Greetings, I'm new to the list and wanted to say hello and state my interests. I've just received information from the 1881 census that suggests some of my Chamberlain ancestors came from Somerset. Which is probably why I couldn't find them in London where my GGrandmother Harriet Maria CHAMBERLAIN spent 56 of her 77 years, also seems she was born in Rhymney, Monmouth....The people I'm hoping to get further information on are Harriet's parents: John CHAMBERLAIN, born c1841 in Yatton, Somerset or his wife Eliza PARFITT, born c1841 in Wells, Somerset. Also can anyone tell me if the parish registers for Yatton and/or Wells in the 1840 time period are available on either fiche, booklet or CD? If they are where can I purchase them from? Susana
Hi Susana The Somerset Record Office holds or is responsible for all the Parish Registers for Somerset, apart from those that have been lost, are incomplete and are still in the hands of the incumbent or that may be at the Bristol Records Office? or non-conformist Registers such as those deposited at the Public Records Office in London ie they are responsible for Somerset's Archives: the registers they hold are detailed at: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/asp/listal.asp?Database=../_private/parish.mdb&File=ParishSummary&Field=Parish which includes Wells and Yatton Like most ROs I expect that the SRO has transcriptions of most of the PRO holdings. However, as Mandy says the Somerset Studies Library does appear to hold some PRs eg Dinnington parish registers: marriages 1784-1837, but these also appear to be held by the SRO, at least on fiche, according the above URL :-) For details of Library holdings do a search using "Parish Registers" or whatever on the search engine at: http://www.foursite.somerset.gov.uk/ The cost of and conditions for buying fiche (the only form of media at present I believe) are given on the following URL: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/disomanc.htm Not cheap, but when one considers the cost of travel and maybe hotel expenses etc it probably works out as quite reasonable? Unfortunately ROs are not expected to make a loss on things they sell, so no doubt they are not making much more than about 5%, I wouldn't have thought. I understand that the LDS/Mormons haven't been allowed to copy Wells PRs! Details of records held by other repositories can be seen by taking links from: http://www.somerset.gov.uk/archives/others.htm Regards Paul Portland On Fri, 9 Mar 2001 13:44:12 -0000, you wrote: >Greetings, > >I'm new to the list and wanted to say hello and state my interests. I've >just received information from the 1881 census that suggests some of my >Chamberlain ancestors came from Somerset. Which is probably why I couldn't >find them in London where my GGrandmother Harriet Maria CHAMBERLAIN spent 56 >of her 77 years, also seems she was born in Rhymney, Monmouth....The people >I'm hoping to get further information on are Harriet's parents: John >CHAMBERLAIN, born c1841 in Yatton, Somerset or his wife Eliza PARFITT, born >c1841 in Wells, Somerset. Also can anyone tell me if the parish registers >for Yatton and/or Wells in the 1840 time period are available on either >fiche, booklet or CD? If they are where can I purchase them from? > >Susana > > >==== WESSEX-PLUS Mailing List ==== >PRO Leaflets on dozens of genealogy subjects eg my rellie was a >soldier, sailor, railwayman and lots more - see: >http://www.pro.gov.uk/leaflets/riindex.htm > >