The first criteria is to definitely establish the place of origin for your
ancestors in England.  When you have determined the place, try to find out
something about its history, geography and jurisdictions, then base your
research on the following time considerations.  There will be some
overlapping of records, but basically when your problem falls into one of
these time groups, the records given below should be searched roughly in
the order indicated.

A. If your problem is pre-1538 search:
    1. Probates (1400-present)
    2. Feet of Fines (1182-1834)
    3. Manor Court Rolls (1400-1850)
    4. Quarter Sessions (1350-present)
    5. Chancery (1386-1875)
    6. Apprenticeship (1500-1850)
    7. Lay Subsidies (1216-1800)
    8. University (1150-present)
    9. Inquisition post mortems (1216-1642)
   10. Visitations (1500-1650) dpeending on the circumstances.  Be alert
for the other records which may be more specialized or yet to be advanced
as general research tools.

B. For the period between 1538 and 1700, search:
    1. Parish Registers and Bishop's Transcripts (1538, 1598-?) of the
last known place where the ancestry was established and perhaps very close
ones - say within one or two miles - and parishes famous in the areas as
"honey-moon" chapels for missing marriages.
    2. Known marriage indexes for the area and marriage licenses for
missing marriages (1500-?).  The marriage licenses should be used not only
as a general search tool, but also one should search their accompanying
allegations and bonds for possible additional data if it is known that an
ancestral couple married by license.
    3. Probates
    4. Perhaps, although rarely, some non-conformist (1640, 1689-?), civil
parish (1662-?), and military (1660-?) records if circumstances so dictate
and they go early enough for your particular problem, and if they are
available.
    5. If probates, marriage licenses and any specialized items for "A"
fail to give direct evidence then consider five-mile radius searches for at
least 35 years (if you want to tabulate, or 10 years if used just as a
general search tool) from parish registers around the area where the last
known ancestor was established.  Let the search be guided byeconomic and
social history plus the geography of the area and what you know of your
ancestor's social and occupational background.

C. For the period between 1700-1857, search:
    1. The parish registers and "BT'S" as in B1 above.
    2. Non-conformists - all denominations for a large period within
approximately 10 miles.
    3. Probates
    4. Known marriage indexes and marriage licenses for any missing
marriages. (If marriage is found always check banns or marriage license
allegations and bonds for additional data.)
    5. Military - if known that he served - or if it was a time of war
urgency.
    6. Civil parish records (1662-1834) if it is a problem of internal
migration or illegitimacy.
    7. Any of "A" above which may apply.
    8. If all else fails do "B5" above.

D. For the period between 1837 and present, search:
    1. Civil registration (1837-?)
    2. Census records, 1851, 1861, 1871 and every 10 years thereafter,  if
applicable.
    3. These first two sources in cycles and should be fairly well
exhausted. One supplies clues to where to go next in the other, and vice
versa. If they should fail you then try probate records, if you know the
approximate time of death.  Keep in mind that probates came under civil
jurisdiction after 1858 and are all located in one jurisdiction.  One could
also search parish registers and "BT's" for baptisms when civil
registration fails to reveal the pertinent birth records.  (BT'Send in
1812, 1850, and 1870).
    4. Use any of "A" which is appropriate, perhaps non-conformist records
(end in 1837 with a few in 1850).  Try Chaplains Returns (1796-1880)
military records, and Reginmental Registers (1790-1924) for birthindexes.
    5. If all else fails, you might try "B5" but only if you are sure you
have tried all other approaches and have done a thorough job on Civil
Registration and Census.

                         Territorial Jurisdictions
CIVIL:
1. Nation
    A. England: 40 counties, excluding Wales, including Monmouthshire
    B. Wales: 12 counties, excluding Monmouthshire, though Welsh are there.
    C. Great Britain: England, Wales, and Scotland
    D. The United Kingdom: since 1921; Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
     1801-1921; Great Britain and all of Ireland.
. County
    A. --shire only: Berkshire, Shropshire, and Wiltshire.
    B. County -- only: Cornwall,  Cumberland, Durham, Essex, Kent, London,
  Middlesex, Norfolk, Northumberland, Rutland, Suffolk, Surrey,
Sussex, Westmorland, and Anglesey.
    C. Hundred" a division of county, also called wapentake, lathe, or
rape.
    D. Civil parish: the local non-church unit of government, whose
boundaries often but not necessarily, councided with the church parish.
    E. Sub-units of a parish include village, hamlet, township, and
tything.
ECCLESIASTICAL (CHURCH):
1. Province: England and Wales were divided into two provinces, each headed
by an archbishop: York (Northumberland, Cumberland, Durham, Westmorland,
Lancashire, Cheshire, and Nottinghamshire) and Caterbury (all other English
counties; Welsh counties until recent times.
2. Diocese: a division of a province, headed by a bishop.
3. Archdeaconry: a division of a diocese, headed by a archdeacon.
4. Rural Deanery: a division of an archdeaconry, headed by one of the
parish ministers, called the rural dean.
5. Parish: the basic unit of geanlogical research; headed by a minister
(called a rector or vicar) and forming with other parishes a rural deanery;
sometimes divided into chapelries, headed by curates.
6. Extra parochial places: without the jurisdiction of any parish.
7. Non-conformists: religious organizations and their members not
conforming to the established church (the Church ofEngland or Anglican
Church).

                            Source Materials
Basic Background Material
Genealogical Research in England and Wales" by Smith and Gardner.
Research Papers" in most LDS Genealogical libraries.  Major genealogical
sources in England and Wales.  Population Movement in England and Wales by
canal & River, Welsh Patronymics & Place Names in Wales and Monmouthshire,
English-Welsh Genealogical Research Procedures-Flow charts, The Social,
Economic, Religious & Historical Background of England as it affects
genealogical research, Population movements to England & Wales during the
Industrial Revolution.

Place Finding Helps
    "Topographical Dictionary of England" by Lewis.  Gives background for
place as of 1847 including civil and ecclesiastical parishes.
    "The Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales".  Like Lewis' but gives
registration district and other post-1837 information.
    "Gazetteer of British Isles" by Bartholomew.  A more modern gazetter
often necessary for finding places in other sources listed above.
    "A Genealogical Gazetteer of England" by Smith.  A very brief listing
of each place.  Often lists the very small places not listed in others.

Maps and Atlases
    "A Series of Parish Outline Maps for the Counties of England and
Wales".Gives parish boundaries, probate jurisdition and the beginning date
of the parish registers.
    "Genealogical Atlas of England and Wales" by Gardner, Harland and
Smith. Shows great detail, roads, rivers & small places.

Civil Registrations
    "Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates" Write to: General Register
Office, St. Catherine's House; 10 Kingsway; London WC2B 6JP, England.
Price for each certificate (6 pounds 1979) payable in international money
order or bank draft drawn on English based bank, with the amount expressed
in pounds Sterling, not dollars.
    The LDS Microfilm Card Catalog "Great Britain General" vital records
for births 1847-1906, marriages 1837-1903, and deaths 1837-1903.

Parish Registers
    "Parish and Vital Record Listing" LDS Genealogical Library.  Lists over
4000 English parish registers processed under the controlled extraction
program.  Gives microfilm call number for parish printouts.
    "Computer File Index" LDS Genealogical Library.  Lists individually
identified names arranged by place, then alphabetically by surname for
those names processed under the controlled extraction program and
individual patron submission since 1969.
    "National Index of Parish Registers" LDS Genealogical Library.  Lists
where parish registers are held including if Salt Lake City has a copy.
"Crockford's Clerical Directory".  Use this book to find addresses of
parish churches in England.  First find the parish in the parish index,
noting the priest's name. Then to the clergy listing for the priest.
Address correspondence to the office - to the priest by name.

    "Boyd's Marriage Index" 3 series
#1: 16 counties and arranged by county.
#2 same 16 counties plus others, arranged alphabetically (one Grooms - one
Brides) in 25 year periods.
#3 Covers many counties, arranged alphabetically 25 year periods.

Census Records
    "Alphabetical Index to 1841-71 Census of England, Wales, Isle of Man &
Channel Islands".  LDS Genealogical Libraries.  Lists alphabetically places
in England, etc. with the microfilm call number for all census years
1841-71 on one line.  For later census records write: Registrar General,
ST. Catherines House, 10 Kingsway, London WC2B 6JP, England.  Send money
same as for birth certificates.
    "1851 Civil Registration and Census Jurisdictional Lines". Use to find
families on the census when they do not appear where they should be.  Check
next adjoining district.

Probate
    Pre-1858 English Probate Jurisdictions (1 for each county).  Research
papers prepared by LDS GEnealogical Department show which ecclesiastical
court had jurisdiction of the area needed.
    All branch LDS Genealogical Libraries Microfilm Card Catalog for call
number for actual court records on film and in printed form under ENGLAND,
County, Ecclesiastical Court.
    "Probate Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury" 1559-1857.  A
microfilmed copy of the register listing the call # for each film in this
series is available in LDS Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City.
    "Register of Great Britain Principal Probate Registry" Calendar of
Wills and Administrations 1858-1957.  Register listing each year and
corresponding call number needed to order the actual microfilm of the
calendars of this massive probate series from LDS Genealogical Library in
Salt Lake City.
    To obtain copies of the actual probate records write to" Department of
Literary Enquiry (Record Keeper, Correspondence Department), Principal
Registry, Family Division of the High Court, Somerset House, Strand, London
WC2R L LP, England.

Warning:  One must make imaginative searches based on a thorough knowledge
of the jurisdictions and sources, grounded in the rules of analysis and
tempered by a background knowledge of geography and history.  No two
problems are the same!  Analysis depends on source knowledge and pedigree
situations.  The best way to approach a problem soon disintegrates from one
right way to several ways; which to do next may then depend on what is most
practical in time and money, (or one can elect to do them all at once).
There is also a matter of efficiency and willingness to gamble on instinct,
and solid knowledge, much of which comes from experience.  Don't be afraid
to get out on the firing line, but know why you have decided to be there.

                                   ****

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