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Births Deaths & Marriages

On the 1^st July 1837 The Registration Act of births deaths and marriages was introduced in England and Wales, and for the first time certificates issued. The country was divided into registration districts based on the poor law unions and each district appointed a Superintendent Registrar. These districts were then further broken down into sub districts. Records were kept at the registrar’s office and sent quarterly to The Registrar Generals Office in London. The four quarterly returns for the year were, ending 31^st March, 30^th June, 30^th September and 31^st December.

Marriages continued to be carried out by local officially authorised clergy who were responsible for their own quarterly returns, however nonconformists could request that their chapel be licensed for marriage otherwise it had to be attended by the registrar and proceedings duly recorded in his register. After the marriages act of 1898 these congregations were allowed to keep their own records and attendance by the registrar was no longer required. Civil wedding were also available and conducted as they are today at the local register office.

Prior to 1837 recording of births/christenings, burial and marriages were kept in Parish Registers. The keeping of these records began with Thomas Cromwell Vicar General to Henry VIII, the oldest surviving records going back to 1538. In 1598 an Act was passed which saw the introduction of Bishop's Transcripts, which meant that a transcription of the parish register had to be sent to the bishop in whose diocese the parish was situated. This transcript had to be sent within one month of Easter, and had to contain all records for the previous year, hence the earliest Bishops Transcript date back to 1597. When civil registration came into being in 1837 many parishes ceased to do this. Unfortunately for the genealogist there are gaps in many parish records for the period of the civil war and Interregnum 1643 to 1660.

When searching old records and transcripts remember that the dates might not be what you had expected. Up until 1752 England was still using the Julian calendar when much of Europe including Scotland had adopted the Gregorian calendar, the one used today, by 1582.  The Julian year began on 25^th March making March the first month of the year so prior to 1752 English records will show December to be the 10^th month of the year, and not the twelfth.

By far the most comprehensive collection of records in the world is held by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) in Salt Lake City, Utah. The have the largest genealogical library in the world. They make their record available to all through Family History Centre all over the world. For a small charge they will obtain microfiche of records for you to view, and will not make any attempt to convert you as most of the centres are run by local genealogists

National Census 

The first national census  of Britain was taken in 1801 and every ten years thereafter, although it was not until 1841 that names and other personal information was recorded. Already recognised registration districts were used to divided the country and these were further divided into sub districts and given consecutive numbers for reference. Census forms would then be distributed to each household a few days before the date the census was due to be taken to be filled in with the details of all residing in that house at midnight on the census day. The forms would be collected by the enumerator who would transcribe them into a book, the originals being destroyed.

Institutions and workhouses would take their own census and this should be remembered when looking in  certain areas for ancestors. The Poor Law Union for the Wells area was formed on January 1st 1836 and initially incorporated some 18 parishes, Baltonsborough, Butleigh, Chewton Mendip, Dinder, Glastonbury, Meare, North Wootton, Priddy, Rodney Stoke, Street, Walton, Wells, Liberty of St Andrew, Well~St Cuthbert In~Parish, Wells~St Cuthbert Out~Parish, West Bradley, Westbury, West Pennard, Wookey, and later Godney, Green Ore, Sharpham.

The Wells Union workhouse was erected in 1936~37 at a cost of £4850, the architect was Samuel T Welch and the building was designed for 300 inmates. It was built on the Glastonbury road, and is now the Priory Hospital.