Hi Connie,
There is a simple answer as to why you can't find Ambrose's baptism in the Somerton PR. the Collingridges were Roman Catholics ( probably the Bartons, too) and as such would have had their children baptised by a RC priest.The RC chapel, long maintained at Somerton by the Fermor family ( old Catholic gentry and lords of the manor) had long since disappeared by 1820.
The Fermors had a chapel at their house in Tusmore (only about 3 miles away) and I suspect that is where Somerton RCs would have attended mass, married and had their children baptised, but between 1754 and 1837 they were required by law to marry in a C of E church, so any marriages in that period should be in the PR of the church where the marriage took place.
I suggest that you get in touch with the OFHS . They should be able to advise you about
RC records . I don't think you will find any online.
As to the marriage c1845, it's very strange that it is not on FreeBMD. Probably just bad luck and it happens to be one of the few records that somehow was mistranscribed or lost. You might try the Oxfordshire Record Office; it may have survived there, even if it never made it to the GRO.
The only bit of good news is that if you want to follow the Collingridge line back in time, there are a lot of wills available on FindMyPast.
Thank you for your reply.
I had a horrible feeling Ambrose belonged to the Roman Catholic branch. Almost all the COLLINGRIDGEs in the Somerton/Souldern/Godington area were. They are the only branch who remained Catholic and still are today.
Thank you for the information about the FERMORs and their chapel. I have a vague recollection of being told any registers they kept are no longer exist. I'll follow up on that.
I have 8 children for Ambrose and Ann. The eldest was baptised in Stoke Lyne but the next two were born in London. The fourth was given as being of Fewcott at his burial in Stoke Lyne, age 7 wks. The fifth to eighth were all born in Yorkshire.
I'm not sure whether the BARTONs were Catholic or not. I'll see what I can find out about them once I've been able to attach Ambrose to the correct branch. Ambrose wouldn't have been the first to "marry out",
There are a few RC baptisms and burials on Ancestry but only a few.
I have heard that many marriages do not appear in the GRO indexes either because they were missed off the return or were missed when the returns were transcribed for a second time at the GRO. There is also a chance they were missed off during modern transcribing for FreeBMD, Ancestry, etc. I've tried every trick I know to find the marriage without success. I'll try the Register Office.
I'll have a look at the wills on FindMyPast. I do have some that came from the Public Record Office many years ago.
Thank you very much for your help. It's much appreciated.