RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Herefordshire => Topic started by: diana2646 on Saturday 27 April 13 08:05 BST (UK)
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Hi,
I have found the marriage of my 4 X great grandfather which took place at St. John the Baptist Church, Hereford, on 9th February, 1790.
Am I right in thinking that this Church is part of Hereford Cathedral?
Any info on the subject would be appreciated, or any links to photos of St. John's.
Thanks,
Diana
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This link may help explain the relationship of the church and the cathedral
Kay
http://churchdb.gukutils.org.uk/HEF242.php
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Hi Kay,
Thanks for the link. So it looks as though my 4 x gt. granddad was married in Hereford Cathedral, if I have understood it right. It seems to say that the North transcept of the Cathedral was used by the parish of St. John the Baptist.
Thank you, Diana
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hello Diana,
My interest is the history of the people who lived in the City of Hereford in the 1600s & 1700s. I'd be interested to know whether your ancestor David Whitney (married 1790) was related to Thomas Whitney who was enrolled at the Bluecoat Charity School in the City of Hereford in 1790.
Whitney was an unusual surname in the City of Hereford - so that is why I am wondering whether David & Thomas were related.
Jean Dobson of Hereford
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Hello Jean,
Welcome to Rootschat! I was fascinated to read your message about the Thomas Whitney who enrolled at the Bluecoat Charity School in 1790.
My 4 X gt. grandfather David, married Susan/Susannah Watkins in St. John the Baptist, Hereford on 9th February 1790. I know that they went to Orcop after that and had 4 children. I found the burials of David & his wife Susannah in St. Weonards Church and the record for David, gave his age as 66, so that would have made him born circa 1763, but as I don't live near to Hereford, I have not been able to check for his Baptism there, in any of the Parish records. I know David & Susan had a son called Thomas Whitney, Baptised Orcop 14th July, 1793 and he died age 39 and is buried in St. Weonards also. So, the age doesn't look right for it being your Thomas Whitney, but I know that records aren't always accurate.
Most of the information I have, has been obtained from Find my Past Parish records and I don't know definately that David was born in Hereford, and as I said, don't live near to Hereford, to go and search their records.
I did find on Find my Past, a David who was Baptised in Aberedw, Radnorshire in 1765, but I have no way of knowing if this is my David and if and when he came to Hereford.
I would be very interested to hear what you think about it all.
Kind regards,
Diana
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hello Diana,
Thanks for the reply & the information about your ancestor David Whitney.
I can see from my notes on inhabitants of the City of Hereford 1740-1812 that Whitney was a well-established family name in the City of Hereford - there being 40 entries in the parish registers for the surname of Whitney. From my Surname Only Index, I can see that there were Whitney baptisms in 1760 & 1762 (St Nicholas) and 1763 (St John the Baptist). As I do live in Hereford, I will have a look at these three entries for you when the Hereford Record office is next open - it being open only one week in each month.
In the meantime, I would like to know David's occupation.
Jean Dobson of Hereford
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Hello Jean,
Thank you so much for your interest. I am thrilled to know that there were quite a few Whitneys in Hereford and a possible birth for my 4 X great granddad David in 1763.
You asked me about his occupation, well I am afraid I am not sure. All his children went on to be Agricultural Labourers and/or Farmers, but I do not have anything which says what his employment was, as he died before the first 1841 census. I have a copy of the original marriage record for him, but it doesn't say an occupation. David & Susannah seem to have gone to Orcop directly after their marriage, as the children were all Baptised there.
I appreciate very much your help with the Parish records, when the record office opens.
Kind regards,
Diana
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Hello Jean,
I think my brain must be addled, as I forgot I had got the marriage cert for David Whitney's son, who was also David (it was his second marriage in 1847) and you asked me if I knew David Whitney (B.circa 1763)'s occupation. I have just had a look at the certificate and on it, it says Father - David Whitney and Labourer underneath. Sorry about that.
Kind regards,
Diana
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hello Diana,
No luck in my search for baptism of David Whitney.
I have looked at all the entries in the six parishes of the City of Hereford. Set out below are all the Whitney entries in the 1760s in those six parishes.
Nancy d/o William Whitney & Ann baptised at St Nicholas on 27 May 1760.
Ann d/o William Whitney & Ann buried at All Saints on 20 May 1762.
William s/o William Whitney & Ann baptised at St Nicholas on 2 December 1762
Richard s/o Thomas Whitney & Ann baptised at St John the Baptist on 25 October 1763
Posthumus Whitney buried at St Peters on 8 August 1767
James s/o William Whitney & Ann baptised at St Nicholas on 3 June 1768
William Whitney (an infant) buried at St Nicholas on 18 July 1768
Ann d/o Thomas Whitney & Ann baptised at St John the Baptist on 21 February 1769.
Perhaps David Whitney was born earlier or later than you are expecting.
Jean Dobson of Hereford
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Hello Jean,
Thank you very much for all your hard work and searching for David. I felt sure that he was going to be one of the Baptisms that you had in your notes.
I wondered if you could check your notes, and tell me if there were Whitney Baptisms for the 1750's and 1770's in Hereford please. Also, could you possibly give me the names of the six parishes in Hereford. I have got four of them, from the records which you sent me - St. Nicholas, All Saints, St. John the Baptist and St. Peters.
I know that people often didn't know their correct age in those days, so it can be a bit difficult, looking for births. I will see if I can possibly organise a trip to Hereford and spend some time searching for my David. The only other David that I had found on FindMyPast, as I said, was Baptised in Aberedw 1765, but I wasn't able to find any evidence of his moving to Hereford.
Thank you for everything you have done, you have been very kind and it is very much appreciated.
Kind regards Diana
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hello Diana,
From my Surname Index to the BMBs in the Six Parishes of the City of Hereford, the other Whitney baptisms & burials were:
1750s
1750 burial St Peters
1770s
1772 bap St John the Baptist
1777 bap St John the Baptist
1777 bur St Nicholas
1778 bap St John the Baptist
1778 bap St Peters
1779 bur St Nicholas
1779 bap St Peters
The other two parishes were St Martins & St Owens. Although both church buildings were destroyed in the Civil War, the parishes continued to exist & separate parish registers were kept for the inhabitants of St Martins & for the inhabitants of St Owens.
The Hereford Record office will open again – for one week in August.
Although it is so annoying to have an opening of only one week in every month, it is certainly better than having total closure of the record office for 2 years or more.
When the record office is open again for one week in August, I will have a look at the 1750 & 1770s entries for Whitney. You just never know – mention of David Whitney might be found.
Jean Dobson of Hereford
13 July 2013.
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Hello Jean,
Thank you very much for sending the information about the 1750's and 70's. I notice that there is only one entry for the 1750's - a burial - I wonder if the two Whitney families you mentioned previously - William & Ann and Thomas & Ann, who all the Baptisms seem to apply to in the 1760's, could have come from elsewhere.
When you first posted, you mentioned Thomas Whitney who enrolled at the Bluecoat Charity School in 1790, and was he related to my Whitney family. Can I ask why you were looking into this Thomas, or was it just coincidence?
Thank you so much for all your help and the offer to look up the 1750's and 70's Whitneys for me. If there is ever anything I can do for you in North East Lincolnshire, please let me know.
Kind regards Diana
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All I have read about the parish of St. John suggests that it existed for the lay people involved in the cathedral, but your marriage is clear and obvious.
In 1786 the entire west wing of the cathedral collapsed and extensive rebuilding started in 1788.
is it possible that your david was working on the rebuilding, hence the marriage there, but he could have come from a distance away, as could susan
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Hi Mazi, what you say is very interesting. I did not know any of that. As you say, it would be possible for David to have been working on the rebuilding of the west wing. I know he was definately married in the parish of St. John, as I have a copy of the original parish register. It did say on the marriage record, that they were both 'of this parish', but then I think you only had to live somewhere for a few weeks, for that to apply.
David moved to Orcop/St. Weonards after his marriage, as that is where his 4 children were baptised. I only know that on his son David's second marriage cert, it said he was a labourer, and I, rightly or wrongly, just assumed that it would be farm labourer.
Jean is very kindly checking the Hereford parishes for me, so if he doesn't turn up in any of those, it will be back to the drawing board.
Thanks for your interest.
Diana