Medway Ancestors

Medway Ancestors is Medway Council's project to publish images of the original parish registers in its custody on the Medway Archives web site CityArk. The registers are held on deposit from the local parish churches and cover the Rochester Archdeaconry area, extending from Dartford and Gravesend in the west to Rainham in the east and focusing on the Medway Towns.

The project has been made possible by a grant of £49,500.00 by the Heritage Lottery Fund under the Your Heritage scheme. Below you will find links to the parish register images, arranged by parish in alphabetical order.

How to use Medway Ancestors.

1. Click on your desired parish link from the list of parishes below. This will produce a collection report listing all the parish records, including registers, for your chosen parish;
2. the collection report will load, containing a string of document descriptions, each one describing and corresponding to an original parish register or sometimes another document from your chosen parish;
3. scroll this resulting collection report to identify the individual register whose contents you wish to view. Take care to note the covering dates of each register;
4. click the view images button in the description corresponding to your chosen register;
5. a list of image links will appear (each image usually comprising one double page from the register);
6. either click each image link in turn to work through the register or click files selectively judging which files to click based on the covering dates given in the register description (see (iii) above);
7. having finished with an open image file, either close it down to return automatically to your last list of image links OR toggle back to the list by clicking the previous button in your active task bar. You may now select a new image file OR click the back button on your navigation bar once to return to your last parish collection report to view another register from the same parish, OR twice to select a new parish (i.e. from this page).
8. NB please take care to scroll to the bottom of a collection report to ensure you have found all “view images” buttons. Some registers are listed towards the end of a report because they are recent deposits.

Printing images

For guidance on printing images from the CityArk imagebase, please click here

Help in using parish registers in Medway Ancestors

NB in working through the register images, please note composite registers of the period 1558-1753 and combined baptism and burial registers of the period 1754-1812 were often compiled in an erratic order, at the discretion of different clergy and parish officers. Baptisms e.g. do not necessarily occur in strict date order, are often combined with burials (before 1813) and marriages (before 1754) and sometimes occur in separate parts of the same register.

In some early registers pages were written up or bound in such a way that on progressing through a volume, pages and entries appear upside down. Where such instances occur in Medway Ancestors, this is not a failure in quality control but the result of filming registers as bound. Inconvenient though this is, it actually avoids confusion as to register composition and accidental omission of pages by camera operators. By copying images into MS Photo Editor or similar software, such images can be rotated.

Such erratic orderings have in some cases been further confused by inexpert contemporary rebinding. Consequently, users should be careful to methodically check all images in a collection report before assuming an entry isn't present in a given register or moving on to a different parish. Baptism and burial registers had to be separate from 1813 and marriages from 1754. Use of printed format baptism and burial registers only became obligatory in 1813 and for marriages in 1754.

Sequences of baptism, marriage and burial registers are discontinued after varying dates because of non-deposit of records, church closure or churchyard closure.

In keeping with HMSO guidance we aim not to include marriages from within the last 50 years (see bottom of page) but some marriage registers prior to 1955 have in any case not been deposited.

Burials may be missing from a particular parish collection altogether or, where they do exist, are discontinued after a certain date because many 19th. Century urban churches were built without their own burial grounds, burials taking place in the newly established municipal burial grounds instead. Where burial registers exist for a parish but are discontinued after a certain date, it should be assumed burials had transferred to a municipal cemetery or more recently that a cremation may have taken place. Staff will be happy to advise on past burials in municipal cemeteries or cremations on application.

Medway Ancestors includes a few parish funeral registers which are non-statutory and informal parish records containing records of cremations, burials of ashes or burials in municipal cemeteries and some service registers many of which record funerals in the parent church or a crematorium chapel and which in the former case are subject to deposit or survival and in the later case are outwith the present project.

We are planning to include images of the municipal cemetery burial registers for Rochester, Strood, Chatham and Gillingham in the CityArk imagebase in due course. Cemetery records for Dartford are held by Dartford Borough Council and for Gravesend by Gravesham Borough Council and are outwith the scope of the project. We are calling it the Way of Death project and are currently seeking sponsorship.

Further useful background information on parish registers can be found in the Manchester and Lancashire Family History Society web site.

Abbreviations used

• C Christenings i.e. baptisms
• M Marriages
• B Burials

Street scenes

Would you like to see views of the towns, villages and streets where your ancestors lived? Yes? Then why not look at the Couchman Collection online? Please click here and use our parish maps, see below.

Parish maps

For customers lacking a copy of The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers please note several maps are published on CityArk to help you identify the relevant parish:

• Medway area (i.e. Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Hoo Peninsula or eastern end of Rochester Archdeaconry) area:
  click here
• Dartford, Gravesend and Cobham area, showing parishes at the western end of the Rochester Archdeaconry area:
  click here
• See also Kent Archaeological Society parish map

Caveat and disclaimer.

Customers wishing to reproduce, print-off, download or publish images from this database or imagebase may require the permission of the owner of the Copyright of the original records. Publication by Medway Council of this database or imagebase does not imply a right on the part of the user to reproduce, print-off, download or publish the images or absolve the user from the need to obtain permission to reproduce items subject to Copyright. Medway Council has obtained permission from Copyright owners to reproduce images in this database or imagebase without prejudice to wider Copyright. Strictly no commercial or organisational reproduction, printing-off, downloading or publication of the images in this imagebase may be undertaken without the prior consent of Medway Council or the owner of the Copyright of the original records. No separate or independent databases or imagebases derived from this imagebase may be created for organisational or commercial purposes without the express permission of Medway Council or the Copyright owners. Where downloading of images is permissible it may only be done for reasons of private study. Private study is defined by the Patent Office and the definition is incorporated in the relevant legislation.

Medway Ancestors Imagebase: list of parishes, in alphabetical order

• [Allhallows, see Hoo Allhallows]
• Ash next Ridley, St. Peter and St. Paul 1563-1997 (P8) click here
• [Birling, Lower, see also Snodland, below]
• Birling, Lower, Christ Church baptisms and marriages 1893-1969 (P29C) click here
• [Borstal, see also Rochester, St. Margaret]
• Borstal, St. Matthew baptisms 1879-1969 and marriages 1902-1954 (P305B) click here
• Bredhurst, St. Peter CMB 1546-1954 (P44) click here
• [Brompton, New, see Gillingham St. Augustine, Gillingham St. Barnabas, Gillingham St. Luke and Gillingham St. Mark]
• [Brompton, Old see also Gillingham St. Mary Magdalene and Gillingham, St. Mark]
• Brompton, Old, Holy Trinity baptisms 1848-1953, marriages 1849-1953 and burials in municipal cemeteries 1920-1925 (P153D) click here
• Brompton, Chatham Garrison Church (the Garrison Church of St. Barbara), Maxwell Road, Brompton baptisms 1847-1977 and marriages 1933-1955 (NP153D) click here
• Burham, St. Mary the Virgin CMB 1627-1981 (P52) click here
• Chalk, St. Mary the Virgin CMB 1661-1940 (P77) click here
• [Chatham, see also Luton, below]
• Chatham, All Saints baptisms (including Medway Poor Law Union Workhouse Chapel, described as Holy Trinity Church, County Hospital after 1931) 1899-1942 and marriages 1914-1954 (P85H) click here
• Chatham, St. John the Divine, Baptisms 1853-1969 and marriages 1853-1954 (P85B) click here
• Chatham, St. Mary the Virgin CMB 1568-1974 (P85) click here
• Chatham, St. Paul baptisms 1855-1975 and marriages 1855-1954 (P85C) click here
• Chatham, St. Philip (Wayfield) and St. James (Walderslade) baptisms 1950-1962 and marriages 1951-1956 (P85F) click here
  [See also Chatham, St. William's Church, Walderslade, below]
• Chatham, St. Stephen baptisms 1935-1980 and marriages 1942-1954 (P85E) click here
• Chatham, St. William (Walderslade Village) (previously Chatham, St. Philip and St. James, see above) baptisms 1960-1973 (P85G) click here
• Cliffe-at-Hoo, St. Helen CMB 1558-1980 (P94) click here
• Cobham, St. Mary Magdalene CMB 1655-1995 (P96) click here
• Cooling, St. James CMB 1707-1977 (P98) click here
• Crockenhill, All Souls baptisms 1852-1940 and marriages 1853-1954 (P139B) click here
• Cuxton, St. Michael and All Angels CMB 1560-1992 and parish customal 1631-1901 (P108) click here
• Darenth, St. Margaret of Antioch CMB 1696-1976 (P109) click here
• Dartford, Christchurch baptisms 1910-1970 and marriages 1910-1954 (P110B) click here
• Dartford, Holy Trinity CMB 1561-1984 (P110) click here
• Dartford, St. Alban the Martyr baptisms 1903-1982, marriages 1903-1954, burials 1903-1910 and funerals 1923-1937 (P110C) click here
• Dartford, St. Edmund King and Martyr baptisms 1956-1999 (P110D) click here
• Fawkham, St. Mary the Virgin CMB 1568-1983 (P147) click here
• Frindsbury, All Saints CMB 1669-1959 (P150) click here
• [Galley Hill, see also Swanscombe]
• Galley Hill, All Saints, baptisms 1885-1946 and marriages 1895-1954 (P362C) click here
• [Gillingham: see also Brompton (Old), Hempstead, Lidsing, Rainham and Twydall]
• [Gillingham, Holy Trinity, see Twydall, Holy Trinity, below]
• Gillingham, South baptisms 1983-1991 (P153I) click here
  [See also Rainham, St. Margaret and Wigmore, St. Matthew, below]
• Gillingham, St. Augustine baptisms 1917-1976 and marriages 1917-1954 (P153H) click here
• Gillingham, St. Barnabas baptisms 1890-1969 and marriages 1892-1954 (P153F) click here
• Gillingham, St. Luke the Evangelist (P153G) click here
• Gillingham, St. Mark baptisms 1863-1952 and marriages 1866-1954 (P153E) click here
• Gillingham, St. Mary Magdalene CMB 1558-1967 (P153) click here
• [See also Lidsing, St. Mary Magdalene's Chapel of Ease]
• [Grain, Isle of, see St. James at Grain]
• [Grain, St. James, see St. James at Grain]
• Gravesend, Holy Family baptisms 1959-1977 (P159E) click here
• Gravesend, St. Aidan baptisms 1955-1990 (P159D) click here
• [Gravesend, St. Andrew’s Mission Church, East Street, Gravesend, see under Milton next Gravesend below.]
• Gravesend, St. George CMB 1547-1951 (P159) click here
• Gravesend St. James baptisms 1852-1967 and marriages 1852-1954 (P159B) click here
• Gravesend, St. Luke's Mission Church, Wrotham Road, Gravesend baptisms 1900-1905 (P159) click here
• Gravesend, St. Mary baptisms 1905-1946 and marriages 1913-1954 (P159C) click here
• [Greenhithe, see also Swanscombe]
• Greenhithe, St. Mary the Virgin baptisms 1857-1967 and marriages 1858-1954 (with burials of Greenhithe people in Swanscombe, Stone and Southfleet Churchyards and Gravesend and Dartford municipal cemeteries 1925-1946) (P362B) click here
• Halling, St. John the Baptist CMB 1705-1988 (P165) click here
• Hartley, All Saints CMB 1712-2003 (P174) click here
• Hempstead, All Saints marriages 1950-1954 (P153J) click here
  [See also Gillingham, above]
• [Hextable, St. Peter, no registers deposited or scanned. See also Swanley St. Mary and Swanley St. Paul. (Hextable forms part of the parish of Swanley St. Paul and Hextable, St. Peter)]
• Higham with Merston [sic]: St. Mary's Church, Church Street, Lower Higham and St. John's Church, Hermitage Lane, Upper Higham (established 1862) CMB 1653-1973 (P185) [NB the name Merston is symbolic and pertains to the abandoned medieval village of that name for which no parish records survive] click here
• High Halstow, St. Margaret CMB 1653-1957 (P167) click here;
• Hoo Allhallows, All Saints CMB 1629-1976 (P188) click here
• [Hoo, Cliffe-at-, see Cliffe-at-Hoo]
• Hoo, St. Mary CMB 1695-1978 (P189) click here
• Hoo, St. Werburgh CMB 1587-1987 (P190) click here;
• Horton Kirby, St. Mary CMB 1671-1991 (P193) click here
• Ifield [cf. Singlewell], St. Margaret 1751-1954 (P201) click here
• [Istead Rise, St. Barnabas, no registers deposited or scanned. This parish was formed in 1957 out of Ifield parish]
• [Lidsing, see also Gillingham]
• Lidsing [cf. Lydsing], St. Mary Magdalene's Chapel-of-Ease CMB 1840-1876 (P153C) click here
• Longfield, St. Mary Magdalene CMB 1757-1972 (P231) click here (all uploaded except for P231/1/2, pending)
• [Lower Birling, see Birling, Lower and Snodland]
• Luddesdown [cf. Luddesdowne], St. Peter and St. Paul CMB 1681-1995 (P235) click here
• [Luton, see also Chatham]
• Luton, Christ Church baptisms 1852-1960 and marriages 1853-1954 (P85D) click here
• [Lydsing, see Lidsing]
• Meopham, St. John the Baptist CMB 1561-1991 (P246) click here
• [Merston, see Higham with Merston [sic]
• Milton next Gravesend, Christchurch baptisms 1857-1968 and marriages 1857-1954 (P252C) click here
• Milton next Gravesend, Holy Trinity baptisms 1845-1962 and marriages 1845-1954 (P252B) click here
• Milton next Gravesend, St. Andrew’s Mission Church baptisms 1865-1970 (P252B) click here
• Milton next Gravesend, St. Peter and St. Paul CMB 1558-1938 (P252) click here
• [New Brompton see Gillingham St. Augustine, Gillingham St. Barnabas, Gillingham St. Luke and Gillingham St. Mark]
• [Northfleet, see also Perry Street and Rosherville]
• Northfleet, St. Botolph CMB 1539-1955 (P270) click here
• Nurstead [cf. Nursted], St. Mildred CMB 1561-1997 (P272) click here
• [Old Brompton, see Brompton, Old (1848-1950), Gillingham, St. Mary Magdalene pre-1848 and Gillingham St. Mark post 1950]
• [Perry Street, see also Northfleet and Rosherville]
• Perry Street (Northfleet), All Saints baptisms 1871-1989 and marriages 1871-1954 (P270C) click here
• [Prince's Park, Christ the King, Prince's Avenue, Walderslade, Chatham: no registers deposited or scanned. See also Luton.]
• Rainham, St. Margaret of Antioch CMB 1592-1983 (P296) click here
  [See also Twydall, Holy Trinity, below]
• Ridley, St. Peter and St. Paul CMB 1625-1997 (P299) click here
• Rochester, Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary CMB 1657-1994 (DRc/S) click here
• Rochester, St. Andrew see Rochester St. Peter and St. Andrew below
• Rochester, St. Justus baptisms 1948-1960 and funerals and cremations 1965-1980 (P305C) click here
• [Rochester, St. Margaret, see also Borstal]
• Rochester, St. Margaret of Antioch CMB 1653-1983 (P305) click here
• Rochester, St. Nicholas of Myra CMB 1624-1950 (P306) click here
• Rochester, St. Peter CMB 1860-1973 and Rochester, St. Andrew baptisms 1890-1973 (P305D) click here
• [Rosherville, see also Northfleet and Perry Street]
• Rosherville, St. Mark baptisms 1853-1962 and marriages 1853-1954 (P270B) click here
• Shorne, St. Peter and St. Paul CMB 1538-1996 (P336) click here
• [Singlewell, see Ifield]
• [Snodland, see also Birling, Lower]
• Snodland, All Saints CMB 1559-1966 (P342) click here
• Southfleet, St. Nicholas of Myra CMB 1558-1932 (P343) click here
• St. James at Grain CMB 1653-1981 (P314) click here
• [St. Mary Hoo, see Hoo, St. Mary]
• [St. Mary's Island Church, Chatham Maritime, Gillingham. This church now forms part of St. Mark's Parish, Gillingham but was previously part of St. Luke's Parish, Gillingham. No registers deposited or scanned.]
• [St. Werburgh's Hoo, see Hoo, St. Werburgh]
• Stoke, St. Peter and St. Paul CMB 1666-1906 (P350) click here
• Stone next Dartford, St. Mary the Virgin CMB 1718-1995 (P352) click here
• Strood, St. Francis of Assisi baptisms 1941-1967 (P150E) click here
• Strood, St. Mary the Virgin baptisms 1869-1993 and marriages 1869-1955 (P150D) click here
• Strood, St. Nicholas of Myra CMB 1565-1977 (P150B) click here
• [Sutton at Hone, see also Swanley St. Paul and Swanley St. Mary]
• Sutton at Hone, St. John the Baptist CMB 1607-1962 (P358) click here
• [Swanley, see also Sutton at Hone]
• Swanley [Village], St. Paul baptisms 1852-1969 and marriages 1861-1954 (P358B) click here
• Swanley [Junction], St. Mary the Virgin baptisms 1902-1983 and marriages 1902-1954 (P358C) click here
• [Swanscombe, see also Galley Hill and Greenhithe above]
• Swanscombe, St. Peter and St. Paul CMB 1559-1967 (P362) click here
• Twydall, Holy Trinity baptisms 1954-1976 (P153K) click here
  [See also Rainham, St. Margaret and Gillingham, above]
• Upnor, St. Philip and St. James baptisms 1878-1983 and marriages 1878-1955 (P150C) click here
• [Walderslade (Chatham), see Chatham St. Philip and St. James and Chatham St. William, above]
• Wigmore, St. Matthew baptisms 1931-1991 and marriages 1952-1954 (P153I) click here
  [See also Gillingham, South and Rainham, St. Margaret, above]
• Wilmington, St. Michael and All Angels CMB 1683-1996 (P397) click here
• Wouldham, All Saints CMB 1538-1954 (P405) click here

Status report:

• P342/1/1 Snodland composite register 1560 - 1680 (awaiting conservation, repair, filming and scanning).

NB marriage index to Medway Ancestors 1837-1911

[Note on Civil Registration marriage registers after 1 July 1837 and Medway Ancestors Following the publication on the HMSO web site (click here) of revised guidance on the copying of marriage registers the Medway Ancestors project has now been extended to include marriage registers from 1 July 1837 - 31 December 1953. Paragraph 3 confirms that the chief officer of a Diocesan Record Office is permitted to issue a marriage certificate. Paragraph 5 states The Marriage Act and the Parochial Registers and Records Measure permits [sic] the making of certified copies of marriage certificates and the copying of marriage registers [Borough Archivist's underlining] by those persons listed in paragraph 3 above and paragraph 6 includes as copying the placing of material on the internet. (Medway Archives is recognised by the Bishop of Rochester as the Diocesan Record Office for the Rochester Archdeaconry area and the parishes of Burham and Wouldham under the Measure and The Borough Archivist is de facto the chief officer also under the Measure.)]

File updated by Borough Archivist 3 June 2008