Hi,
Sorry, should have put my glasses on... HERTFORDSHIRE was what I meant!
I think that the Thomas Hollingsworth I am looking for was christened (according to an IGI record) on 5 April 1738 in Ware, Hertfordshire. Only the father is named, and he was Smith Hollinsworth (sic). The same father is named for the brothers, Ralph and Joseph, mentioned in my earlier post. (For Joseph, the mother's name is also given as Alice - but I cannot yet find the marriage of an Alice to a Smith Hollingsworth)
Thomas Hollingsworth married Elizabeth Winder at St Botoph Bishopsgate, London, on 8 October 1765. The record states that Thomas was a widower, while Elizabeth was a spinster of St Peter le Poor (a parish in the city of London). I had assumed from this that Elizabeth was a Londoner and the only hints that she may not have been are two mentions in the National Archives on-line search:
"Thomas and Wm {William?} Hollingsworth (sons of the late Eliz {Elizabeth?} Winder)" dated 1788 and relating to the sale of land.
and
" Elizabeth Winder now having married Thos {Thomas?} Hollingsworth. Youngs, etc. Signature - Thos {Thomas?} Sheppard. [Hertfordshire Archives, Title deeds, manorial...]
Date: 1743 - 1766 Source: Access to Archives (A2A): not kept at The National Archives"
This seems too much of a coincidence for it not to be the same family, but I cannot (again 'yet') locate the birth of an Elizabeth Winder in Hertfordshire. If she came from London, then why would there be references to her, apparently, in documents relating to that county?
I have to say also, that the only children I have found from the marriage of Thomas Hollingsworth and Elizabeth Winder are the (presumably) twins, Jemima and William, christened on 4 November 1767 at St Giles Cripplegate - again back in the city of London.
So, whilst I had already found a link to Hertfordshire for Thomas Hollingsworth I had not, and still cannot, find a connection for his wife, Elizabeth Winder.
Any advice on where to look, or indeed any information which might be relevant, would be greatly appreciated.
Alan