Updated 4 Sep 2001

WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900

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Statistics

Obtained from analysis of the Parish Registers of Wirksworth, Derbyshire.

CONTENTS

1. Age at Baptism 1656-1660
2. Age at Baptism 1778-1829 (under 50 days)
3. Age at Baptism 1778-1829 (over 1 year)
4. Seasonality of monthly Births 1778-1829
5. Seasonality of monthly Baptisms 1778-1829
6. Parish Population 1608-1837
7. Town & Hamlet population 1672
8. Typical Local Mortality Crisis 1674-1675

Deciphered, transcribed, compiled, indexed, formatted and copyright © 2001, . All Rights Reserved.

1. AGE at BAPTISM 1656-1660

During the period 1656-1660 the dates of births with baptisms were recorded in 140 instances, varying from 0 to 24 days. Half were baptised in the first week, another quarter in the second week, and 94% by the end of the third week. The average delay was 7 days. Return to Menu 16 + O O sample=140 | O O 14 + O O O | O O O O 12 + O O O O | O O O O O 10 + O O O O O | O O O O O O 8 + O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O 6 + O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O 4 + O O O O O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 2 + O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O |O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 |----------+---------+---------+---------+---------+--------- 0 5 10 15 20 25 Age in days





2. AGE at BAPTISM 1778-1828

Over 1,000 Baptisms are recorded more than 1 year after Birth, one at 50. Baptisms tended to be later as the years went by. Return to Menu | sample=9,600 240 + x x | xx x x 200 + x | x | | x x 160 + | | x | xx 120 + xx | x | xxxxx x | x x 80 + xx | xx x xx | x x x | x | x | xx x x 40 + | | x xxxxxxx x xx | | xxxx xxxxx 0 |----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+- 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 Age in days





3. AGE at BAPTISM 1778-1828

Late Baptisms were often performed with younger siblings on the same day, sometimes on parents and children together. Return to Menu 500 |x sample=9,600 | x 166 | | x 1086 over 1y 55 | x 638 over 2y | x 256 over 5y 18 | x 111 over 10y | x 23 over 20y 6 | x 5 over 30y | 2 over 40y 2 | x 1 over 50y | x 1 | x x x x |----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+- 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 Age in years





4. SEASONALITY of monthly BIRTHS 1778-1829

"Length of Day governs hormone production within females making them more fertile" may explain increased Conception Rate between March and October. "Even today March seems to have a peak of births"-Sue Belfield.Return to Menu | sample=9,600 900+ O O | O O O O O 800+ O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O 700+ O O O O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O O 600+ O O O O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O O 500+ O O O O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O O 400+ O O O O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 |-+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+--- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec





5. SEASONALITY of monthly BAPTISMS 1778-1829

Most Baptisms in September occured on two days, a "Baptism Festival" following "Harvest Home"? Return to Menu 2800+ sample=9,600 O | O 2400+ O | O 2000+ O | O 1600+ O | O 1200+ O | O 800+ O O O O | O O O O O O O O O 400+ O O O O O O O O O O O O | O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 |-+---+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+-- Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec





6. Parish POPULATION 1608-1837

Population was estimated from 9-year average baptism- marriage- and burial-rates from 404 English parishes published by Wrigley & Schofield, comparing these with 9-year average birth marriage and burial counts found in the Wirksworth parishes registers. Correction factors for nonconformism, delayed baptism and non-registration were applied. Return to Menu 7000+ Sample=30,000 x x | x 6000+ x | x + x | x 4000+ x x x x x 1780-1800 | x x x x x 54% Wirksworth + x x x x x x 13% Cromford | x 12% Middleton 2000+ 4% Alderwasley | 4% Bolehill + 13% remainder | 0 |-+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+- 1600 1650 1700 1750 1800 1850 YEAR





7. TOWN and HAMLET Populations 1672

The Churchwardens' Accounts 1672 record a 40 pound Levy raised "According to the proportions of the town and each hamlet in the parish". Assuming a parish population of 3,000 , an estimate can be made of town and hamlet populations as the Churchwardens believed them to be.Return to Menu Levy Population Wirksworth 9-06-09 700 Ashlehay 4-00-00 300 Hopton 3-16-07 287 Alderwasley 3-16-07 287 Itheridghay 3-16-07 287 Callow 3-03-04 237 Biggen 3-00-00 225 Cromford 3-00-00 225 Middleton 3-00-00 225 Ible 1-10-00 112 Imbrookgrange 1-10-00 112 -------- ---- 40-00-00 3000 pounds





8. Typical LOCAL MORTALITY CRISIS 1674-1675

"Local Mortality Crises" were usually short-lived epidemics that lifted the burial rate by over 5 Standard Deviations above normal. Analysis of season, child/adult and male/female ratios may give a clue to the cause, typically influenza, dysentry or smallpox. Return to Menu 35+ sample=342 | x 30+ x | x 25+ x | x x x 20+ x x x x x x x average | x x x x x x x monthly 15+ x x x x x x x x x x rate |-x-----x--x-----x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x--x---------------- 10+ x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 5+ x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x 0 |-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-- M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N 1674 1675

Deciphered, transcribed, compiled, indexed, formatted and copyright © 2001, . All Rights Reserved.