Baptisms – Badsey with Aldington, 1538-1784

The first Badsey register covers baptisms, marriages and burials for the years 1538-1785. For the period 1538-1601, the entries have been written in Latin in neat writing and numbered. Unfortunately, for the rest of the 17th century, there were several different scribes, none of whom lavished the same care and attention on the task as the original scribe. Some of the entries are rather scrappy and for some years there are no entries at all. Matters had improved by the 18th century, although Daniel Jones, the Curate under Reverend Drummond, was moved to write: “It is to be observed that the Register Book was not filled regularly since the year 1768 owing to the Rev Mr Rawlins, late Minister’s neglect but a true copy of the transcripts was kept yearly and at the desire of the parishioners I have taken upon me to fill it up which I have done in 1789.”

Inside the front cover, it says: “This Register Book containing 181 pages of Marriages, Baptisms and Burials was entirely copied out by the Rev W H Price, Vicar of the Parishes of Badsey and Wickhamford, in the month of September and October 1898 in the second year of his Vicariate.” The page numbers seem to have been entered by Price at the end of the 19th century when transcribing the register. The Badsey transcriptions are in leather-bound books in poor condition and are now in the Badsey Society Archive.