We’ve been busy publishing 303,594 new parish records on findmypast.co.uk to make it even more likely that you’ll find your ancestors in our records. Read on for more details…

271,193 new Devon marriage records added to findmypast.co.uk

Following the 360,000 Devon baptism records recently published on findmypast.co.uk, we’ve just added 271,193 new Devon parish marriage records to the site.

The records cover the years 1754 to 1837 and were provided by the Devon Family History Society.

Add to your family tree by searching our parish marriage records now.

32,401 Calderdale baptism and burial records added to findmypast.co.uk

We’ve also just published 32,401 baptism and burial records for Calderdale on findmypast.co.uk

Here is a breakdown of these records:

Calderdale Family History Society provided findmypast.co.uk with these records.

Find your ancestors today by searching our parish baptisms and burials.

Parish records are essential when trying to find your ancestors and you can view records from as far back as 1538 on findmypast.co.uk

The findmypast.co.uk team are committed to regularly adding thousands of records to our parish records collection. We hope you enjoy searching these records.

You can now search for your Devon ancestors in 363,015 new parish baptism records on findmypast.co.uk

These baptism records cover the period 1813-1839.

Devon Family History Society has supplied findmypast.co.uk with these records.

Search our Devon parish baptism records today for your ancestors.

In last month’s newsletter we asked you to send us your experiences of researching your family tree. Thanks to all of you who wrote in - we really enjoyed reading your stories. Read on for how Ann is getting on with the search for her ancestors:

Ann Barker’s story:

One branch of my tree is the Scadding/Scadden family from Cornwall, Devon and Dorset. I found information about my 5 x great grandfather John Scadding who was hanged, but nobody could find any newspaper reports.

Quite by chance I was reading The Western Gazette while visiting my daughter who now lives in Dorset. There was a section of news from 100 years ago, 50 years ago etc. I wrote to the editor to ask if there were any archives of newspapers in 1795 and if so where were they kept. He informed me that they were in the Somerset Studies Library in Taunton. So I persuaded my husband that we needed a day out!

There I discovered reports of his arrest, trial and subsequent hanging. He was arrested on 9th March 1795, his trial was on 11th March, he was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging. He was hanged on 28th March 1795 in Dorchester Prison.

One of his accomplices Samuel Foster, who was also due to hang, was reprieved and sent to Australia the other one, Samuel’s brother Thomas Foster, gave King’s Evidence and was acquitted. Justice was swift in those days.