Parish Magazine as a research resource

[spoons]

Maybe I am slow and everyone got there ahead of me but I have only just thought about parish magazines as a research resource. If there was a parish magazine and if early copies have survived, this could be a very useful resource for researchers. For example, here are a few of extracts from Lochgoilhead parish magazine which I just found here. I wouldn't expect many to be online though.

December 1917

We were very glad to see recently, home on leave from France, Archibald Haggart, who has won the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry on the field – he repeatedly carried despatches through heavy “curtain fire”. His mother has good reason to be proud of him, and we offer them both our heartiest congratulations.

May 1918

We extend our hearty sympathy to Mr and Mrs David Maclachlan, Inveronich, about the safety of whose eldest son, Robert, the very gravest fears are being entertained.

The gallant lad, after recovering from wounds received at Delville Wood, returned to France on 10th December 1916. He has been posted as wounded and missing since 27th May of last year.

July 1918

Mr Galloway, Cairndow, has now heard from his son Winton, who is wounded and a prisoner in Germany.

Never seen anyone mention this resource on the forum.

\Spoons

[daggers]

Spoons

I agree totally and used ours extensively in researching the WWI plaque and book of remembrance for our church. There were occasional lists of wounded, missing and dead, but by no means full coverage. Also, some of the more obscure names could be explained, as relatives of locals. Almost a complete set has been deposited in the local record office, with official registers etc.

For WW2 [off topic, I know], the then vicar was less informative, believing that the enemy would be searching his columns for war secrets.

Daggers

[Stephen Nulty]

Shown below is an example of the type of article which appeared throughout the war in Prescot Parish Church monthly magazine.

An invaluable resource to research, the article below shows men of the Bible Class who were away serving in the forces and this has been extremely useful when researching casualties.

[daggers]

Stephen

What a remarkable list. You would have to visit many churches to find so many men in the pews, let alone a Bible class, these days! Great detail for the researcher, too.

Daggers

[Stephen Nulty]

Daggers

A great tool indeed, but also as the war progressed, the magazine contained pages such as that below, specifically for a memorial service. This particular page helped me to identify three previously unidentified casualties.

(The image is poor quality as I have reduced it for this thread).

[John G]

I have used local parish magazines in my research and it is has proved invaluable. The whole war was covered and featured little items that have previously gone unrecorded showing life in those years which has been my angle for the book I am working on. It was frustrating to realise what was also missing as well.

From the 5 churches only two have kept the magazines. Fortunately, one of churches had access to a booklet with all the men who had fought from the parish, the fallen in bold and which regiments .

[auchonvillerssomme]

They also reflect the mood and circumstances of the parish after the war, I found some interesting notes about one of 'my men' who died of his wounds in 1919.

Mick