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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Herefordshire => England => Herefordshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: M_ONeill on Wednesday 10 July 19 10:46 BST (UK)
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Hello all,
In researching the SMALLMAN/SMALMAN family of Monkhopton and Ditton Priors in South Shropshire, I've come across 4 marriages by license and I'd very much like to see any associated bonds/allegations.
These records are held on Microfilm at the Herefordshire Archive and Record Centre at Fir Tree Lane, Rotherwas, Hereford. As I am currently living abroad and cannot visit myself, I was wondering if someone local could do me a massive favour and visit on my behalf.
I've been in touch with the archives and have already confirmed that two of the four marriages do indeed have associated documentation in the collection. They couldn't confirm the third, as they didn't have an open shelf index for the period immediately to hand, but they couldn't see why it wouldn't be covered, and the fourth is more of a long shot, but does fall under the period covered by the collection.
The two marriages with confirmed documentation are:
- Thomas Norrys and Sarah Smallman, married by License: 17th February 1795 in Much Wenlock
- Andrew Dodd and Ann Smallman, married by License: 30th March 1797 in Much Wenlock
The marriage with probable documentation is:
- Richard Davies and Mary Smallman, married by License: 17th September 1787 in Much Wenlock
The long shot with possible documentation is:
- William Smalman and Susannah Holland, married by License: 12th July 1762 in Ditton Priors
The archives tell me that the microfilm records can either be printed out or saved on a memory stick. If someone is kind enough to visit who hasn't been before, be aware that you need a CARN access card or name and address identification to obtain one at the reception.
Hopefully someone can help me out, if so I'd be incredibly grateful! :)
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These films are on www.familysearch.org.
You can view them at home.
You will need to ‘sign in’. If you haven’t already registered, it’s easy and free!
They will be the same films as at the RO.
To find them, go to ‘Search’ at the top of any page on familysearch.
A menu will come up. Usually when searching familysearch for births, deaths and marriages, we see the ‘Records’ part of this menu but you need to click on ‘Catalogue’.
In the box that comes up put Herefordshire and select.
You will then get a long list of all the records for Herefordshire they hold.
Go down to ‘Church Records’ (35 items) and select it.
Halfway down this page is ‘Marriage Licence Books and Bonds 1660 - 1909’.
There are then about 100 films in this section.
In the dates you were looking at, each film seems to cover a couple of years - eg, 1786 & 1787.
That is the good news.
The not so good news is that each film has about 1200 pages, they are not indexed, and they don’t seem to follow in any particular order. for example, you can find, say, some allegations for Feb 1797, and think you’re nearly at March 1797, then it goes to September 1797, or even back to December 1796!
I think they must have just been in bundles, and were filmed just as they came.
I searched for a couple of hundred pages in each year you gave, but didn’t come across the ones you mention.
So it looks as if you would need to plough through the whole film(s) to find the ones you want.
The images on the films are not correlated to any marriage that comes up on the ordinary ‘records’ section of familysearch.
This would be a huge job to search the films for anyone visiting the RO.
I wonder if the ‘index’ you say they have looked at for your first 2 marriages actually gives the frame number in the respective film? It might be worth an ask.
I did come across one Smallman - that of a Robert Smallman and Elizabeth Whitefoot 30 Dec 1796. Marriage at Burford. 2 images. If you want to send me a Personal Message here on Rootschat with you email address, I can email them to you, (you can’t do attachments on the PM system on here).
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Hey Goldie,
Thanks for the reply! I didn’t realise that there would be quite so many records in the files so it makes much more sense to look for them online.
However I don’t seem to be able to access the records on Family Search. It seems like you need an LDS church account or to go to a family centre in person.
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Hey Goldie,
Thanks for the reply! I didn’t realise that there would be quite so many records in the files so it makes much more sense to look for them online.
However I don’t seem to be able to access the records on Family Search. It seems like you need an LDS church account or to go to a family centre in person.
I managed to look at them today just on my own personal account - not an LDS church account, or at an LDS centre.
Do you have an account?
What is happening when you try to access them? Does the film come up with a 'locked' symbol next to it?
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I have just tried to access them from home on my account and am getting the padlock symbol against them.
It is not unknown for images on FS to be available one day and locked the next I have a similar situation with some Sussex records, you may have to keep trying. Have you tried it again this morning goldie61
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I have just tried to access them from home on my account and am getting the padlock symbol against them.
It is not unknown for images on FS to be available one day and locked the next I have a similar situation with some Sussex records, you may have to keep trying. Have you tried it again this morning goldie61
It's evening here now (your morning) - I tried my am (last night uk time).
Maybe as it's a US site, we'd have to figure out the time differences! My brain hurts just thinking about 3 different time zones to consider! :)
Will have another go tomorrow.
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I'm in Germany, so it's possible that the content is geo-locked depending on where you are.
For me, I see the 'camera and key' icon, which I believe mean that the records are online but only available for church accounts and at Family History Centres.
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I can't imagine why they'd block records geographically?
I'm on the other side of the world but got access.
Another option - there must be LDS Centres in Germany too.
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goldie61 Are you able to access it now
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goldie61 Are you able to access it now
Again been able to view these this morning here (uk evening).
Had another bit of a look through, but didn't find the ones you wanted.
I found some of the year dates don't even tally with what's on the film - making it even more difficult!
If nobody volunteers to go and look for you, and you can't access the films on familysearch, and if Herefordshire Archives have an 'index', would it be too expensive to get them to copy the pertinent licence for you? Sometimes I have had to go down that route when all else has failed!