Until Rose's Act came into law in 1812 the register was supposed to be filled in –
“And henceforth upon every Sabbath Day immediately after Morning or Evening Prayer the Minister and Churchwardens shall take the said Parchment Book out of the said Coffer, and the Minister in the presence of the Churchwardens shall write and record in the said Book the names of all persons christened together with the names and surnames of their parents, and also the names of all Persons married and buried in that Parish, in the week before, and the day and year of every such Christening, Marriage and Burial. And that done they shall lay up that Book in the Coffer as before; and the Minister and Churchwardens unto every page of that Book when it shall be filled with such inscriptions shall subscribe their names”
From 1812 the registers were supposed to be filled in as follows-
“That such Registers shall be kept in such separate Books aforesaid, and that every such Rector, Vicar, or Curate, or officiating Minister shall as soon as possible after the Solemnization of every Baptism, whether Private or Public, or Burial, respectively shall record and enter in a fair and legible Handwriting, in the proper Register Book to be provided, made, and kept at any said, the several Particulars described in the several Schedules herein before mentioned, and sign the same ; and in no Case, unless prevented by Sickness, or other unavoidable Impediment, later than within Seven Days after the Ceremony of any such Baptism or Burial shall have taken place”
Roses Act goes on to require that-
"XII. And be it further enacted, That when and so often the Copies of the said Register Books of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials as aforesaid, and also the said Lists of Births, Baptisms, Marriages, or Burials as aforesaid, shall be transmitted to the Office of the said Registrars respectively as aforesaid, pursuant to the Directions here-in before contained for that Purpose, the said Registrars shall respectively cause all the said Books and Lists to be safely and securely deposited, kept, and preserved from Damage or Destruction by Fire or otherwise, and to be carefully arranged for the Purpose of being resorted to as Occasion may require ; and the said Registrars respectively shall also cause correct alphabetical Lists to be made and kept in Books suitable to the Purpose, of the Names of all Persons and Places mentioned in such Books and Lists as shall have been transmitted to the said Registrars respectively, which alphabetical Lists and Books, and also Copies of Registers and Lists so transmitted to the said Registrars as aforesaid, shall be open to public Search at all reasonable Times on Payment of the usual Fees."
They should now be at the Diocese Archive.
Cheers
Guy