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(The following paragraph is included for information to show you how to obtain the information in the previous paragraph from the LDS Library Catalogue. You may use your own computer,or the microfiche or computers at your local FHC.First, select the Family History Catalogue Locality Guide (either a CD for the computer, or a drawer of microfiche). The Locality Guide is divided into countries, regions, cities and so on, then sub-divided into subject headings. Look up '''India''', then under that country's listing, look up the Presidency ('''Bombay''', '''Bengal''' or '''Madras'''). Then look up the subject heading '''Church Records'''.
Please be aware When the [[Family History Centres|FHC]] informs your that your microfilm is available, make a booking for a film reader and view the microfilm. Simply look up the volume (there are usually only one or two volumes on a microfilm), then look up the page number of the FIBIS searchable database has indexes to volume you require. There will be your ancestor'''all''' Bengal Marriages 1709-1893s records of baptism, searchable for free.marriage or burial!
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'''Note: Microfilm ordering services ceases 31 August 2017. Some microfilms have already been digitised, and are available through the Catalogue Search on FamilySearch, not in the Records section. Records which originate from the British Library in the records series below are only available to be viewed on a FamilySearch computer at a [[FamilySearch Centres|FamilySearch Centre]]. (Some other record series from the British Library are additionally viewable at a FamilySearch Affiliate Library). All microfilms are expected to be digitized and available by 2020. Please take this into account when reading the information below.'''
Read these instructions if you are searching for records of '''births after 1910, or marriages after 1935''' which are not shown online on [[IGI#india records|FamilySearch]] because of privacy reasons. [[Findmypast]] has minimal records, for privacy reasons, for a slightly different range of dates.
Note however the records sent to England declined in number from the early 1930s with minimal numbers in the 1940s.
==Summary==
This page contains instructions on how to use the [[LDS]] (Mormon) records to resaerch research family history in India. It is '''not''' an official page of the [[LDS]] church. To find your nearest LDS [[Family History Centres]] (FHC), look up your telephone directory under ''Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints''. Or ask a fellow genealogist - they'll know! To find your nearest FHC at the official [[LDS]] website go to [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp FHC Locator].
==Background==
British India was divided into three Presidencies :
The first British church in India was St Mary's in [[Fort St George]], [[Madras]], which was consecrated in 1680. Many other churches were established after that date and records exist for most of them from the time of their consecration. Every year on Lady Day (25th March), British churches were required to send copies of their ecclesiastical records to the capital city of each Presidency. The Presidencies then indexed the records and sent them to the India Office in London (now at the [[British Library]]). The Mormons have microfilmed all the ecclesiastical records, including the indices, and made them available to Mormons and non-Mormons alike.
The British Library India Office records are now digitised and available online as images on the [[findmypast]] website. A large number are also available online on the LDS website FamilySearch as index records. (See[[IGI]] for details). However, it appears not all the British Library India Office records are listed on the LDS website. In particular, there appear to be no records shown for dates of birth within the last one hundred years from 2010, or marriages within the last seventy five years from 2010. (Records have not been updated since 2010). Currently there is no list of those India Office records which are included online on the LDS website. Accordingly you may wish to search the British Library India Office records. Note however the records sent to England declined in number from the early 1930s with minimal numbers sent to England in the 1940s.
==Index==
The first step is to determine which Presidency your ancestor lived in, as each one is indexed separately. If you have no idea, then start with [[Bengal]], which was the largest Presidency. If that doesn't work out, try [[Bombay]] and finally, [[Madras]]. If you have a location name and are a member of the INDIA-L Mailing List then you could ask its helpful members for advice on which Presidency to search, or try check the [[:Category:Locations|Locations ]]section of the FIBIS this website.
Next, you can look up need the microfilm number . You can find the film you need on this website, the following pages:*[[LDS Microfilms for Bengal Presidency Church Records]], *[[LDS Microfilms for Bombay Presidency Church Records]] or *[[LDS Microfilms for Madras Presidency Church Records]].
Alternatively, you can search online by going to the LDS [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Locality Guide] and conducting a ''Place Search''.)
You will be presented with a very long list of microfilms. The first section is the index for that Presidency, followed by a list of microfilms of the actual church records. In the index, go to the type of record you require (BAPTISM, MARRIAGE or BURIAL). Select the period in which you are interested. Each index covers around a ten-year period, although many of the early ones cover considerably longer periods. When you find the time period (e.g., 1860-1870) write down the microfilm number that appears opposite it (e.g., 480960).
If you live in the [[Family History Centres| United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand]] (and perhaps other countries) the films must be ordered on lineonline. Otherwise, you will still need to go to one of the [[Family History Centres]] to order the microfilm of the actual index.
Now go to the friendly FHC librarian and tell them that you wish to order that microfilm. You will be charged a small fee (in the vicinity of $8 Australian) to cover postage. In a couple of few weeks (approximately!) your microfilm will arrive and the FHC will notify you. Make a booking to view the microfilm at the FHC and start looking for your ancestors!
View the index on your microfilm. The index is semi-alphabetical, which means that for each year, all the names beginning with a certain letter are listed in the order in which they were transcribed. You will need to look through all the names for that letter, for each year in which you think the event (baptism, etc.) may have taken place. Note that marriages were indexed by the Groom's name only until the 1890's. If you are looking for the marriage of a female ancestor, whose husband's name you don't know, you will need to look up EVERY marriage for the year(s) in question.
Once you have found your ancestor's name, write down the details :
*year<br> *volume number<br> *page number. In the records a page is called a folio. If you see a reference such as f 121 this means page 121
Don't forget the volume number - it is sometimes only written at the top of the page, so you may need to scroll up to see it.
==The Church Record==
Now that you have found your ancestor's name in the Index,you can look up the microfilm number on this website, the following pages:*[[LDS Microfilms for Bengal Presidency Church Records]], *[[LDS Microfilms for Bombay Presidency Church Records]] or *[[LDS Microfilms for Madras Presidency Church Records]].
(Alternatively, you will now need to go to back to the Locality Guide, described above, to find the number of the microfilm for that volume. Look up INDIA, then the Presidency (BOMBAY, BENGAL or MADRAS) then CHURCH RECORDS. Go past the index listing to the volume listing.)
Look up the volume in which you are interested (it should match the year in which you are interested, but there are exceptions - always go for the volume number). Then write down the microfilm number opposite the volume number. You will still need to go to one fo the [[Family History Centres]] to order the microfilm of the actual record, however, unless you live in one of the Most countries where now require [[Family History Centres#Ordering microfilms|online ordering]] is required. When the FHC informs your that your microfilm is available, make a booking for a film reader and view the microfilm. Simply look up the volume (there are usually only one or two volumes on a microfilm), then look up the page number of the volume you require. There will be your ancestor's records of baptism, marriage or burial! If you only have one or two records that you wish to extract from the actual records, then another method of obtaining the same information is to ask the LDS to make a photocopy of the record for you. You must supply the microfilm number and page number, obtained from the index or other source. The procedure is explained in [[Family History Centres# Photocopy Service from Salt Lake City| Photocopy Service from Salt Lake City]]
==Conclusion==
