Second Opinion on the mother of THOMAS FOSTER born Selby 1825

[Goughy]

Hi Folks

Would appreciate a second opinion on the mother of Thomas Foster born Selby 1825.  His baptism record at Selby Abbey shows his mother as "Ann" (unmarried)  On his marriage certificate which I ordered years and years ago his father was "blank" (which I expected).  I had never been able to trace a suitable candidate for Ann in terms, of marriages or deaths, and so accepted (sort of) that was the end of the line.

However, I recently looked  at the marriage as recorded in the Parish Record and a surprising snippet came to light. The vicar has put both parents for Isabella Silversides (who Thomas married) and against Thomas's name, father blank but mother "Nancy Pilkerton".  I had always assumed that Nancy Foster who married Joseph Pilkington was his aunt.  I know  that "Nancy" is a derivative of "Ann", but....

James Foster and Mary Rayner (Thomas's grandparents and who he was with in Selby in 1841) had the following children all baptised Brayton:

John 1790, Elizabeth 1791, William 1793, ANN 1795, Nancy 1802.  I've only ever been able to trace William and Nancy.  Dade records confirm they are all of the same family. 

My conundrum - is Nancy the mother of Thomas and when she baptised him she was calling herself Ann (although she married as Nancy)  Did Thomas just say "Nancy" so that both his parents were not left blank on the certificate?

Thomas went on to name his 10 children:  James, Mary, Ann, Rayner, Thomas, William, Jane, Guy, John and Isabella. 

Any thoughts/suggestions welcome.

Goughy


 

[Milliepede]

My conundrum - is Nancy the mother of Thomas and when she baptised him she was calling herself Ann (although she married as Nancy)

From the list of names you posted Nancy already had a sister Ann so I don't see (unless sister Ann had died) she would be calling herself Ann as well.

[Goughy]

Thanks Millipede.  Since posting, I have re-visited parish records,  and a kind fellow from my local FH Group re-trawled the Brayton Parish burial records up to 1858 to no avail.  Interestingly during my re-trawl I found records and evidence of the marriage of Elizabeth Foster, so although not cracking Thomas's mother, I did find his aunt!

Thanks for your comments

[dobfarm]

Quote from your fist post

However, I recently looked  at the marriage as recorded in the Parish Record and a surprising snippet came to light. The vicar has put both parents for Isabella Silversides (who Thomas married) and against Thomas's name, father blank but mother "Nancy Pilkerton".  I had always assumed that Nancy Foster who married Joseph Pilkington was his aunt.  I know  that "Nancy" is a derivative of "Ann", but....

Unquote


There are a few possibilities but seeing the surname name Pilkerton as the mother of Thomas on the parish marriage register also gave no fathers name. If the mother was Ann, who had died, then Thomas brought up by the Mr and Mrs Pilkerton as their adopted son surely he would have put Mr Pilkerton as his father. He put Nancy Pilkerton as his mother. The vicar put blank for the father but did put Nancy Pilkerton as the mother as a fact.

This means Nancy was the mother- Ann-Nanny or Nancy, bearing in mind most people could not read them days if the vicar of the baptism 1825 of Thomas, could have used the name Ann from Anna (Nanny) in the biblical sense of the first name also the vicar is unlikely to have known Nancy had a sister Ann

http://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/people-cultures-in-the-bible/people-in-the-bible/anna-in-the-bible/

[Goughy]

Thanks Dobby. 

The reason why I was doubting it, was that I have come across marriage certificates before giving "false" names for fathers, but have to admit it's the first one I've encountered where the Vicar has put both parents in the Parish Registers. Looking at other marriage entries in the Parish Records at that time  they have not got both parents recorded!   I guess my other doubt was the fact he named one of his daughters Ann (my great x 2 grandmother).  As you say, it was recorded as fact....   now to send for Nancy's death certificate. 

Thanks