Blissett ancestors in Abingdon and Wantage, Berkshire.

[Harbarlights]

My Blissett ancestors were numerous in and around Wantage in the 1700s & 1800s and I am searching for a connection with those in nearby Abingdon.

[Pennie]

Welcome to Rootschat!

As your enquiry is specific to Berkshire, you may have more luck reposting your message on that county's Rootschat board.

For information, the Oxfordshire Family History Society have a North Berkshire Marriage Index (1538-1837) which covers those parishes that were transferred from Berkshire to Oxfordshire in the early 1970s.  You can request a look-up (nominal fee charged) by going to their "Search Services" page at www.ofhs.org.uk.

Pennie 

[ribbo39]

Hi,

Welcome to rootschat from me also.

As you say there are many "Blissetts" in the Abingdon transcripts.
Who in particular are you searching for?

Alan

[Harbarlights]

Hi Pennie and Alan. Thanks for coming back to me.
I shall take your advice Pennie and concentrate on the Berkshire County Roots Chat Board.
Alan, this is where I am at the moment with my research: The earliest ancestor I have so far proved is my Great Great Grandfather John Blissett, born on 30.03.1777 in Wantage and married on 15.01.1800 in Wantage to Mary Bedford Collins, baptised on 25.07.1779 at Stanford in the Vale.
Naturally I am interested in proving farther back but that is where I am now with my family.
I now know of an Edward John Blissett who was born in 1844/45 in Abingdon and died in 1898 in Essex.
I suspect there is a connection here and this is the focus of my research at this time.
Kind regards to you both,
Harold     

[ribbo39]

Hi Harold,

In the Wantage trasncripts there is this baptism,  which I see you already have but include his birth;
30-4-1777  (born 30-3-1777) John Blissett s/o Joseph & Ann

Wantage - marriage;
15-1-1800 John Blissett (x), otp
                  Mary Collins (x), otp By Banns
wits; Henry (Illegible), Mary Blissett

With regard to Mary - in the Stanford records her baptism is recorded as;
25-7-1779 Mary BEDFORD base born d/o Sarah Collins.*

Sarah Collins - bapt. 24-2-1759 d/o John & Sarah
John Collins (*) - bapt. 14-9-1722 s/o Walter, Malster, & Mary

* just for interest there is this person in Stanford;

26-7-1761 George Bedford s/o Jonathon & Anne

Burial;
(*)17-10-1776 John Collins aged 55

Marriage;
4-4-1755 John Collins, yeoman  and
                Sarah Spinage, sp, minor, By Licence [with consent of the father- sic]
                Henry Peers, Curate

This info is taken from the transcripts on CDs issued by the Oxford FHS

I have not been able to find a marriage for Joseph Blissett & Ann

Hope this helps
Alan

[Harbarlights]

My goodness what a wizard! Thank you for all that and you have gone some way to confirm my suspicion that the name Bedford included in the registration of her birth was the father of the base born Mary Bedford Collins but this is the first I have heard of the John Bedford you have found. It would be interesting to know if her mother Sarah was in domestic service with him as this was commonplace.
I will continue to digest your data and see where it leads me. Than you again. Kind regards. Harold

 

[ribbo39]

Hi Harold,

I may have some more info for you.

Looking at the various censuses from 1851 thru  to 1891,   Edward J Blissett is consistent in his place of birth as being Abingdon, although I have not been able to find his baptism.

In the 1851 census he is aged 7 living with his parents Charles Blissett (aged 46) and mother Eliza (aged 34) together with siblings;
Ann E 11,
Charles 9,
Sarah J 5 
Emma 1,

Charles Blissett was born and baptised in Benson 14-4-1805 s/o John & Sarah

I have these marriages for you from the Abingdon St.Helens transcripts;
24-12-1838 Charles Blissett, 33, bach, Coach Painter, of West St.Helen,s/o John Blissett, Shoeing Smith
                   Eliza Harding, 22, Smock Frock [sic], of Abbey,   d/o Thomas Harding, Taylor
By Banns
Wits; Fred Harding, Martha Ann Bowerman

also same day just for interest;

                   John Blissett (x), 27, Coach Painter, of West St.Helen, s/o John Blissett, Shoeing Smith
                   Charlotte Robins, (x), 32, Smock FR M [sic], of West St.Helen,   d/o William Robins, Cordwainer.
By Banns
Wits; James Lovesy, Maria Argyle

Burial; Jun ¼ 1869 Abingdon Regis Dist - Charles Blissett aged 64

Alan

[ribbo39]

Hi again,

Just found two more pieces of info for you.

Benson marriage;
26-2-1804 John Blissett, bach,
                 Sarah Nichols (x), sp,
wits; Thomas Meakes, W Adams(x)

Beson bapt;
13-5-1781 Sarah Nichols d/o Thomas & Sarah.

Alan