Childerditch, Essex Genealogy

England   Essex   Essex Parishes



Parish History
Childerditch All Saints and St Faith is an Ancient parish in Essex.

The diocese of Chelmsford was created in 1914, prior to this Essex parishes were in the jurisdiction of the Bishops of London until 1845 when they transferred to the diocese of Rochester. The diocese of Chelmsford has 474 parishes and 600 churches and is the second largest region in the church of England outside London.

In 1574 the vicar, Thomas Reddriche, was presented at Quarter Sessions for refusing to wear a surplice. A later vicar, Arthur Grave, was presented at the archdeacon's visitation in 1606 for the same offence, and for failing to use the sign of the cross at baptism. The Protestation of 1641 was signed by 35 parishioners, probably representing most of the households in the parish. Daniel Duckfield, vicar from 1611 until his death in 1653, was a 'godly and preaching minister'. His three successors during the Interregnum were all presented by the patron of the living, Sir Thomas Cheeke, who was a zealous Puritan. The last of them was John Hervey, appointed in 1658, but ejected for nonconformity in 1662. Puritan influence lingered in the parish for some time after 1662, for in 1685 the archdeacon found it necessary to order that the communion table should be set against the east wall and railed. Robert Stonehouse, vicar 1667–84, was a king's chaplain who was prosecuted by some of his parishioners for non-residence. John Groome, vicar 1709–60, published a book on The Dignity and honour of the Clergy. He seems to have been resident at least until c. 1750. In the early 19th century the vicar John Newman (d. 1840) was non-resident, and employed a succession of curates. Later vicars resided until the union of benefices in 1940. John H. Lewis, 1840–64, built the National school as well as the new Vicarage, but in the 1850s he failed to carry through the much needed restoration or rebuilding of the church, through disagreement with William B. Petre, Lord Petre, the Roman Catholic squire, impropriator, and patron, who was legally responsible for the chancel. Edmund S. Tiddeman, vicar 1865–85, came to terms with Petre and rebuilt the church. The church of ALL SAINTS AND ST. FAITH, Childerditch Lane, stands on the site of its predecessor, which had the same dedication. The first known reference to the old building was in 1387–8, when Coggeshall abbey paid a tiler for tiling the new chancel. In 1858 the church was a small building comprising nave of flint rubble, thought to date from the 12th century, brick chancel of recent date, timber belfry, and south porch. It was then ruinous, but the debate as to whether it should be restored or rebuilt was not settled until 1869, when the old church was demolished and replaced by a new one. The present church was designed by D. Cubitt Nichols and F. Johnstone of London, architects who had for many years worked for Lord Petre. It is built of Kentish ragstone in the Early English style, and consists of nave and chancel with south porch and west bellcot. No monuments survive from the old church. There is one bell, probably of the 17th century. The old church plate was sold in 1889 by the vicar, Joseph Hull. He was, however, forced to recover it, and it was all given back except for a cup, which had been acquired by a church in Scotland. The surviving pieces include a silver paten and a silver flagon, both of 1743 and given by the vicar, John Groome. The font, which dates from the early 16th century, has a blackletter inscription recording the fact that it was given by John Throsscher (Thresher) and his wife.

From: 'Parishes: Childerditch', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8 (1983), pp. 17-24. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63838&amp;amp;strquery=childerditch Date accessed: 04 February 2011.

Childerditch is a parish in the borough of Brentwood, Essex. It forms part of the Warley borough council ward.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church records
Contributor: Include here information for parish registers, Bishop’s Transcripts, non conformist and other types of church records, such as parish chest records. Add the contact information for the office holding the original records. Add links to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection

Online images are available Seax - Essex Archives Online From the Essex Record Office

Census records
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Index for the Census may be searched at FamilySearch Historical Records

http://www.1881pubs.com/ for details of public houses in the 1881 census

Poor Law Unions
Billericay Poor Law Union, Essex

Surviving parish records include vestry minutes for 1726–89, 1808, and 1840–1913. In the 18th century the vestry rarely met more than once a year. The meeting-place was not recorded until 1783, when it was stated to be the church. The numbers signing the minutes were usually from 4 to 6. Officers presenting accounts did not usually sign, so the total attendance was probably between 7 and 10. John Groome, vicar from 1709 to 1760, attended meetings, apparently as chairman, until 1752, but his two successors appear not to have attended. Until 1850 there was one churchwarden, chosen until 1752 by the vicar, and thereafter by the vestry. From 1851 there were two, nominated respectively by the vicar and the vestry. There was one overseer of the poor until 1787, and thereafter two. There were two surveyors of highways. Until 1788 or later there was only one constable, but in the year 1743 there was also a headborough. The parish owned a row of cottages in Childerditch Street, which were let to the poor. Two of them were rebuilt by the vestry early in the 18th century. ( They were still occupied by the poor in 1839. ( They were sold in 1844. Childerditch had no workhouse, and in 1807 contracted to lodge 8 paupers in Great Warley workhouse. The cost of poor relief was £117 in 1776, and averaged £142 between 1783 and 1785. (Between 1801 and 1821 inclusive it averaged £290, being highest in 1801 (£436) and 1819 (£406). During that period poverty in Childerditch seems to have been slightly less serious than in the neighbouring parish of Cranham, which was of similar area and population. In the years 1813–15 some 30 parishioners, i.e. about onetenth, were on permanent relief, and 61 others received occasional relief. In 1835 Childerditch became part of Billericay poor-law union.

From: 'Parishes: Childerditch', A History of the County of Essex: Volume 8 (1983), pp. 17-24. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63838&amp;amp;strquery=childerditch Date accessed: 04 February 2011.

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Essex Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
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 * England Jurisdictions 1851
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Web sites
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