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1855 Records

The first statutory records in 1855 were very ambitious and contain detailed information which is especially helpful to family historians. Unlike the Old Parish Registers, where individuals decided which information to record, specific detailed information was required for the new printed registers and the information asked for was uniform throughout the country.

Unfortunately the detail required in the 1855 registers proved difficult to maintain and an amendment act dropped some of these questions from 1856 onwards.

Information which was dropped after 1855:

Marriages

— The birthplaces and birthdates of both parties

— The number of any children by former marriages, living or dead

— The number of previous marriages (if any)

Births

— Any other children the parents may have had, living or dead

— The ages and birthplaces of both parents

Deaths

— The names and ages of all children of the deceased whether living or dead

— The place of burial and undertaker involved

— The date and place of birth of the deceased and how long they had been in the district.

Click on the image below to enlarge this marriage entry from 1855.

1855 Records

Marriages

Births

Deaths

Marriage entry from 1855 (click to enlarge)