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Worcester Branch
of the
Birmingham & Midland Society
for Genealogy and Heraldry

OLDSWINFORD

Descriptive Notes:
Oldswinford St Mary Oldswinford is the usual civil spelling, Old Swinford is the usual Ecclesiastical spelling. [25]

Status:
Ancient Parish [25]
The parish included the following townships, all of which were in Worcestershire (Halfshire Hundred):

The township of 'Oldswinford'.

The township of Lye, which was a separate Civil Parish in 1866 and a separate Ecclesiastical Parish in 1839. It was ecclesiastically refounded in1841.

The township of Stourbridge, which was a separate Civil Parish in 1866 and a separate Ecclesiastical Parish in 1862.

The township of Upper Swinford, which was a separate Civil Parish in 1866.

The township of Wollescote, which was a separate Civil Parish in 1866 and a separate Ecclesiastical Parish in 1965, from Old Swinford Ancient Parish and 3 other parishes.

The township of Wollaston, which was a separate Civil Parish in 1866, was ecclesiastically severed 1860 to help create Amblecote Ecclesiastical Parish.

Also:
 
Oldswinford included in Staffordshire (S.Seisdon Hundred) the hamlet of Amblecote, which became a separate Civil Parish in 1866 in Staffordshire and a separate Ecclesiastical Parish in 1845, which included the Worcestershire township of Wollaston (qv above). It was ecclesiastically refounded in 1860).
 
So after 1866 'Oldswinford' has no separate civil identity.[25]

Other ecclesiastical boundary changes were:
In 1866 creation of Stourbridge St. Thomas Ecclesiastical Parish.
In 1873 to help create Stamber Mill Ecclesiastical Parish.
In 1953 to help create Norton Ecclesiastical Parish.

Location:
O.S. Ref: SO908832
About 12 miles west of central Birmingham

Parish Church:
St. Mary, Rectory Rd., Oldswinford, Stourbridge

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction:
Archdeaconry & Diocese of Worcester until 1921, Archdeaconry of Dudley & Diocese of Worcester (1921 - *) [25]

Hundred:
Formerly partly in South Seisdon hundred, county of Staffordshire but now [in 1866] wholly in Halfshire hundred. [44] [15] [57]

Poor Law Union:
Oldswinford separately rated for poor law purposes 1836 as were Stourbridge & Amblecote; remainder of townships separately rated soon after 1836 & 'Oldswinford' thereafter has no separate poor law identity.[3] [25]

Adjoining Parishes:
Kingswinford (Staffordshire); Lye; Pedmore; Kinver (Staffordshire) [1]

Parish Registers:
Coverage Source
Microform at WLHC Christenings 1602-1937 [5]
Marriages 1602-1961 [5]
Burials 1602-1933 [5]
Banns 1754-1925, 1940-54 [5]
Transcripts at WLHC Christenings
& Burials
1768-1800 [27]
Christenings 1800-19 [27]
Marriages 1754-1813 [27]
Burials 1800-13 [27]
General 1719-68 [27]
Originals at WRO Banns 1754-1954 [12]

Bishops' Transcripts:
Begin 1613 Worcestershire Library and History Centre [22]

International Genealogical Index (IGI):
[19]
Coverage
Parish Registers Births / Christenings 1602-1877
Marriages 1602-1877

Register Copies:
At BMSGH Shop
St Mary , incorporating Parts 1 - 8 of the Parish Registers (detailed below,as fiche) plus MIs and Oldswinford Poor Law 1651-1794 and An Index of Names Found in Sundry Documents, Relating to Oldswinford & Stourbridge (Compiled by Nigel R. Perry) CD ROM 

Part 1 Vol. 4. Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1736-1752 Vol. 5. Christenings & Burials 1753-1768  Marriages 1753/4
Part 2. Vol. 3. Christenings, Marriages & Burials1719-1735
Part 3. Vol. 9,10,11. Marriages 1754-1780 Banns 1763-1771
Part 4. Vol. 12 & 13 Marriages 1780-1813
Part 5 Vol. 6. Christenings & Burials1768-1800
Part 6 Vol. 7 & 8 Christenings 1800-1819. Burials 1800-1813
Part 7, Vol.1 Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1647-1692
Part 8, Vol. 2 Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1693-1718

At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
Old Swinford, St Mary:
Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1602-1692
Births, Marriages, Burials 1647-1692
Births, Marriages, Burials 1693-1718
Births, Marriages, Burials 1719-1735
Baptisms 1758-1808, Burials 1768-1808 mar 1774-1813
Baptisms 1806-1819, Marriages 1813-1822, Burials 1806-1823
Baptisms 1819-1824
Baptisms 1824-1830, Marriages 1822-1833, Burials 1823-1831
Baptisms 1830-1838 Burials 1831-1838, Marriages 1833-1837
Baptisms 1859-1873 Burials 1859-1866 Marriages 1860-1868
Baptisms 1873-1889 Burials 1873-1893 Marriages 1877-1895
Baptisms 1889-1937 Burials 1893-1933 Marriages 1895-1917
Baptisms and Burials 1693-1768 Marriages 1693-1774 Banns 1763-1771
Baptisms and Burials 1716-1745, Marriages 1716-1747
Baptisms and Burials 1747-1805 Marriages 1747-1754 - Copy of Register
Baptisms 1800-1819, Burials 1800-1813
Baptisms and Burials 1768-1800 
Marriages 1837-1846, Baptisms 1838-1845, Burials 1838-1844
Marriages 1917-1961
Marriages 1754-1813 Banns 1763-1771
Marriages 1780-1813
Banns 1754-1763 and 1771-1838
Banns 1763-1771, Baptisms 1647-1819, Marriages 1647-1813, Burials 1647-1813
Banns 1838-1870
Banns 1870-1925 and 1940-1954
Burials 1844-1851 Baptisms 1845-1852 Marriages 1846-1854
Burials 1851-1859 Baptisms 1852-1859 Marriages 1854-1860
Burials 1866-1873, Marriages 1868-1877Births, Marriages, Burials 1736-1752, Baptisms and Burials 1753-1768, Marriages 1753-54

Part 1 Vol 4 Births, Marriages, Burials 1736-52 Vol 5 
Baptisms and Burials 1753-1768 Marriages 1753-4
Part 2 Vol 3 Births, Marriages, Burials 1719-35
Part 3 Vol 9-11 Marriages 1754-1780 Banns 1763-1771
Part 4 Vol 12-13 Marriages 1780-1813
Part 5 Vol 6 Baptisms and Burials 1768-1800
Part 6 Vol 7-8 Baptisms 1800-1819
Burials 1800-1813


At Dudley Archives & Local History Service
Microform: Christenings 1602-1937 Marriages 1602-1961 Burials 1602-1933
Transcript: Christenings 1719-1819 Marriages 1719-1813 Burials 1719-1813

At Society of Genealogists [68]  :-
OLDSWINFORD (St. Mary) : Christenings 1647-1819, Marriages 1647-1813, Burials 1647-1812 , banns 1763-71 Microfiche.]   Published : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, Nd.   Author Haden, J et al. (transcription.)

OLDSWINFORD (St. Mary) : Christenings 1647-1819, Marriages 1647-1813, Burials 1647-1813, banns 1763-71, Monumental Inscriptions, poor law & settlement 1651-1794 [CD-ROM.]   Published Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry 2003

SWINFORD, OLD : Christenings & Burials 1736-68, Marriages 1736-54   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1975   Author Fontaine, J L (transcription.)  Source D: F C Markwell

SWINFORD, OLD : Marriages 1754-1813, banns 1763-71, vol. 9-13 [Photocopy.]   IN: Old Swinford St. Mary, vol. 6-13 (spine)   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, Nd.   Author Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry (transcription.)     Source D: BMSGH

SWINFORD, OLD (St Mary) : Christenings 1800-19, Burials 1800-13, vol. 7 & 8 [Photocopy.]   IN: Old Swinford St. Mary, vol. 6-13 (spine)   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, Nd. Source D: BMSGH

SWINFORD, OLD (St. Mary) : Christenings & Burials 1768-1800, vol. 6   IN: Old Swinford St. Mary, vol. 6-13 (spine)   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, Nd. Source D: BMSGH

SWINFORD, OLD (St. Mary) : Christenings, Marriages & Burials 1719-35   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1973   Author Voyce, Constance J (transcription.)   Author Page, Anne (transcription.) Source D: BMSGH
 
 
OLDSWINFORD (St. Mary) : Christenings 1647-1819, Marriages 1647-1813, Burials 1647-1812 , banns 1763-71 Microfiche.]   Published : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, Nd.   Author Haden, J et al. (transcription)  

Nonconformist:

Quaker digest registers of births, marriages & burials - Warws., Leics. & Rutland QM : Births 1623-1837, 1636-1815, 1646-1762, Marriages 1648-1837, 1659-1794, 1668-1711, Burials 1659-1837, 1661-1836, 1636-1781 (includes Tamworth, Handsworth, West Bromwich, Rowley Regis, Lichfield, Wednesbury, Aldridge, Staffs.; Chipping Camden, Stow on the Wold, Sezincote, Glos.; Ratcliffe on Soar, Notts.; Warley, Oldbury, Salop; Shipston on Stour, Tredington, Old Swinford, Dudley, Stourbridge, Worcs.) [Microfilm.]   Published London : World Microfilms Publications, 1989 Source S: Quaker FHS. Society of Genealogists

Monumental Inscriptions and Associated Documents:
At BMSGH Shop
St.Mary

At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
St.Mary 

At Worcestershire Library and History Centre [51]
St.Mary

At Society of Genealogists [59]
SWINFORD, OLD (St. Mary) : Monumental Inscriptions [Microfiche.]   Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, Nd.   Author Wright, A J L et al. (transcription.)

SWINFORD, OLD (St. Mary) : Monumental Inscriptions: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 10   IN: Worcestershire monumental inscriptions, vol. 10   Published : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1989-90   Author Beadman, B et al. (transcription.)  Source D: Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry

Census Records:
All the censuses between 1841 and 1901 are now available on a number of fee-paying (Subscription or PayAsYouGo) sites including Ancestry.co.uk, FindMyPast.co.uk, thegenealogist.co.uk and genesreunited.co.uk. The 1911 census is available in full or in part on some of these sites. We are unable to advise on the choice of site since researchers' personal preferences will be influenced by the content and search facilities offered by each site. Some sites offer a free trial.

Access to the library edition of Ancestry.co.uk is widely available at most record offices, including Worcestershire Library and History Centre, and some libraries. You are advised to book time on their computers before making a visit. 

A free-to-view site is being developed at freecen.org.uk for the 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871 and 1891 censuses.  Coverage of Worcestershire parishes is rather sparse at this time.

Census returns can usually be viewed at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' Family History Centres.

Some repositories offer census details on microform, disc or printed copy. These include:
At Worcestershire Library and History Centre [14] :-
1841 51 71 81
For 1851 & 1871 see Stourbridge
1891 Oldswinford Hospital School

1861 Dudley Archives & Local History Service

At Society of Genealogists :-
1851 census Worcestershire, vol. 1 Stourbridge, part 1 transcript & surname index, addendum index - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1996 - Author: Friend, A F
Worcestershire 1851 census index, vol. 1 Stourbridge RD, parts 2-3 Stourbridge sub-district including Wollaston, Wollescote, Upper Swinford, Amblecote [transcript & surname index HO 107/2035] ; 1851 census Worcestershire, vol. 1 Stourbridge RD, part 2 Stourbridge sub-district including Wollaston, Wollescote, Upper Swinford, Amblecote [transcript & surname index HO 107/2035] - Published Birmingham : Birmingham & Midland Society for Genealogy & Heraldry, 1996 - Author Friend, A F

Search Services (Fee paying) - BMSGH and Independent:
Burial 1719-1840 Worcestershire Burial Index
Marriage see Worcestershire Marriage Index

Parish Records on microform at Worcestershire Library and History Centre [13]
Register for burials in wollen 1678-1722/3, 1723-79
Churchwardens & overseers' of the poor accounts 1667-1727
Vestry meetings minutes (inc. information on highways diversion 1853-4) - 1685-1878
Overseers of the poor accounts 1694-1728/9
Vestry meetings minutes 1723-71

Schools Records:
A handlist of the records of schools and of other educational establishments held by Worcestershire Record Office for this parish can be found here.

Other Sources:
At BMSGH Shop
Oldswinford miscellany CD-Rom
Oldswinford Poor Law: St Mary 1651-1794 microfiche

At BMSGH Reference Library [7]
Register of Burials account to Act of Parliament burying in wool 1678-1770
Poor Law and Settlement Documents 1651-1794
Index of Names Relating toOldwinsford and Stourbridge 1488-20thC
 

Transcript at Worcestershire Library and History Centre
The poor law & settlement documents of the church of St. Mary, Old Swinford, 1651-1794 [27]

At Society of Genealogists :-
St. Mary's church, Old Swinford   Published , Nd.   Author Williams, H H 

The story of Old Swinford church   IN: St. Mary's church Old Swinford (cover)   Published Gloucester : The British Publishing Co. Ltd., Nd.   Author Davies, H L Source D: Anon.

Hearth tax returns for Dudley & Stourbridge 1664 - 1666 - 1674 - Published Kingswinford : P E Chandler, 1992 - Author: Chandler, Peter (trans.)

The poor law & settlement documents of the church of St. Mary, Old Swinford, 1651-1794   Published Birmingham, 1977   Author Perry, Nigel R (transcription.) Edition Reprint Source D: BMSGH 

Directories:
SWINFORD (OLD), a parish partly in the southern division of the hundred of SEISDON, county of STAFFORD, but chiefly in the lower division of the hundred of HALFSHIRE, county of WORCESTER, 1 mile (S. S. E.) from Stourbridge, containing, with the town of Stourbridge, and the hamlet of Amblecoat, 11,227 inhabitants. The living is a rectory, in the archdeaconry and diocese of Worcester, rated in the king's books at £26. 6. 8., and in the patronage of Lord Foley. The church is dedicated to St. Mary.

The Blue-coat hospital, in this parish, was founded by Thomas Foley, Esq., ancestor of the noble family of that name, and endowed by him with estates now producing upwards of £2000 per annum: it is a commodious brick building, somewhat in the style of a college, pleasantly situated on the road to Bromsgrove. In this noble institution seventy poor boys are boarded, clothed and educated: the original number was sixty, but the increase of income has enabled the feoffees to add ten more. They are chosen from the following parishes and towns, viz., Old Swinford, three; town of Stourbridge, four ; Kidderminster, six (three from the borough and three from the foreign); Bewdley, four; Dudley, four; Great Whitley, King's Swinford, Kinver, Harbom-n, Hales- Owen, West Bromwich, Bromsgrove, Rowley - Regis, Wednesbury, and Sedgeley, two each; Hagley, Little Whitley, Alvechurch, Pedmore, and Wombourn, one each; and the remaining twenty-four are appointed by the representative of the founder: each boy must, on admission, be between seven and eleven years of age, free from disease, and the son of parents who have never received parochial relief; he is annually provided with a suit of clothes (similar to that worn at Christ's Hospital), a cap, and four pair of shoes and stockings, and, at fourteen years of age, is apprenticed with a premium of £4, and on producing a certificate of good conduct during his apprenticeship, receives at its expiration a gratuity of £15. The establishment is under the direction of nineteen feoffees, who are noblemen, dignitaries of the church, or gentlemen of large landed property, in this or the adjoining counties, and who elect the master, steward, &c.

The school at Red-hill is supported with endowments by John Wheeler, Esq., and Henry Glover, Esq., the former of whom granted property for the instruction of twenty poor boys, and for furnishing them with books and stationery, and the latter bequeathed £400, since laid out in lands, for the instruction of six poor boys in reading, writing, and arithmetic, for six years each, providing them with books and stationery, and apprenticing one of them annually, with a premium of £5: two boys have since been added by the trustees, who are the governors of the Stourbridge free grammar school, and the boys on the foundation of both these charities are instructed by the same master. The remainder of Henry Glover's endowment, after all necessary charges for the school are deducted, is distributed amongst the poor of that part of the parish which is in the county of Worcester who do not receive parochial relief, in sums of not more than one shilling per week to each person. Exclusively of the trade connected with the town of Stourbridge, a detailed account of which is given in the article on that place, many of the inhabitants are engaged in the making of nails. [Topographical Dictionary of England 1831 by Samuel Lewis]
© Arthur Lewis and contributors 2008
Comments, additions, corrections etc to Arthur Lewis
Last updated on 13th December 2011