JB/149/276/001

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1832 Jany 19 refer 1832 March 18. For Parish Register Bill.
Collectanea Parish Register – Abuse and Remedy.
For Constitutional Code

From the Morning Chronicle 19 Jany 1832
Hewley, Parish Priests and Parish Registers
Copy down to the signature at the end, the word Selim.
"Parish Priests and Parish Registers.

To the Editor of the Morning Chronicle

Sir – Allow me to call the public attention to a
subject of considerable importance, but which has been
hitherto strangely, not to say wilfully and shamefully, neglected
– namely, Parish Registers.

The legal importance of these documents render the subject
almost imperative; above all, when we consider that by them
the sick man holds his inheritance, and that in many instances,
when villainy has conspired to withhold estates from
the rightful owner, these documents have been mutilated or
destroyed, to favour the villain's scheme – to break the line of
inheritance, or to falsely colour the claim of the imposter.

If I am not mistaken, the heads of the Church are now
considered considering the subject, and, through your val.
columns, I hope that these suggestions may attract their notice.

First and foremost, as it is notorious that many of the early
Registers are in a state of rapid decay, it is necessary that transcripts
should be made of every register throughout Great Britain
up to the present date, by which means any future interpolations
would be prevented, as they would be useless and ineffectual,
the cost of such transcripts to be defrayed in seven years, by
a moderate rate upon the Parishioners.

Moreover these transcripts should be deposited in a fire-proof building
in the metropolis, for the benefit of the public, who should
be allowed the liberty of search, upon payment of a stated fee
not exceeding five shillings.

Far be it from me to attach any useless blame, or even to think
irreverently of a cleargyman; but I can, if requiste, adduce instances
wherein the most shameful extortion has been practised by certain
members of the Church, for producing the registers in their respective jurisdictions.
In fact the following question arises from such extortions – namely,
Whether the registers of the parishes are public property, or whether they
are private property of the resident Clergyman?

If they are public property, it is for essential that they should be better
watched and guarded – it is also highly important that a sum
should be fired beyond which no longer keeper should presume to go,
so that a pedigree searcher should not be subject to useless expence
and insolence extortion, which referring to public documents.

Identifier: | JB/149/276/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 149.
Date_1	1832-01-19	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	149	Main Headings	constitutional code
Folio number	276	Info in main headings field	collectanea parish registers - abuse and remedy for parish register bill for constitutional code
Image	001	Titles	to the editor of the morning chronicle
Category	copy/fair copy sheet	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering
Penner		Watermarks	street & co 1830
Marginals		Paper Producer	antonio alcala galiano
Corrections	jeremy bentham	Paper Produced in Year	1830
Notes public		ID Number	50130
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