Thorpe family in Ely

[alisonjogden]

Seeking information on William Thorpe, baptised on 18th July 1823 at Ely Holy Trinity Church, parents George & Hannah, Father a ‘publican’, the minister was P.Durham.
William joined the East Yorks 15th foot Regiment on 7/9/1840 at Westminster. He married Elisabeth Peverly (Peverley) in Ceylon 1852 (he was a widower at marriage). Daughter Tabitha Priscilla was my Great Grandmother. His children were born in Malta, Gibralter & Litchfield. He was promoted to Colour Sergeant and transferred to 2nd Battalian, 15th Regt. He died on 14/7/1872 aged 48 in Litchfield and his wife moved to New Bury, Bolton, Lancs with her children in search of work.
I have found other families of Thorpes in Ely but cannot find further information this William. There was a George & Susanna Thorpe in Ely having children around that time, George in 1818 & Tabitha in 1821. I do wonder if Hannah could have been Susanna wrongly transcribed. Any help would be appreciated.

[bedfordshire boy]

The Baptism Index 1801-37 on the Cambs FHS website at http://www.cfhs.org.uk/Search.html shows George and Susannah baptising children up to 1835. I agree that it looks as though it's an error, Hannah for Susannah, but it looks more like a parish register error than a transcription error.

Have you checked the occupation of George in the other baptisms? If he too was a publican that would add support to the PR error theory. William may have named his daughter Tabitha for his sister, although the Burial Index on the same site shows two other Tabitha Thorpes buried at Ely Holy Trinity

In 1841 at Ely Holy Trinity was Susan Thorp 40 washer woman, Mary Ann Thorp 12; Joshua Thorp 6 and hannah Thorp 1.

A George Thorpe age 59 was buried at Ely Holy Trinity on 4 Apr 1854

David

[suffolk*sue]

The occupation of George on the baptisms of the children George and Tabitha was farmer. He was noted as a labourer at baptisms for Joshua and Hannah.
For Johns also farmer.
For Mary Ann, also farmer, but baptism records her full name as Mary Ann Tabitha.

[bedfordshire boy]

Thanks Sue. Do you also have  John 1832, Mary 1833 and Joshua 1835? It's a big gap between these three and the earlier children.

David

[suffolk*sue]

There is this possible marriage.

George Thorp of the parish, bach.
Susanna Thorp of the parish, spin,

by licence with consent of John Thorp, father of Susanna

18th March, 1817
Holy Trinity, Ely

witnesses
John Thorp
William Marsh

[suffolk*sue]

Looks like Susanna remarried.

George Finch of Prickwillow, wdr, 62, boatwright,father Benjamim, tailor
Susanna Thorp of Prickwillow, wid, 62, father John, waterman

by banns
Holy Trinity, Ely
3rd September, 1860
witnesses
William Graves
Ann Graves

[suffolk*sue]

Baptism

Susanna Thorp
12th December, 1797
daug of
John and Elizabeth
Ely Holy Trinity


Possible marriage

John Thorp of the parish, bach
Elizabeth Attkin, spin of the parish
by banns
17th November, 1794
Ely Holy Trinity
witnesses
Fras Winter
Wm Jeffrey

[bedfordshire boy]

So perhaps George and Hannah isn't a PR error, given that George's occupation is also inconsistent with all the George and Susannah baptisms

[suffolk*sue]

Hi David

I can find no other George Thorpe marriages in the right time frame, only the one to Susanna. Perhaps George fancied a stint as a publican but it didn't work out. The name Tabitha seems a strong link. I would be inclined to think George and Susanna/Hannah were the same people.