The Cox family of Hanslope - Frequently Asked Questions

This list includes the most significant questions which I have been asked since the late 1960s,
as well as those which have been raised in relation to this website.

What is the difference between the Old-Style and New-Style years, and when were they each used ?

The Old-Style year began on 25 March (the incarnation of Christ). Its use was promoted by the Christian church in the 12th century AD.

The New-Style year begins on 1 January. It is a continuation of the Roman year which had been in use since 153 BC.

When each style was used, is more complex. The answer varies between countries, between Christian denominations, and between users.

The difference is significant when interpreting dates in old documents. As a general rule in England and its colonies :

• the Old Style was often used until 31 Dec 1751 (but not in the parish registers of Hanslope between 1579-1601)
• the New Style was sometimes used before 31 Dec 1751 (for example in the parish registers of Hanslope between 1579-1601)
• the New Style should always have been used since 1752

For a more detailed explanation, see my notes on "Understanding the early parish registers of Hanslope"

What is the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and when were they each used ?

In the Julian calendar, every year which is divisible by 4 is a leap year.

In the Gregorian calendar, century years are not leap years unless they are also divisible by 400.

When each calendar was used, is more complex. The answer varies between countries, between Christian denominations, and between users.

The difference hardly ever matters to family or local historians. For almost all purposes in England and its colonies :

• dates until Wednesday 2 Sep 1752 were in the Julian calendar
• dates between 3 Sep 1752 and 13 Sep 1752 were not used
• dates since Thursday 14 Sep 1752 have been in the Gregorian calendar

For a more detailed explanation, see my notes on "Understanding the early parish registers of Hanslope"

Why are there no parish registers for Hanslope before 1571 ?

Registers should have been kept from 1538 or, at the latest, from 1558

• but the records were transcribed around 1600, and that may be when the earliest years were lost

An antiquarian writing in the 1730s recorded that the registers went back at least to 1566

• but the first volume has been re-bound at some unknown date, and that may be when some more years were lost

For a more detailed explanation, see my notes on "Understanding the early parish registers of Hanslope"

Why have no wills or probate records been found for the Cox family between 1615 and the end of the 1700s ?

Until comparatively recent times the majority of the population did not make wills

Before 1882 a married woman could not normally make a will since by law she, and all she owned, belonged to her husband

Even when wills were made, they were not always proved (to save legal expenses when there was no dispute amongst the heirs)

What is, perhaps, unusual is that five wills do survive from the period 1558-1615

For some people, only baptisms are shown on the family trees. What became of those people ?

That remains unknown at the present time. There are many possibilities :

• some may have died in infancy and been buried without any record (perhaps to save expense)
• some may have moved to live in nearby villages
• some may have moved to nearby towns (such as Northampton) or to large cities (such as London)
• some may have sought their fortune abroad

Can anyone add information about these people who have vanished from the family trees ?

Where else is the surname "Cox" found ?

At the end of the 20th century, the surname "Cox"

• was born by about 1 person in 700 in England (ie by about 70,000 individuals)
• was most common in South-Central England (with its peak incidence in Oxfordshire)
• was less common in the North of England
• was significantly less common in Wales, Scotland and overseas

Why are some items provided as Portable Document Format (PDF) files, and how can they be viewed ?

Most family trees and transcripts are provided as PDF files. This helps to maintain their original layout in any browser.

PDF files should open without problems in modern browsers, and with an up-to-date PDF reader.

• An up-to-date PDF reader can be downloaded free of charge from  Adobe Systems 

An alternative is to save the file, then view it outside the browser.

• This can be achieved by right-clicking on the link, then selecting the appropriate option
  (eg in MS Internet Explorer: "Save Target As"; in Mozilla Firefox: "Save Link As"; in Google Chrome: "Save Link As"; etc)

Why aren't the family trees provided in Genealogical Data Communication (GEDCOM) form ?

I did most of the research, and created most of my records, in the 1960s - before the first PC, and long before the first version of GEDCOM

I like the freedom to vary parts of each display to suit the facts of the family, rather than forcing the facts to fit the constraints of any data system

I dislike the limitations of, and errors introduced by, some of the family history programs which manage or display GEDCOM data:

• some programs do not allow for easy entry of baptisms and burials, as per the original records
• some programs read events entered as baptisms in GEDCOM files, and incorrectly display them as though they were births
• some programs read events entered as burials in GEDCOM files, and incorrectly display them as though they were deaths
• some programs use American phraseology such as "born in Hanslope", rather than the more usual British "born at Hanslope"

What is the connection between the Cox family website, and the website of the Hanslope and District Historical Society (HDHS) ?

There is no connection:

• The Cox family website is concerned with the history of the Cox family, many of whose early members lived in the village of Hanslope.
• The HDHS website is concerned with the history of the village of Hanslope, amongst whose inhabitants were many members of the Cox family.

Andrew Cox