Significant Dates for Genealogists
The following information was kindly supplied by Epsom & Ewell Local & Family History Centre (Opens in a new window)
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1538 | Dissolution of the Monasteries; Parish Registers begin (but few survive before 1600's) |
| 1598 | Parish Registers to be kept on parchment and Bishops' Transcripts begin |
| 1601 | Poor Law Act |
| 1641 | Protestation Oath Returns in this year |
| 1662 | Settlement Act |
| 1662 | First Hearth Act [2 shillings for each hearth or stove] |
| 1665 | First London Gazette published |
| 1689 | Hearth Tax Abolished |
| 1693 | Land Tax |
| 1696 | Window Tax (finally abolished in 1851) |
| 1710 | Stamp Duty on Apprenticeship Indentures |
| 1731 | First 'Gentleman's magazine (issued until 1868 - some indexes) |
| 1745 | London Foundling Hospital |
| 1752 | Calendar lost 11 days - change of year-end from March to January, Wednesday, 2 September 1752 was followed by Thursday, 14 September 1752. |
| 1754 | Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act - to prevent clandestine marriages: Age of consent for girls, 14 and for boys, 12. No age limit before this. |
| 1785 | The Times founded and indexed. |
| 1801 | First National Census (but no family information and few records survive) |
| 1813 | Separate Registers for Births, Marriages and Deaths |
| 1832 | Electoral Rolls (records of how people voted made at this time) |
| 1832-36 | London Cemeteries Authorised: Kensal Green, Norwood, Highgate, Abney Park, Brompton Road, Nunhead, Tower Hamlets |
| 1834 | Poor Law Introduced; settlement repealed in 1876 and Workhouse introduced |
| 1837 | CIVIL REGISTRATION IN ENGLAND STARTED JULY (i.e. 'Somerset House registers') |
| 1838 | Public Record Office founded |
| 1841 | First National Census to mention name, age and occupation |
| 1842 | First 'Illustrated London News' published |
| 1851 | First National Census to show relationship to head of house, marital status/and place of birth (if you're lucky or if it is known) |
| 1853 | Cremations allowed in Boroughs |
| 1855 | CIVIL REGISTRATION IN SCOTLAND STARTED |
| 1858 | Wills Register at Principal Probate Registry |
| 1861 | Ships in port included in Census |
| 1866 | Age at death on Civil Registration index |
| 1872 | Secret voting begun (See 1832 : now lists only show who can vote, not how) |
| 1874 | Failure to register a birth becomes an offence |
| 1885 | Age of Consent for girls becomes 16 |
| 1909 | First O.A.P.s : 5 shillings a week for over 70s |
| 1911 | Society of Genealogists launched |
| 1911 | Mother's maiden name included in Civil Registration index |
| 1911 | Lloyd George's Finance Act: modem day Domesday Book on property |
| 1912 | Spouse's name included on Civil Registration Marriage index |
| 1927 | Adoption Register begun |
| 1930s | Mormons started International Genealogical Index |
| 1969 | Civil Registration: Date of Birth included in index of Death Certificates |
| 2001 | 1901 Census On-line |
| 2002 | PCC Wills Index Pre-1858 online |
| 2008 | More genealogical information coming online all the time |
