Symbols in 18th century Parish Register

[kiterunner]

Or "icons" as we might call them nowadays. I have always loved this when looking at the PR's for Elkesley, Nottinghamshire, and now the images are online, I can finally share them with you!

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...018?pId=283279

1729
Note for the future the Christenings, Burials & Marriages are all set together as they happen in the year And are distinguish'd by these Marks + for Christning for Burial & # for Wedding

I particularly like the evolution of the burial icon over the next couple of pages after that.

[Merry]

Do you think the burial icon turns into a ghost by the third page?!

ghost.jpg

That's what it looks like to me, but that led me to wonder when peple started depicting ghosts looking like a bedsheet - of course it turns out that's been for a long time thanks to the use of shrouds for burials. Maybe that's what is depicted here rather than ghosts!

[Merry]

So, the vicar was Henry Stevenson, of St Giles, Elkesley, incumbent 1725-1748. Here's a snippet about him from https://southwellchurches.nottingham...y/hhistory.php

Elkesley and the Dukes of Newcastle

In 1748 the church was placed under the patronage of the Duke of Newcastle under Lynne (now spelled Lyme) who resided at nearby Clumber Park. This transition seems to have originated in the incumbency of Henry Stevenson (1725-1748). Stevenson’s father had been first gentleman to the Duke who also acted as godparent to his son, the future vicar of Elkesley. Newcastle promised the living of Elkesley to Stevenson at his induction to master of East Retford school in 1708.

Looks like he lived nearby at East Retford (marriage licence 1710, burial Feb 1747/8).

He was a schoolmaster (King Edward VI School, East Retford) and gardener too. Very multi-skilled!

[ElizabethHerts]

PRs are fascinating! I love how the symbols develop.

[Olde Crone]

I have seen something similar, I think it was the Moravian Church. Beautifully detailed register with a + symbol next to baptisms, the + symbol detailing death and burial.

OC

[Phoenix]

That's lovely, Kite. More inventive than the usual CMB, and it somehow feels like it's giving a bit of humanity to those who have gone.

[Ann from Sussex]

I notice that the burial symbols for William and Joseph Komshall in 1736 are given what looks to me like hair. Perhaps the Komshalls were a particularly hirsute family although their mother also buried in 1736 wasn't given any.

[kiterunner]

It's Kemshall, not Komshall, Ann. John Kemshall was a church warden in that year and if you look at images 2 - 5 you will see that at least one John Kemshall as parish clerk felt it was o.k. to use the parish registers to highlight his own family history.