Availability of Parish Registers

[ReadyDale]

except for St Mary Abbots Kensington
http://smanews.weebly.com/contacts.html

They  say The basic statuary fee of £28 covers the first hours search and one copy of an entry if found. Any additional time is charged at £28 per hour/part of hour.  They are the fees for 2015, the table I posted before is for 2016, my mistake.

Stan

But they keep ALL the registers and insist on doing the searching themselves.

[stanmapstone]

But they keep ALL the registers and insist on doing the searching themselves.
Statutory searches
62. The custodians of registers retained in a parish have a statutory obligation to
make registers of baptisms, marriages and burials available to members of the public
at all reasonable hours and to provide, if requested, certified copies of entries.  A guide to Church of England Parochial Fees http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gkh/
It depends on their interpretation of "available to members of the public"
Stan

[LizzieW]

I understood that as a marriage ceremony was open to anyone who chooses to just turn up, that there is no reason for the records not to be available.  After all the banns are read (at least at the moment, although I know the church authorities are saying this is out of date) so that anyone can find out who is getting married and make an objection if necessary.

I agree with divorce records not being on line, but I don't see what the problem is with baptism records.  I guess it's just a money making exercise for the Dioceses who hold them.

[ThrelfallYorky]

The main problem I've found has been with trying to gain access to Roman Catholic records - although that's now a bit easier than formerly in many places. My main problems come with trying to hunt for possible events on Cheshire and Derbyshire. Lancashire Records are generally okay, and West Yorkshire, for the periods I want.

[stanmapstone]

  I guess it's just a money making exercise for the Dioceses who hold them.

Somebody has to be available in the church to produce the registers, and they should be paid for their time and inconveniece, and for the lighting and heating of the church. The parish church is paid for by the contributions of the congregation, my parish needs £1,100 a week at least, all provided by the congregation, and gets nothing from the Diocese.

Stan

[LizzieW]

It still seems a lot of money to me.  An appt could be made so that no-one was inconvenienced, and the appropriate records taken to the vestry or other small office.  I didn't have any problems at a local church when I was searching on behalf of a Rootschatter.  I e-mailed the vicar, who kindly gave me the name, e-mail address and 'phone number of the secretary.  I contacted him and he searched the records for me.  There was absolutely no charge.

[LizzieW]

If all the parish records now have to be stored by the Diocese, does that mean that the ones held in county archives have to be handed over?

[Joy Dean]

I have never encountered any problems viewing registers.

A few years ago I was lucky enough to be able to study the original register kept in a safe in Gulval Church in Cornwall, it was wonderful!

[stanmapstone]

If all the parish records now have to be stored by the Diocese, does that mean that the ones held in county archives have to be handed over?

The Diocesan Record Office is usualy the County Record Office.

Stan