Genealogy

In each of our churches there are transcribed copies of parish registers, these are available in the church for inspection. All of our churches (with the exception of Kennett church) are open every day during the daytime. The registers cover the following periods:

St Margaret’s Chippenham 1559-1950

St Peter & St Mary Magdalene Fordham 1567-1950

St Andrew’s Isleham 1566-2000

St Nicholas’ Kennett 1567-1950

St Peter’s Snailwell 1570-1950

We also have available information on all of the soldiers on the village war memorials, this information can be shared on request.

St Andrew’s Isleham

At Isleham we have volunteers who are happy to help with your research:

In the last twenty years, we have received enquiries from a number of people with familial links to Isleham and have been able to help in a number of ways. The following list details some of the ways in which help has been provided:

·   A variety of queries have been received where our contact has provided details of their family history and we have supplied details of the information that is available. This might include details of specific records for your ancestors, family histories of siblings of your ancestors, the maiden names of mothers (for births), of wives (for marriages) and others.

·         We have undertaken research into people whose name is recorded on the memorials for World War I and II. Relatives of many of the casualties still live in the village and in some cases, photographs of the fallen are available. If you have an ancestor who fought in one of the World Wars and you have their photograph in your possession, we would (with your permission) be delighted to make their photograph available to other descendants tracing their family history.

·         If your roots were from Isleham and your ancestors moved away, whether by international migration or domestic, you may well have relatives living in the village. There have been sizeable groups of villages going to the USA and Australia in the past, often with the assistance of the parish in times when poverty or illness has made the prospect of going elsewhere particularly appealing. In our experience, the villagers of today are more than happy to share information with people who may well be their relatives.

The support provided to make these services available come from people whose own personal interests in genealogy mean they are happy to use their own experience to help others. We do not charge for these services, but hope that if we are able to satisfy you with your research that you will feel able to help us with the inevitable fabric projects associated with keeping an outstanding mediaeval church in the condition it deserves.