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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Bedfordshire => Topic started by: RichardK on Saturday 09 February 08 22:16 GMT (UK)
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I've traced the Meakins (various spellings) back to a John Meakins and Hannah Goodge who married in Southwark in 1833 and appear in the 1841 census there, but then both disappear (probably died). Unfortunately this means I don't have a place of birth for either, other than knowing it must be outside Surrey. However, in that 1841 census there's a family a couple of households away with an elderly couple John & Mary Meakins (who are old enough to be John's parents) and a younger couple Daniel and Mary Berry. Daniel Berry was one of the witnesses to John Meakins and Hannah Goodge's marriage, whilst Mary Berry was a witness to John & Hannah's son's marriage in 1860. In the 1851 census, Mary Berry and Mary Meakins (both now widowed) are living together, with Mary Meakins as head of household and Mary Berry as her daughter. Mary Meakins gives her place of birth as Marston, Bedfordshire, whilst Mary Berry gives hers as Eversholt, Bedfordshire.
Turning then to the extracted IGI for Bedfordshire (which I know is pretty well covered by the IGI) I suspect I'm looking at this family (to which I have added burial dates from the Woburn PR transcript at Luton library):
John Meakins m. 15 Apr 1799, Marston Moretaine to Mary Simkins (ch. 5 Jul 1778, Marston Moretaine)
children:
Rose b. 24 Feb 1800, ch. 23 Mar 1800, Woburn, bur. 22 Feb 1802, Woburn
James b. 23 Sep 1802, ch. 31 Oct 1802, Woburn, bur. 20 May 1803, Woburn
Henry b. 22 Sep 1804, ch. 21 Oct 1804, Woburn, bur. 16 Dec 1804, Woburn
Sarah ch. 27 Dec 1812, Eversholt
Trouble is, I can't find a birth or christening relating to either Mary who married Daniel Berry or the John who I believe was probably also their son - both of whom would probably have been born between 1804 and 1812. I've found a submitted record on the IGI for a John Meakins born 22 Sep 1804 at "Woburn, London" to John & Mary Meakins - but there's nothing in the Woburn PR transcript to support that. Being a submitted entry always suggests caution - and alarm bells ring at the fact the county is wrong!
Does anyone know if there are parishes in that area missing from the IGI? I'm guessing having buried their first three children they may not have wanted to stay in Woburn.
Any suggestions / help gratefully received.
Thanks
Richard.
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Hi ....
Have you seen the link in the resources section for Bedfordshire for the rates book in Woburn...great help this site.
It has details of J Meakins at 17 Duck Lane Woburn in 1806
http://www.vmine.net/woburn/
Tazzie
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Thanks Tazzie - that's a fascinating site - I've got other Woburn families which it will be a help with too. Seems to show the Meakins were there between 1802 and 1806 but had don't appear in the 1807 survey - I wonder where they'd gone?
Thanks
Richard.
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I wonder where they'd gone?
Eversholt?
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Oh, alright, they turn up in Eversholt in 1812 - what I mean is where were they between 1806 and 1812, which is probably when Mary and John were born.
R
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Or did they turn right at the cross roads as there are a fair few in Potsgrove .....small place but they all seem to end up there lately... ;D
Tazzie
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A Mary Ann Meekins was baptised in Eversholt in 1807, daughter, so it says, of William & Mary. The previous child of a William & Mary was baptised in Woburn in 1798. Where were they between 1798 and 1807? Who was the Mary buried in Woburn 26 Nov 1806 - wife of John perhaps? Could William be a PR error for John? There were three Meakins buried at Woburn Congregational between 1813-18. Could the family have turned non-conformist so Mary and John weren't baptised in the established church?
Woburn is close to Bucks. Could they have moved there?
David
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There are 10 Meakins that show up in Potsgrove the oldest is William 1761. He shows as the Sheep Lane area. Very few buildings here now.
As David says they only needed to move to Hogsty End / Woburn Sands to cross the boarder.
I have two families in particular that move around the villages here...Woburn/ Aspley Guise/ Husbourne Crawley/ Brickhills ....they marry in one and split childrens baptisms between the villages.
Tazzie
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There were three Meakins buried at Woburn Congregational between 1813-18.
David I have the Cong Church book and the Meakins children on 2 it does not note parents on 3rd it is James and Elizabeth (Fensum).
This couple married at Aspley in 1790 and seem to have been admitted to full communion members in 1809-1810 at above Church.
Therefore is he the J.Meakins in the Rate Book.
Sandy
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Hello everyone - many thanks for your help on this one.
Sandy - when you say you have the Cong Church book, are you referring to the burials only? Or are there any Meakins baptisms included?
David - as to the Mary who was buried in 1806, I agree that could be the wife of John, although were that the case the record would probably say Mary wife of John (it doesn't). I'm more inclined to think it's Mary the widow of Thomas, another Meakins couple who were having children in Woburn in the 1790s - because Thomas had already been buried in 1801.
I like the theory that the Mary Ann christening in Eversholt in 1807 is a mistake in the PR. I don't think it is the same couple as had a child baptised at Woburn in 1798, because there is a Mary wife of William buried at Woburn in 1799. Maybe I need to find the Bishop's Transcripts to see if they shed any light.
I've now been through the later censuses looking for Mary Ann post 1851, and she doesn't seem to have been entirely certain where she was born herself - in 1851 she said Eversholt, 1871 & 1881 Bedfordshire, 1891 Woburn and 1901 'Bedfordshire NK' - not known. (She was 92 or so by then). I'm most inclined to trust the 1851 census as she was living with her mother at the time - you'd hope her mother knew where she was born!
Tazzie - your families who moved around that area weren't the Lewis and Cook families were they?
Many thanks
Richard.
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Hi Tazzie - the Potsgrove Meakins you've found - there don't appear to be that many Meakins in Potsgrove on the IGI - do you have any further information on those you found?
Many thanks
Richard.
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Hi Richard
The book covers Baptisms and Burials only and numerous notes about the dealings of the Church.
I have listed all that was recorded about any Meakins.
Only the Meakins children burials (very brief) are listed I am afraid.
Sandy
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Hi Sandy - thanks for checking.
Regards
Richard.
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There's only one burial in Potsgrove up to 1851 - Hannah age 58 on 17 Apr 1837
If all of the burials in the early 1800s are detailless then it could be any adult (assuming that children are described as son/dau of...) no wife of...; widow, etc
David
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There were three Meakins buried at Woburn Congregational between 1813-18.
David could you list the details please.
Sandy
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Harriett 11 May 1813
Susannah Dec 1813
Jemima 10 Mar 1815
David
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Thank you David.
In the book it says Harr and then Susna sister of above.
Sandy
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I wonder if the 'Harr' is a mistranscription for 'Hann' - i.e. Hannah - because the IGI shows James and Elizabeth did have daughters called Hannah, Susanna and Jemima, all baptised at Aspley Guise:
Susanna Fensom MEAKINS, 10 Feb 1793
Hannah Fensom MEAKINS, 25 Jan 1795
Jemima Fensom MEAKINS, 30 Jul 1797 (IGI gives middle name as 'Tensord' but this is almost certainly a mistranscription as the couple gave all their children Fensom as a middle name - which was Elizabeth's maiden name)
Richard.
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Hi ....
Mine in the villages are Miller/Millard and the Collins family that make me a cousin many moons removed from Sandy ;D
1841 Potsgrove ..... Sheep Lane
James Meakins 40 shoe m yes all b in county
Mary 30
Elizabeth 10
Charles 8
James 6
William 3
John 9 months
HO107/5 F 4 P1
James married Mary Ann Balls Leighton Buzzard 1829.
William Meakins 80 ag lab yes
William Meakins 25 ag lab yes
Sheep Lane HO107/5 F 5 P10
By 1851 the family of James had moved to Leighton Buzzard
Tazzie