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Church Records

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A lot of church records have been indexed over many years - below are some details about theses lists, and where to find them.

Parish Registers

Baptisms

  • Essex Baptism Index 1780-1840 compiled by Peter Nutt who offers a search service.

Marriages

  • Ted Wildy's UK Marriage witness index entries for Essex
  • Essex Marriage Index, prepared by Jack H. Baxter, Benfleet. This covers the ancient parishes of the county, including those now in the Outer London areas, and one Quaker meeting. Mostly covers the period 1754-1851. Search services offered by Rita Harris.
  • Boyds Index (Society of Genealogists): 381 parishes, and one Quaker Meeting House, are covered in the Main series. Approximately 94% of the county is covered to some extent, mostly for the period 1538-1754. A copy of this index is at the Essex RO in Chelmsford. Some parishes for 1801-1837 are in the Miscellaneous Series: most of these are in the Essex Marriage Index above.
  • Pallot Index (IHGS). 23 Parishes. Both parties are listed. In most cases, only the year is given. Names are entered phonetically. Widows usually shown. Fees are £7.50 for single search, £12 for up to 20 abstractions for one surname, £25 for up to 50 abstractions.
  • Catholic Marriage Index (IHGS) Covers 60 Parishes in Essex and London. £5 per search.
  • Marriage Licences Records for most jurisdictions are held at the ERO Chelmsford. There is a (nearly complete) manuscript index, alphabetical to the initial letter of grooms' names only, not properly chronological; and a computerised typescript alphabetical copy. A separate index covers the Peculiars. A similar index in calendar form is at Colchester Local Studies Library. The Society of Genealogists has a number of Indexes to Marriage Licenses from Essex.
    • Commissary of London for Essex and Herts. Allegations 1619-1699
    • Archdeaconry of Colchester Allegations 1585-1641
    • Archdeaconry of Essex Allegations 1579-1640, 1691-1697

The Guildhall Library holds records from the Diocese of London and the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Pauls. Records from St Mary Malden, which was in the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster, are in the City of Westminster Archives Dept. Some Marriage Licenses may have been issued by the Faculty Office: a manuscript calendar to these is at Lambeth Palace, with some indexes in Harlian Soc vol 24 and British Record Soc vol 33, and microfilm copy at the Society of Genealogists. Similarly, Marriage Licenses issued by the Vicar General (Province of Canterbury) are indexed in Harlian Soc vols 23, 30, 31, 33 and 34. A manuscript index is at Lambeth Palace, and a microfilm copy at the Society of Genealogists.

Burials

  • Essex Burial Index 1813-1865 prepared by Jack H. Baxter, Benfleet. Search services offered by Rita Harris.