Bognor Genealogical Records
Bognor 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.
An index to over 350,000 baptisms extracted from the registers of parish churches in Sussex.
An index to over 400,000 baptisms, marriages and burials recorded in Anglican churches in Sussex.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
An index to births registered at the central authority for England & Wales. The index provides the area where the birth was registered, mother's maiden name from September 1911 and a reference to order a birth certificate.
Bognor 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 licences filed by those who intended to marry in the Archdeaconry of Lewes.
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 licences files by those who intended to marry in the Archdeaconry of Lewes.
An index to over 55,000 marriages extracted from the registers of parish churches in Sussex.
Bognor 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.
An index to burials in 235 Sussex parishes.
An index to over 400,000 baptisms, marriages and burials recorded in Anglican churches in Sussex.
Transcripts of all surviving burials recorded in parish registers and Bishop's transcripts.
An index to over 25,000 burials extracted from the registers of parish churches in Sussex.
Bognor 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 list of freeholders eligible to vote in Sussex, listing their residence, location and nature of freehold, name of the property's occupier and who they voted for in the election.
A list of freeholders eligible to vote in the county.
Transcriptions of property tax records for Sussex residents.
Newspapers Covering Bognor
A county newspaper, publishing news, editorials, family notices, adverts, sports news etc.
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.
Fully text-searchable articles from a regional newspaper covering the Sussex area. It includes family announcements, obituaries, court proceedings, business notices and more.
A regional newspaper including news from the Sussex area, family announcements, business notices, advertisements, legal & governmental proceedings and more.
Bognor 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 probate and administrations granted by the peculiar courts of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
An index to estate administrations performed by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. The index covers the southern two thirds of England & Wales, but may also contain entries for northerners.
Transcripts of wills of Sussex regiments, indexed by name & place and ordered by parish.
A searchable calendar to wills proved at this court. Contains references to order probate documents.
Bognor Immigration & Travel Records
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.
Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.
Bognor Military Records
A collection of articles detailing life in West Sussex during WWII. It includes a number of oral histories.
Biographies of East Sussex Constabulary police officers who lost their lives in The Great War.
A history of a regiment in the British Army. Includes information on the regiment's colours, badges, uniform and marches.
A detailed history of the puritan revolution in Sussex, includes biographies of county men involved in the turmoil.
A register of several-thousand men of the 11th, 12th and 13th (Service) Battalions, The Royal Sussex Regiment.
Bognor Court & Legal Records
Abstracts of records that detail land conveyances.
A list of freeholders eligible to vote in Sussex, listing their residence, location and nature of freehold, name of the property's occupier and who they voted for in the election.
A list of freeholders eligible to vote in the county.
Transcriptions of property tax records for Sussex residents.
A list of those who voted in the election, listing the candidates they voted for and organised by settlement.
Bognor Taxation Records
Transcriptions of tax records that name those who had to pay property tax and how much was due. Returns for 1296, 1327 and 1332/3 are included.
Transcriptions of property tax records for Sussex residents. The years covered are 1292, 1327 and 1332.
Transcripts of assessments for the taxation of wealthier households in the east of Sussex. Indexed by name.
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.
Bognor Land & Property Records
A book comprising rentals from twenty-seven manors in Sussex - their customs and information concerning the Borough and Hundred of Lewes.
Abstracts of records that detail land conveyances.
Notes on Sussex's natural history, early man, the Anglo-Saxon period, earthworks and political history. Also includes a translation of the Sussex portion of the Domesday Book.
A list of freeholders eligible to vote in Sussex, listing their residence, location and nature of freehold, name of the property's occupier and who they voted for in the election.
A list of freeholders eligible to vote in the county.
Bognor Directories & Gazetteers
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.
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.
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.
A comprehensive place-by-place gazetteer, listing key historical and contemporary facts. Contains details on local schools, churches, government and other institutions. Also contains a list of residents and businesses for each place.
Bognor Cemeteries
Over one thousand photographs of monuments inside Sussex churches.
Photographs and descriptions of Sussex's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Abstract details of over 2,000 monuments in Sussex; includes photographs of some monuments.
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.
Bognor 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.
Bognor Histories & Books
A guide to the county and its settlements, focusing on topography, history and architecture.
A collection of Sussex postcards, all of which have been geographically referenced.
5000 digital images which cover the social, agricultural, industrial and historical development of West Sussex from the Victorian era to the present day.
A collection of over 13,000 postcards and other images.
A database of over 12,000 heritage photographs, prints, drawings and paintings depicting scenes and life in West Sussex.
Bognor School & Education Records
A volume produced by one of the foremost authorities on English history. It covers religious houses, maritime history, industry, agriculture, forestry, education and sport.
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.
Bognor Occupation & Business Records
A book comprising rentals from twenty-seven manors in Sussex - their customs and information concerning the Borough and Hundred of Lewes.
A volume produced by one of the foremost authorities on English history. It covers religious houses, maritime history, industry, agriculture, forestry, education and sport.
A directory of photographers who plied their trade in Sussex. Some studios are given lengthy profiles, complete with biographies, genealogical information and examples of work.
Abstracts of apprenticeship details collected by tax authorities. The abstracts usually contain genealogical information and details on the nature and terms of the apprenticship.
An introduction to smuggling in on the east coast of England, with details of the act in various regions.
Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Bognor
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Hand-draw genealogical charts covering Sussex's gentry. Includes descriptions of coats of arms.
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.
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
Bognor Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records
A detailed history of the county's hundreds, parishes and religious houses.
Hand-draw genealogical charts covering Sussex's gentry. Includes descriptions of coats of arms.
Over one thousand photographs of monuments inside Sussex churches.
Abstracts of records detailing the deaths of landowners in Sussex and the inheritance of their lands.
Abstracts of records detailing the deaths of landowners in Sussex and the inheritance of their lands.
Bognor Church Records
A study of the architectural development of each Anglican parish church in Sussex.
Over one thousand photographs of monuments inside Sussex churches.
The names of over 12,000 males who signed oaths of loyalty to the Crown and Church of England.
The names of over 12,000 males who signed oaths of loyalty to the Crown and Church of England.
Questionnaires completed by the incumbents of the 81 parishes in the Archdeaconry and Peculiar of Ringmer regarding their ecclesiastical affairs.
Biographical Directories Covering Bognor
Biographies of East Sussex Constabulary police officers who lost their lives in The Great War.
A detailed history of the puritan revolution in Sussex, includes biographies of county men involved in the turmoil.
Biographies of county persons mixed with past incidents.
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Bognor Maps
Good quality digital images of early Sussex maps. They vary in scale, from plotting major roads and settlements, to individual fields.
A book containing reproductions of around 30 maps of Sussex, with detailed information on their background and cartographer.
A description of the county, some of its settlements and sights.
Digital images of maps covering the county.
A map delineating parishes and probate jurisdictions in Sussex.
Bognor Reference Works
A work that attempted to record the provincial Sussex dialect due to its perceived erosion. Includes etymologies.
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.
Civil & Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction
Historical Description
Bognor, situated on a dry healthy spot, remarkable for the purity of its air. Amongst the many advantages of this place are good roads.
and agreeable rides, being in the vicinity of several noblemen’s seats. The place is well supplied with fish, particularly lobsters and prawns, the latter of which are held in the first estimation.
Bognor is an extensive assemblage of brick-built villas, the erection of which, arose from a favourite speculation of the late Sir Richard Hotham, who was the sole proprietor of this spot. After his death it was sold in lots to different purchasers; but its original destination is still kept up, and every season brings a greater influx of fashionable company to the place.
The situation is truly pleasant, being within a quarter of a mile of the sea, from which there is an extensive and grand view of the main ocean, and the Isle of Wight; the eye is at the same time presented with picturesque views of a rich and fertile inland country, commanding the Surrey and Sussex hills, with distinct views of Chichester, Stanstead, Goodwood, Slindon, and Arundel.
Here is a handsome house belonging to Admiral Sir Thomas Trowbridge, and near to it a chapel licensed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The bathing machines are constructed upon the same plan as at Margate, with skilful guides, and the delightful sands render the bathing safe and agreeable.
The lodging houses, called Rock Buildings, at the west end of Bognor, are about one minute’s walk from the sea. The intervening space is laid out in a spacious coach road, and a handsome paddock, surrounded by gravel walks and a shrubbery, the luxuriant appearance of which almost down to the beach, affords a proof of the salubrity and the mildness of the climate.
Near to Rock Buildings is a spacious hotel, or inn, and also a library, a warm bath, and subscription room, combining many views of a picturesque country, extending from Beachy Head to the Isle of Wight, and including an uninterrupted prospect of the ocean.
The smoothness of the sand reminds the valetudinarian of a velvet carpet, and invitingly draws him to the sea side, while the strait line of the coast, and its gentle slope into the channel, enable him to enjoy his ride or walk without the least risk or unexpected interruption from the waves; and as stormy weather very seldom interrupts the bathers here, the knowledge of this fact has kept a number of families here to a protracted period of the season.
Bognor is much frequented in the summer by persons of the first respectability; and by many who do not wish to enter into the gay and extensive circles of more public watering-places, will here find a tranquil retreat, with every convenience and comfort that can be expected at such a small distance from the capital.
One of the first works of the late Sir Richard Hotham here, was the range of houses to which he gave the name of Hothampton Place. —The hotel is built upon the beach, and during the bathing season it is frequently difficult to obtain any apartments in it. The large garden that joins it, affords no little pleasure to the visitor. The Subscription Room is in a building still nearer to the sea than the hotel, standing on the right of it: it commands a fine prospect of the ocean, the villages of Aldwick and Pagham, the harbour of the latter, the adjacent country as far as Selsea Bill, and the summits of the rocks of the Isle of Wight. From the eastern windows there is a view of Felpham, Berstead, the Sussex Downs, and the intervening country.
Bognor owes its origin as a watering place, to the late Sir Richard Hotham, who in 1786, accidentally visiting this spot, then inhabited only by fishermen and smugglers, conceived such an attachment to it, that making several purchases of land, he began early in the following year to erect a house for his own occasional residence, and during the remainder of his life, which terminated in 1799, he built very extensively, and made many improvements. This Sir Richard Hotham was originally a hatter, in the Borough of Southwark, and increased his business by an extraordinary incident; instead of issuing shop-bills, as usual, he had his name and business inscribed upon pieces of copper about the size of a halfpenny, which he sent all over the town, and to different parts of the kingdom. This durable document attracted notice, and its whimsical originality induced many persons to employ him. It was always his rule to have the best articles that could be procured, so that a new customer naturally became an old one. After having carried on the hat business many years and amassed a considerable fortune, he ventured into the commercial world, and particularly into the property of shipping for the East India Company. Being a man of strong judgment, with a mind invariably directed towards speculation, he in time acquired a considerable property. He successfully opposed Mr. Thrale at the election for the Borough of Southwark, in 1789; but retired from parliament a few years after. Sir Richard was knighted in consequence of presenting an address at St. James’s, on the birth of a prince. Though constantly attentive to what is called "the main chance," Sir Richard was capable of generous actions, and many young men whom he patronized were indebted to him for their promotion by the East India Company.
Since Sir Richard’s death Bognor has increased in extent and beauty beyond any conception that he could have entertained; it now comprises an assemblage of handsome stone and brick houses, and is nearly a mile in length. From the distances between many of these houses, it must be acknowledged they have more of the resemblance of so many gentlemen’s seats than a regular town. Many of them have been purchased by families of fashion, some for temporary and others for constant residences.
BOGNOR is a seaside and market town, forming a portion of what was the ancient parish of South Bersted; it is pleasantly situated near the peninsula of Selsey, sheltered from the north winds by the South Downs, and is the terminus of a short branch of the London, Brighton and South Coast railway, 3 ½ miles in length from Barnham and is 63 miles from London, 12 west from Worthing, 28 west from Brighton, and 7 south-east from Chichester, in the South Western division of the county, Aldwick hundred, Westhampnett union, Chichester rape, petty sessional division and county court district; it contains the separate ecclesiastical parish of St. John’s, Bognor, formed in Feb. 11, 1873, from the tything of Bognor, and is in the rural deanery of Arundel (second division), and archdeaconry and diocese of Chichester; from the mildness and salubrity of the air, the eligibility of the extensive beach for bathing and its extensive sea views, it has become a fashionable summer resort. The pier, constructed in 1865, at a cost of £5,000, extends 1,000 feet into the sea; the promenade, about one mile in length, was finished in 1870, at a cost of £8,000, and in 1886, sea defences and additions were completed at a cost of £6,400, and a further sum of £5,000 in 1895. The Victoria drive of more than a mile in length connects Bognor with South Bersted.
The town was controlled by a Local Board, established in 1866, but under the provisions of the “Local Government Act, 1894” (56 and 57 Vict. c. 73), is now governed by an Urban District Council, and has been formed into a separate civil parish in pursuance of Section 1 of the same Act; the principal streets are wide, paved and lighted with gas by a company, and pure water is supplied under constant high pressure from the works of the Bognor Water Company, at Eastergate, about 5 miles from the town, where a new well and pumping station have recently been constructed at a cost of over £10,000. The church of St. John the Baptist, erected in 1882, is of flint with red brick facings, and has a tower, with spire, containing 2 bells; there are 850 sittings. The old church, with the exception of the tower, has been pulled down. The register dates from the year 1873. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £170, with residence, in the gift of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and held since 1893 by the Rev. William Boden Bladon M.A. of Clare College, Cambridge. The Priory, with the adjoining Catholic church, dedicated to Our Lady of Seven Dolours, was built in 1881; it is served by priests of the Order of Servants of Mary, now commonly known as “Servites”; the church will seat about 400. There are also Congregational, Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels. The Assembly Rooms at West Bognor, erected at a cost of £4,500, and opened in 1886, are of red brick, and contain a large hall, with stage, capable of holding 800 people; there is also a banqueting room and other smaller rooms. The Market house, built in 1822, and purchased by the old Local Board in 1875, is open daily for the sale of meat, fish, fruit and vegetables. There are warm and cold baths, libraries, reading rooms and numerous lodging houses. The I Company of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment have a drill hall in the London road. There are two Lodges of Freemasons, a Lodge of Oddfellows and a Foresters’ Court. The Seaside Cottage Retreat is an establishment for convalescent adults and children of the poorer classes, who are received on a subscriber’s order; there are 40 beds; Miss Clara Cox, lady superintendent and Miss Barnett, matron; London office, 64, Chalton street, N. W. The Merchant Taylors’ Convalescent Home, for men, is chiefly supported from funds derived from lands known as “Bell alley,” left by Robert Donkyn by will, dated Dec. 1st, 1570, to provide clothing for each of 12 poor men, inhabitants of London, and for each of 12 poor women. The value of the estate was originally about £26 a year, is is now (1899) upwards of £3,000. The Home at Bognor, established under an order of the Charity Commissioners, is for any needy men recovering from accident or illness, and applications; must be made by letter to the clerk of the Merchant Taylors’ Company; the Home is available for 50 men. The Ladies’ Home is supported by the company from their corporate funds; there is room for 36 inmates; applicants must produce vouchers to prove that they have been accustomed to good society. The Victorian Convalescent Home for Women of Surrey, established in 1897, has a temporary home at Surrey house, London road; President, the Duchess of York. A fine permanent building is being erected on one of the best sites on the Esplanade; when completed, the Princess Mary Memorial Home of Rest for poor women will also be established under the same roof. Lady Maria Hoods Home for Girls, in connection with the Chichester Diocesan Penitentiary Association, was removed from Felpham, in 1896, to Upper Bognor. The Princess Mary Convalescent Home, in connection with the East London Hospital for Children, Shadwell, pleasantly situated in Aldwick road, is a structure of red brick, opened Nov. 16, 1898, and contains 28 beds. Arthur’s Home for Children, in connection with the Ragged School Union, and also in Aldwick road, was erected in 1892. The Owers Light Vessel is moored 9 miles from the shore, to warn ships from sunken rocks. Bognor Lodge is the residence of George Gatehouse esq. and Bersted Lodge of Mrs. Fletcher. The area of the civil parish is 523 acres; rateable value, £26,290. The population of the urban district and civil parish in 1891 was 4,104, and of the ecclesiastical parish 3,171.
PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of Services. St. John the Baptist Church, London road, Rev. William Boden Bladon M.A. vicar; Rev. George Savage M.A. curate; Sundays & holy days, 8 & 11 a.m. & 3.30 & 6.30 p.m.; daily, 8 a.m. & 5.30 p.m. except Wed. & Fri. & holy days, when it is at 11 a.m. & 7.30 p.m.
St. Wilfrid (Temporary) Church, Victoria drive, served from St. John the Baptist; holy communion, 2nd Sunday 8 a.m.; 4th, 11.30 a.m.; mattins, litany & sermon 11 a.m.; evensong & sermon 6.30 p.m.
Our Lady of Seven Dolours (Catholic) (Servite Fathers); priests, The Very Rev. Father Alphonses Coventry, Rev. John Angelo Price; sundaes, mass 8 a.m. high mass 11 a.m. evening rosary, instruction & benediction 6.30 p.m.; holy days, masses 7.30 & 10 a.m.; daily, mass 8 a.m.; Wed. benediction 4 p.m.; Fri. 7.30 p.m.; church open from 6 a.m. till 8.30 p.m.
Congregational, Rev. James Taylor; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.
Primitive Methodist, Rev. Joseph Waggott; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Wed. 7.30 p.m.
Wesleyan Methodist (Chichester Circuit), Rev. James H. Tite; 11 a.m. & 6.30 p.m.; Thursday, 7 p.m.
Undenominational Assembly Rooms; 11 & 6.30 p.m. Plymouth Brethren, 6.30 p.m.
Schools
St. Michael’s School for girls is under the Woodard group of school management as at St. Nicolas’ College, Lancing, St. John’s, Hurstpierpoint & St. Saviour’s at Ardingley, the religious training of the pupils being in strict accordance with the principles of the Church of England, about 50 girls being here educated; the Rev. Theodore Rogers M.A. is resident chaplain.
Board School for South Bersted parish, built in 1873, for 500 children; average attendance, 150 boys, 150 girls & 200 infants.
Catholic Mission Schools (mixed), London road, built in 1889, for 150 children; average attendance, 30.