26 The History of the Parish of All Cannings. 



Curates of All Cannings. 



The first Curate of whom there is any record, is Robert Matthewe, 



whose signature occurs in 1602, and who seems to have made the 



first entries in the earlier register. Henry Higgins was curate 



during the incumbency of Robert Byng, from 1627 — 1640. Of 



Jeofi'rey Simpkins, who appears to have been appointed by the Tryers, 



we have already made mention in the list of Incumbents. Other 



names of Curates, so far as they are known, are : — 



Henet Jacques, 1759 — 1770. 



George Jacques, 1771 — 1809. 



Geoege Nankwell, 1809 — 1810. 



Joseph Medlicott, 1826 — 1831. 



Thomas V. Fosbebt, . . 1831—1834. 

 Thomas Blundell, .... 1834 — 1836. 

 William Elliott, . . . 1836—1839. 

 Thomas "W. Cockell, . 1839—1856. 

 Henbt H. Methtjen, . . 1856. 



The Parish Registers. 



The earliest register now existing dates from the year A.D. 1579, 

 but a note by the Rev. George Stodley, who was Rector in 1681, 

 seems to imply the existence in his time of some other register now 

 lost. He makes extracts of some memoranda about unimportant 

 parish gifts, and adds. — " N.B., This memorandum was taken out 

 of a register which was almost torn to pieces in the time of Mr. 

 George Stodley." — These memoranda do not commence before the 

 time of his institution to the living, but are to be found in no 

 register now existing. Some of the leaves of the oldest registers 

 have sufiered much from damp and neglect and are in some cases 

 hardly legible, the central part being almost destroyed. 



The entries for the most part are regular, and seem to have been 

 contemporary with the event recorded. During the time of the 

 civil wars they are continuous, but few and irregular. Throughout 

 the time of the Commonwealth, 1654—1659, there are no baptismal 

 entries, the birth alone being recorded. The first mention of a 

 baptism during this period is in 1659 ; — " Elizabeth, daughter of 

 Walter Holloway and Mary his wife was baptized the first of 

 l^ovr." — la the year 1658 we find this heading,— "A true and faith- 



