In the tumultuous wake of the Reformation, Christianity in England became increasingly divided. Non-Conformists established themselves in opposition to the Church of England with the broad aim of returning to the simplest values of faith. For their choice, some 5,000 died in prison.

Have you got Non-Conformist ancestors?

Working with our partner, London Metropolitan Archives (LMA), we have enhanced our extensive Parish collections with the release of London’s Non-Comformist church records. This is a rich, valuable and now searchable archive, recording the lives of regular Non-Conformist worshipers. You won’t find these records anywhere else online.

In 1850, there were nearly as many Non-Conformists as Anglicans

Non-Conformist church archives – Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, Quakers, Methodists and Unitarians – are an extraordinary source of baptism, marriage and burial records. With the emergence of several Non-Conformist churches in the mid 18th Century they pre-date mandatory record-keeping and provide information on individuals and communities that simply wouldn’t otherwise exist.

Only available with us

We have always been the richest source of Parish records. Now you can search even broader and deeper – back to the 1600’s. So, for example, even if a birth isn’t recorded by law, the christening would be.

These unique documents are available online only to us. So if you’ve hit a wall in your search for London ancestors, you may well find that these exclusive records are the answer to your prayers.

Photo: Mertyn Road, Methodist Church courtesy of City of London : London Metropolitan Archives