Explore this eclectic collection of records from the parish chests of Plymouth and West Devon. Discover if your ancestor stayed in the workhouse, received parish relief or appeared in the churchwardens’ account books. The parish was the local power for centuries, responsible for the local government and law, as well as the welfare of the poor.
Explore this eclectic collection of records from the parish chests of Plymouth and West Devon. Discover if your ancestor stayed in the workhouse, received parish relief or appeared in the churchwardens’ account books. The parish was the local power for centuries, responsible for the local government and law, as well as the welfare of the poor.
The results will give you both a transcript and an image of the parish record. The transcripts include
Image
The image will reveal additional information about your ancestor. What is found in each image is dependent on the type of record you are viewing, but most will include the exact event date and a further description of the event.
The details found in the various event types include, but are not limited to
Discover more about the records by using the arrows on either side of the image. By browsing through the parish documents, you will learn more about the context of the records and why your ancestor’s name has appeared in these records.
In the past, local parishes were responsible for far more than keeping the records of births, marriages and deaths. Collectively, the records kept by parishes of local and civic affairs are called the parish chest. The records include the levying of taxes, selection of juries and pew rentals within the church.
Each parish was responsible for supporting its poor and pauper families. Residents were required to pay poor rates, which went to support these individuals through poor relief or the workhouses. In the parish chest records, we also find bastardy bonds and papers. These were investigations into the paternal responsibility of children born to an unknown father. They also documented the father’s mandated payments.
The Plymouth & West Devon parish chest records consist of the following events.