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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Bedfordshire => England => Bedfordshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Decker21 on Wednesday 03 December 14 15:05 GMT (UK)
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Hi, I am looking for a marriage for Thomas Steppings b. 1784 Cockayne Hatley to Elizabeth b. Circa 1790 at Wrestlingworth. Three sons were born at Wrestlingworth between 1815 and 1822 but I cannot find christenings for them either. I think a fourth son William was born at Hatley St George in 1823 which is where they still lived in the 1841 census. Any help would be much appreciated.
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In the 1851 census she is Eliza.
On a tree on Ancestry he is married to Elizabeth Humberstone, but this is unsubstantiated
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The IGI at www.familysearch.org has a marriage at Wrestlingworth on 27 Jan 1812 where the parties are shown as Thomas Stephens and Elizabeth Hummerson. It would be worth taking a look at the microfilm.
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Thanks for the replies which are both helpful. Will take a look at the microfilm to see if Stephens could be Steppings. It certainly seems possible. Thanks again for your help.
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From the Wrestlingworth PR transcript, marriage 27 Jan 1812 Thomas Stephens of Cockayne Hatley to Elizabeth Hummerson of Wrestlingworth. This was the only Stevens/Stephens name in the Wrestlingworth register. I did notice another marriage on 15 Nov 1804 of William Hummerston to Martha James, he may be related to Elizabeth.
The same volume had the Cockayne Hatley transcript and has baptisms/burials of Stepping(s)/Stebbing as follows.....
Children of John & Susan Stebbing
3 Apr 1768 Thomas - buried 22 Jan 1771
19 Nov 1769 William - buried 1 Feb 1771
Susanna wife of John Stebbing, farmer buried 20 Jan 1771
Two other children of John Stebbing were buried, Mary 20 Jan 1771 & John 26 Jan 1771 but I cannot find the baptisms. Seems Susanna & 4 children got buried as a job lot over 12 days.
Then John Stebbings, widower married Mary Cubiss on 14 June 1771
Children of John & Mary Stebbing.....
29 Mar 1772 Mary **
8 Jan 1775 Thomas - buried 5 Oct 1781
24 Aug 1777 Sarah - buried 30 Sept 1781
26 Dec 1780 William - buried 22 Jan 1804 as Steppings
6 Jan 1782 Sarah **
... now of John & Mary Stepping/s
7 Mar 1784 Thomas
15 Oct 1785 Samuel
10 Oct 1790 James
** Possibly Mary Stepping married Thomas Bartle on 1 Nov 1792 and Sarah Stepping married James Timson of Everton on 12 Oct 1804
Finally John Stebbings buried 27 Mar 1808 aged 79
That all being said this does not necessarily prove that Thomas Steppings is the Thomas Stephens who married in Wrestlingworth but most likely it is.
Cheers John
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Wow, that is great! Loads of information to help me. Thank you so much. Will look at the microfilm next time I visit Bedford.
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Hi JohnP of Bedford, how far do the transcripts go back for Cockayne Hatley? Two children died and you could not find baptisms for them. I'm wondering if the Stebbings/Stebbings lived elsewhere when these children, Mary and John, were born. When I get to Bedford record office (it will be a few months yet) I would like to go prepared. I think perhaps I may also have to look at records at the Hertfordshire record office which I could do while in the area.
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Cockayne Hatley records go back to 1602 & Wrestlingworth back to 1578. There were no earlier entries for Stebbing/Stepping and have found no marriage of John Stebbings to Susan/Susanna around 1766-1770 in surrounding Beds parishes. Perhaps they were from across the county boundary into Herts/Cambs.
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I have found a marriage for John Stebbing to Susan Cowland at Henlow in 1761 and a birth for Susan at Shillington in 1741. A christening for Mary in 1762 at Shillington. This was all on the IGI. The dates tie in quite nicely. A pity there was no age given for Susanna on her burial. Now I am aware of the name change from Stebbings to Steppings it will help. Thanks for everything.
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Henlow transcript has no further detail on the marriage entry
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Found some baptisms in Wrestlingworth.....
Children of Thomas & Elizabeth Steppin/Steppen of Wrestlingworth, labourer
25 Jul 1818 John
3 Oct 1819 Thomas
27 May 1821 James
2 Oct 1822 Samuel
plus burial on 28 Jan 1827 of James Steppen age 37 (so he's the James Steppin baptised 1790)
In Cockayne Hatley found baptisms ...
10 Feb 1822 John son of James & Mary Stebbins, farmer
20 Feb 1831 Fanny daughter of Samuel & Sarah Stebbings, famer
plus marriage on 13 Apr 1829 of Samuel Stebbings to Sarah Waldock
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You have now given me more pieces of the puzzle so that I am now able to account for a lot of people belonging to this branch of my family. Thank you for your help and time.
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Found some baptisms in Wrestlingworth.....
Children of Thomas & Elizabeth Steppin/Steppen of Wrestlingworth, labourer
25 Jul 1818 John
3 Oct 1819 Thomas
27 May 1821 James
2 Oct 1822 Samuel
Samuel Stepping seems to have had a lucky escape from the she-devil of Wrestlingworth - see http://www.biggleswadetoday.co.uk/news/nostalgia/life-and-loves-of-the-she-devil-of-wrestlingworth-1-1125899
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Thanks for that. Poor Samuel, he could have been next. He did go on to marry Eliza Masters in 1848. The story was taken from Memory Lane 2010. Do you know whether it's a book or a magazine. When we visited Gamlingay quite a few years ago we met Nick Bruce and bought the history in photographs of Gamlingay. He mentioned Ron Pickford's name but I never got in touch with him. If he's got more stories like that I'd be very interested.
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It's from the Biggleswade Chronicle, the local weekly newspaper.
It's a well known case but it's the first time I've seen it mentioned that she fled to London with yet another boyfriend. A reassessment of the verdict is in a book I've got "Bedfordshire Casebook" by Paul Heslop 2004 published by the Book Castle ISBN 1 903747 57 0
David