I was interested to read in the December issue
of the Berkshire Family Historian the
item on the index of marriages produced by Mrs.
John Hautenville Cope. She lived at Sulhampstead
Park, and before she married was Emma Elizabeth
Thoyts. During her life she collected much
information on Berkshire, but her interest does
not seem to have stopped there. Her collection (or
at least some of it) is held at the Reading Local
Studies Library. Included in the 25 items listed
are:
Annals of a Country Churchyard during 15o
years 1602-1750, written in 1893
Book of parishioners of Sulhampstead (1891-1893)
Complete transcript of the Sulhampstead
Bannister parish registers
History of the Royal Berkshire militia
Index to parish registers (including
Phillimore's) 1900. This includes handwritten
notes with clippings of the indexes in other
parts of England.
I have copies of marriages for Bradfield 1559-1812,
East llsley 1654-1811, Hurst 1585-1607 and 1633-1812,
Purley 1662-1753, Ruscombe 1559-1812, and
Yattendon 1559-1812. I will look up these indexes
for anybody interested in these parishes. Please
send a stamped self-addressed envelope.
Another useful source is the journals of the
Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Archaeological Society. They contain some old
wills and Feet of Fines. They can also be found
at Reading Library.
