Isaac Testard baptised 1685 French huguenot

[Jules1066]

Isaac Testart baptised 1685 in Threadneedle Street, London was the son of Isaac Testart (died london 1686) and Marie Madeleine Crommelin (born st quentin, Picardy, France 1664 died Lisburn 1727). Much has been documented on these two inter marrying French huguenots families. They had two other children Marie Testard (1683) and Marie Ann Testard (1686). After Isaac Testart's death, Marie Madeleine remarried in 1694 to Nicolas de la Cherois (born 1649) and they lived in Lisburn where they had 3 children.

I am trying to find evidence that Isaac Testard buried in Beaudesert in 1759, Warwickshire is the same person who was baptised in Threadneedle street in 1685.  Isaac Testard married Ann Teape in 1706 in Wooden Wawen. Both were from the parish of Henley on Arden, just south of Beaudesert.

Info I have found online to date suggests that Isaac and Marie Madeleine's 3 children born in London did not survive. However I have no evidence to support this.

Info past down the Testard (Tester) families suggests they were descended from a Baron de Tester and that the baron had escaped France. Could our ancestor Isaac Testard buried in Beaudesert 1759 be the same person as Isaac Testart baptised Threadneedle Street.

Any info from Warwickshire record office on the isaac , suggestions for further research welcome.

[ColC]

The only reference to the name I can find on FindMyPast is the following.
Isaac Testard

Marriage 1   19 Jul 1733
Marriage place   Alcester, Warwickshire
Spouse   Hannah Cattle

Marriage 2   19 Oct 1738
Marriage place   Alcester, Warwickshire
Spouse   Margaret Kendall

Maybe the son?

Wootton Wawen is on FindMyPast but no records emerged.

Colin

[Jules1066]

Hi Colin

Hannah Cattle is probably a second wife  as Ann Neape died 1732. And yes, the other marriage is Isaac's son Isaac Testard born 1709-died 1768 buried Beaudesert. He was a hairdresser/peruke maker based in Henley on Arden. It's possible his father Isaac Testart (1) practiced the same trade...Isaac Testard (2)'s son Thomas Testar born 1756 (note: change in spelling of name) baptised Beaudesert followed him in the trade and died in Birmingham in 1825.

Jules

[smudwhisk]

The records of the French Protestant Hospital (published by the Huguenot Society of Great Britain) have an entry for an Isaac Testard in May 1745 until Nov 1747.  I'm struggling to translate the French but it says something about him having received monthly external assistance prior to admittance between Jan and May 1745 and lists him as being 60 years old in Nov 1744.  I think it also says he was resident in St Anns Soho.  Its difficult to read and unfortunately, unlike many of the entries, doesn't list his parents, but in light of the age, I wonder if perhaps he is the Isaac Testard baptised in 1685 in the Threadneedle Street French Church?  Unless there is another Isaac Testar(d) born around the same time.

Unfortunately it is rare to find burials for Huguenots/Walloons in London or elsewhere unless they were buried in Church of England burial grounds or some of the non-denominational cemeteries.  I understand they placed less importance on the ritual of burial than they did for baptism and marriage.  That said, even if they weren't Huguenot/Walloon, there are issues with missing burial records unfortunately.  Something I've a lot of experience with.

[smudwhisk]

I'm assuming the info stating that Isaac and Marie Madeline's children died young was from the Crommelin History website (http://www.rootschat.com/links/01f2m/).  Have you tried contacting them to see what evidence they have to support the statement?

[Jules1066]

Yes, this is one of the websites I've come across. Where can I access the information on the French Hospital? Is it available online?

One line of enquiry I need to pursue is what happened to Marie Madeleine Testart-Crommelin after her husband Isaac died. Some years passed before she re-married and she must have had her children with her (if they survived).

Thank you

[smudwhisk]

The French Hospital records (which are transcripts not the originals) aren't available online, they are available on CD from the Huguenot Society of Great Britain - see http://www.huguenotsociety.org.uk/publications/cdrom.html.

Depending on where you live, some larger libraries have copies of their original book versions.  I know Birmingham Library does so its worth checking.

[Jules1066]

Thank you. Now I have to brush up my French!