As a new member to this list, may I ask for your help with this family please, they emigrated to Australia in 1855, although I have all their records there, I am struggling to find their origins in Somerset. The 1841 census has them living at Barton Place in Lidcombe and Widcombe. James Witcombe 35 a carpenter Mary A 35 William 10 Edwin 9 John 7. The 1851 shows them living in Finsbury, Islington, London. James Witcombe 46 carpenter born in Downham Sset. (born about 1804) Mary Ann 46 born in Goucester, GLC. (born abt 1804) (Her maiden name was one of the following: Prater, Preter or Preater.) Edwin 18 carpenter born in Downham Sset. (born abt 1832) John 16 painter born in Shepton Mallet. (born abt 1834) Matilda 9 born in Bath. (born in 1840) As this is my first foray into Somerset research, I have a few questions please, apart from LDS films, are there any of the relative parish records available online? I have found a few baptisms and burials in the Bath PR's online, but I would really like to see the originals if possible. Also the marriage of James Witcombe and Mary Ann. Another question, I cannot find a place named Downham, could this be Downhead which is close to Shepton Mallet. Many thanks for any help you can give me. Carolyn in New Zealand.
Hi Caroline, As far as I am aware, there are no Somerset registers available online, just transcripts. For these, you need to check out Ian Sage's website, which has a listing of where you will find online parish register transcriptions for Somerset: http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/ian.sage/PR/pr_index.html Some of us have fiche of parish registers in a range of parishes across Somerset, and will check entries for you. If you wish to purchase your own fiche of parish registers, they are available from the Somerset Heritage Centre: http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/ If owning the fiche is your preference, you can save the postage and handling costs, plus the fee for placing an order, by signing up as a transcriber for Somerset FreeREG (contact the SOM Coord) - you then only pay the £2.50 per fiche that the SHC charges. http://www.freereg.org.uk/parishes/som/frontpage.shtml Yvonne Scrivener (Frome Area Assistant to Somersert FreeREG) Canberra ACT Australia -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of carogene As this is my first foray into Somerset research, I have a few questions please, apart from LDS films, are there any of the relative parish records available online? I have found a few baptisms and burials in the Bath PR's online, but I would really like to see the originals if possible.