Nonconformists

Nonconformists

Nonconformists are those who do not conform to the religious observance of the Church of England otherwise known as the Anglican Church. Nonconformist denominations include Congregationalists, Presbyterians, (these two now joined together in the United Reformed Church), Baptists, Methodists, Quakers (properly known as the Society of Friends), Roman Catholics and Unitarians, to name only the most prominent. 

The Methodists, followers of John Wesley, were the most numerous of the Nonconformist denominations. In the nineteenth century the Methodists split into a number of separate groups - including Wesleyan, Primitive and New Connexion - which came together as the united Methodist Church in the early twentieth century. 

Nonconformist registers available at Doncaster Archives do not generally include marriage registers. One reason for this was that these registers did not have the legal status enjoyed by the national, legally-established church, the Church of England. From 1753 to 1898, only Quakers and Jews could marry outside the parish church. Everyone else could only contract a valid marriage if married by the Church of England.

From 1898, a nonconformist church could keep its own official marriage register. If, however, the church closes, the registers are returned to the Registrar General, who then transfers them to one designated record office in each county. In South Yorkshire, this is Sheffield Archives, although Doncaster Archives has microfiche copies of most of these marriage registers.

Doncaster Archives has the records of over a hundred nonconformist churches, although under half of these include registers.

Methodist Circuit Registers

Church Registers

MNC is Methodist New Connexion; PM is Primitive Methodist; WM is Wesleyan Methodist.
* indicates copy registers