Avica the mysterious woman

[LouiseB31]

Dear All

My GGGGrandfather, William Wilson was born the son of Avica Wilson and Stephen Masters in Harbury, Warwickshire. Stephen lived in Staverton in the neighbouring county of Northamptonshire.

William was born 15 February 1826 and was christened in Harbury, Warwickshire 7 March 1828.

His parents were not married and a bastardy bond was served on Stephen ensuring that the "good people" of Harbury did not have to pay for the birth or care for the mother and baby in the early months.

I have traced Stephen's family, he was reasonably easy to find - him and his wife and children, I bet his wife never knew anything about his philanderings, I dont think she would have called her own son William too if she had! But I digress...


Avica is a complete mystery.

There is no record of her in the local parish registers and her name does not appear on the IGI anywhere in the county so far as I can see. Mind you, thinking about it, I had thought her name was spelt Evica with an E so I might not have gone back to the IGI. Pretty sure I have though.

I have never even heard of anyone called Avica. If you have ever come across Avica or anyone with a similar name, do please let me know. It sounds like a gypsy name to me, or am I being overly romantic?

I wish I knew more about this mysterious woman

Regards

Louise

[Rio In The City]

There are three on the 1861 census.
 
1861 England Census 
Avica H Strood abt 1843  Dover, Kent, England Daughter  Dover St Mary  Kent   
Avica Taylor abt 1853  Ashurst, Kent, England Daughter  Thatcham  Berkshire   
Avica Taylor abt 1832  Mayfield, Sussex, England Head  Mayfield  Sussex

Rita.   

[jericho]

There is one in the 1851 census

Brown Avica born 1804 Devon Head Okehampton Dev

[Arranroots]

There are rather more with the name Avice (would this be pronounced the same?)

For example, there is an Avice BEACH, wife of Thomas, she born 1800 in Alvechurch Worcestershire and living in 1861 in Solihull.

She is the only one of about the right age to have given birth in 1826, still living in that area.  Can't find a suitable marriage or death for Avica/e Wilson on freebmd.

kind regards, Arranroots 

[JAP]

William's birth in 1828 in the IGI (that should read christening) shows his mother as Evica WILLSON.

A search of that Harbury batch shows two other births with mother Evica (none for Avica - and none for Avice though, in my experience Avice is pronounced Avis):
Henry Thomas FINCH, bap 13 Apr 1834, Harbury, parents John FINCH and Evica
John FINCH, bap 15 May 1836, Harbury, parents John FINCH and Evica

Searching that batch for just father John FINCH also produces the following:
Hannah FINCH, bap 7 Apr 1839, Harbury, parents John FINCH and Abitha
Eliza. FINCH, bap 26 Dec 1841, d 17 Apr 1844, Harbury, parents John FINCH and Abitha

And then a search for a marriage between a John FINCH and a WILSON finds:
John FINCH m Avies WILSON, 1 Oct 1832, Coventry Warwickshire.

Hope this helps!

JAP

[JAP]

Henry Thos FINCH (age 27 ie born ca 1834, born Harbury) can be found with wife and family in Harbury in the 1861 census - he's a Farm Labourer and Primitive Methodist Preacher.

And John FINCH jnr (age 25 ie born ca 1836, born Harbury)  is a groom/domestic servant in Wellington, Hadley Shropshire.

I don't see John snr or the mysterious Evica/Abitha/Avies in 1861

JAP

[Valda]

1851 census HO 107 2077 folio 95
Harbury Southam
John Finch head married 50 Farm Labourer Honingham Warwickshire
Mary Finch Wife Married 49 Fifefield Oxfordshire
Thomas Finch Son 17 Farm Labourer Harbury
John Finch Son 15 Farm Labourer Harbury
Hannah Finch Daughter 12 Home Harbury Warwickshire

The National burial index covers Harbury but no burial of a Finch other than Eliza (coverage is Harbury All Saints until 1852 but Harbury Wesleyan only to 1848).
John and Mary continue on in the censuses until 1881. John's death is registered in 1890.

Regards
Valda

[JAP]

In the light of Valda's 1851 census information, I've done some more checking.

So I'll correct my earlier post - John FINCH, b ca 1836 Harbury, the groom/domestic servant in Shropshire in 1861 is almost certainly NOT John the son of John and Avica/Evica/Abitha/Avies but is John the son of John and Mary. 

1871 - John FINCH b Harbury (transcribed as Harbery) ca 1836, a coachman, is in Stoke Prior with wife Eliza 28 and daughter Sarah 7.

1881 - John FINCH b Harbury ca 1838, a coachman, is in Birmingham with wife Eliza 35, daughter Sarah 18, son Henry J 8, daughter Sophia 6

1891 - John FINCH b Harbury ca 1836, a gardener, is in Birmingham with wife Eliza 49, son Henry J 18, daughter Sophia F 17, son Frank H 6, and widowed mother Mary 90 b Oxfordshire Fifefield

JAP

[Valda]

Finch, Mary
Deaths
92
Quarter:    March
Year:    1893
District:    Birmingham
County:    Warwickshire
Volume:    6d
Page:    23 

I think requesting a search in Harbury for Finches on the 1841 census might clinch it one way or the other.

Regards
Valda