LDS Tops the Popularity Charts

Whatever your religious persuasion amongst genealogists one of the most popular groups of people are those of the Church of the Latter Day Saints, who have undertaken one of the largest projects ever conceived,.- to index and produce for use by genealogists everywhere, all the marriages and baptisms in the world - yes - all of them. The reason for this mammoth undertaking, and I apologise to LDS members for my simplicity, is to allow the retrospective baptisms of all Mormon family members whenever they were born.

The first product of their labours was the IGI or International Genealogical Index which is on microfiche. It is not complete by any means and there are a number of mistakes but it is of enormous value if you do not know the whereabouts of ancestors. Unfortunately not all Lincolnshire parishes are included and neither are all their registers. If however your search of the IGI does not produce the desired result at least, after checking those parishes and registers which are included, you can now concentrate your efforts on the excluded ones. The IGI has recently been updated with the new material being put onto a CD-ROM.

What can we find out by using the sources already mentioned? Let's look at the IGI and pick a name. Thomas Lilley the son of John and Mary Anne Lilley was baptised on the 12^th November 1820 at North Carlton. Other members of the family are also mentioned at North Carlton but we'll follow up on Thomas. By the time of the 1851 census Thomas, an agricultural labourer, aged 29, had married Sarah, who was born in St Pauls, Lincoln, and they live in North Carlton with their four children. In the preceding seven years or so they have moved around following the work. Moving from Carlton to Lincoln, St Nicholas then Nettleham and in the last couple of years back to Carlton where their youngest son George was born.

By the 1871 census Thomas and Sarah have settle permanently at North Carlton with five new members added to the family, the youngest being Thomas aged 4. Thomas senior is still an Ag Lab now aged 50. Twenty years later in 1891 Thomas is still at Carlton, but now on his own, a widower, with Elizabeth Wakefield from Scredington acting as his housekeeper. The final entry is from the North Carlton parish registers.

North Carlton Parish Register

30th August 1919

Thomas Lilley, of the Bede Houses in Burton by Lincoln buried. Aged 99 or 100.

Said he was born in the same year as Queen Victoria.

Baptised November l2th 1820.

You can see how easy it is from just these limited sources to build a picture of family life during the last century. Further investigation would unearth the maiden name of Sarah and her parents and more items of interest can be added using others sources such as the directories for Lincolnshire.

Bits & Bobs

Navenby Parish Register

Original Gabitus, Codder, buried August 10^th 1779.

A Codder was one who worked with leather such as a saddler; his name was Original,