John & Catharine Cook, Bletsoe, Bedfordshire

[martinsbox]

Hello, my name is Martin. I am trying to find any information on my 5th grt grandfather, John Cook.
John (b. Abt. 1763), married a lady called Catharine (b. Abt. 1768). John & Catharine had five children, that I can find. All five children were born & christened in Bletsoe, Bedfordshire. The youngest child was John, christened on 19 September 1790, but sadly was buried on 27 November 1796 in Bletsoe.
Taking dates into consideration, they would have probably married around 1788/90.
I can not find John's place/county of birth, Catharine's maiden name, or where & when they married. Both were buried in Bletsoe.
Any help would be appreciated.
Martin
p.s. I have been informed that the 1803 Muster List of Bletsoe lists a John Cook (shopkeeper), aged 42, class 4 with 3 children under 10 (Which would be correct for my William, Richard & Thomas).
William, christened on 16 September 1793, married a lady named Susannah Odell at Milton Ernest, Bedfordshire. He was one of the village bakers, and had a local alley named after him - Cook's Alley in Milton Ernest.

[dawnsh]

Hi Martin

Welcome to Rootschat 

I've moved your topic to our Bedfordshire board where people with a wide range of local knowledge & resources might be able to help you.

Dawn

[bedfordshire boy]

Welcome to Rootschat

Whilst there is a 42 year old John Cook, 3 children under 10, class 4, in the 1803 Muster List in Bletsoe, he was a labourer not a shopkeeper and was described as "Infirm but willing - a wasted leg"

I can't see a marriage for them in Beds - perhaps they married in Northants, which is close to Bletsoe.

David

[johnP-bedford]

Hello Martin & Welcome to RootsChat

John Cook was buried at Bletsoe on 19 May 1830 aged 67 so born 1763,
Bedford Archives has the will ref.ABP/W 1830/40 of John Cook of Bletsoe, shopkeeper.

So is this the same John Cook labourer as on the 1803 Muster List?

Wife Catharine was buried Bletsoe 14 Sept 1817 age 49 so born 1768

John

[martinsbox]

Hello David & John,
Thanks for your interest shown.
David, concerning the 1803 Muster List. Perhaps John Cook being only 42 years of age, with a dodgey leg, had no choice but to supplement his income as a shopkeeper. Being infirm but willing - a wasted leg, he must have had a hard life.
John, can I order a copy of John Cook's Will from Bedford Archives. As I work in Luton during office hours, it makes it slightly awkward visiting the Records Office when they are open.
As I can find no other Cook's in Bletsoe , I would like to think they are the same person. Perhaps John's Will, will decide the point .
Martin

[johnP-bedford]

Martin, You could send email to Beds Archives for a overview transcript of John Cooks will, quote ref ABP/W 1830/40 . They might respond that can do it but they will charge you. I suspect it will only name his children and/or grandchildren as his wife died 1817. 

The other Cook name I found in Bletsoe is for the marriage of Richard Luck to Elizabeth Cook on 23 Sept 1806. Found them in 1841//51/61 censuses living in Earls Barton Northants. Richard was born Bletsoe 1786 & Elizabeth born Harrold 1786. On 1803 Muster List of Bletsoe Richard Luck a 17 year old apprentice.   

John

[johnP-bedford]

Hi Martin, hope you've not emailed Beds Archives yet as I popped in this morning to look at the will of John Cooke of Bletsoe, shopkeeper who was buried at Bletsoe on 19 May 1830 aged 67. He leaves all his household goods & effects to his wife Rachel Cooke who he makes sole executor. There is no mention of his children. It was dated 23 Apr 1830 & witnessed by Josiah/Joseph Goodwin, clerk to Mr Budd solicitor of Bedford and Elizabeth Lane of Bletsoe. The will was proved on 15 Sept 1830 on the oath of Rachel Cooke.

At first I thought this must be the John & Rachel Cook who baptised daughter Elizabeth at Harrold on 28 Aug 1785 & she married Richard Luck at Bletsoe in 1806 but I already had a Rachel Cook buried at Earls Barton on 12 Apr 1827 age 68 which is where Richard & Elizabeth Luck were found in 1841/51/61. 

So after looking through Bletsoe marriages I came across one on 2 Nov 1819 of John Cook, widower to Rachel Abbott. spinster. That's interesting as an Abbott name was witness to the marriage of John's son William Cook to Susannah Odell at Milton Ernest on 16 Mar 1820. Next I find the marriage on 15 Jan 1832 of Joseph Scrivener, widower of Sharnbrook to Rachel Cook, widow.

On the 1841 & 1851 censuses Joseph & Rachel Scrivener are living in Sharnbrook, Joseph born 1783 Sharnbrook & Rachel born 1790 Gamlingay. Finally Joseph Scrivener death index Dec 1854 & Rachel Scrivener death index Dec 1852, both in Bedford RD.

While being useful info we're no further forward in finding John & Catharine' marriage.

John

[bedfordshire boy]

While being useful info we're no further forward in finding John & Catharine' marriage.

John

Northants Marriage Index is where I'd look next. But while doing that I'd also look at John Cook and Catherine Johnson at Lavendon Bucks, 7 miles from Bletsoe, on 12 May 1788 (IGI member submission so needs checking). Proving it's the Bletsoe couple might be another matter! Would be worthwhile checking to see if there's a Settlement Certificate at Bedford Archives.

[johnP-bedford]

Hello David

Thanks for that lead, I've already posted a lookup request on Northants board.....
 http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=690426.0
....but nothing found.

However your Lavenden could be possible, as earlier I found the banns read at Harrold dated 11 July 1784 of John Cook and Rachel Li? ?? of Lavenden, Bucks; and Lavenden is the next village to Harrold that way.

John