Help with brick wall please!

[treesquirrel]

Hi everyone.
I am at a bit of a standstill with my research and wonder if perhaps a fresh pair of eyes could shed some light on this  .

To start does anyone think it's possible that a Margaret can sometimes be recorded as Anne in the 1670s ?

My ancestor was baptised 1673; Susanna Swaddale . Daughter of Richard and Anne.baptised 29 June, Seamer

I found this on findmypast in both the parish Baptism record and the Bishops transcripts for Seamer. The only difference between them was the spelling of An v Anne. I found the name Swaddale can be spelt a lot of ways over the years also !!

The problem is, it appears that Richard's wife is called Margaret. Here is their marriage, in Seamer.

1667 Rich Swaddle & Margaret Hordan were married Aug 13th.

The first 2 children;

1668 Emmanuel the son of Richard Swaddale & Margaret his wife. Bap May 31
1670 Francis the son of Richard Swaddle & Margaret his wife, bap June 5

Then next;
1673 Susanna daug of Rich Swaddale & Anne his wife, bap June 29
1675 John son of Rich Swaddale & Ann his wife, bap Jan 28

I have searched page by page on the Seamer parish registers and the BTs between 1670 and 1673 inclusive, for the death of Margaret and a marriage to Anne with no results. I  realize it is possible for these to have happened outside Seamer, but suspect it quite unlikely the death did.

Then I came across a  Margaret Swoddil's death in 1706 Seamer. Several other things happened in that year too, all in Seamer;

1706 Oct 25 burial of Margt Swoddil
1706 Nov 19 marriage of Richard Swoddell & Jane Willis
1706 Jan 17 baptism of Joshua Swoddel

1715 baptism of Anne Swoodle dau of Richard & Jane. Seamer

1718 burial of Richard Swadoll, a Chandler, Apr 18th. Seamer

It seems quite unlikely that Margaret dies in Oct, Richard remarries 3 weeks later in Nov and a child is born 2 months later in Jan! However, there appears to be no other  Swaddale/ Swaddle/Swoddil etc having children or marrying in Seamer in the 1660s right up until at least 1721 (which is where I stopped looking).

The marriage and baptism in 1706 could be for Richard Swoddil son of Richard Swaddale, but I have found no baptism to suggest this. (ie father and son both called Richard).


Anyone have any ideas?
Thank you.

[clayton bradley]

Have you looked for wills for the family? cb

[treesquirrel]

Hi CB,

Thank you for your response.
Yes, I have had a look. Found one on find my past for John Swaddal 1692, which I ordered, but no useful relationships or other info unfortunately. It was from the York Prerogative & Exchequer Courts Of York Probate Index, 1688-1858 records at the Borthwick Institute.

Would you have any other ideas where to look for Wills?