Index of Canterbury Baptisms 1790-1840
Anyone
whose ancestor is recorded as being born in Canterbury, for example
in a census return, is faced with a trawl through the parish registers
of the 16 Canterbury parishes: All Saints, Cathedral, Holy Cross
Westgate, St.Alphage, St.Andrew, St.Dunstan, St.George, St.Margaret,
St.Martin, St.Mary Bredin, St.Mary Bredman, St.Mary Magdalen, St.Mary
Northgate, St.Mildred, St.Paul and St.Peter.
This
Index is designed to provide a means of quickly finding a particular
baptism or eliminating the whole of Canterbury from a blanket search
for a baptism. A search of the Index would reveal the baptisms in
Canterbury of all children from a family, though these might be
(and often were) spread through several parishes. Some parishes
in the City were very small in area and parents could easily change
parish just by moving a few streets or even a few houses. Many soldiers
were billeted in Canterbury, particularly in the 1790s-1810s, and
this Index is also a useful aid to finding their childrens' baptisms.
The Index is compiled from original parish registers or, where they
do not survive, Bishops Transcripts of parish registers. Each of
the parishes is covered for the full period and there are no gaps.
The registers/BTs have been checked up to 1865 (1880 in the case
of St.Andrew and St.Mary Northgate) for baptisms of those born up
to 1840 or those noted as being adults. All details from each entry
are recorded. Baptisms of children with parents' abode given as
'Canterbury' found in the registers of parishes outside the City
are now being added as they come to light.
There
were some 24,000 baptisms in Canterbury in this 50 year period.
The parishes outside the City walls were the most populous, particularly
St.Mary Northgate, which saw many of the soldiers' children's baptisms,
and St.Mildred. Children of parents living at the City Workhouse
were baptised in the parish church of St.Margaret and those with
parents in the Union Workhouse at St.Alphage. Tradesmen and shopkeepers
tended to live within the City walls and frequent the small inner
city churches.
How
to order:
Search
Fee: £5 for a specific baptism plus up to 4 siblings, plus
SAE (or 2 IRCs if enquiring from abroad).
- If
the required baptism is found, a quotation for providing details
of other siblings, if more than four, and possible earlier/later
generations will also be sent.
-
It may be possible to provide a photocopy of the required entry
or entries for an extra charge, which will be advised when replying.
- Block
surname or family extractions can be supplied at the rate of £1
per entry.
Overseas
Enquirers only - please remit by Sterling bank draft or cash
or approximate value in American Dollars cash, adding the equivalent
of 65p to cover airmail postage. No SAE is required.
On-line
- Index searches may be purchased on-line in two ways:
- GENFair
at www.genfair.com —
look for "Kent Family History Research" in the Main
Hall, Ancestry Arcade section.
- Parish
Chest at www.parishchest.com
— click "Kentgen" in the left menu bar. (This site
has the added advantage that UK and European Union customers do
not pay VAT.)
Please
note: some researchers from the United States have recommended International
Currency Express (www.foreignmoney.com)
for obtaining bank drafts in foreign currencies [this is not an
endorsement of this service and I have no connection with this company].
Contact
information:
Miss G.Rickard
99 Strangers Lane
Canterbury, Kent CT1 3XN
England
Email:
GRickard@kentgen.com.
© Copyright 2000 - 2008 Gillian Rickard
Updated May 2008
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