Prestbury Congregational Church 1866-1972 Prestbury United Reformed Church 1972 - present day

The Church records are deposited at Gloucestershire Archives in class D8273. Until the late 20th Century there was never a formal baptism register and records of baptisms are scattered throughout the Church minute books. Sometimes all there that can be found is a note to the fact that permission was given for a child to be baptised on a certain date.

Marriages have only been conducted at the church since the early 20th Century. The Minute books will either mention that a couple were married or that they applied for permission to marry in church. Sometimes their relationship to members of the congregation is mentioned. The old marriage registers are held at Gloucester.

There is no burial ground at Prestbury but funerals do take place. Members are either buried at St Mary's, Prestbury or buried or cremated at Cheltenham Cemetery and Crematorium on Bouncers Lane. Again the minute books have random records of deaths or a formal minuting of the death.

Church Papers as a source for Family Historians

The Minute books contain all details of events in the life of the church with the names of members of the congregation appearing throughout. There are also formal lists of Church Members with dates of admission and removal. Many photographs, newspaper cuttings and orders of service have been deposited.

Websites

United Reformed Church in Cheltenham (URCiC) website : www.urcic.org.uk

[The above account was very kindly contributed by Fiona Hall on 26th January 2008]