St. Mary Staines baptism, marriage records

[bparker]

I have got to Ancestry and found  that I would like more information or a copy of certs. with the mother's maiden name on it.
 I am looking for John Parker wife Jane ? Son Benjamin Parker christened 1 June 1806 Staines Surrey St. Mary.
John Parker wife Charity ? Son John Parker christened 20 Sept. 1767 St. Mary Staines Surrey.
I see that Staines is very close to Surrey and suppose to be in Middlesex so don't really know why Ancestry has county as Surrey.
Could someone tell me how I could find the maiden names of Jane and Charity? Also where I could get birth and marriage certs pre 1837?

Thank You, Linda in California USA

[ciderdrinker]

Good afternoon Linda.
I'm sorry to say this but there are no birth or marriage certificates before 1837.So yes we'd all like more details of the mother's maiden name etc but we are out of luck.
Ciderdrinker

[ReadyDale]

I see that Staines is very close to Surrey and suppose to be in Middlesex so don't really know why Ancestry has county as Surrey.

Linda,

The kind answer (kind to Ancestry) would be that Staines (or Staines-upon-Thames as it has rechristened itself ) is in Middlesex. However, since the local government re-organisation many years ago which created Greater London, Staines came under Spellthorne Borough Council, which itself is under Surrey. So for local government purposes Surrey is the right answer, but in reality it is Middlesex.
The more accurate answer is that Ancestry's indexing is......shall we say interesting and displays a lack of knowledge of the area or willingness to check.
<<climbs down off soapbox>>

[bparker]

Thank you all, It makes you wonder how people can find their lines all the way back to the 1600's or more and be sure they have the right family if there aren't any record at all pass 1837. At one point I did find a marriage for one of my Parkers' from London Pallet records dated:1833 So hope springs eternal.

[nanny jan]

Thank you all, It makes you wonder how people can find their lines all the way back to the 1600's or more and be sure they have the right family if there aren't any record at all pass 1837.

There are no certificates (civil registration) before 1837 but baptisms, marriages and burials will be found in parish registers.  Family links can also be found in Wills.


Nanny Jan

[Valda]

Hi

In fairness to Ancestry there have been many boundary changes over the years in the London area with places moving counties and metropolitan boroughs. Ancestry had to choose one particular time and have gone with the boroughs created in Greater London since 1965 as they are now well established. The boundary change that moved Staines from the then 'officially defunct' county of Middlesex (I use the term officially since many people have never really accepted the loss of the county of Middlesex and Staines county 'movement') to the Surrey borough of Spelthorne which happened in 1965. The London Metropolitan Archives holds a large proportion of the Middlesex county records. County archives have to come to an agreement on who holds what records. So for instance Essex county records office still holds the majority of the parish registers for the many Essex parishes which became part of the Greater London boroughs in 1965 that were formerly in the county of Essex.
In reality Ancestry's decision to categorise records from the 1965 boundary changes is probably the least confusing way of doing it and is likely to have been influenced by their partner the London Metropolitan Archives as the best solution to what is historically and geographically complex - London's growth and change over many centuries particularly since the C17th.

Regards

Valda