787
edits
→General Historical Background
(Updates) |
Mckinstrymj (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
== General Historical Background == | == General Historical Background == | ||
Before 1837 only churches recorded birth, marriage, and death information in England (see the "[[England Church Records|Church Records]]" section of this outline). In the early 1800s, Parliament recognized the need for accurate records for voting, planning, and defense purposes. Legislation was passed to | Before 1837 only churches recorded birth, marriage, and death information in England (see the "[[England Church Records|Church Records]]" section of this outline). In the early 1800s, Parliament recognized the need for accurate records for voting, planning, and defense purposes. Legislation was passed to create a civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths for England and Wales and began on 1 July 1837. | ||
*The jurisdictional basis of civil registration is the | *The jurisdictional basis of civil registration is the Registration District. Registration districts were based on the Poor Law Unions that were formed in 1834. Poor Law Unions contained groups of parishes that administered the new Poor Law system for that jurisdiction with a superintendent registrar appointed for each district. The district was divided into sub-districts, each with a Registrar of Births and Deaths. There would also be one or more Registrars of Marriages for the whole district. | ||
*Each quarter superintendent registrars | *Each quarter, superintendent registrars forwarded copies of their district’s registrations to the Registrar General in London. The registration districts hold the original birth and death records, and the General Register Office hold copies. | ||
*Ordained clergy of the Church of England, the established church, were automatically entitled to perform and register marriages. Clergy of other denominations could not perform legally valid marriages until 1898, when they could apply to become 'Authorised Persons'. Prior to that date, a Registrar of Marriages had to be present. Civil marriages could be performed in the register office, but these were rare until the 20th century. | *Ordained clergy of the Church of England, the established church, were automatically entitled to perform and register marriages. Clergy of other denominations could not perform legally valid marriages until 1898, when they could apply to become 'Authorised Persons'. Prior to that date, a Registrar of Marriages had to be present. Civil marriages could be performed in the register office, but these were rare until the 20th century. | ||
*There were two marriage registers that had to be completed and signed by the parties. When a register was full one copy would be sent to the Superintendent Registrar and the other kept at the church. In addition quarterly copies of all marriages were sent to the register office and forwarded to the Registrar General. | *There were two marriage registers that had to be completed and signed by the parties. When a register was full, one copy would be sent to the Superintendent Registrar and the other kept at the church. In addition, quarterly copies of all marriages were sent to the register office and forwarded to the Registrar General. | ||
*Quaker and Jewish marriages were performed by Registering Officers and Secretaries of Synagogues, respectively. They were also required to deposit completed registers at the Register Office, and to forward quarterly copies to the Registrar General | *Quaker and Jewish marriages were performed by Registering Officers and Secretaries of Synagogues, respectively. They were also required to deposit completed registers at the Register Office, and to forward quarterly copies to the Registrar General | ||
{{Wikipedia|General Register Office}} | {{Wikipedia|General Register Office}} Beginning in July 1837, registrars were required to register all births and deaths in their district. Since they were paid for every registration, that was incentive to make sure all births and deaths were recorded. An estimated 90 to 95 percent of births and nearly all deaths and marriages were reported. A new registration Act in 1874 placed the responsibility on parents to inform the registrar of all births, but this made no discernible difference to the rate of registration, which by 1875 was around 99 percent. If you cannot find a birth, marriage, or death record in civil registration, search church records. | ||
Beginning in July 1837 registrars were required to register all births and deaths in their district | |||
If you cannot find a | |||
== Information Recorded in Civil Registers == | == Information Recorded in Civil Registers == | ||