Lydia Castle & William Ratcliff(e) in relation to Hanney & Castle

[nichbuket]

Hello,

I am trying to trace my lines of James Hanney and Ann Castle who were married 21 July 1809 in St. Mary, Islington by license.  Both seem to be rather popular names and I think the key to tracing their lineage may lie in the connection to one of the witnesses at their wedding--Lydia Ratcliff(e).  James and Ann's first child was named William Ratcliffe Hanney.

Searching I was able to find an index Lydia CASTLE who married a William Ratcliff(e) in Southill, Bedford, England 8 March 1800.  I know it's a journey away from Islington but I'm trying to narrow down all possibilities to break through this brick wall at the moment.

I was wondering if anyone could track down the banns/anything beyond the index.---residency, witnesses, etc for Lydia Castle and William Ratcliff(e) as I can't seem to find them. Or if anyone could direct me in the correct direction.

Thanks in advance for all your help,
Nich

[bedfordshire boy]

Both were of this parish, so not of much help. The transcript doesn't include witnesses, which might provide a clue, so you need to check the microfilm for that detail.

I can't see a likely baptism for either of them in Beds - indeed the marriage is the only Castle in Southill parish register pre 1813 and there's only one other Ratcliff entry, and that was 200 years earlier, so neither of them appears to have been local. So why did they marry in Southill?

There was a census taken in Southill in 1801, but there's no Ratcliff.

Very mysterious!
David

[LizzieL]

They could have been servants on one of the estates - Whitbreads at Southill Park or Ongleys at Old Warden?
Servants weren't always recruited locally, some came from a surprising distance away.

I had a relly who was born in rural Yorkshire but appeared to marry in London. It wasn't until I found a  mention of him in a will of a rich gentleman -  small bequest along with other servants, that I discovered he was a valet and therefore likely to have travelled between the country estate and the  London town house with his master, that the London marriage in the correct parish made sense.

[LizzieL]

Probably a co-incidence but Samuel Whitbread's brewery was in Islington in latter half of 18th century.

[nichbuket]

Sorry for the delay in response, but that you both so much for your responses. I agree with the theory they may have been servants, and I will try again to find them in Islington/Middlesex/London area records.

David mentioned tracking down the microfilm to look deeper then the index? Does anyone know where I could find that online, or is it something I would need to request from the parish? My usual source doesn't have Bedfordshire microfilm.

Thanks again!

[bedfordshire boy]

Your nearest LDS Family History Centre, where you can order and view the microfilm. Or contact Bedford Archives who for a small fee will check it for you.

David

[johnP-bedford]

The marriage witnesses were James Grant & John Sells (on lots = clerk)

[nichbuket]

Thank you for your assistance.