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 *Milligan, Edward H., and Malcolm J. Thomas. ''My Ancestors Were Quakers: How Can I Find Out More About Them?'' London, England: Society of Genealogists, 1983. (FHL book {{FHL|157952|title-id|disp=942 D27m}}.)
+== Anglican records that include Nonconformists ==
+Until the advent of the English Civil War in 1642 most Puritans stayed within the Church of England so their records will be found in the parish registers. For 18 years there was turmoil, a state church that was Presbyterian, and relative religious freedom. However, records were kept abominably, if at all, and nearly a whole generation of genealogical data is thus missing in the majority of parishes. However, civil marriage registrars (confusingly called ''registers'') acceptable to Puritans were appointed in 1653 so from then until 1660 most marriages were recorded usually in the same books as had been in use for the Anglican records.
+The Restoration in 1660 brought back control by the Anglican Church and better record-keeping but Nonconformists discontinued attending except when forced to by a lack of alternatives. Most Nonconformist burials were still in the parish churchyard, and many marriages took place in Anglican facilities, but the baptisms were done by their own ministers and few such records survive from this early period. A 1696 Act instructed Anglican ministers to record the births of all nonconformist children in their parish, but this seems to have only been complied with until about 1704. Methodists, in particular, were content to baptize in the Anglican church where they gained the advantage of sure legal evidence of age, parentage and legitimacy. Many Nonconformists continued to be buried in their parish churchyard, for want of an alternative, until borough cemeteries were provided starting in 1853.
+Although many Nonconformists are recorded in parish registers without comment, especially after 1691, many vicars did note them. Each incumbent and parish differed according to the personalities concerned. Some examples are given in the next three sections.
+==== Baptisms  ====
+After 1695 Protestant dissenters, especially those who had heritable property to protect, may have availed themselves of the legal provision for registering births, without going through Anglican baptism, in the Established Church registers. Entries which record a birth, as opposed to a baptism, may therefore indicate parental nonconformity. Baptisms of Catholics in the Anglican church are very rare, and late baptism may indicate parental Protestant Nonconformity but should not be considered more than a clue; examples are given below.
+'''Chart: Late Anglican Baptisms as Clues <br>to Parental Nonconformity'''
+{| width="600" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+|-
+| '''20 May 1711 Aldenham, Hertfordshire '''<br>John ye son of John and Mary RADLET (An adult whose parents (''were'' crossed out) are anabaptists)<br>'''13 Dec 1712'''
+|-
+| William TOPHEL (an adult) baptized on his deathbed
+|-
+| '''18 Apr 1735 Burstow, Surrey''' {{FHL|439188|item|disp=FHL film 1470975}}
+|-
+| David TERRY. ''He was married the same day''
+|-
+| '''5 May 1743 Eversholt, Bedfordshire'''<br>Thomas Samuel BRITNAL ''at years of discretion ''was baptized<br>Elizabeth Mary BRADFORD''at years of discretion'' was baptized
+|-
+| Henry John BRADFORD ''at years of discretion'' was baptized
+|-
+| '''29 Jan 1808 Aldenham, Hertfordshire'''
+|-
+| Ann, wife of Wm KING, born 23 Novr 1766 of Anabaptist parents but never before baptized
+|-
+| '''29 Jun 1820 St. Luke, Finsbury, London'''
+|-
+| William, adult s/o Heyman and Henrietta KARGE, Jewish parents, Unruhstadz in Russia, merchant
+|-
+| '''20 Apr 1827 Dunstable, Bedfordshire''' {{FHL|312739|item|disp=FHL film 0826469}}
+|-
+| Francis son of Francis and Sarah HEWS of Dunstable, Minister of the Baptist Dissenters. Born 23 Mar 1791. Witnesses Gouger, Thos Noble, Mary Eggleton. Upon the evidence attached (a certificate from Dr. Williams Library is appended - see Chart 8.)
+|-
+| '''17 Dec 1835 Old Church St. Pancras, Middlesex'''
+|-
+| Jemima an adult daughter of Edmund and Maria JUPP, Coburg Street, carpenter, said to be born June 1812. The above adult was married to Wm PILBEAM in May 1829.
+|}
+==== Marriages  ====
+Before 1754 anyone could marry anywhere and some references to Nonconformity occur in Anglican registers such as the following inter-faith union:
+{| width="600" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+|-
+| '''St. Sidwell, Exeter, Devon 17 Jul 1701'''
+|-
+| Robert STEPHENSON of St. Thomas married Elizabeth BIDGOOD, Quaker
+|}
+''Hardwicke’s Marriage Act of 1754'' applied to all except Jews, Quakers and the Royal Family and continued in effect until the introduction of civil registration in 1837. Marriages were only legal if performed in an Anglican church, so Nonconformists and Catholics had to choose this venue for their children to be considered legitimate and able to inherit. Catholics typically had a second ceremony in their own faith, but Nonconformists usually did not.
+==== Burials  ====
+Nonconformists and Catholics were often buried in the parish churchyards and some parishes had more than others, perhaps because of a larger number of Non-Anglicans, or because of a sympathetic vicar. If the burials were without Anglican services one can often find this noted directly, or indirectly, such as a reference to being:
+*Interred without ceremonies/service/rites.
+*Hurled in ye ground.<br>
+*Put/tossed/tumbled in the ground.<br>
+*Burial between 9 pm and 12 midnight, although this also applied to suicides and some others.<br>
+*Excommunication of Nonconformists especially in the 1660s and 1670s. Anglican sinners can also be excommunicated of-course.
+Examples are shown below. Some Anglican registers have a special section, such as that in Speldhurst, Kent commencing in 1709 entitled ''Buried at the Anabaptists Burial Place''.
+'''Chart: Burials of Non-Anglicans in Parish Churchyard'''
+{| width="600" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+|-
+| '''8 Oct 1844 St. Mary le Strand, Westminster, Middlesex''' {{FHL|130340|item|disp=FHL film 0572513}}
+|-
+| John BORKIN of No.6 Clare Market, age 3 years, (buried in) Russell Court Ground. ''Roman Catholics who refused to have the service performed''. J.M. Denham M.A. Rector.<br>
+|-
+| '''20 Aug 1626 Tarporley, Cheshire'''
+|-
+| ''Richard Welde, papist and excommunicate.''
+|-
+| '''10 Dec 1679 Waterbeach, Cambs'''
+|-
+| ''Francis Wilson, excommunicated, buried in his orchard.''
+|-
+| '''23 Feb 1700/01 Brenchley, Kent'''
+|-
+| ''Buried John Albourn of Pembury, but not ye burial service as by ye Book of Common Prayer appointed read; he dying a propper Anabaptist''.<br>
+|-
+| '''29 Mar 1707 Sundon, Beds'''
+|-
+| ''Affidavit made concerning a son of Richard Carter of Sundon who was not baptised nor buried in the church yard.''
+|-
+| '''1735 Brenchley, Kent'''
+|-
+| ''Hurled into ye ground being an Anabaptist''
+|-
+| '''5 Jul 1723 St. Mary Cray, Kent'''
+|-
+| ''Mrs Anne Parker. A midnight funeral when I fell headlong into her Grave, and so much bruised my leg, that I was confin’d to my bed and chamber and lay under ye surgeon’s hand 5 weeks: a painful yet happy retirement Deo Gratias.''
+|-
+| '''11 Feb 1723 St. Mary Cray, Kent'''
+|-
+| ''Stephen Parker Esquire most obstinate sinner midnight id:''
+|}
+<br>
+Those buried in dissenting burial grounds were noted in the Anglican registers either instead of, or in addition to their own registers. Other burial items may contain clues to nonconformity as well as in a certificate for burial in woollen shown below.<br>
+<br> '''Chart: Certificate for Burial in Woollen'''
+{| width="600" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+|-
+| To the Reverend the Minister of ''Luton''<br>''Susannah Punter'' of the Parish of ''Luton'' in the ''County of Bedford'' maketh Oath, That the Body of ''Mary Kingham of this Parish'' which was lately buried at ''the Burial Ground of the Baptist Meeting House'' was not wrapped up, when buried, in any Suit, Sheet, or Shroud, but what was made of Sheep’s Wool only; nor put into any Coffin, lined, faced, or covered with any kind of Cloth, or Stuff, but what was made of Sheep’s Wool only, according to the Direction of an Act of Parliament, intituled, ''An Act for burying in Woollen.''<br>Taken and Sworn this ''second'' Day of ''December 1795''<br>Before me ''Coriolanus Copleston, curate''
+N.B. Affidavits of Burial in Woollen must be delivered in to the Minister of the Parish where the Deceased was buried, in eight Days from the Time of Burial, on pain of the Penalty if Five Pounds for neglect thereof.
+|}
+<br>
+It wasn’t until 1880 that Nonconformist burial ceremonies were officially allowed in parish churchyards, and one can identify them in the Anglican burial register by the name of the dissenting minister performing the service instead of the regular incumbent or his curate.
+''Diaries of local Anglican clergy'' who were involved in disputes over tithes, church attendance or other unco-operative behaviour by dissidents can be mother lodes of personal information about your ancestors’ lives. Dissenters tended to be determined and outspoken, characteristics which engendered records and did not endear them to those keen on preserving the status quo.<ref>Christensen, Penelope. "England Anglican Records that Include Nonconformists (National Institute)," ''The National Institute for Genealogical Studies'' (2012), https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/England_Anglican_Records_that_Include_Nonconformists_%28National_Institute%29.</ref>
+==== Monumental Inscriptions  ====
+In the 17<sup>th </sup>century Puritans who could afford to would be more likely to erect a memorial plaque inside the church than to mark a burial spot with a gravestone. This attitude ameliorated with time and when the middle classes started having gravestones then all Nonconformists except Quakers did so.<br>
+==== '''Parish Chest Records'''  ====
+All of the other parochial records kept in the parish chest will refer to all inhabitants since the Anglican parish collected civil taxes and paid benefits to all who were in need until the ''New Poor Law ''of 1834. Non-Anglicans took their turn as parish officials and did so with no note of their religious preference. They received relief as necessary likewise, but very few Nonconformists were so destitute as to qualify for poor relief, although many immigrant Irish Catholics were. That having been said, it does occasionally happen that a person’s religious affiliation is mentioned in miscellaneous parochial records so they cannot be ignored. Thus, the 12d fines for recusancy occasioned by the Act of Uniformity 1559 was collected by the church wardens for relief of the poor until 1581 and will appear in parish records if they go back that far.
+==== '''Ecclesiastical Court Records'''  ====
+Two of the most used genealogical documents emanating from diocesan or higher levels are the various probate records and marriage licences. They applied to everyone regardless of religious adherence until 1837 (marriages) and 1858 (probate) when these came under civil administration.
+Wills can provide important clues to religious affiliation by:
+*Particular words and phrases used; but be careful not to misread the intent of standard preambles which may have only reflected the lawyer’s or court’s viewpoint, not that of the testator.
+*Burial requested in a Catholic or Nonconformist burial ground. Thus, a request by Mary Dashwood in her will dated 1771, to be buried in Rev. Wallin’s Burying Ground led me to find out from a local archives that he was the pastor of the Maze Pond Particular Baptist Chapel in Southwark, Surrey from 1740-1782.
+*Bequests to a religious charity, school or minister.
+*Bequests of named books or articles that only someone of a certain religion would possess.
+*Oaths presented in lieu of standard Anglican records. For example a dissenter who had not been christened in the Church of England needed to prove his relationship to the deceased to inherit, see below.
+<br> '''Chart: Oaths at Sutton Bonnington, Nottinghamshire regarding Parentage of Thomas Palmer — Found in Miscellaneous Parish Documents on''' {{FHL|636519|item|disp=FHL film 1517777}}<br>
+{| width="600" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
+|-
+| ''Slip of Paper''<br>''We hereby certify that Thomas Palmer is the only son of Thos Palmer, the others died in their infancy.<br>1837 May 5th John Bramley, Thomas Dalby''
+''Mr Thomas Bramley’s Declaration in support of Mr Thomas Palmer’s Pedigree<br>I Thomas Bramley of Sutton Bonnington in the County of Nottingham yeoman aged eighty four do solemnly and sincerely declare that I knew and was intimately acquainted with Thomas Palmer formerly of the Parish of St. Michael’s in Sutton Bonnington in the County of Nottingham yeoman and Ann his wife formerly Ann Pave spinster and that they had seven children namely six Daughters and one Son Thomas. And that their son the said Thomas Palmer (who is now living and residing at Sutton Bonnington aforesaid) was born on or about the nineteenth day of November One thousand seven hundred and seventy four. And further that the said Thomas Palmer the father died on or about the seventh day of December One thousand seven hundred and ninety one intestate and without having made any Will as they said Thomas Bramley has always understood and verily believes to be the fact, and was also buried in the burial ground belonging to the said General Baptist Chapel at Kegworth in the County of Leicester and leaving the said Thomas Palmer (the younger) his only son and heir at law him surviving, and who thereupon became seized and possessed of all his real estate situate at Sutton Bonnington aforesaid. And also that the said Thomas Palmer the younger as such only son and heir at law of his said father as aforesaid has ever since his death been and continued and now is seized and possessed of all the said real estate situate at Sutton Bonnington aforesaid. And further that the said Thomas Palmer the father and Ann his wife and their son the said Thomas Palmer and all their Children were dissenters from the Established Church and Members of the General Baptist Connexion at Kegworth aforesaid and that not any of their children were baptised, not such of them as are dead were buried at the Parish Church of Sutton Bonnington aforesaid but at the General Baptist Meeting House at Kegworth aforesaid, and that no registers thereof were ever made or are kept at the said Meeting House. And further that the said Thomas Palmer (the Son) is now living at Sutton Bonnington aforesaid and is a bachelor. And I make this solemn Declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true and by virtue of the Provisions of an Act made and passed in the fifth year of the reign of his late Majesty entitled ‘An Act to repeal an Act of the present session of Parliament intituled, An Act for the more effectual abolition of Oaths and Affirmations taken and made in various departments of the state and to substitute Declarations in lieu thereof and for the more entire suppression of voluntary and extrajudicial oaths and Affidavits and to make other provisions for the abolition of unnecessary Oaths.’<br>Declared by the said Thomas Bramley at Sutton Bonnington aforesaid the eighteenth day of August 1837<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Before me Thos Cradock, A Master extra in Chancery.<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; X Thomas Bramly, his mark.''<br>
+|}
+<br> Ever since the mid-16<sup>th</sup> century teachers and midwives had to be Anglicans in good standing licensed by a bishop. This applied at first only to Catholics, but later when Nonconformists left the Established Church they were discriminated against too. The rule about midwives’ licences died out but that for teachers continued into the 18<sup>th</sup> century, when only parish school teachers had to be Anglican. Nonconformists could set up private schools.
+Those who held ‘wrong’ beliefs were brought before ecclesiastical courts before 1642 and trouble-making Puritans and those accused of heresy could be excommunicated in severe cases. However Puritans were not prevented from preaching or writing about their views. From 1642 to 1660 the ecclesiastical courts were abolished in favour of civil ones, and after the restoration they had diminished powers.
+Bishops’ Visitations to the parishes in their dioceses took place regularly and the Anglican incumbents were required to report on the spiritual state of their parishioners. Records contain lists of numbers of papists and dissidents and sometimes names as well. However it also has to be born in mind that the laws were not applied equally strictly from place to place. Thus, Rendel states that up until the end of the 18<sup>th</sup> century one quarter of the Anglican livings in the Wirral area of Cheshire (south of Liverpool) were held by Catholic squires. Naturally, sympathetic very High Anglican ministers would be chosen and the church would attract Catholics.
+The marriage details of those who were married illegally by their own priest or minister, especially Catholics, are often referred to in ecclesiastical court records when they were presented for fornication if they had omitted to be legally married in the Anglican church as well.<ref>Christensen, Penelope. "England Additional Anglican Records that Include Nonconformists (National Institute)," ''The National Institute for Genealogical Studies'' (2012), https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/England_Additional_Anglican_Records_that_Include_Nonconformists_%28National_Institute%29.</ref>
 == Online non-conformist church records  ==
@@ Line 155: / Line 322: @@
 *[[England Norfolk Non-Conformist Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)|England Norfolk Non-Conformist Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
 *[[England and Wales Nonconformist Index for RG 4-8 (Record Groups 4-8) (FamilySearch Historical Records)|England and Wales Nonconformist Index for RG 4-8 (Record Groups 4-8) (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
+== References ==
+{{reflist}}
 {{featured article}}
 [[Category:England|Nonconformist Church Records]]