|
Return to
Sheviock Parish Page
Sheviock Parish Register
By Arthur J. JEWERS, F.S.A.
. . . the earliest portions of the Parish
Register of Sheviock, in Cornwall, which when the present writer visited
the parish to collect heraldic and genealogical notes, were shown to him
with the late registers. They were then done up in four rolls, to which
labels were attached inscribed :
Baptisms 1640 - 1662: Marriages 1636 - 1670; Burials 1641 - 1655;
Fragments 1572 - 1586.
These dates were repeated on a luggage label tied to the string by which
the four rolls were tied together, the dates being those of the official
return made by the Rector to Dr.TEMPLE, then Bishop of Exeter.
It having been pointed out to the Rector that the rolls could not be
used in the condition they were in without considerable loss in
unrolling and rolling up, he accepted the offer to flatten out, arrange
and make a transcript of them. All this has been done, though it took
considerable time and care from the very decayed state of the parchment
in many parts.
Unfortunately large portions of the parchment were entirely gone, while
sometimes the leaves formed a fragile network, which it was difficult to
move without breaking, and the ink in many places was shelling off in
small flakes. Although form these causes much was irrecoverable, yet by
the careful use of the best means, not the least of which was the
constant application of a strong magnifying glass, much has been
preserved for future reference.
No guesswork has been attempted in order to supply gaps, and the
numerous dotted blanks will show how often names have become quite
illegible. By comparing various entries, however, many names have been
supplied with absolute certainty.
It is needless to particularize any of the persons or families in the
text : any additional information has been put as foot notes. Fuller
particulars and extracts from the later registers are given in Heraldic
and Genealogical Church Notes from Cornwall, in which work, however,
only a few extracts of this Register are given. One important point must
be noted here, namely the inaccuracies of of the dates in the official
return, which it will be seen cover a shorter period than are proved to
exist by this transcript.
Official Present Additional years
Returns Transcript this Transcript
Baptisms 1640 - 1662 1624 - 1666 20
Marriages 1636 - 1670 1571 - 1670 65
Burials 1641 - 1655 1569 - 1655 72
Thus giving a total of 157 years more of existing registers than by the
official return appears. It may be added that unfortunately there are
many registers fast becoming illegible from past and present neglect nor
are the Bishops Transcripts in better case.
Private enterprize rescues a register here and there, but it is surely
the duty of the Government to take some steps for the preservation of
these priceless Public Records, every line of which supplies informtion
to be obtained from the one copy, and nowhere else.
|
