WISBECH ST. PETER
[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2013
"WISBECH ST. PETER is a parish, and forms the town of Wisbech. Part of the ecclesiastical parish of
Walsoken, Norfolk, was transferred to Wisbech from Norfolk in 1934."
[Transcribed and edited information from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868]
- Churchyard of SS. Peter and Paul :
Monumental inscription transcriptions reside in the Cambridgeshire Archives for
the years 1605-1925.
- The General Cemetery, Leverington Road:
Monumental inscription transcriptions reside in the Wisbech Museum for the years
1830-1921 along with the burial registers for the years 1836-1921.
- King's Walk cemetery:
Monumental inscription transcriptions reside in the Wisbech Museum for the years
1848-1955.
- The Census Records from 1841-1891 can be found in the Cambridgeshire Archives and
Wisbech Library. In addition the 1851 Census for Wisbech Town (St. Peter) is available
in full transcript form, on microfiche, from the
Cambridgeshire Family History Society Publications list (search)
- St. Peter and St. Paul's Church, Wisbech.
- "The church of SS. Peter and Paul is an edifice of stone in the Early Norman and
Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, double nave, lady chapel, north and south
aisles, south porch and a large embattled tower at the north-west angle containing
a clock and 10 fine-toned bells; the clock was erected in 1866 by Mr. James Dann,
of this town, at a cost of about £400: in the wholly chancel floor is a very large
brass to Sir Thomas de Branstone, constable of Wisbech Castle, ob. 1401, with effigy
in armour and mutilated inscription in Norman French: John Feckenham, last abbot
of Westminster, is John Shepherd, and unveiled 26th June, 1885, is buried in the
church: the reredos, presented by Mr. John Shepherd, and unveiled 26th June, 1885,
is a fine work in stone, alabaster and Florentine mosaic, executed in Venice by Salviati;
the principal feature is a reproduction III niosaic of The Last Supper," with canopied
figures of St. Prier and St. Paul on either side, designed by Mr. Bassett Smith.
A memorial window was erected to the Rev. H. E. H. Watts, a former vicar, and Mr.
H. Farrow, churchwarden in 1911: there are several other fine modern memorial windows,
including, one to the Rev. John Scott M.A. hon. canon of Ely and vicar here from
1867-86: the church was restored in 1858, at a cost of £4,200, and the organ reconstructed
and enlarged in 1873, at cost of £600: the church affords 1,500 sittings, all free.
The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value
£868, with residence, in the gift of the Bishop of Ely, and held since 1905 by Rev
William Thomas Rupert Crookham C.B.E., T.D., A.K.C. hon canon of Ely cathedral, surrogate
and hon. C.F.
- The Chapel of Ease or Octagon church, in the Old Market, is an octagonal embattled
structure of brick, with stone facings, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch
and a belfry containing one bell, and has sittings for 800 persons, most of which
are free. The living is a perpetual curacy, net yearly value £602, from the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, in the gift of trustees, and held since 1895 by the Rev. Richard Boyer
M.A. of Caius College, Cambridge.
- The Roman Catholic church, in Queen's road, built in 1854, and dedicated to Our Lady
and St. Charles Borronteo, is an edifice in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel,
nave, aisles and a turret containing one bell: there are 250 sittings. Attached to
the church is a fine parochial hall, built in 1914, which serves as the head quarters
of St. Joseph's Club (which is run on non-sectarian and non-political lines). The
Friends' Meeting House, North Brink, was built in 1854. The Baptist church, Upper
Hill street, was founded in 1674; the present edifice, erected in 1859 at a cost
of about £4,000, is a stone building in the Early English style, seating about 600
persons. The General Baptist chapel, Ely place, was founded in 1655, and the present
edifice built in 1873; it will seat 850. The Zion Baptist chapel, Victoria road,
is of brick, and was erected in i856; it has 220 sittings. The Congregational chapel,
Castle square, was built in 1818, and will seat 500, and the Primitive Methodist
chapel, Church terrace, was built in 1868. The Wesleyan Methodist chapel, in The
Crescent, will seat 500. The United Methodist church, Little Church street, built
in 1869-70, is of red brick with stone facings; there are 800 sittings. The Salvation
Army Barracks are in East street."
[Kelly's Directory - Cambridgeshire - 1929]
- Church of England
- Wisbech St. Peter:
Records of baptisms 1558-1949, marriages 1558-1902, burials 1558-1950 and banns
1754-1803, 1813-1912 reside in the Wisbech Museum together with microfilm copies
of baptisms 1558-1949, marriages 1558-1950, burials 1559-1938 and banns 1764-1912.
The Bishop's Transcripts for the years 1600-50, 1661-1869 and the burial ground 1881-1909
can be found in the Cambridge University Library. Microfilm copies of baptisms 1558-1875,
marraiges 1558-1875, and burials 1559-1875, photocopies of burials 1800-38, photcopies
baptisms 1801-49 can be found in the Cambridgeshire Archives. Indexed transcripts
exist for baptisms 1558-1653, 1717-1825 at the Wisbech Museum and indexed transcripts
of marriages 1558-1754 plus transcripts of marriages 1754-1800 exist at the Cambridge
Record Office.
- Octagon Chapel
- Registers for baptisms 1878-1946, burials 1830-39 and indexed transcriptions of baptism
1878-1946, burials 1830-1939, reside in the Wisbech Museum.
- St. Michael's Mission
- Registers exist in the Wisbech Museum for baptisms 1953-62.
- Baptist
- General Baptists:
Indexed transcriptions of births and baptisms 1700-1937, marriages 1715-49 with
later entries to 1838, burials 1706-96 with later entries 1943, 1858 reside in the
Cambridgeshire Archives.
- Baptists, Ely Place:
a Microfilm copy of the register of burials 1818-37 exists at the Cambridgeshire Archives.
- Baptists, Upper Hill Street, late Ship Lane:
A register of births and, on microfilm, burials 1794-1836 exists in the Cambridge record Office.
- Unitarian, Baptist, Church Lane:
A register of baptisms 1784-1837 exists at the Cambridgeshire Archives with a microfilm
copy of burials for 1831.
- Independent, Castle Square Chapel
- Records of baptisms 1819-37 (on microfilm), 1819-66, 1889-1923, marriages 1889-1923
and burials 1889-1923 exist at the Wisbech Museum as well as indexed transcriptions
of baptisms 1819-66, marriages 1921-23, 1912-21.
- Quakers
- Records exist for the Wisbech Monthly Meeting which later merged to become the Wisbech
and Sutton (later Chatteris)
Monthly Meeting.
- Methodist
- Wesleyan Methodist:
Records exist for the
Wisbech Wesleyan Circuit of which Wisbech forms part.
- Methodists, Little Church Street:
Records exist at the Cambridgeshire Archives for marriages 1908-37.
- Salvation Army, East Street
- Records exist at the Cambridgeshire Archives for marriages 1985.
- Records exist in the Cambridgeshire Archives for Wisbech Union workhouse for births
1914-42 and deaths 1914-54.
- Land Tax:
records were compiled afresh each year and contain the names of owners and occupiers
in each parish, but usually there is no address or place name. These records reside
in the Cambridgeshire Archives for the years 1798-1803 and 1935-48, 1798-99 are on
microfilm.
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