Spittal

[fred111]

Please -  does anyone know whether Spittal, near Berwick is in the Durham Bishops Transcripts. If so, what should I look under?
Thanks
Liz

[JenB]

I think it will come under Tweedmouth http://www.genuki.bpears.org.uk/NBL/Tweedmouth/index.html

You will need to look in the Durham section of the site.

Jennifer

[fred111]

Thanks, Jen. I found them under Durham. Strange.
The problem is, that as soon as I began to search, I realised that I need the records for the United Presbyterian Church in Spittal. The baptisms I'm looking for are between 1789 and 1806.
have you any idea where I could look for those, I wonder?
Liz

[Preshous]

Hi Liz

Have you tried  http://www.bmdregisters.co.uk . Its a pay per view site but has a good search engine.

Gary

[JenB]

I found them under Durham. Strange.

They were under Durham because until the mid 1840's Tweedmouth lay within a small 'outlier' of County Durham known as 'Islandshire'. Births/marriages/deaths which took place there were registered in County Durham, and it also formed parts of County Durham in the 1841 Census. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islandshire

Other outliers of County Durham within Northumberland were Bedlingtonshire and Norhamshire.

These areas were transferred into the jurisdiction of Northumberland in 1844.

Jennifer

[fred111]

How fascinating, Jen. I wonder how ever that came to be. Thank you for that.
Gary, I've had a PM from a member who has the register. Thanks
Liz

[JenB]

it also formed parts of County Durham in the 1841 Census.

An interesting quirk thrown up by this is that someone born in, say, Tweedmouth and living there in 1841, shows on that census as 'born in County' - meaning that they were born in County Durham.
Someone born elsewhere in Northumberland, but living in Tweedmouth (i.e. in County Durham) in 1841 would show up on the census as 'not born in county', i.e. not born in County Durham.

Clear as mud? 

[Michael Dixon]

Adding a wee snippett to Jennifer's info...

If the Bishop of Durham's security was threatened, he could mobilise the militia in " North Durham" to defend North Durham or "south" Durham, before Northumberland. These lists of sort-of Home Guard men can be seen in the appropriate communities within web site  communities.northumberland.gov.uk
 ( in Mauscripts sections)

Michael

[fred111]

Jen - I love your mud
Michael - I love your Home Guard.
I am intrigued by the way studying a family tree brings up all these amazing historical facts.
I try to explain to people who have not yet ventured into genealogy that we go off onto fascinating tangents of local history and the way our ancestors lived.
Great Stuff.
Thanks to all Rootschatters who make this such a worthwhile and interesting site.
Liz