RG5 are Birth Certificates from the Presbyterian, Independent and Baptist Registry and from the Wesleyan Methodist Metropolitan Registry. They cover dates from 1742 to 1840. You can find full details on TNA website, including content and background information.
Protestant Dissenters' Registry
The Protestant Dissenters' Registry served the congregations of Baptists, Independents and Presbyterians in London and within a twelve mile radius of the capital. However, parents from most parts of the British Isles and even abroad also used the registry. It was started in 1742, with retrospective entries going back to 1716, and continued until 1837. Unlike RG4, RG5 contains only the birth records.
The increased requirement to provide evidence of birth led the Dissenting Deputies (representing Baptists, Congregationalists & Presbyterians) to establish a births register of their children in 1743 at the Dissenters Library.
Originally for parents living within 12 miles of London it subsequently became open to anyone, regardless of distance or denomination, provided a fee was paid.
Contains details of three generations of a family (approximately 200,000 named individuals)
Registered at Rev. Daniel Williams Library, Redcross Street, Cripplegate, London
Start date April 6th 1743 - End date Dec 30th 1837
Wesleyan Methodist Registry
The Wesleyan Methodist Registry was set up in 1818 and provided registration of births and baptisms of Wesleyan Methodists throughout England, Wales and elsewhere. The registers continued until 1838, with some retrospective registration of births going back to 1773. The Wesleyan Methodist registry opened in Paternoster Row, London in 1818.
The certificates and the register entry have the name and sex of the child, the name and address of the father, the name of the mother and of both her parents, the date and place of birth, and the name of the Wesleyan circuit, with the signature (or name, in the register) of the parents, the witnesses to the birth, and the baptising minister. Contains details of three generations of each family (about 50,000 named individuals).
The Wesleyan Methodist registry opened in Paternoster Row, London in 1818.
The certificates and the register entry have the name and sex of the child, the name and address of the father, the name of the mother and of both her parents, the date and place of birth, and the name of the Wesleyan circuit, with the signature (or name, in the register) of the parents, the witnesses to the birth, and the baptising minister.
Contains details of three generations of each family (about 50,000 named individuals).