Society of Genealogists - England: Dorset Resources

Dorset

Shelf Mark: DO

For an explanation of this information, please consult the Introduction and the list of Abbreviations. Recent additions to the Society's Library are listed in the Genealogists' Magazine. The staff of the Society are able to make limited searches in these County Sources for a standard fee. Shelf marks used in the library are given in square brackets at the very end of each title.

County-wide sources:

General Registers

County wide sources for Christenings, Marriages and Burials include:

County sources at the Society of Genealogists: Dorset [&] Somerset parish registers, nonconformist registers, marriage licences, monumental inscriptions. London: SoG, 2002 [ML enquiry counter] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop.

National index of parish registers, vol. 8, part 7: Dorset. London: SoG, 2002. [TB/PR] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop.

Dorset parishes & neighbouring parishes: Dorset research aid [Typescript.] [Dorset tracts box]

Dorsetshire bishop's transcripts, Dean & Chapter, Prebend, at the Diocesan Registry, the Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire [Typescript.] [Dorset tracts box]

A guide to the location of the parish registers of Dorset [DO/R 86]

The records of the Bishop of Bristol: administrative records - transcripts of parish registers, Dorset [Typescript.] [Box 20/folder 27]

Boyd’s marriage index 1538-c.1837 [Typescript]. [UK/REG] Most of this marriage index is also available on the Origins Network.

International Genealogical Index & addendum [CD-ROM] [Apply to staff] & available on-line at Family Search

British Vital Records Index [CD-ROM] [Apply to staff]

National Burial Index. 2nd edn. [CD-ROM] [Apply to staff]

RG 7 Fleet marriage register indexes [parishes, brides & grooms] [SP/REG]

Dorset Family History Society surname index taken from Dorset baptisms 1500-1837 (surnames & places only - no dates) [CD-ROM] [CD-ROM Cabinet]

Index to "the Alfred" Bridgwater & Somerset Advertiser Aug 1831 - Dec 1832: Somerset newspaper indexes 1773-78 & 1831-32 [Typescript.] [SO/G 76]

Press cuttings of births, marriages & deaths in the Bridport News from 1901-12 [DO/G 22]

Quaker digest registers of births, marriages & burials - Dorsetshire & Hampshire Quarterly Meeting: Z(I) 1638-1837 & 1664-95, M(I) 1658-1837 & 1665-1715, B(I) 1657-1837 & 1678-98 [Microfilm.] [Mf 3391]

The records of the peculiars administrative records: transcripts of parish records [in Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire & Devon (1 only) to 1812]: in Wiltshire miscellanea [Typescript.] [WL/G 45]

West country names mentioned in the Sherborne & Yeovil Mercury [Western Flying Post] 1773-78: Somerset newspaper indexes 1773-78 & 1831-32 [Computer printout.] [SO/G 76]

Marriage Licences

Marriage licences: abstracts & indexes in the Library of the Society of Genealogists. London: SoG, 1991. 4th edn. [ML enquiry counter] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop.

Faculty Office marriage licences index 1701-1850 [Typescript.] [ML/FO] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop or search it on-line at the Origins Network

Vicar-General marriage licences surname index 1694-1850 [Typescript.] [ML/VG] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop or search it on-line at the Origins Network

16th century marriages (1538-1600) [Store A (UK/REG)]

A calendar of wills & administrations relating to the county of Dorset, proved in the Consistory Court (Dorsetshire Division) of the late Diocese of Bristol, 1681-1792, & in the Archdeaconry Court of Dorset, 1568-1792, & in the several Peculiars, 1660-1799: British Record Society Index Library, vol. 22: Dorset wills & administrations, part 1 [BRS]

Dean's marriage licence bonds for the Diocese of Sarum, 1573-1837 & index of bridegrooms & brides [Microfiche.] [Apply to staff]

Marriage licences of Salisbury 1615-31, 1633-34, 1636-46, 1653, 1660-82: The Genealogist new series, vol. 24-38 [PER/GEN]

Miscellaneous marriage licence bonds for the diocese of Sarum: Precentor Westbury, Bratton & Dilton 1609-1837; Peculiar of Gillingham & Motcombe, Dorset 1664-1837; Peculiar of Corsham & Statton St. Margaret 1628-1765; Prebend of Chute & Chisenbury & Winterbourne Dauncey 1612-1818; Wantage, Berkshire 1669-95 [Microfiche.] [Apply to library staff]

Monumental Inscriptions

County wide sources for tombstone inscriptions (MIs) include:

10,000 fallen remembered on Dorset war memorials [DO/M 31]

The monumental brasses of Dorsetshire: Monumental Brass Society county series, vol. [DO/M 33]

Monumental inscriptions in England relating to West Indians: in Caribbeana, being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, & antiquities of the British West Indies, vols. 1-5 [Apply to library staff]

Wessex has their bones: who's buried where in Dorset, Hampshire, Wiltshire & the Isle of Wight [DO/M 36]

Censuses

In addition to free access from within the library to census returns and indexes on various subscription web sites, the Society holds many locally produced indexes. The latter are essential where an Internet index has mis-transcribed a name which you are looking for and for surviving pre-1841 censuses and census substitutes.

Search the on-line catalogue for the following Subject phrase:

DORSET - CENSUSES

Click on the green Go button and then on the subject term for the required census.

Directories & Poll Books

The Society’s collection is of national importance and includes county and local directories of residents and businesses and poll books and other lists of voters in parliamentary and local elections. Details, correct as of 1995, are published in:

Directories & poll books, including almanacs & electoral rolls, in the Library of the Society of Genealogists. SoG, 1995. 6th edn. [ML enquiry counters] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop.

Or search the on-line catalogue for the following Subject phrase:

DORSET - DIRECTORIES

or DORSET - POLL BOOKS

Click on the green Go button and then on the subject term required.

Periodicals

The Society holds the journals of most English-speaking family history societies world-wide, the publications of county record societies and many national and local history societies past and present.

Search the on-line catalogue for the Title required

Wills

The Library contains film copies of indexes to wills proved 1858-1930 and indexes, calendars and many abstracts of wills proved by individual church courts before 1858. Details, correct as of 1996, are published in:

Will indexes & other probate material in the library of the Society of Genealogists. London: SoG, 1996 [WILLS/GEN] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop.

Other major sources include:

An index to the wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury 1750-1800 [WILLS/PCC] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop or search it on-line at the Origins Network. An index to all PCC wills 1384-1858 is available on-line at the National Archives

Estate Duty will indexes 1796-1857 (IR 27/1-323) [Microfilm] [Wills film cabinets] The Death Duty registers 1796-1903 are also on-line at findmypast.com

An index to the Bank of England will extracts 1807-45 [WILLS/GEN] Buy this book from the SoG on-line bookshop or search it on-line at the Origins Network

For the most up-to-date list of will material in the library, do a Subject search on the on-line catalogue for the name of the church court eg. Biggleswade Peculiar Court

Or if you do not know the name of the church court:

Search the on-line catalogue for the following Subject phrase:

DORSET - GENERAL:WILLS

Click on the green Go button and then on the subject term required.

Parishes

A-C

SOGCAT On-line Catalogue