william preston whaplode/whaplode drove/SSJ about 1750 - 1778

[kit54]

Hi,
Please can anyone help me, especially any local historian?
I'm trying to find out any info on William Preston who lived in the Whaplode/Whaplode Drive/Sutton St James area from about 1750 to his death in 1778 (he was buried in 1778, aged 66, in SSJ).
William was extremely wealthy and had 3 homes in the area including Pipwell Grange/Manor in Whaplode. He was a grasier and had many peices of land in the surrounding area. His will runs to 7 sheets, and is very complex, but he does not seem to have any surviving children. I'm hoping that he would be mentioned in local history books etc. In particular, I would love to know where he was born.
Any help would be gratefully received,
Many thanks,

Kit
 

[dcbnwh]

You may have seen the entries on http://www.freereg.org.uk/ which includes a marriage of William Preston to Mary Franks and the burial of Mary in 1748, so William may have married twice.

An interesting marriage is in 1755 between Frances Preston and Richard Coulson, which is witnessed by William Preston. He and Frances were both able to sign their names and so may be siblings.

David

[kit54]

Hi David,
Thanks very much for your kind reply.
Now I've been researching the PRs for quite a while and  already know about those marriages (and the various births belonging to them!) but frustratingly don't know if it's the same William Preston!
Therein lies my problem! I had hoped that a local historian might be able to shed some light on this and put me out of my misery!

Thanks again,

Kit

[dawnsh]

Hi Kit

You haven't updated your profile so we don't know where in the world you are and whether you can visit the Lincolnshire Archives.

They appear to have many maps, plans and manorial records which might help.

http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/residents/archives/collections/guides-to-sources/

and this

http://apps.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=057-2hawley&cid=6-2&kw=whaplode%20william%20preston#6-2

Dawn

[kit54]

Hi Dawn,
Thanks for that - unfortunately I live about 200 miles away from Lincolnshire, so there is no chance that I could visit the archives.
I'm very interested in:
Town Book of Whaplode   2 HAWLEY/6/2  1676
Contents
Copied by William Preston 1758

Does anyone know exactly what this means?

Thanks,

Kit