This entry is extracted from the Haydon Bridge bastardy accounts book, 1826 to 1837. These books were a record of bastard (illegitimate)children for whom the parish was responsible for their maintenance. This particular entry relates to a bastardy case brought against John Veatch and Elizabeth Stoker. They are required to pay £5 nad 4 shillings towards the maintenance of a child for the year 1825 to 1826. This is equivalent to approximately £120 at today's values. This detailed information is particularly useful to family historians.
Many of the Haydon Bridge parish records are deposited with Northumberland Archives Service. Previously they were kept at the church. For many years church records were stored in the Parish Chest. This tradition dates back to medieval times. The Chest would usually be found in the vestry and kept under lock and key. All church records would be stored there. For example, baptism registers, poor relief records and churchwardens' accounts would all be found within the Chest.
