SEAX

[smudwhisk]

Hi,

I'd be over the moon if the ERO would digitise the Essex Boyd's Marriage Index and put it on the SEAX system, it would be so great to be able to have access to it.  I suspect something of that nature is way down on the ERO's priorities though, so the Index on SEAX probably won't happen in my lifetime, not enough years left     .

Regards.

Boyd's Indexes are owned by the Society of Genealogists as Percival Boyd was one of their founding members.  They're available to member's on the SOG's website but are also on FindMyPast.  I'd be very surprised if they would ever appear on SEAX.  In any case, it's not particularly good for Essex anyway, far better for Suffolk and Norfolk.

[cobbs]

This may be of help to others.



http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~boydsindex/Boydsindex.htm

Cobbs.

[findem]

Hi Smudwisk,

Boyd's might not have the Essex coverage one would wish for but it's better than nothing, especially in the case where the location of a couple's marriage is not found where it was expected to be.  I have used it at the ERO during trips to the UK and I've had quite a few successes.

My Dalton line has it's origins in Norfolk but to date I don't have a single Suffolk line, nearly did but it turned out to be a false lead   

Regards   

[smudwhisk]

Hi Findem

You've been lucky then as I've only found a couple of marriages for Essex for the various lines we have there, but quite a lot in Suffolk.  Several of the Essex lines originated in Suffolk.  Mind you it's not foolproof even when it covers the period for the parish as we've found the odd marriage that doesn't turn up on it whatever variation you choose.  I think also the online versions have additional errors/ommissions as when it moved from Origins to FindMyPast I found a marriage that had been a brickwall for several years.  I've only used the original books in the SOG library on the odd occasion as don't get there that often, so it's possible may find more.   Had the same issue in Herts mind you with the online marriage index on the RO website.

I think Boyds outside of Suffolk and Norfolk is very hit and miss, sometimes you get lucky, most of the time possibly not.  With Phillimores and other indexes, though, it's a useful finding aid.

[elmo]

There is another Marriage index that complements Boyds, used together they have an almost complete coverage for Essex between 1754 and 1851, the Jack Baxter marriage index can only be seen at the Society of Genealogists or the Essex Record Office, for details of coverage see: http://sturnidae.com/Essex/Marriages.htm

[smudwhisk]

There is another Marriage index that complements Boyds, used together they have an almost complete coverage for Essex between 1754 and 1851, the Jack Baxter marriage index can only be seen at the Society of Genealogists or the Essex Record Office, for details of coverage see: http://sturnidae.com/Essex/Marriages.htm

Yes I've used it in the past.  Unfortunately most of the marriages I've had trouble finding have been before that date.

I wasn't aware there was a copy at the SOG though, Jack Baxter as far as I knew was the only person provided search services from it.

[findem]

Hi,

The Jack Baxter Marriage Index is in book form and is on the shelves at the ERO, I have used it quite a few times or though not for a few years, in fact it had slipped my memory until Elmo mentioned them.  If my memory serves me correct the marriages are grouped in parish order.

He also runs a search facility for his Marriage Index, I think the cost used to be 50p for members of the Essex SFH and one pound for a non member, the address is (or was) on the ESFH site.

Regards.
 

 

[helvissa]

I asked ERO what they're updating and this is their reply:

"The forthcoming update (mid-November to mid-December) will cover all the remaining registers of baptisms, marriages and burials held here, with the exception as before of marriage registers post-dating 1957.  It will not include any wills: we are still copying the remaining pre-1720 wills and we do not yet know when this project will be completed."

 

[Diblet]

That's brilliant news! I love the word "ALL"!!!!

Looking forward to opening up all those goldmines of information.