't on the census?.

Kindest regards

Ria

[Emjaybee]

Re Not on census

Try searching with variations in spelling.

I found Scriven recorded as Serevin, Scriffin, Sciven, etc. and with and without the S  in subsequent censuses or is it censii?

Hope this helps a little bit

Mike

[Ria77]

  Censii indeed lol.

Thanks Mike, it really does, I guess parish records would be a good place, however can't seem to find any decent ones for the Risca area.

Thanks

Ria

[behindthefrogs]

Parish Records, yes, but not just the registers but the rest of the parish chest as well.

The other items are wills, not just for the rich, but many simple craftsmen made wills.

Deeds of property.
Again not just for the rich, your family may have lived in the little cottage being sold. 

Court proceedings and papers, for all levels of courts.

Books written in the period and histories written about the period.

For example I found a number of snippets about one of our ancestors in Samuel Pepy's diary.

The answer is that you have to do genuine research in record offices, libraries etc.  You won't find much pre 1800 information readily laid out for you on the internet.

David 

[Ria77]

Thats great, Thanks David.

I've new heard of the Parish Chest....would you suggest the best way forward is to go to the village and go to record offices/libraries.?

Never been to Monmouthshire...or even Wales, so it would be a good excuse  .

Ria

[Ria77]

.... correction ......

Excuse my last post  my 2 yr old daughter decided she would help type lol.

I've never heard of the parish chest...

[behindthefrogs]

The parish chest, named after the chest in which they were kept is a generic name for all the documents produced by a parish.  These include things like the vestry minutes, the overseers returns etc.

They are usually found if they have survived in the county record office, although in a few cases they are still with the parish.  Some have been transcribed by the local FHS and can be purchased from them but only rarely are they on-line.

Amongst these you will find payments made to ancestors for services rendered or if they were poor.  Collections made from them for various reasons including the poor rate.  Many other activities carried out by the parish are also included like removals, appointment of the constable etc.  They are a record of parish life and it will be unusual if your family lived in the parish for them not to be included.

Similarly the manorial records will also be in the record office.

David

[Ria77]

Thankyou so much, you have been most helpful.

Right thats it, i'm off to Risca!!

I think thats the best thing, I'll go armed with whatever info I do have, although quite a small tree only 236 so far, but it's a work in progress lol.

Ria

[Ringrose]

I posted info about Monmouth records some time ago. According to a FH magazine a fellow had put loads of Monmouthshire records on line. I cant remember the web site but it may be o The Monmouth page or the page dealing with useful sites.
Ringrose