[This is from the Bunker mailing list I'm on. Thought the info would be helpful to all of us. Sally] -------Original Message------- Date: 10/09/2007 10:30:04 AM To: bunker@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [BUNKER] World Tree questions May I point out that people using English parish records should be very Careful about the difference between birth dates and baptism dates. Generally speaking the local vicar only recorded a person when they were Baptised. Vicars generally did not record the age of a child so if for Instance a child baptised was 11 years old and no age was given it Might be presumed that the child had been baptised shortly after birth . That could have consequences when it came to marriage as a person wishing To marry below the age of 21 had to have parental consent. Parish records also did not generally record death dates only burial Dates but as these were only a few days apart it doesn't matter too much. Only in marriages should the date be always the same. Be careful Brian Bunker English rep, Bunker Family History Society of America.