Parish registers are among the most important sources for family historians, but they are only part of the story. Behind the familiar baptism, marriage and burial entries lies a much wider body of parish documentation that can reveal the lives, relationships, occupations, movements and circumstances of our ancestors.
In this practical two-hour online workshop, Else Churchill explores the wealth of information contained in parish registers and associated parish records. The session is designed for both archivists who care for and advise on these collections, and genealogists who want to make fuller and more effective use of them.
We will see how parish register entries can be used for family reconstruction and to compile pedigrees, but also consider the many other early records created by parishes, including churchwardens’ accounts, vestry minutes, poor law records, settlement and removal papers, apprenticeship records, overseers’ accounts, banns, pew records and other surviving documents. We will consider what these records can tell us, where they may be found, how they relate to one another, and how to use them to answer questions that parish registers alone cannot resolve.
Using practical examples and case studies, the workshop will demonstrate how combining different parish sources can transform a name and date into a much richer picture of an ancestor and their community.
Whether you are responsible for helping researchers navigate parish collections or are researching your own family history, this workshop will provide ideas, techniques and sources to help you get more from parish records.
(The session will include an opportunity to read and use some documents provided to create a family tree so ensure you have paper and writing implements to hand)
- 20% Discount for all Society of Genealogists Members
- Recording available for one month for everyone who books a place, until 06/12/2026
- For organisations needing to pay invoice please email events@sog.org.uk
Click here for information about our events. Contact events@sog.org.uk if you have any questions.
About the
Else Churchill
Else Churchill is the Genealogist at the Society of Genealogists in London. Formerly a professional genealogical librarian and researcher, Else has worked for the SoG since 1994. She is the Society’s subject lead, working across the organisation and runs the publishing programme. She was the recipient of the IHGS Julian Bickersteth Memorial Medal in 2023 for her exemplary contribution to family history studies.
