Genealogy Chat

St John the Evangelist, Newbury - Parish Records - Where can I find them? I am looking for the parish records for this church in the hope of clearing up a mystery in my family. Can anyone help? I will tell you what I know in the hope of making it clearer to understand. I have the marriage certificate for my ggg grandparents (have worked backwards through my ancestors - so on the right line): 26th Sept 1876 William Miles married Harriet Munday in St Johns. He was 23, she was 28. His father was George Miles, Labourer, and hers Matthew Munday, Labourer. Witnesses were George Miles and Mary Matterley (I dont know who she is). I have William on the 1861 census with his father, mother (mary ann), and sister - Sarah Ann in the Hungerford Union Workhouse. I have just received Williams birth certificate in the post that lists his fathers occupation as a 'Dealer' and his mothers maiden name as Jones. According the the census - George was born c1828 (have found a baptism record in Lambourn to back this up), and Mary Ann was born c1822 - I am unable to find their marriage, her on a census prior to her marriage etc etc. I was hoping that the parish records could shed some light on her, and if indeed I have the right birth certificate for William. I am hoping to find out too about historical newspaper records for the time for any notices that may have been placed for the marriage. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Karen

Hello If you look on the Mormons web site the family history catalogue search for Newbury Berkshire thre is a listing for this church parish regisers 1860 to 1991 if you have a local Mormon church that has genealogy section attached to it they can be ordered for a small fee on film and on loan for a few weeks. Otherwise it seems they are at Reading Record Office Berkshire. Hope this helps.

Genuki is a good site for finding parish records - once you have drilled down to Berkshire, you can find directory info on Newbury from the late 1800's. This shows that the ancient parish church is St Nicholas, with St John being described as a district church. Going to the 'records about all of Berkshire', and choosing 'church records' gives a link to Berkshire Record Office. This confirms that St John was a new church, with registers starting in 1860. The record office holds both these and the older records for St Nicholas, which may be more helpful if you are looking for your ancestors' baptisms. See www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/familyhistory Hope this helps