Baptisms, marriages and burial registers

The historic baptism, marriage and burial registers of Rochester Cathedral are a part of the archives of the Dean & Chapter of Rochester Cathedral held at  Medway Archives in Strood (DRc/S1-5 and S21). Records survive from shortly after the requirement became law in the mid-seventeenth century.

This post features in our Colonial and Military series available through the Heritage page. For an introduction to the series see Rochester Cathedral and the British Empire.

The earliest register records just 15 years from 1657 to 1672, after which a subsequent register is missing. Comprehensive records up to the present day begin in 1694 , even that of Susanna, daughter of the Rev. Walter Frank, & Christian his wife, who was baptised 9th June 1742 in the Parish Church of St. Nicolas ‘while the Cathedral was repairing & beautifying’. In 1768 the sacrist Rev. Richard Dene made a copy of both surviving earlier registers and began a new register which was in use until 1813 (DRc/S3). From this date baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded in seperate registers.

The historic baptism, marriage and burial registers have been digitised by Medway Archives (available online DRc/S1, DRc/S2, DRc/S3 and DRc/S21).

Services have generally been restricted to those resident within the Precinct. The earliest registers are full of intruiging records: of a foreign ‘prince’, military men from the local Chatham dockside, clergy and of men, women and children from many walks of life.

‘Melior May the Daughter of George May Esq was the first that was Baptised in the ffont Jannario the 20 – 1669’. Little is known of the site of this font, which was replaced in the 18th century and again in the 19th.

The date of birth as well as baptism is often recorded. It was common for both to occur on the same day, particularly when there seemed to be a danger the child might not survive. Occasionally even those born but not baptised are recorded: ‘Robert, Son of Mr George Fisher, born & baptized June 11, 1698. … Jane, twin, a Daughter, born but not baptized.’ Early records reveal adult baptisms were not uncommon: Martha Mancleloe was ‘about 20 years old)’ when baptized October 29, 1729.’

Baptism records are almost exclusively those of children from wedded couples, although occasional discrepencies in surnames of parents hint at adoption, scandal or births of unwed servants. In the case of the latter the head of the household was often recorded: ‘Joseph & John, both born Twins, of Mary Hubbard, Servant to Mr Gillman, by John Carman, his man, born & baptized December 20, 1697.’

Burial registers occasionally specify interment ‘in ye body of ye church’. Most other early burials are presumed to have been within the churchyard to the north of the Cathedral, and later within the area outside the west front and eventually into a portion of the castle moat. From the nineteenth century a small parcel of Cathedral property near Priestfields was used for Cathedral clergy and staff of which many are present throughout the records: Anthony Hogg ‘one of the Singingmen ‘ was interred in the Cathedral 28 of July 1667.’.

The earliest register is interspersed with pages of accounts recording payments for burials and expenses for various official duties.

From the end of the seventeenth century burial records include the reference ‘in Woollen’, refering to the statutory requirement to use English wool in burial shrouds specified by the Burying in Woollen Acts 1666–80.

A broad range of occupations are recorded. There is a distinct maritime heritage to many records, with sailors, a cordwainer, and ship-carpenter. Others include brick-layers, carpenters, . Several leuitenants feature, ‘Mons.r Labiniere Trelbey of the family of Dizia o the Province of Onege rare Admirall to the ffrench King was inter'd the 6th of May 1672’

There is a well-known story of the burial of a ‘Translyvanian Prince’ murdered close to the Cathedral, his interrment recorded in the earliest register.

J D Davies follows the story in a blog post Highways and Byways of the Seventeenth Century: the Prince of Transylvania (we won’t spoil the twist!).

On the 3rd December 1713, William Thompson, ‘a Black’, was baptised:

Neither parent, day of birth or estimated age being recorded suggests William may have been an infant born in servitude within the Precinct. William is the only baptism registered with this description, although in the same register DRc/S2 (which also contains marriages and burials), a burial of an Anthony Mumford on May 30th 1720 is similarly described in place of the typical record of occupation:

The transcription of the registers is ongoing – links are provided to complete registers below.

 

Jacob Scott and Jo Cali

Baptisms

Jump to: Marriages Burials


1657-1672

DRc/S1, see online facsimile and transcript


DateBaptisedFather/Sponsor
7th February 1657Bridgett BallardWilliam Ballard
10th November 1660Richard BallardWilliam Ballard
20th June 1661Ellina WoolgateStephen Woolgate
21st April 1663Isaac MathewesRichard Matthews
20th June 1664Sarah SampsonGeorge Sampson
20th January 1669Melior May1George May Esq.
17th October 1669John JoyThomas Joy2
28th May 1671Rebacca Lyra3Dr John Codd4
13th June 1671Charles May5George May
26th June 1671John WyvellJohn Wyvell6
10th November 1672John GambullJohn Gambull
24th November 1672ffrancis PunterGeorge Punter


1694-1768

DRc/S2, see online facsimile


DateBaptisedParents/Sponsor
13th Nov 1694Anne AxeJames and Mary Axe
6th Aug 1695Mary GillmanJohn and Anne Gillman
18th Aug 1695Thomas GarnerAugustine and Margar Garner
5th Feb 1695Nayler ffisherCapt. Thomas and Susanna ffisher
9th Feb 1695Robert HutchinsJames and Margaret Hutchins
6th Mar 1695Benjamin HeaitEdward and Susanne Heait
16th Jun 1696Sarah Solway George7 and Jane Solway8
16th Aug 1696Henry WashingtonHenry Washington
20th Sep 1696Laetitia Gamball
7th Jan 1696Rose Wickers
19th Jun 1697William Axe
30th Jul 1697Elisabeth Hutchins
21st Sep 1697Elizabeth Sheaff
1697Robert CrewJohn and Martha Crew
1697John GillmanJohn and Anne Gilman
1697Anne HeaitEdward and Susanne Heait
1697Joseph and John Hubbard9John Carman and Mary Hubbard
1698John Gamball John and Anne Gamball
1698Robert ffisherGeorge ffisher
1698Mary SlaughterWilliam and Mary Slaughter
1698Thomas GilmanJohn and Anne Gilman
1698Patience HartleyWilliam and Elizabeth Hartley
1698William and Elizabeth OliverSamuell and Elizabeth Oliver
1698Sarah NewbyGeorge and Sarah Newby
1699Mary Fisher Lieut. George and Elizabeth Fisher
1699Mary AxeJames Axe
1699Harry GilmanJohn and Anne Gilman
1699Susanna HeaiteEdward and Anne Haite
1700Jane Gamball John Gamball Jnr. and Anne Gamball
1700Richard GilmanJohn and Anne Gilman
1701Frances SheaffRichard Sheaff
1701Robert GamballJohn and Anne Gamball
1701Jacob Rolt Jacob and Agnes Rolt
1701William FurnerJames and Jane Furner
1701Elizabeth HugbonLieut. John and Mary Thompson
1702Mary ThompsonLieut. John and Mary Thompson
1703Samuell Sheaf Richard Sheaf
1703Robert GillmanJohn and Anne Gillman
1703Elizabeth GamballJohn and Anne Gamball
1703Frances AxeJames Axe
1704Thomas WrenGeorge and Susanna Wren
1705Samuel SheafRichard Sheaf
1706Catherine WhiteWilliam and Grace White
1706Carolina WrenGeorge and Susanne Wren
1706Sarah Sheaf
1707John Axe
1707Margaret Rolt
1707Mary Barrell
1708Herman Sheaf
1709Mary Roult
1709Susanna Wren
1709Robert Pickering
1709Anne Spain
1710Anne Sheaf
1710Elizabeth Pickering
1710Anne Wren
1711Jane White
1711Edmund Sheaf
1711Sarah Spain
1712Jacob Rolt
1712Mary Rondeau
1712Thomas Osmotherly
1713John Spain
1713William Thompson*
1713William White
1716Elizabeth Spain
1716Sarah Rondeau
1717Elizabeth Rolt
1717John James
1718Elizabeth Rondeau
1719Anne James
1719William Dormer
1720Thomas Rondeau
1721Mary Tickell
1722Elizabeth Hull*
1722James Hodges
1723Charles Birkbeck
1723Thomas Tickell
1723Deborah Dormer
1723Ann Harris
1723Elizabeth Jones
1724Elizabeth Jacobs
1724Susanna Bilson
1725Henry Booker[?]
1725John Rondeau
1725Alexander James
1725James Hales
1725Martha Parfect
1726Esther Bilson
1726Ralph Bishop
1726David Jones
1726Susanna Rondeau
1726Ann Bilson
1727Bennet Parfect
1727Sarah Lashly*
1727Mary James
1727Jane Hayes
1727Rebecca Rondeau
1727Henrietta Jemima Lock
1728Henry Jones
1728Elizabeth Lowder/Bainam
1729Mary Hayes
1729Martha Mancleloe[?]*
1729Susanna Hales
1729Amelia Rondeau
1730/1Abigail Maria James
1731James Cobham Hayes
1732Abigail Maria James
1732Richard Cobham Hayes
1732Susanna Radborne
1734Mary Hickman
1736Mary Frank
1737George Hickman
1737Walter Frank
1737Elizabeth Stubbs[?]
1738Richard Cobham Serby[?]
1738/9Mary Pratt
1739Susanna Burges
1739Sarah Stubbs
1740Jane Frank
1740Ellen [?]
1740Mary Wade
1741William Stubbs
1741Anne Howland
1741Susanna Frank[?]
1742Catherine Hayes
1742Maria Kirchel[?]
1743Hannah Lloyd*
1744Elizabeth Frank
1744George Nicholls
1745Edward Stubbs
1746James Gardner
1746John Goldsmith Wade
1747Robert Booker[?]
1747Sarah [?]
1748Robert West
1749William Stubbs
1750John Harrison
1751Thomas Sacket[?]
1752Martha Bayley
1753Eason Harrison
1754Joseph Howe
1754Mary Warns
1755 [?]
1755Elizabeth [?]
1756William Rogers
1756Edward [?]
1756Elizabeth Howe
1757Mary Bramsby[?]
1758John Howe
1759James Billfoure[?]
1760Philip Stone
1761John Daniel
1761George Gransbury
1761Frances Howe
1763Deborah Turner
1764Thomas Nigsell[?]
1764John Boghurst
1766Jane Boghurst
1768James Osborn Hymase[?]


1657-1810

DRc/S3, see online facsimile


1813-1994

DRc/S21, see online facsimile



Marriages


1669, 1670, 1677

DRc/S1, see online facsimile and transcript

1695-1768

DRc/S2, see online facsimile

1695-1754

DRc/S3, see online facsimile

Burials


1661-1672

DRc/S1, see online facsimile and transcript


DateBuriedOccupation
3rd June 1661Ann Barrell
14th Sep 1661Joane Lee
21st Oct 1661Cossuma Albertus*
31st Oct 1661Richard Holden
11th Dec 1661Thomas Case
28th Dec 1661Joane Edwards
11th Nov 1661Mary Petty
1662John Cod
14th Mar 1663Benjamyn Crumpe
26th Apr 1665Mary Codd
13th Jul 1665Elizabeth Lorkin
24th Oct 1665David Denn
4th Oct 1666Henery Denn
16th Jan 1667John Lorkin
28th July 1668Anthony Hogg
21st Sep 1669Christopher Wyvell
27th May 1669Humphrey Lorkin
28th Aug 1666Melior Heblethwayte
26th May 1670John Wyvell
30th Sep 1670Robert Rose
26th Dec 1670Richard Barrell
18th Jul 1671Ann May
20th Oct 1671Laurance Gascoyne
14th Nov 1671John Petty
6th May 1672Rabiniere Trelboy
5th Aug 1672Elizabeth Cobham
26th Sep 1672Gartrude Codd
3rd Oct 1672Dr. John Codd

1695-1757

DRc/S2: Facsimile

DateBuriedSacrist
1695Catherine Lauder
1695James Thurston
1695Capt, John Thornbury
1695James Jervaise
1696Elisabeth Pigeon
1696William Gamball
1696Jane Solway
1696Sarah Solway
1696Robert Hutchins
1696Mary Gilman
1696Martha Batten
1696Mary Johnson
1696Elizabeth Cowly
1696Rose Wickers
1697Sarah Huggins
1697Brockel Smith
1697Joseph and John Hubbard
1697Joanna Parker
1697John Travers
1698William Richards
1698Martha Lun
1698Robert ffisher
1698Henry Sharp
1698Anne Gamball
1698Katherine Warner
1698William Oliver
[Incomplete]

1661-1812

DRc/S3): Facsimile



Footnotes


1 ‘the first that was baptized in the ffont.’

2 ‘of this Precinct.’

3 ‘about nyneteene years old’

4 ‘eldest son of…’

5 ‘vicar of ffriendsbury in Kent.’

6 ‘ye posthumous daughter of George Solway deceased…’

7 ‘ut fertur’ (‘so it is said’)

8 ‘Base born Twins of Mary Hubbard Servt. to Mr. Gilman (by John Carman his man)’

9 ‘At the same time a daughter was Born but not Baptized.’