With the passing of an 'Act for Registering Births, Deaths and Marriages' by Parliament in 1836, the primary responsibility for keeping records of this information was passed from the parishes to a new General Record Office, established specifically for the purpose. This was a significant Act in several ways. It exemplifies the nineteenth century's growing enthusiasm for enumeration, and for collecting the vital statistics of its populations. It also contributed to the gradual removal of discriminatory practices against Dissenters, because this now moved the site of key information from the Church to a secular institution.
94 words
Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Civil registration of births, marriages and deaths". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 30 August 2013 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=4766, accessed 23 November 2024.]