IGI batches beginning with P

[Cool Blue]

Could anyone be so kind as to tell me the significance of the P prefix? I checked the Wiki and it doesn't mention them as far as I can see
Many thanks in advance
Janexxx

[Little Nell]

Try a read of this:

IGI Batch Numbers - British Isles and North America

[Cool Blue]

Thanks Nell, it mentions the P series but doesn't explain them on that link. ie the difference between them and the C batches for instance. The reason I ask is because I couldn't find a ref from a P batch in the PR microfilm and was wondering why
Can anyone else help?

[Olde Crone Holden]

Coolblue

I understand P batches to be "Parish registers, mixed entries" (baptisms and marriages, sometimes a few deaths)

The P batches seem to be for the larger churches, ones which have a few daughter churches/chapels of ease etc. In other words, the information is coming from several different venues to the mother church.

They are a bit like Bishops Transcripts, except that that is not what they were intended for, they were intended to be the record of the mother church.

One I can think of off hand, is Prestbury St Peter in Cheshire. This is a P-batch number and includes records for several different churches - but the transcriptions on the IGI do not SAY that, you will only find that out if you actually look at the register.

OC

[Cool Blue]

Thanks OC, an excellent explanation.
The batch was indeed from a big church, St Peter's, Bolton and I seem to remember the chapels of ease etc are actually included in the same register, but in a seperate section. which I didn't look at, thinking the record would be at St Peter's proper.
What a valuable piece of information.
I am most grateful for your input
Janexxx

[Christine in Herts]

Some churches (e.g. South Newington in Oxfordshire - but that isn't on the IGI - and some of the Devon & Cornwall church registers, too) used to mix up their records - so they'd have had to use P for those. I imagine it isn't the only church that did that. Paper could be expensive, so they filled every bit of space.

Christine