Parish Records at the local Parish Office

[jc26red]

Anyone had much experience visiting the Church (CofE) to search for records?

After exhausting online offerings, I usually use the local records office but as the church in question is extremely near to where I live, I decided to go and have a walk round the cemetery. No obvious headstone but still took some photos.  So today, I visited the Parish Office who, quote their website, will look up the parish records for a small fee... OK, I can accept a small fee.

Small fee turned out to be £30 per search!... "Oh we don't set the price, the government does" 
So I asked if there were any other copies elsewhere,at the local records office perhaps... the parish clerk clearly didn't know I knew there would be 3 copies... "Oh no, only the one copy and that is held by the Church here."
Extremely dismayed with the response, I declined the search, but she must have seen the look on my face and took a copy of the name and date I was looking for and said she would ask the vicar nicely to see if the deceased was there, but emphasized they don't set the fees.  Well I KNOW the deceased is in the Churchyard somewhere, I just don't have the exact date and would like to take a photo of the plot for the person I'm trying to do the favour for (they live in the USA)

Friday, I shall be visiting the local RO as their website clearly states they definitely have burial copies up to 1949.. all for FREE! and 50p for a photocopy of the image. Baptisms and marriage records are also at the RO and quite recent ones too!

sorry rant over, can't believe I wrote that without one single rude word.. ...
now where's the wine

Jenny

[arthurk]

Small fee turned out to be £30 per search!... "Oh we don't set the price, the government does" 

That is quite correct - see https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2018-11/Fees%20Table%202019%20A4%20all%20v3.0.pdf  But I agree that 'small' isn't really accurate.

I can't comment on the availability of records and copies etc for that particular church. However, do bear in mind that burial registers don't always record the exact location of a grave.

It's also occurred to me that the statutory fee is payable for a search in the register. If the church only has a copy or a transcript, then I think any fee would be negotiable. The same would apply to a churchyard plan, since that isn't a register.

[panda40]

I went with a cousin to locate the burial plot of our great grandparents. It was at a small country church with a very small church yard. The vicar met us after service and brought the plan of the cemetery with her. We identified the exact location, sadly no head stone. We gave a contribution to the church to cover her service but it was not a set amount.
I think it can sometimes be down to how helpful they want to be, sadly many of the small rural churches share a vicar and services and there is not always someone available to help these days.
Regards
Panda

[ainslie]

The Church of England is NOT the government!  But it does set fees for looking up registers, which vicars may or may not enforce, and for other things.

[jc26red]

Thank you for that ArthurK, I tried looking for the fees online but only found the Church of Wales which is £22

I agree £30 isn’t a small fee. I shall visit the RO instead, parking is free too. I have found them very good in the past and usually hold copies of the graveyard layout.

Panda, I would have happily made a voluntary contribution

Never mind, the Parish clerk has now been reminded of the RO holdings 
Jenny

[jc26red]

The Church of England is NOT the government!  But it does set fees for looking up registers, which vicars may or may not enforce, and for other things.

I know, that is the bit that got me.

[jc26red]

Makes my Durham Records Online sub seem very cheap..... I have definitely got my money’s worth out of that as I live down South and visiting is impossible.

[stanmapstone]

The Church of England is NOT the government!  But it does set fees for looking up registers, which vicars may or may not enforce, and for other things.

From A Guide to Church of England Parochial Fees
Parochial fees have been approved by the General Synod and Parliament; they are legally payable;
16. The incumbent/priest in charge also has a right, after consulting the churchwardens of the parish, to waive any fee payable to the PCC “in a particular case”. http://www.rootschat.com/links/01nk7/