Malton & Norton Heritage Centre

Research Notebook

Malton People

if you are interested in somebody, or a whole family, who used to live in Malton then their names are likely recorded in one or more of the censuses. There are however other records where you might find evidence of them. Did you know that Earl Fitzwilliam kept rental records of his tenants starting in 1750, and these records survive today? Another place to look are lists of voters. Although the criteria to be eligible for voting have changed over the years Electoral Rolls or their historic equivalent can prove useful. If the person you are looking for was a prominent figure in the town then we might have an obituary or biography transcribed from the local press. Lastly, the person you are looking for might appear in our 'database' of Maltonians, essentially a list of people mentioned in a wide range of sources - and of course we quote those sources so you can follow-up to see if there is further information in the original source.

The Census

A Census has been taken every 10 years since 1801, although the 1841 census was the first to list individuals by name. Generally censuses become available for public use after 100 years. The census for Malton for the years 1841 to 1911 list all the people present in the town on 'census night' and is available online from a number of commercial vendors on a 'pay to view' basis. The value of the census is twofold; the ability to find an ancestor or family member; and the ability to take a 'virtual walk' round the town observing the names, businesses and features.

We have spent a lot of time making these transcriptions and where there was doubt about a name or place we have checked against other sources and/or previous/subsequent censuses. If there was still doubt then a '?' has been used. See the abbreviations we have used when transcribing censuses.

In these transcriptions you will only see the names of the people in Malton on 'census night'. Some people may have migrated or be temporarily away from their homes. Please consult online resources to find them.

The following censuses have been transcribed: test

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The 1843 Survey

In 1843, Robert Wise, Land Agent and Surveyor, Malton, made a survey of Malton and produced a town plan. Based on a valuation of estate property for New Malton in 1849 the names of the occupiers of properties have been 'mapped' onto Robert Wise's town plan. This can be purchased from the North Yorkshire County Record Office under the title Malton In the Early Nineteenth Century. This plan and its' key do not include freehold property.

The 1939 Register

The 1939 Register contains similar information to the 'once every ten years' census. It recorded the civilian population of England and Wales and was taken on 29 September 1939. The information was used to produce identity cards and, once rationing was introduced in January 1940, to issue ration books. Information in the Register was also used to administer conscription and the direction of labour, and to monitor and control the movement of the population caused by military mobilisation and mass evacuation.

Digitised versions of the register can be seen at the National Archives or on a 'pay to view basis' from ocmmercial vendors Ancestry and FindMyPast. In all cases, consistent with privacy provisions, records of those born less that 100 years ago cannot be accessed. There are a number of things to be aware of when using this information, all explained on the National Archives website As the 1921 census is not available until 2022 and the 1931 census was destroyed by fire and there was no 1941 census the 1939 Register is a valuable resource!

Newspaper Announcements of Births, Marriages & Deaths

A list in surname/forename order of the birth, marriage and death announcements from area newspapers (including the York Herald and Yorkshire Gazette) has being compiled but is not exhaustive. Some events were announced in multiple publications so expect some duplication.

Specific transcriptions of the Birth, Marriage and Death announcements in the Malton Messenger, 1854-1867, have been transcribed and can be found via the Malton Genuki page under the Newspaper section.

Malton People Database

The Malton People Database contains snippets of information about those who lived in Malton up to the early 1900s. Click on the first letter of the surname in which you are interested to see the entries.
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There are more than 5,000 entries including references to newspaper mentions (bankruptcies, court cases, accidents etc), entries in trade directories and anything else which might be useful to family historians. This can only be an index so please check the source so that you will know if more detailed information is available.

Births, Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths & Burials

Births, Marriages and Deaths since mid-1837, can be identified by searching the General Register Office indexes. This will give an approximate date for the event. The GRO indexes are available on microfiche in a number of main libraries and digitised versions can be searched at a number of commercial websites. The index entries give names, the quarter in which the event was registered, the registration district and a reference number. Similar information is available at FreeBMD without charge. an added feature at FreeBMD is that if you are interested in a marriage then the 'other party' may be identifiable by clicking on the 'Page' reference giiven. To see the details of the event a certificate must be applied for using the reference number. These details e.g. father's name will help build a family tree.

The baptism, marriage and burial registers for New Malton St Leonard's and St Michael's, and Old Malton are available on the commercial service FindMyPast

The Society of Genealogists in London has microfilm copies of the following registers:

• Old Malton St Mary's - Baptisms: 1606-1863; Marriages: 1606-1840; Burials: 1606-1843
• Malton St. Michael's - Marriages: 1600-08, 1625-41, 1644-1856
• Malton St. Leonard's - Marriages: 1601-20, 1630-39, 1662-1843

The Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York has the following registers:

• Old Malton St Mary's - Baptisms: 1606-1928; Marriages: 1606-1959; Burials: 1606-1941; Banns: 1865-1976
• Malton St. Michael's - Baptisms: 1570-1933; Marriages: 1570-1945; Burials: 1570-1850; Banns: 1823-1859, 1885-1962; Churchwardens Accounts: 1853-1935, 1949-1956
• Malton St. Leonard's - Baptisms: 1600-1653, 1662-1956; Marriages: 1600-1653, 1662-1947; Burials: 1600-1653, 1662-1893; Banns: 1754-1762, 1856-1941; Churchwardens Accounts: 1863-1922

Non-Conformist Registers A glance in the trade directories for the period will show the range of places of worship in Malton. The following 'non-conformist' registers can be seen at the East Riding Archives:

• Salem Baptist Chapel - Births: 1829-1836; and Church Book 1828-1837 (to include details of members)
• Congregationalist/Independent: Ebenezer - Baptisms: 1814-1836
• Methodist - Primitive, Baptisms: 1830-1837
• Presbyterian: Births and Baptisms: 1773-1837; Burials: 1778-1836

The North Yorkshire County Record Office has the following 'non-conformist' registers for New Malton:

• Unitarian - Baptisms: 1773-1916; Marriages: 1866-1880 and 1898 - 1912; Burials: 1778-1879 and 1901 - 1911
• Congregational - Baptisms: 1855 - 1904; Marriages: 1855 - 1879 and 1885 - 1902; Burials: 1856 - 1870 and 1897 - 1903

As examples of the information available in parish registers we have transcribed a small selection of parish register entries from 1813:

Wills

If somebody left a will then it might reveal family and other relationships through the wishes and bequests made. You might also get an idea of the likely wealth of the individual, although remember that £500 in say 1900 does not have the same value as today. Use the calculator at Measuring Worth to get an insight regarding this!

To search for a will where probate was proved in 1858 or after (note this is different from the year of death), search the probate calendars at the UK Government's will finding service Once you identify the appropriate record you can order a copy of the probate grant or will (if there was one).

Before 1858 things are very different and the proving of wills were handled by church courts. It is likely, but not certain, that wills proved for Malton people between the years 1630 and 1857 were handled by the Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of York. The originals of these wills are held at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York. Before this period, wills may not survive or be held with the records of other courts. See the Borthwick Institute Guide to Probate Courts for more information. The commercial service FindMyPast has an index to the wills handled by the Exchequer and Prerogative Courts of York. A quick search using 'Malton' in the place field yielded nearly 3,000 results. Incidentally if the person for whom you are searching had, say, property in Malton AND somewhere in the 'southern province' then the Prerogative Court of Canterbury had the right to grant probate.

Malton Cemetery Register

When looking for a burial in Malton be aware that very few burials took place at St Michael's due to there being no churchyard. Until the opening of the cemetery in 1859 burials generally took place at St. Mary's, Old Malton. There were burials at St Leonard's but thie churchyard there was closed at some point. The Ryedale Family History Society has transcribed and published the burial registers for the Malton Cemetery.

Monumental Insciptions

The Ryedale Family History Society has a publication listing (including photographs) of the headstones and other monumnets in the Malton Cemetery. The East Yorkshire Family History Society has transcribed the inscriptions from the headstones and other monuments in St. Michael's, St. Leonard's, St Mary's (Old Malton) and Norton Cemetery

Died in the War?

If you know or suspect that a person you are seeking information on died in the First World War you may find The War Memorials of Malton, Old Malton and Norton useful. You will be able to see the names listed on all the memorials in the area and although research into individual names is a 'work in progress' much is complete with military biogrphical information and short family 'snapshots' from the censuses.

Biographies, Sketches, Obituaries and Family Histories

Here you will find biographies, funeral reports and sketches that have (generally) been published in the local newspapers. Most are about those Maltonians who were prominent tradesmen/professionals or held positions of public office in the town. Click on the first letter of the surname in which you are interested to see the entries.
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This information includes the 'sketches' that appeared in the Yorkshire Gazette under the general heading of 'Bygone Maltonians' 1910-1912. Let us know if you would like something about your family included here or a link to your own website.

Fitzwilliam Estate Rent Accounts

Earl Fitzwilliam kept records of all those who paid rent. Given that the majority of property in Malton was owned by Fitzwilliam, these accounts come close to census records for listing the people in the town. The accounts do not show what property they rented, and those who did not pay rent are not listed. If you are investigating whether a family was present in Malton then these rental accounts could be a useful source of evidence. One such list for one half years rents due Michaelmas 1786 as an example has been transcribed and published with permission of the North Yorkshire County Record Office. The records for the period 1750 to 1924 can be seen at the North Yorkshire County Record Office at Northallerton and are part of the Fitzwilliam archive at NYCRO (ref ZPB 111).

Lists of Voters

Electoral Rolls and lists of voters can be useful for tracking whether people are in Malton or not and in some cases their address. The criteria for voting has changed over the years so the absence of a person from the voting list does not necessarily mean they were not in Malton. The 1858 list of voters for St Michael's Parish has been transcribed. The 1832-1875 North Riding Register of electors and 1891 Register of Electors for the Thirsk and Malton Divisions is available at the North Riding County Record Office as are various Electoral Registers for the 20th Century - search the National Archives Catalogue for North Riding Electoral Registers

1873 Return of Owners of Land

This lists all those who owned one or more acres of land, together with extent, address of owner and value. It is listed alphabetically i.e. not by place. It can be consulted for Yorkshire in York Reference Library and in full at the Society of Genealogists and the National Archives. The Malton entries have been transcribed.