Gents Mag 1819 part 2 p.490
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Gentleman's Magazine 1819 part 2 p.490
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parish register
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Parish Registers
Importance of Parish Registers. ... Newcastle-on-Tyne Nov. 8. Mr. URBAN, THE concluding remarks of A.C.R. (p.318), merit the greatest attention; and I now take up my pen for the purpose of still more strongly impressing their importance on your Clerical readers, who, I am afraid, consider the copying of the Parish Register an intolerable grievance. It is a well known fact, that by a Canon of James the First, the Clergyman of every Parish was required to send a copy of the Register annually to some particular place appointed by the Bishop of the Diocese: at present I believe this Law is regularly complied with; but this has not always been the case, or at least if it has, the most shameful negligence is attributable to the person in whose keeping they have been placed; indeed I have some reason to suppose this, as I lately saw, in the possession of a friend, a great number of extracts from the Register of a certain Parish in this neighbourhood, and on questioning him as to the way in which he became possessed of them, was informed they were given to him by his Cheesemonger, and that they were copies, forwarded by the Clergyman of the Parish to the proper Office in a bordering Diocese, and had been allowed, through the negligence of their keeper, to obtain the distinguished honour of wrapping up cheese and bacon. I can also attest, from my own knowledge, that no such records exist in the dioces of Durham, (except for the few last years) having lately had occasion to enquire for them, owing to the registers in the Parish being partly lost, and the remainder much mutilated. When we consider the great value of the information contained in Parish Registers, not only to Genealogists and Antiquaries, but to the people in general, as they are often required to establish claims to property which otherwise would probably be the source of endless litigation; I confess I am surprized that none of our reverend Divines (many of whom are distinguished for the great light they have thrown on Antiquarian subjects) should not, long ere this, have lent their aid to endeavour to remedy this evil, so generally felt by Genealogists and County Historians, by completing the copies of all the Parish Registers; and thus preventing the possibility of a complete loss which the burning of a Church, or other accidents, might occasion. Yours, &c. DE THIRLEWALL. |
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