Sheerness Genealogical Records
Sheerness Birth & Baptism Records
An index to births registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of birth certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.
Browsable images of registers the recorded baptisms, marriages and burials in Kent. Names are not indexed.
An index to around 40,000 various parish register extracts for Kent.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
Sheerness Marriage & Divorce Records
An index to marriages registered throughout England & Wales. This is the only national marriage index that allows you to search by both spouse's names. Provides a reference to order copies of marriage certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
Abstracts of marriages licences granted by the Diocese of Canterbury. These records can contain more details than marriage records, including details such as age, occupation, residence and names of parents or guardians.
Abstracts of marriage licences granted by the Vicar-General in London. These licences could be used to marry in any church in the Province of Canterbury.
Abstracts of records that granted parties the right to marry. They list name, marital condition, residence, year of licence and a reference to order the original document. Coverage is for: 1568-1618, 1661-1700 and 1726-1750.
Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.
Sheerness Death & Burial Records
An index to deaths registered throughout England & Wales. Provides a reference to order copies of death certificates from the national registrar of births, marriages and deaths – the General Register Office.
Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.
Browsable images of registers the recorded baptisms, marriages and burials in Kent. Names are not indexed.
An index to around 40,000 various parish register extracts for Kent.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
Sheerness Census & Population Lists
An index to and digital images of records that detail 40 million civilians in England and Wales. Records list name, date of birth, address, marital status, occupation and details of trade or profession.
The 1911 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
A transcription of records naming those who had taxes levied against them for the privilege of owning a hearth.
Browsable images of Kent electoral rolls poll books, which list those eligible to vote as well as lists of freemen, apprentices, burgess records and militia musters.
The 1901 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
Newspapers Covering Sheerness
Local news; notices of births, marriages and deaths; business notices; details on the proceedings of public institutions; adverts and a rich tapestry of other local information from the Whitstable district. Every line of text from the newspaper can be searched and images of the original pages viewed.
A conservative-oriented newspaper reporting on local news, births, marriages and deaths in the two counties.
A record of births, marriages, deaths, legal, political, organisation and other news from the counties of Kent and Sussex. Original pages of the newspaper can be viewed and located by a full text search.
A regional paper including news from the Kent area, legal & governmental proceedings, family announcements, business notices, advertisements and more.
The county paper of Kent, containing news by locale, adverts and family announcements.
Sheerness Wills & Probate Records
Searchable index and original images of over 12.5 million probates and administrations granted by civil registries. Entries usually include the testator's name, date of death, date of probate and registry. Names of relations may be given.
An index to probates and administrations held at Canterbury Probate Registry. Contains details on the testator, type of grant, residence, occupation and reference to order the original.
Abstracts and references to 10,000s of wills and probate documents, primarily from East Kent.
Browsable images of inventories. Also includes freeman papers for Queenborough.
Browsable images of administrations, inventories and wills.
Sheerness Immigration & Travel Records
A small list of convicts transported to the colonies.
A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.
A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.
An index to and images of documents recording over 1.65 million passengers who arrived in Victoria, Australia, including passengers whose voyage was paid for by others.
Details on over 600,000 non-British citizens arriving in England. Often includes age and professions. Useful for discerning the origin of immigrants.
Sheerness Military Records
A great deal of information relating to the regiment, including a thorough history, biographical details, photographs, information on honours etc.
A general history of the yeomanry, including extracts from original records
A volume from the most respected work concerning English history. It covers military history, country houses, industry, roads and a transcription of Domesday entries relating to Kent.
A finding aid for records detailing orders relating to ordinary rank men in the Royal West Kent Regiment.
Details of voluntary aid workers in Kent during WWI.
Sheerness Court & Legal Records
Registers recording details of around 9,000 prisoners held in ships stationed in Kent. Records describe a convict's name, age, place of birth, physical description, offence, conviction, sentence, discharge and conduct report.
Over 70,000 browsable pages detailing the administration of poor law unions in Kent. Records contain details on births, marriages & deaths; punishments; admissions and discharges and more.
A name index to 1,000s of people mentioned in legal records relating to crime and administration. The records include settlements, removals and bastardy orders.
Legal records covering a variety of issues from land to bastardy.
An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.
Sheerness Taxation Records
A list of those who voted in the election, stating their residence and for who they voted.
A transcription of records naming those who had taxes levied against them for the privilege of owning a hearth.
Browsable images of registers that record owners and occupiers of land. Useful for tracing succession of freehold and tenancies.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.
Sheerness Land & Property Records
A list of those who voted in the election, stating their residence and for who they voted.
Browsable images of registers that record owners and occupiers of land. Useful for tracing succession of freehold and tenancies.
Browsable images of Kent electoral rolls poll books, which list those eligible to vote as well as lists of freemen, apprentices, burgess records and militia musters.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
This vital collection details almost 1.2 million properties eligible for land tax. Records include the name of the landowner, occupier, amount assessed and sometimes the name and/or description of the property. It is a useful starting point for locating relevant estate records and establishing the succession of tenancies and freehold. Most records cover 1798, but some extend up to 1811.
Sheerness Directories & Gazetteers
A guide, containing general information, plus a street and alphabetical directory.
A gazetteer and directory of part of Kent.
A directory of settlements in Kent detailing their history, agriculture, topography, economy and leading commercial, professional and private residents.
An exhaustive gazetteer, containing details of settlement's history, governance, churches, postal services, public institutions and more. Also contains lists of residents with their occupation and address.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key contemporary and historical facts. Each place has a list of residents and businesses. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions.
Sheerness Cemeteries
Transcriptions of thousands of memorials and headstones found in Kent.
Photographs and descriptions of Kent's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.
Profiles of several hundred mausolea found in the British Isles.
Sheerness Obituaries
The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.
A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.
A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.
This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.
A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.
Sheerness Histories & Books
A sprawling work containing a detailed history of the county and each parish.
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
A volume from the most respected work concerning English history. It covers military history, country houses, industry, roads and a transcription of Domesday entries relating to Kent.
Photographs and images of churches in Kent.
Photographs of parish churches in Hampshire, with architectural details and extracts from the 1851 ecclesiastical census.
Sheerness School & Education Records
A name index connected to digital images of registers recording millions of children educated in schools operated by the National Society for Promoting Religious Education. Records contain a variety of information including genealogical details, education history, illnesses, exam result, fathers occupation and more.
A name index linked to original images of registers recording the education and careers of teachers in England & Wales.
A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A searchable database containing over 90,000 note-form biographies for students of Cambridge University.
Sheerness Occupation & Business Records
A calendar to licences granted by Diocese of Canterbury to teachers, physicians and apothecaries.
Articles detailing several smuggling gangs that operated in the county.
An introduction to smuggling in on the east coast of England, with details of the act in various regions.
An introduction to smuggling on the east coast of England, with details of the act in various regions.
Histories of Kent pubs, with photographs and lists of owners or operators.
Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Sheerness
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Hand-draw genealogical charts covering Kent's gentry. Includes descriptions of coats of arms.
A collection of pedigrees, family notes and historical extracts relating to Kent and its families.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
Sheerness Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Hand-draw genealogical charts covering Kent's gentry. Includes descriptions of coats of arms.
Photographs and descriptions of Kent's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
Sheerness Church Records
Extracts relating to the ecclesiastical history of the Archdeaconry of Canterbury.
Photographs of parish churches in Hampshire, with architectural details and extracts from the 1851 ecclesiastical census.
Browsable images of summaries of registers of baptisms, marriages and burials.
Browsable images of registers the recorded baptisms, marriages and burials in Kent. Names are not indexed.
An index to names and places mentioned in act books of the Province of Canterbury. It records various licences and conferments, such as marriage and physician licences.
Biographical Directories Covering Sheerness
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.
A directory containing lengthy biographies of noted British figures. The work took over two decades to compile. Biographies can be searched by name and are linked to images of the original publication.
Sheerness Maps
Digital images of maps covering the county.
Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.
Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.
Sheerness Reference Works
A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in England.
Compiled in 1831, this book details the coverage and condition of parish registers in England & Wales.
A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.
A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.
A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.
Civil & Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction
Historical Description
The ville of Sheerness lies at the western part of the parish of Minster, and is the principal place in the Isle of Shepey. In the year 1667 King Charles II. is stated to have himself undertaken the erection of a strong fort here; for which purpose he made two journeys hither, and having seen the work commenced, left it to be completed under the superintendance of his chief engineer, Sir Martin Beckman, and one of the commissioners of the ordnance; notwithstanding which very little had been done towards it, when the Dutch made their memorable attempt upon the shipping in the Medway, in the month of June following. The enemy soon beat the works to the ground, and landing a number of men from their fleet, took possession of the fort; after which, sailing up the river, they broke through every means made use of to oppose them, and having done considerable damage to the shipping, they fell down the river again, without any further molestation.
This bold attempt gave such alarm to the nation, that the fort of Sheerness was immediately afterwards increased to a regular fortification, mounted with a line of large and heavy cannon. Besides which, there were several smaller forts, constructed on the different sides of the Medway, higher up, for its better defence. Since that period this fortress has been greatly augmented and strengthened by new works, and improvements. The garrison is commanded by a governor, a lieutenant-governor, a fort-major, and other inferior officers. The ordnance branch established here is under the direction of a storekeeper, a clerk of the cheque, and a clerk of the survey.
Some years after the building of the fort a royal dock was made adjoining to it, which is intended principally for repairing ships that are but partially damaged, and for building frigates and smaller vessels, from forty guns downwards.
The number of persons necessarily attendant both in the fort and the dockyard, has occasioned the building of a town of several streets. The inhabitants, until the year 1782, suffered much inconvenience from the great scarcity of fresh water. This circumstance was attended to by government, and a well was sunk, at a great expense, within the fort. When this well had been dug to the vast depth of 328 feet, the augur dropt down, and the water rushed up with such velocity that the workmen could scarcely he drawn out with sufficient haste to escape drowning. In six hours it rose 189 feet, and in a few days was within eight feet of the top, and has ever since produced a never-failing supply, for though constantly drawing out, it has never been lowered more than 200 feet.
The quality of the water is fine and soft, and its temperature is somewhat warmer than that commonly drawn from other wells.
SHEERNESS, on the north-west of the island of Sheppey, 2 miles north from Queenborough, 17 ¼ north-east-by-north from Maidstone and 46 ¼ from London, is a seaport town and second-class naval establishment at the mouth of the Thames and Medway, head of a county court district with a terminal station on a branch of the South Eastern and Chatham railway from Sittingbourne, the pier was wrecked by the flood in November, 1897, and rebuilt in 1898—9; the town formerly consisted of separate districts, called towns, namely, Blue Town (which is in Sheerness), Banks Town, Marine Town and Mile Town; the last three are now included in Sheerness-on-Sea. Sheerness, in the time of Charles I. was a mere swamp, but in the reign of Charles II. a fort was built here, which on the 10th July, 1667, was captured by the Dutch Admiral De Ruyter, and the defensive works were in consequence strengthened and docks formed; in 1797, May 27Th the mutiny of the Nore broke out here and was not quelled till June 13Th several of the ringleaders being executed; the wharf fronts the Medway; the dockyard, which is surrounded by a brick wall has first-rate docks, a basin with 26 feet depth of water, two smaller basins, storehouses, victualling storehouse, mast-house, rigging house, sail-loft, smitheries and navy pay-office. There are also residences for the port admiral and captain superintendent; the barracks will contain between 1,500 and 2,000 men; the dockyards give employment to between 1,500 and 2,000 artisans and mechanics; the river has been dredged to allow of large ships of war steaming to Chatham, with which town Sheerness is associated in respec to the Royal Navy. The dockyard church, erected by the Admiralty about 1830, was totally destroyed by fire in Nov. 1881, but was rebuilt in 1885, and enlarged and re-decorated in 1900. The town, is strongly defended by fortifications, which extend for a mile and a half; they mount more than 100 guns, many of which are of large calibre and command the entrances of the Thames and Medway. Besides the dockyard business, there is some trade in supplying shipping, as well as in corn and seed.
By an Order of the County Council, dated July 31, 1894, under the provisions of the “Local Government Act, 1894,” Sheerness was formed into a civil parish from Minster.
The ecclesiastical parish of St. Paul was formed out of Holy Trinity, Sheerness-on-Sea, civil parish of Minster, 25 March, 1873.
St. Paul's church, Station road, consecrated in June, 1872, and enlarged in 1876, is of brick in the Byzantine style, and has a belfry containing one bell: there are 640 sittings, 412 of which are free. The register dates from the year 1872. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £271, with residence, in the gift of the vicar of Minster, and held since 1900 by the Rev. William Noblot B.D. of Durham University, who is also, acting chaplain to the forces, and resides at Sheerness-on-Sea. A Sunday school and parochial room was erected in 1878.
Bethel Congregational chapel, in Union street, founded in 1762, has 500 sittings.
A newspaper, the “Sheerness Guardian,” is published on Saturday.
The area of Sheerness civil parish and Urban District is 826 acres, 40 of water, 325 of tidal water and 324 of foteshote; rateable value, £58,146; the population in 1901 was 18,179, including 856 in the Military barracks, 844 in the Naval barracks, 2,301 on board H.M. ships and 96 on British vessels in the harbour.
The population of St. Paul’s ecclesiastical parish in 1901 was 8,770.
PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of Services
St. Paul’s Church, Station road, Rev. William Noblet B.D. vicar; 11 a.m.. & 3.15 & 6.30 p.m.; thurs. 7.30 p.m.
Dockyard Chapel, Rev. William C. Bourchier M.A., R.N.; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 6.30 p.m.; fri. 11 a.m.
Congregational (Bethel), Union street, Rev. Joseph Craig Kelly; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; thurs. 7.30 p.m.
SCHOOL.
Board School, Chapel street, under Sheerness & Minster-in-Sheppey Board School, erected in 1877 & enlarged in 1893, for 343 children; average attendance, 135 boys, 100 girls & 87 infants.
Water Conveyance
London.-“Gainsborough,” steam hoy, twice weekly from the Pier to New Sun wharf, Narrow street, Ratcliff E. returning on wed
SHEERNESS-ON-SEA is the modern part of Sheerness proper, from which it is separated by a moat, crossed by two bridges giving access to the pier and Dockyard railway station; it is built near the beach at the estuary of the Thames on the northern shore of the Isle of Sheppey and has become a place of popular resort for visitors; it has a fine esplanade, extending from Garrison Fort to Cheyney Rock, forming a long and pleasant promenade. The branch of the South Eastern and Chatham railway from Sittingbourne has a terminal station close to the beach. About a mile east the cliffs of London clay begin. The Thames here is about five miles broad and the floating Nore light at the mouth of the river marks the position, of the Nore sands and is a prominent beacon. The town, from 1849 controlled by a Local Board, is now governed, under the “Local Government Act, 1894” (56 and 57 Vict. c. 73), by an Urban District Council of 12 members, to whom belong the extensive water works in Trinity road, Mile Town; the water supply is obtained from a well 300 feet deep, continued by bore pipes to a depth of between 700 and 800 feet, and is pumped into a tank capable of holding 144,000 gallons; the drainage of the district has been greatly improved; the town is well lighted with gas by the Sheppey Gas Company, whose works are at West Minster. Holy Trinity is an ecclesiastical parish, formed February 14Th 1851, from the parish of Minster; the church, erected in 1836, is of brick and has a western tower containing one bell: there are 1,074 sittings, 600 of which are free. The register dates from the year 1836. The living is a vicarage, yearly value £280, chiefly derived from pew rents, in the gift of the vicar of Minster, and held since 1900 by the Rev. John Mainwaring Tamplin M.A. of University College, Oxford. The Catholic church, dedicated to SS. Henry and Elizabeth and erected in 1864, at a cost of about £6,000, is of brick and stone, in the Early English style, and has a turret containing one bell; attached to the church are the presbytery and schools: there are 500 sittings. The register of births and marriages dates from the year 1821. There is a Congregational chapel, built in 1859, seating 800; Wesleyan, 800; Baptist, erected in 1868,370; Primitive Methodist, 200; and Bible Christian, 400. A cemetery of three acres was formed in 1857, at a cost of £1,300, and enlarged by the addition of 2 acres in 1898; it has one mortuary chapel, and is the property of a limited liability company. The offices of the Urban District Council and Waterworks are in Trinity road. The London and County Banking Company Limited has a branch in the High street. The Conservative Club, in the Broadway, erected in 1897 at a cost of about £6,000, is an edifice of red brick with stone dressings, and contains a fine assembly room, reception and other rooms and a secretary's office. The Victoria Working Men’s dub, also in the Broadway, was erected in 1882, at a cost of £2,500, and is an edifice of brick, arranged for over 1,100 members. There is a medical society, numbering (in Dec. 1901) 3,681 members; a building Society, a benevolent society, Liberal and Conservative associations, and several other societies of lesser pretensions. The population of Holy Trinity ecclesiastical parish in 1901. was 9,409.
PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of Services. Holy Trinity Church, Edward street, Rev. John Mainwaring Tamplin M.A. vicar; 8 & 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 7.30 p.m.; fri. 12 noon.
SS. Henry & Elizabeth Catholic, Broadway, Rev. Thomas. Nolan, priest & officiating chaplain to the troops; sundays & holy days, mass & sermon for soldiers 9 a.m. & for sailors & civilians 10.30 a.m.; & vespers, sermon & benediction 6.30 p.m.; daily mass 7.30 a.m.; fri. rosary, instruction & benediction 7.30 a.m. in summer & 7 p.m. in winter.
Baptist, Russell street; 10.30 a.m. & 6 p.m.
Baptist, Strode cres.; 11 a.m.. & 6.30 p.m.; mon. 7.30 p.m.
Bible Christian, Alexandra road, Rev. Reuben William Green; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; mon. & wed. 7.30 p.m.
Congregational, Alma road, Rev.Frederick Rustace Tozer; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 8 p.m.
Primitive Methodist, Broadway; 10.45 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 8 p.m.
Wesleyan, Hope street, Rev. Francis W. Moon; 10.30 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; wed. 7 p.m.
SCHOOLS
A School Board of 9 members was formed 7 Jan. 1875, for Sheerness & Minster-in-Sheppey, Albert Seymour Baskett, 24 Trinity road, Sheerness-on-Sea, clerk to the board & attendance officer.
Board, High street, erected in 1877, & since enlarged for 800 boys & infants; average attendance, 650 boys & 196 infants.
Board (Elementary) (infants), Alexandra road, erected in 1888, & enlarged in 1894 for 385 children; average attendance, 290.
Board (Elementary) (girls), Broadway, erected in 1900, for 660 children; average attendance, 440.
National, Edward street, erected in 1837, for 850 children; average attendance, boys, 180, girls 280 & infants 166.
Catholic, Broadway (mixed), erected in 1864, for 100 children; average attendance, 69.