This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: GordonPertJohnson Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.britisles.scotland.ans.general/5515.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.3/mb.ashx Message Board Post: ** The idea that families registered all their children at one time is erroneous, in that children's baptisms were intended to be registered BY THE CHURCH, not by the family, but through forgetfulness and lost information, a number of baptisms failed to get registered at the correct time. Years afterwards, when a later child is being baptised, the minister might ask about the baptisms of earlier children, then, finding that they were not in the register, ask the family for the date of those baptisms, and add them at the time of the latest baptism registration. The church registers were not public records, so not accessible to neighbours. What is this mysterious "Non-Conformist Index" you mention? The Church of Scotland was the conformist church in Scotland, just as the Church of England was the conformist church in England. Gavin is correct about there being only two copies of the civil registers. The census returns do not give any description of occupations. It is correct that occasionally one of the missing OPRs turns up, usually held by a family whose forebear was one of the ministers, and unaware that these registers out to be handed over to their rightful owners. The mortcloth records and other pseudo-death records (coffin accounts, etc.)are all part of the microfilmed OPRs, though not indexed by the Mormons. There is a national project for local FHSs to index all death and gravestone records, but it will take years to complete. Gordon. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.