Libraries and leisure

Nonconformist registers

The term “Nonconformity” embraces all groups which have broken away from the beliefs and practices of the Church of England. The survival of records created by these groups, both Protestant and Catholic, can be very patchy.

Introduction to Nonconformist registers:

The period after 1660 heralded a period of increasing hostility and persecution towards both Roman Catholics (Recusants) and those Protestants who chose not to follow the Anglican faith established by Henry VIII. Before 1662, entries relating to baptisms, marriages and burials of suspected nonconformists are likely to be found in Anglican parish registers.

The Toleration Act of 1689 allowed nonconformists (except Catholics, who were not allowed to worship freely until the passing of the Catholic Emancipation Act in 1829) the right to their own places of worship. Separate registers of births/baptisms and burials may survive from this date. Many are held by Archives and Local Studies.

Until 1754, Quakers and other nonconformists were able to celebrate marriages in their own meeting houses. Records of Quaker marriages contracted in this way survive in Hertfordshire and are kept by Archives & Local Studies. Hardwicke’s Marriage Act of 1754 made such weddings illegal (except for Quakers and Jews). Not until 1836 could these marriages once more take place in nonconformist churches and chapels. From 1837 many nonconformists also took advantage of the establishment of Register Offices rather than marry in an Anglican Church opposed to their religious views.

Unfortunately, record keeping by both nonconformists and Roman Catholics was rather patchy up to 1837. In that year nonconformists were asked to deposit their records with the Registrar-General and those that were are now held by the National Archives in Kew. Archives & Local Studies holds a microfilm copy of the Hertfordshire registers - please click on the link below for a full list.

The following transcripts are avilable on the shelves in the Local Studies Library:

Apsley Two Waters Methodist Church: 1910-1977
Barkway Independent Chapel: baptisms 1826-1828, 1830 and burials, notes of pre 1827 entries
Buntingford Independent Meeting: abstract of baptisms and burials
Bushey United Reformed Church: burials 1818-1920
Hatfield Park Street Independent Chapel: births and baptisms 1823-1854, burials 1846-1920
Hitchin Tilehouse Street Baptist Church: members 1670-1743, records of congragation and financial accounts
Potters Bar Baptist Church: burials 1830-1833, 1869-1900
Totteridge Congregational Chapel: 1836-1881
Tring Newmill Baptist Church: births 1793-1837
Walkern Strict Baptist Church: 1862-1937
Walkern Free Church: burials 1831-1962
Walkern United Reformed Church: 1810-2000
Ware Catholic Apostolic Church: baptisms 1832-1839
Watford Baptist Church: 1868 - early 1900s
Watford Congragational Church: baptisms 1877-1891, marriages 1879-1955, burials 1881-1886

Bedfordshire
Methodist Circuit Class Book, St Pauls Bedford Street, 1780s-1806
Southill Independent (later Baptist) Church Book, 1693-1851
The Old Meeting Baptist Church, Blunham, Church Book 1724-1891
Methodist Baptisms, Luton & Biggleswade area, 1830s-1970s
Fraternity Book, Luton Parish Church, 1474-1546