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does anyone know if early church records will show more detail regarding parents than can be seen on freereg? I have hit a wall with my 5 and 6 xg grandparents as there are two john vertues born same area (shepton mallet, 1700's) just a couple of years apart and im stumped as how to find which one is mine lol, any tips will be very gratefully received, thank you :)

Parish records would normally say the person name and son or daughter of ...

Baptism records would normally show the father's full name but usually only the mother's first name.

Marriage records are unlikely to show either parent's name.

Kath. x

You may also get the address and occupation of the father. I have seen both on some parish records. Sometimes it can depend on how diligent the vicar was :-)

If you google for Shepton Mallett records, there are a few interesting links, including Rootschat. Hope this helps.

Parish records of that far back would only usually show the father's name. You might be lucky and see the mother's name, but not usually.

The FreeReg transcriptions are from the parish records and normally show just what is on the original.

After the implementation of George Rose's Act in 1813, baptisms were recorded in pre-printed standardised volumes.

Until then, it was a bit haphazard. Obviously the persons name and the date of baptism were needed. But the format of the register and recording of additional information even - I think - the name(s) of parent(s) was at the whim of the churchman. However, I have yet to see a register which did not include the father's name. Exceptions to that being foundlings and births outside of marriage.

In that era, the mother was not considered of any importance.......the father is usually the only one named on a baptism............unless the child is illegitimate

BUT.....unless you have prior knowledge of the name of the father.............the baptism won't help

I guess I must be lucky Reggie. I have found online baptisms of relatives going back to 1738 and beyond, which have named both the father and the mother.

I love looking at old registers and can remember find some parish burial records where the incumbent had actual put down the cause of death - most interesting. :-)

Thank you all for your help and advice, think i will try and take a trip to look at the registers myself, meanwhile i will have a look at Rootschat. once again many thanks :)

The instructions to Freereg transcribers are to type what you see.

They might make an error in transcribing, but will do their best to put all information down. From that point only the Freereg version will give more information to the familysearch one if they hold the same transcribed PR

See if you can find a burial for the child before the next is born.
Bear in mind that the PR may not have been transcibed, or is unfit for production - mildew or other damage.

Thank you DetEcTive, I guess no point me looking at the registers myself then lol,I will have a good search on Freereg and see if I can find anymore children. Think I am going to have to accept though that I wont be able to go any further back with this branch...once again many thanks..:)