John & Catharine Cook, Bletsoe, Bedfordshire

[johnP-bedford]

David, I have burial of Rachel Cook in Earls Barton on 12/4/1827 age 68. I think she's the mother of Elizabeth Cook baptised 28/8/1785 who married Richard Luck in 1806 who were there in 1841/51/61 but that's just an assumption. There is a burial of John Cook at Harold on 18/1/1786.

[bedfordshire boy]

OK, definitely looks like two separate Johns then.

[johnP-bedford]

The Lavendon PR confirms the marriage on 12 May 1788 of John Cook of the parish of St.Peters in town of Northampton, bachelor to Catharine Johnson, otp, sprinster

[martinsbox]

"Married in the presence of John Bithray and William Holmes, clerk. The Lavendon PR confirms the marriage on 12 May 1788 of John Cook of the parish of St.Peters in town of Northampton, bachelor to Catharine Johnson, otp, sprinster."

In the Willey Hundred Volunteers For National Defence 1803, John Cook is listed as 42yrs old - Infirm but willing, a wasted leg. also in the same list is a Farmer, John Bithrey, named as High Constable Volunteer.

While browsing the BLARS archives, I found a record from 24 March 1807 (Ref: Z 178/34). A certain John Bithrey was an ensign in his Majesty's 59th Regiment of Foot with links to Snelson, the parish of Lavendon, Bucks and Northampton.

John Bithrey, married a lady named Susanna (Read?) on 20th Sep 1784 in Bletsoe.
A John Bithrey died/was buried 6 Nov. 1846, Susanna Bithrey died/buried 7 Jan. 1847, both at Bedford St. Cuthberts.

I have a few questions though:
Could this be the same John Bithrey who acted as a witness to John and Catharines marriage.
Could this be the reason that John and Catharine ended up at Bletsoe - employment from John Bithrey perhaps
Could there be a military connection between John Bithrey and John Cook.
How and when did John Cook gain a wasted leg. Military or on the farm/Stoke-Mill, Bletsoe.

[StevenG]

John and Susanna Bithrey are both buried at Bletsoe; both were resident at Bedford St Cuthberts, probably because their daughter Jane Elizabeth (or Elizabeth Jane) Bithrey was living there (she is in St Cuthbert's in 1851, all three are in Clapham in 1841).

[johnP-bedford]

John Bithrey married Susanna Read at Bletsoe on 20 sep 1784 by licence. Witnesses were Richard Sawell/Savill? and William Bithray. The licence transcript dated 18 Sep 1784 says John Bithrey was a miller of Bletsoe age 21+ & Susanna Read was from Bletsoe age 21+; surety was by William Bithray, farmer of Lavenden, Bucks.

The 1803 Muster List also has it that John Bithrey of Bletsoe provided 1 waggon, 4 horses & 2 drivers and that he was a miller providing 10 quarters flour per week.

[martinsbox]

"The 1803 Muster List also has it that John Bithrey of Bletsoe provided 1 waggon, 4 horses & 2 drivers and that he was a miller providing 10 quarters flour per week."

John, thanks for your reply. Perhaps that is how John Cook's son William born at Bletsoe in 1793, came to be a baker. Just a thought! As for John Cook, what did a shopkeeper sell in a village shop in the early 1800's?

[martinsbox]

What I know so far.-
1. Marriage Banns read in Lavendon Sunday 9th, 16th & 23rd March 1788.
2. Marriage took place Monday 12th May 1788.
3. Removal order dated Wednesday 5th November 1788.
4. From the Removal order, that the lawful Settlement of them was Bletsoe.
5. There is no John Cook shown as born/baptised in Bletsoe (between 1761 - 63 or near those dates).
6. No lawful settlement for a John Cook in Bletsoe surviving at BLARS.
7. John Cook probably did not originate in or around the Parish of St Peters in the Town of Northampton.
What I need to know.
1. Would there be any records for him with the St John family of Bletsoe, as they were the major land owners at the time (rented property etc).
2. Employers records.
3. How and when he came to have a wasted leg.
4. How he transfered between the 1803 Muster Roll as a labourer and his Will of 1830 to being a shopkeeper, as by 1803 his leg was already 'wasted'.
5. Where and when his son William became a 'Master' baker.

Surely, I'm not the only person to suffer with the same type of problems!