A comprehensive account of the history of parish registers from 1660 to 1837, which fills a glaring lacuna in the literature. A significant amount of new research has been carried out since the most recent book to cover this topic in any detail was published half a century ago. A History of Parish Registers in England and Wales now makes this area of study accessible to a wider audience, pulling together disparate information into a holistic survey.
Remarkably detailed, Wintrip's exposition focuses on the changes in format and content of parish registers between the Restoration and the introduction of civil registration. By considering the nuances of registers during this period, including initiatives for their improvement, it offers an insight into the evolution of official record-keeping in England and Wales during a period of significant change. Well-referenced, A History of Parish Registers promises to be the definitive work on this subject for many years to come.