{"id":288,"date":"2019-08-24T16:21:53","date_gmt":"2019-08-24T16:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newtrial.qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=288"},"modified":"2026-01-20T21:38:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T21:38:17","slug":"getting-started","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=288","title":{"rendered":"Getting Started"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>&#8211; for the absolute beginner<\/strong>. The way to start your family history journey is the same for everyone, whether looking at a Quaker family or not, so please make sure you have worked through these steps.  <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-do-you-have-already\">What do you have already?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-large block-shadow-class\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"869\" src=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Archive_hitchin2-1024x869.jpg\" alt=\"SG_collection_Hitchin\" class=\"wp-image-1081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Archive_hitchin2-1024x869.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Archive_hitchin2-300x255.jpg 300w, https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Archive_hitchin2-768x652.jpg 768w, https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Archive_hitchin2.jpg 1444w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Family history treasures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group class\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group block-shadow-class has-background\" style=\"background-color:#c2d6c0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"were-my-ancestors-quakers-how-would-i-know\"><strong><em>Were my ancestors Quakers? <\/em><\/strong><em>How would I know?<\/em><\/h4>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"some-basic-giveaways\"><em>Some Basic  Giveaways.<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><em>odd looking dates &#8211; Quaker dating practices<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>use of &#8216;thee&#8217; and &#8216;thou&#8217; in correspondence &#8211; plain speech<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>affirmation  rather than swearing when proving wills<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>letters starting &#8216;Esteemed Friend&#8217; or more recently &#8216;Dear Friend&#8217;  and ending &#8216;In Friendship&#8217;<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>I can&#8217;t find a baptism &#8211; <\/em><strong><mark>\u26a0<\/mark><\/strong> <em>&#8211; not necessarily Quakers<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>records mention &#8216;meeting house&#8217;  &#8211; <\/em><mark><strong>\u26a0<\/strong><\/mark> <em>&#8211; <em>not necessarily Quakers<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><em>my Ancestor was baptised the same day he was married at a church -may be a disowned  or resigned Quaker who would need to be baptised before being married  in the Church of England<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=1035\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=1035\">The pre-1837 Quaker registers <\/a>are the easy to look at as images and transcriptions are available on-line (but there is a charge for all but a basic search). A good resource to quickly see if your family <strong>may<\/strong> have been Quakers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pennyghael.org.uk%2Fgedcom.htm&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C51cf9215f59a4d1920bf08d83c4f5a23%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637325658790865757&amp;sdata=YHIerguWKVydej8PhNSjFRntT347isej754dQh6U%2B%2BE%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Charles Pease&#8217;s PDFs<\/a> is a  good  place to search some of the &#8216;dynastic&#8217; Quaker families such as Lloyd, Barclay, Cadbury, Fry, Rowntree, Pease, &amp;c.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group block-shadow-class has-background\" style=\"background-color:#c2d6c0\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"basic-starting-tips\"><em>Basic Starting Tips<\/em><\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>write down what you and the wider family already know<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>don\u2019t take anything as accurate until you have seen documents to verify what is said<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>organise your findings. You are encouraged to use digital methods  from the start using proprietary programs. If you really must start on paper make use of downloadable Pedigree sheets and charts but be warned you will have to rework this  to get it on line whereas all the main freestanding proprietary software allow digital transfer to each other or online genealogical sites  using &#8216;Gedcom&#8217;. The main software  currently available are:-\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Family Historian &#8211; good for beginners<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Family Tree Maker &#8211; 2017 version or later<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Legacy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rootsmagic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Family Tree Heritage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>look at the gaps in your knowledge and decide what\/who you want to find out about<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>work backwards from what you know<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>keep a note of the document reference for your source, and an indication of where it can be found (i.e. personal collection, [named], Record Office, The National Archives, online digitised record with URL or hyperlink)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>online family trees should be <strong>assumed to be wrong<\/strong> unless you can yourself verify the data against original sources.  (QFHS and all members should  do all they can to discourage replication of bad data)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>be cautious about entering data straight into an online tree.  Instead we encourage you to keep free-standing databases in proprietary software already mentioned and only enter\/upload to Internet sites after everything you have recorded is as accurate as possible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>if and when you enter your findings onto an online family tree this will be compared with other submissions and possible hints will be suggested. Again assume these are incorrect until you have  verified any such suggestions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"evidence-looking-for-documents-to-support-the-information-you-have-gathered\">Evidence! &#8211; Looking for documents to support the information you have gathered.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Many resources available for non-Quakers are relevant for Quaker family research as well. Many are now available on line and to access these requires payment but there are free ones&nbsp; and even the commercial companies occasionally offer free access to some records especially over times of public holidays. This includes overseas public holidays, especially those of the USA .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"let-s-have-a-look-at-some-websites-to-visit\">Let\u2019s have a look at some websites to visit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>( Basic &#8211;  their Quaker Content will be discussed under Quaker Registers and Quaker Records)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk\/\">British Newspaper Archive<\/a><\/strong>, which is amongst the best sites for family history and can be searched for free although there is a charge document details.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.genuki.org.uk\/org\" target=\"_blank\">GENUKI<\/a> &#8211; aims to serve as a virtual reference library of <\/strong>genealogical information&nbsp; of particular relevance to the UK &amp; Ireland. Primarily this is historical material. It is a non-commercial service, provided by volunteers&nbsp;. It has guidance for first time users.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>GENUKI is organised by parishes within counties and gives &nbsp;a great deal of local information you will find useful including a map of the area. Quaker Meeting houses and schools are noted often with a photograph.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freeukgenealogy.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>FreeUKGenealogy<\/strong> <\/a>is run by a charity of volunteers and offer free transcriptions at FreeBMD and Free Cen (as well as FreeReg for Parish Registers) but check what is covered as the work is on-going.<a href=\"https:\/\/www.freeukgenealogy.org.uk\/\">https:\/\/www.freeukgenealogy.org.uk\/<\/a> . Use these as no more than finding aids.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freebmd.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">FreeBMD<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; covers births marriages and deaths<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freecen.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\">FreeCen<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 covers census data<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/research-family-history\" target=\"_blank\"><strong>GRO<\/strong> <strong>&#8211; Civil registration birth, marriage and death certificates<\/strong><\/a><strong> <\/strong>are available from the General Registry Office (GRO). <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/research\/genealogy\" target=\"_blank\">National Archives<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; have around 200 <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/?research-category=family-history\" target=\"_blank\">research guides<\/a> to help with family history including ones on\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>the 1939 register<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>census records<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>wills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Family History Federation -exploreyourgenealogy<\/a> &#8211; QFHS is a a member of the Federation of Family History Societies, a charity which promotes and fosters the study of Family History throughout England and Wales. It is a great support to member societies so do familiarise yourself with their website and read what they have to say on this their &#8216;explore your genealogy&#8217; site.See  their podcasts such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk\/how-do-i-start-637\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.exploreyourgenealogy.co.uk\/how-do-i-start-637\">How do I Start<\/a>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.familyhistoryfederation.com\/resources-really-useful\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.familyhistoryfederation.com\/resources-really-useful\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FHF Really Useful Leaflet<\/a>  &#8211; the Federation also produce a really useful information leaflet yearly, now available online,  full of&nbsp; family history resources. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"other-links-commercial-companies-other-sites\">Other Links &#8211; Commercial companies &amp; other sites<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Many of the commercial companies and other sites have good getting started resources and courses, videos, tutorials and downloads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Ancestry UK&nbsp;<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.co.uk\/c\/family-tree\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.ancestry.co.uk\/c\/family-tree\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Start your Family Tree<\/a><strong>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Family search<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.familysearch.org\/blog\/en\/beginning-genealogy-started\/\" target=\"_blank\">Beginning Genealogy<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/broadcast.lds.org\/elearning\/fhd\/FS\/en\/GetStarted\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\">How to How to get Started the Right Way<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>FindMyPast<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.findmypast.co.uk\/blog\/getting-started\" target=\"_blank\">Getting Started<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Genealogist<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thegenealogist.co.uk\/researchguide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Research Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"basic-records-to-get-you-started\"><strong>Basic records to get you started<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you start looking for evidence some of the most useful are,<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"general-registration\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/census-records\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">General Registration<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong> <\/strong>&#8211; birth marriage and death <strong>(BMD) <\/strong>certificates. &nbsp;(See GRO above). General registration in England started on the 1st July 1837 and included Quakers like everyone else. Marriage registration came from the  registering Clerk of the Meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"census-data\"><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.archives.gov\/research\/genealogy\/census\" target=\"_blank\">Census data<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p> &#8211;  is held by the National Archives at Kew but many are available online<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-1939-register-and-census-records\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/1939-register\/#5-how-to-access-and-search-the-register\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The 1939 Register and Census&nbsp; Records<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Of the useful records available, census records stand out. Of those currently available in the UK (working backwards), we have the 1939 register then a census every 10 years 1911 back to 1841 with a few earlier ones available in some places. The 1921 census is expected to be released in 2022. The 1931 census was destroyed by fire and there was no 1941 census owing to the war (WWII). We have to wait until around 2052 for the 1951 census.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/1939-register\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1939 Register<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/census-records\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Census records -1841-1911<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"wills\"><strong>Wills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/wills-or-administrations-after-1858\/\">Post 1858<\/a> &#8211; see this National Archive guide <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pre 1858\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalarchives.gov.uk\/help-with-your-research\/research-guides\/wills-1384-1858\/\" target=\"_blank\">PCC Wills<\/a><\/strong> &#8211; As for non-Quakers but Quakers did not swear so until the Quakers Act 1695 gave them the right to affirm ( they needed some intermediary). The Prerogative Court of Canterbury covered the south of England and Wales. The largest collection is for the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) for wills made between 1384 and 12 January 1858.  These wills are available online but charges apply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Prerogative court of York<\/strong> covered York, Durham, Northumberland, Westmoreland, Cumberland, Lancashire, Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and the Isle of Man. <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/borthcat.york.ac.uk\/index.php\/are-you-looking-for-a-will\" target=\"_blank\">This Borthwich Institute for Archives University of York<\/a> guide will help..<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The impressive Durham wills project can be found at <a href=\"https:\/\/eur04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffamilyrecords.dur.ac.uk%2Fnei%2Fdata%2Fimages.php&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7C51cf9215f59a4d1920bf08d83c4f5a23%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637325658790875752&amp;sdata=v5knJ2nO8OCpnL4HUVFy88z9ekxoWg0lAhIad1r105Y%3D&amp;reserved=0\">North East Inheritance database<\/a> .<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>For fuller details see our Quaker Wills project and <a href=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=4824\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=4824\">https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/where-to-find-quaker-wills-3<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As you go further back non-Quaker research makes use of parish registers for BMD records. Very occasionally the parish priest made a note of Quaker births in parish registers. Quakers have their own similar (but generally more detailed and interesting) birth marriage and burial records. Burial replace death records but usually also mention date of death and where they were living. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"moving-on-to-quaker-records\"><strong>Moving on to Quaker records<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"friends-house-london\"><strong>Friends House London<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>173-177 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ<br>Library email <a href=\"mailto:library@quaker.org.uk\">library@quaker.org.uk<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The headquarters of Quakers in the United Kingdom <\/strong>is Friends House, Euston Road, London. They have the main collection of Quaker archives ever since they decided to hold two copies of any  document or book of any sort about Quakers. They do not hold  t<a href=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=1035\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=1035\">he pre 1837 Quaker Registers<\/a> which they had to surrendered to the Government but do hold the Quaker Digests of these records. See:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quaker.org.uk\/documents\/subject-guide-genealogy-2019\" target=\"_blank\">a genealogical guide<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quaker.org.uk\/library\/library-useful-links\" target=\"_blank\">useful links<\/a> <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>various other subject guides &nbsp;such as <a href=\"https:\/\/quaker.org.uk\/documents\/schools-lib-guide.pdf\">schools<\/a>, temperance, quaker calendar, Conscientious Objection WW1<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Although QFHS is not a Quaker organisation we are a recognised external body for the purposes of Britain Yearly Meeting (of the Society of Friends). As such we have good links with the Library at Friends House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"block-shadow-class has-background\" style=\"background-color:#c2d6c0\">Although long out of print the Society of Genealogists booklet<strong> \u2018My Ancestors were Quakers\u2019&nbsp;<\/strong> by Edward H. Milligan and Malcolm J Thomas is still a most useful guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"Post-1837-QRegisters\"><strong>Modern Quaker Registers (Post-1837)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So what about more modern Quaker records? All births marriage and death records from 1<sup>st<\/sup> July 1837 should be recorded by the GRO and so will be searchable on-line exactly like non-Quaker GRO records but will not give specific Quaker details. Quaker records are likely to give you more information. However, Quaker records under fifty years old, even held in county archives, are generally not available without special permission from the local Quaker Meeting involved. Meetings did not continue their birth and burial registers much after General Registration 1st July 1837. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Post-1837 Quaker Digests.<\/strong> Quakers continued to keep birth and burial notes and from 1860 once a year submitted details to Friends\u2019 House, Euston Road, London. So the Library at Friends House is the best place to find them. These are known as the post 1837 digests and are not currently available online. &nbsp;Many Quaker Meetings may well have their own copies of the notes and lists. Some especially older Meeting records may have been deposited at the local county Archive Hub. <strong>Quaker birth digests ceased after 1959 and burials after 1961<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Marriages registers continued  longer <\/strong>but are not required now although many couples will produce, for their own satisfaction a traditional long certificate signed by all those present. Meetings have an appointed Registering Officer &nbsp;who makes quarterly returns of the marriages to the Superintendent Registrar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>From 1837 until 1860, for the marriage to be legal both parties needed to be Quakers. In 1860 in England, Wales and Ireland only one needed to be a Quaker. In 1872 this was relaxed further and the couple needed just a certificate of permission to marry from the Quaker Registering Officer.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In 2009 Quakers decided to offer marriage on an equal basis to same sex couples.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In September 2012 the first Quaker civil partnership was performed at Friends House, London.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In 2014 same sex marriage was recognized in law in England, Scotland and Wales.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"modern-structure\"><strong>Modern Structure<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Following a decision at Yearly Meeting 2005 there were structural organisational changes. The old Monthly Meetings were restructured into Area Meetings. The conversion at the time was explained in QC 44 page 20. The current list of Area Meetings and their constituent Local Meetings is on the Quaker website at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quaker.org.uk\/our-organisation\/our-structures\/area-meetings\/area-meetings\">https:\/\/www.quaker.org.uk\/our-organisation\/book-of-meetings\/area-meetings<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"old-quaker-registers\">Old Quaker Registers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>See <a href=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=1035\">The pre-1837 Quaker registers <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"other-quaker-records\">Other Quaker Records<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If it is Quaker schools that interest you take a look at this 2011 document of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ArchivesQSiBI2.pdf\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/ArchivesQSiBI2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Notes on Quaker schools <\/a>from our QFHS Bootham School meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Besides registers there is a wealth of other useful Quaker records for family historians, many associated with the Monthly Meeting. These are really useful to Family Historians looking &#8216;to put flesh on the bones&#8217; Let&#8217;s now take a look at <a href=\"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/?page_id=428\">Quaker Records<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting srarted can be daunting. Here&#8217;s a few hints to get you gong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-288","page","type-page","status-publish","czr-hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/288","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=288"}],"version-history":[{"count":87,"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/288\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6146,"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/288\/revisions\/6146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/qfhs.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=288"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}