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Hi all
could someone tell me what the difference is between the original parish records and the bishops transcripts?
also would there be more information on the original parish record and would i have to go to durham county records to view theparish records or can i view them online somewhere?
cheers

Bishops' Transcripts

Information about Bishops' Transcripts of parish registers for County Durham.
What are Bishops' Transcripts?

From 1597 each parish was required to send to the bishop, within a month after Easter, a copy of all entries made in the parish register during the preceding year. These copies are known as bishops' transcripts.

Bishops' transcripts for the diocese of Durham only survive for the period c.1760 to c.1840 but with many gaps.
Where to find Bishops' Transcripts

The Bishops’ transcripts for County Durham are held by Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections.

Ancestry has Durham Parish Records early 1500's to mid 1800's but not all parishes, There are 4,000 records.

Ancestry also has Bishop's Transcripts Durham 1639-1919

Think they might be on Familsearch also.

Thanks marg we
I have accessed the transcripts on family search etc but was wondering if more info would be on original parish record
Thanks

Some of the earlier Durham BTs have a lot more info than the later ones, which after 1812 were standardised. I suppose there could have been notes made that weren't copied over to the BTs.

The images of BTs on Ancestry come from Familysearch. On some that I have looked at from 1866, the date of birth has been added under father's profession so the extra info (there is no place on the form for DOB) has been copied over to the BT.

thanks potty
helpful as always
cheers

Deffinately try to look at the original, especially the 19th Century ones. The transcriptions done for FS don't show margin notes, if there are any.

Again, the orginals will show margin notes which weren't neccesarily copied over to the BT. It could be something simple like PB (Private Baptism) or little pieces of gossip - presumtive father was xxx

Family search don't usually give the names of marriage witnesses.

Original records would show actual signatures, if the bride, groom and witnesses could sign.
This can be very helpful to perhaps compare with a later marriage to be sure one is following the same person.

thanks again ALL for the info.
How would i go about viewing these originals?
would i have to venture to durham county records to view them
cheers

Some of the County records are available online but certainly not all.

The Record Office is open to the public Mondays to Wednesdays inclusive but it is better to ring ahead to book a place. Direct number is 03000 267 6191.

Sean, I don't know where you are situated but the Record Office is easily reachable by train, bus and car. Parking is sometimes tight but the DLI Museum and Art Gallery usually has plenty of parking available if the Council parking is full. It is then only a short walk either by main road or across field on a made footpath.

The nearest park-and-ride is Sniperley and the bus from there stops at the usual bus stop outside County Hall.

Good luck.

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1356153

(james burn,byrne,burns)

(does above relate in?)

Chris :)

thanx joy for the info yeah i do plan a visit at some point and would be by car so thanx for the heads up on parking.
hi chris yeah the above does relate in...
ive posted on numerous sites and tried from lots of different angles and even confused myself so much that i had already posted the same questions.

theres something not right with the info i have but not about to give in just yet

cheers

The BTs are the church's own backup copy (Archdeacon's Transcripts in some dioceses) and are supposed to be identical to the parish registers.

The old diocese of Durham included Northumberland as well as Co Durham, plus a bit of Cumberland and some Tees-side parishes in Yorks.. Most of the registers outside of the modern Co Durham (e.g., Northumberland registers) are not held at DCRO, but DCRO often hold microfilm records of these. You should check with DCRO to see if they hold the parish rego's that interest you, or else who does.

See http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/Pages/home.aspx
especially http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/Pages/Parishregisters.aspx

Thanks mgnv will do