Availability of Parish Registers

[DmTomo]

There seems to be a variety of views from "authorities" about whether Parish Registers should be open to view. 

The registers are surely public documents marking events. 

A marriage is a public declaration of the bond between two people. Because our law forbids bigamy the records should be publicly available for anyone to check that people have the status they declare.  That declaration also can be used to show the legitimacy of any progeny. I think that the Data Protection Acts cannot apply because the marriage is a public declaration by the people concerned.  I think I have seen a report of a 90th wedding anniversary but very few get to their 70th and most don't get to their 50th. Why should marriage records be closed for 100 years?

Baptism is similarly (usually!) a declaration by the parents of the birth of a child.  The only reason I can think of why someone would want to hide a baptism record would be if they wished to hide their real age.

Burial records only show that someone with a particular name died.  The dead have no rights under the Data Protection Act.

I can understand some authorities who say that their records are only available at their premises and cannot be put on-line.  I can understand why some authorities put them on-line to save having to deal with the endless enquiries from us, and possibly as a source of revenue from the likes of Ancestry and Findmypast.  What I don't understand are restrictions which prevent them being available until they are 100 years old.  Everyone has seen from "The Day of the Jackal" how records can be used to create false identities but one has to wonder how often that is done. Is it really such a threat as to close the records for everyone? 

What does RootsChat think?

[Blue70]

I wasn't aware of any access issues with parish records. Most local record offices have archives containing old church records, baptisms, marriages and burials, these have been put on microfiche. I can view these records on microfiche at my local record office. I can also contact them and arrange to view original church records at the record office that are not on microfiche. The archives at my local record office includes many 20th century records and there is no problem for me looking at records under 100 years old.


Blue

[LizzieW]

I've never had a problem viewing parish records either on line or at the archives.  Do you mean more modern BMD records that are only available in large public libraries?

[ReadyDale]

OP might mean those churches that retain their registers and will not let you view them, just pay them to look at them for you. Maybe?

[andycand]

I've never had a problem viewing parish records either on line or at the archives.  Do you mean more modern BMD records that are only available in large public libraries?

I think what the OP is saying is that all parish registers including recent ones should be online. I disagree with them being 'public documents', I believe they belong to the church and what they do with them, and who they allow access to them, is up to the church. Fortunately most churches do allow access but ultimately, as the parish incumbent is the copyright holder, they have the final say in what is posted online.

Andy

[sunflower]

I've never had a problem either apart from some non conformist records are still held at the church/chapel and not been deposited at the RO. 

[stanmapstone]

You can see the Parochial Fees Table for searches in Church Registers at https://www.churchofengland.org/weddings-baptisms-funerals/fees.aspx

Stan

[stanmapstone]

The Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978 requires that all non-current registers and records which are over 100 year old must be deposited in the Diocesan Record Office and registers whose earliest entry are 150 years old.  The 1978 Measure was brought up to date by the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1992, which came into force on 1st January 1993.Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials and registers of banns, confirmations and services when completed have to be permanently deposited at the Diocesan Record Office. Where Parish Archives remain with an incumbent they should be available for inspection 'at all reasonable hours' and fees are payable as set out in the 'Table of Parochial Fees'

Stan

[ReadyDale]

The Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978 requires that all non-current registers and records which are over 100 year old must be deposited in the Diocesan Record Office and registers whose earliest entry are 150 years old.  The 1978 Measure was brought up to date by the Church of England (Miscellaneous Provisions) Measure 1992, which came into force on 1st January 1993.Registers of baptisms, marriages and burials and registers of banns, confirmations and services when completed have to be permanently deposited at the Diocesan Record Office. Where Parish Archives remain with an incumbent they should be available for inspection 'at all reasonable hours' and fees are payable as set out in the 'Table of Parochial Fees'

Stan

Interesting!
That seems to say that older registers must be deposited and newer ones can be searched by the publice for the fee (£27/hour).
I know of at least one CoE church where ALL registers are retained, and you are not allowed to view them yourselves. They charge £19 for them searching for first hour (including issue of a copy of any entry found) and £16 per hour after that.