Hello again Just to add a touch to what has already been said on this subject - there were two short periods, one in the late 17th c the other late 18th c when duties were levied on entries in the registers of baptisms, marriages and burials. following Acts of 1695 and 1783 The governments were then, as now and ever, scratching around for extra revenues. The 1695 Act was heavily "means tested" or "rank tested" so that Dukes and Duchesses paid large sums. The 1783 Act applied a standard threepence per register entry charge with thoee on parish relief exempted . Some parents seem to have refrained from taking their children to baptism, with the result that there is some evidence that baptism numbers rose when the duties were lifted after periods of some 10 years or so. There were fines payable for non payment and for those clergy who failed in their duties as tax-collectors. Copies of both Acts are, I believe, available on Ancestry. Sid

Hi, Just out of interest i copied this from the front of the parish register book for Tivetshall St,Mary years ago,i imagine the charges would be the same through the country. Written in the front page of the parish register of Tivetshall St.Mary 1813. Fees to be taken for various occasions in the two parishes of Tivetshall. Burial. 2/-. for the minster, 2/-. for the clerk, 3/6d. for digging the grave and ringing the bell. Burial of out of town people, 6/8d. added to the 2/-. ministers fee above. 4/-. added to the clerks fee above. Marriages. 7/6d. to the minister. 2/6d.to the clerk. Churching. 6/-.to the minister. 6/-.to the clerk. An upright stone on the grave,6/8d. to the minister.for an out of town person 10/8d. A table stone 1 guinea. Burying in chancel.3 guineas. When you see ag.lab.families with many children,such as my ancestors who lived in near poverty,i wonder how they managed to pay these charges Richard Myhill richardmyhill43@btinternet.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sid Jones" <sjones1828@gmail.com> To: <suffolk@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2010 11:49 AM Subject: Re: [SFK-UK] Fees for Baptism > Hello again > Just to add a touch to what has already been said on this subject - there > were two short periods, one in the late 17th c the other late 18th c when > duties were levied on entries in the registers of baptisms, marriages and > burials. following Acts of 1695 and 1783 The governments were then, as now > and ever, scratching around for extra revenues. > > The 1695 Act was heavily "means tested" or "rank tested" so that Dukes and > Duchesses paid large sums. > > The 1783 Act applied a standard threepence per register entry charge with > thoee on parish relief exempted > . > Some parents seem to have refrained from taking their children to baptism, > with the result that there is some evidence that baptism numbers rose when > the duties were lifted after periods of some 10 years or so. > > There were fines payable for non payment and for those clergy who failed in > their duties as tax-collectors. > > Copies of both Acts are, I believe, available on Ancestry. > > Sid > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SUFFOLK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message