Church Records, Graves and Family History

Unfortunately the church was bombed during the Blitz in 1941 and our church records were lost, so we are unable to help with any information prior to that date. Some suggested sources for research are listed below.

Before July 1873, records of Birth, marriages and deaths were only kept by churches in England. Since 1837 records have been held by the Government (see below)

Parish Records

The earliest parish records containing Baptisms, Marriages and Burials date from 1561. Bishop’s Transcripts begin in 1799.

Original parish registers for the Anglican parishes of Southwark 1561-1978 are held in the London Metropolitan Archives, the diocesan record office for this area. The online catalogue is here:

https://search.lma.gov.uk/scripts/mwimain.dll/144/LMA_OPAC/web_detail?SESSIONSEARCH&exp=refd%20P92/MRY-1

The LMA records for 1813-1906 can also be searched on Ancestry.co.uk

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/categories/34/

The London Metropolitan Archives are currently closed to visitors due to the government’s advice on the Corona Virus.

N.B. The records are not complete until the 19th century – until then there are missing volumes and also duplicate entries which do not always match.  The records comprise records of the parish of Saint Mary, Kennington Park Road, Newington, including registers of baptisms, marriages, banns and burials; Churchwardens’ records; minutes of the Vestry, the Parochial Church Council and the Church Building Committee; registers of preachers; financial records; records relating to the construction of the new church including plans; papers relating to St Mary Newington National Schools; parish magazines. Also minutes of the Governors and Guardians of the Poor; removal orders; records of the workhouse including admission and discharge records; registers of children at the South Metropolitan District Schools; financial accounts relating to poor relief. Records deposited by the Rector in 1953, 1976 and 1990. Other records were transferred from the collection of Southwark Board of Guardians, held in the Greater London Record Office, August 1988. There is a listing of what is available here:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/0d43687e-2d37-49ff-b0f9-ee2e10d98666

Government Records for St Mary Newington are also held at the London Metropolitan Archives.

Graves and Monuments

The Find A Grave website allows you to search by name and location:

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2155220/memorial-search

Volume 1 (A – I) of The Monumental Inscriptions in the Old Churchyard of St. Mary Newington, Surrey, published in 1880 which lists inscriptions alphabetically can be viewed online. Sadly other volumes do not appear to have been made available online.

https://archive.org/details/monumentalinscr00englgoog/page/n6/mode/2up

Further information about graves in the old graveyard and monuments in the church can be found here Church Monuments and Parishioners and here https://www.surreygraveyards.org.uk/southwark/newingtonmary.shtml

St Mary Newington Churchyard, Bannisters Tomb, 1952
Source: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol25/plate-82