FindMyPast.co.uk to Publish Westminster Archive Records on the Web

The following news release was received from Debra Chatfield at findmypast.co.uk:

FINDMYPAST.CO.UK TO PUBLISH WESTMINSTER ARCHIVE RECORDS ON THE WEB

* Project announced to increase access to 10 million baptism, marriage, burial and parish chest records dating back to 1538
* First time that images of the original parish records from Westminster will appear online

Leading UK family history website findmypast.co.uk has today announced that it has been awarded a digitisation contract by the City of Westminster Council and the Westminster Archives Centre. This significant new project will lead to the publication online for the very first time of 10 million historic records from the Archives. The records are expected to launch later this year and will become fully searchable, only at findmypast.co.uk.

Spanning the years 1538 to 1945, the records cover such London landmark churches as:

* St Anne’s, Soho
* St Clement Danes
* St George’s Hanover Square
* St James’ Westminster
* St Margaret’s Westminster
* St Martin-in-the-Fields
* St Mary-le-Strand
* St Paul’s, Covent Garden

As well as baptisms, marriages and burials, the Westminster Collection includes such gems as rate books, orphan and apprentice records, vestry minutes, cemetery registers, charity documents, workhouse admission and discharge books, settlement examinations, churchwardens’ accounts, bastardy and poor law records, wills, militia and watch records.

Guy Strachan, Digitisation Manager at findmypast.co.uk, said: “The City of Westminster Archives Centre is an absolute treasure trove for family and local historians, and the addition of these amazing records to findmypast.co.uk will greatly enhance the website’s standing as the central resource for UK parish records.”

Anyone wishing to be notified when the Westminster Collection becomes available can register online at findmypast.co.uk to receive a newsletter.