Listers will probably have heard me before "rave" about what are known as Dade entries in Yorkshire parish registers. These are entries that give far more detail than is the norm and were named after the Rev William Dade, a far-sighted Yorkshire clergymen who perceived that one day even ordinary people might want to trace their ancestry. Thus he instituted a system of giving as much detail as possible in birth/baptismal entries, which lasted from around the mid 1770s to 1812 when a new system on printed forms came in which, ironically, gave less detail than under the Rev Dade's influence. Today I received from the North Yorkshire Record Office a photostat of an absolutely classic Dade entry, this from the registers of Topcliffe by Thirsk in 1778. For those of you who have never seen a Dade entry, it will be an education. Firstly, here is the entry as it appears on the IGI at www.familysearch.org... JOHN HARKER Birth: 07 SEP 1778 Christening: 11 OCT 1778 Topcliffe By Thirsk, Yorkshire, England: Father: BENJAMINE HARKER Mother: ANN DUNNING Source Information: Batch No.: C104762 Dates: 1769 - 1812 The usual basic information, in fact. It was the fact that both the actual birth and baptismal dates were given, also the mother's full name with maiden name, that made me suspect this might be a Dade entry, and such proved to be the case. Here is the full entry as it appears in the registers..... Column 1 - Infant's Christian and last name and seniority John Harker, 2nd son of Column 2 - Father's name, abode, profession and descent Benjamin Harker of Asenby, labourer, son of John Harker of Scuggdale, farmer Column 3 - Mother's name and descent and of Ann, daughter of James Dunning of Boultby, farmer, by Jane, daughter of William Lumley of Cold Kirby Column 4 - Born On Monday the 7th of September Column 5 - Baptized On Sunday the 11th of October Note that the entry even gives the days of the week for the birth and baptism. Moreover, the family tree shown in the mother's entry covers FOUR generations: John Harker, the infant being baptised; his mother Ann Dunning; grandparents James and Jane Dunning; and great- grandfather William Lumley. Oh that there had been more enlightened clerics like the Rev William Dade! And also a lesson to beginners that you should never just accept what the IGI says, but always go to the original records. -- Roy Stockdill Editor, Journal of One-Name Studies Guild of One-Name Studies website: www.one-name.org Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE