Where do I go to look at Parish Registers etc ?

[JeannieR]

Hello.....

We are visiting Kent in March, staying at Barham.

We are going to do some research on our CROUCH family , who came from West Farleigh, Yalding and Barming.....

Where we would we go , to look at archives ? I am back to about 1766, but want to confirm marriages etc. Would we have to make appointments etc ?

Thank you

JeannieR

[farmeroman]

The Kent Archives were split in two for west and east kent, but both are currently closed pending relocation.

More info here: http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/archives_and_local_history/archive_and_local_history.aspx

I'm not sure how large the new centre will be, but it was recommended that you book seats and microfilm readers at the old one in Maidstone and was always very busy whenever I visited.

[scintilla]

As farmeroman says it is not a good time to be visiting Kent with the temporary closure of the archives. This is the advice from the Canterbury Cathedral Archives admin.;

Alternative family history facilities in Kent

Microfilms formerly at the Centre of Kentish Studies are now held at Maidstone Library, and those from the East Kent Archives Centre are available at Dover Library. These are accessible during normal opening hours; places should be booked by telephoning 08458-247200 or emailing maidstone library or dover library. Facilities at the temporary Canterbury Library in Pound Lane are limited; however, other town-centre libraries will have family history resources for their localities. Extensive resources are held at the library of the Institute for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies in Canterbury; access is chargeable. For information, see http://www.ihgs.ac.uk/index.html or telephone 01227-768664.
The GSU Family History Centre in Canterbury is due to reopen in May 2012; for information, telephone 01227-765431.


The Special Collections Department of the Templeman Library, University of Kent, will be housing a microfilm resource during the period of closure. This facility will be available from Monday 13th February 2012. We aim to move to the library the most heavily used microfilms from our collection.

 
It is anticipated that three microfilm readers will be available. Opening hours will be Mon-Fri, 9.30am to 1pm, and 2pm to 4.30pm. Bookings can be made from 1st February (01227 827609. There are reader-printer facilities in another part of the library; there will also be a public access computer with access to the internet. CARN tickets will be accepted.

Newspaper microfilms

Local newspaper microfilms from the Canterbury Library Local Studies collection will be available at Herne Bay Library (tel 08458-247200.

Access to Cathedral Library collections

A reading area for items from the Cathedral Library will be provided in the Cathedral Library office. This facility will be available Monday and Tuesday, 9.30am to 1.00pm, and 2.00pm to 4.45pm, from Monday 20th February. Spaces must be booked in advance telephone 01227-865288. Reservations may also be made via the Templeman Library's online catalogue https://catalogue.kent.ac.uk/

[scintilla]

To be more specific the villages you mention are in the Maidstone area, so you would want to look at the microfilm of the parish records being held temporarily at Maidstone Library. This page

http://www.kent.gov.uk/leisure_and_culture/archives_and_local_history/collections_and_research/guides_and_finding_aids.aspx

has the link to a Guide to parish records. This pdf has the details of all the parish registers films which are available.

[JeannieR]

Thank You.....

This information is invaluable.

We are still coming to Kent, but realise that it may be just churchyards we visit ! I will make some phone calls before we arrive, and ascertain what we can do.

I made this particular request, because the last time we travelled any distance to research, The Archives were closed for updating....I seem fated....

Never mind, a good excuse for re-visiting The Garden of England.....

Many Thanks

JeannieR

[williamsedge]

You could also try http://www.kfhs.org.uk they have transcribed hundreds of parish records on to CD's under a PDF format

[JeannieR]

Williamsedge..

Thankyou for that link. It may be worth joining the Society, and calling in on my holiday next month.

It would be lovely to get back another generation, and confirm the research I have done already, to c1756

Thank You

JeannieR