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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Bedfordshire => England => Bedfordshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: linmey on Saturday 30 May 15 17:20 BST (UK)
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Hi,
Rebecca Dickens married James Dennis in Riseley in1803 but I think I have been barking up the wrong tree with identifying her parents. Looking at the names of her children it seems likely that her parents were Simon Dickens and Martha Harper, but I have been unable to find any confirmation of her existence outside the census and burial records. I am wondering if they were dissenters. Any ideas gratefully received.
Linda
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Hi
Riseley PR shows the marriage as 21 July 1803 James Dennis to Rebecca Dickins.
I cannot see a baptism for her although some of the registers are missing. However there are Dickins children being baptized from 2 Dickins families. Any idea when Rebecca was born?
Bunnygirl
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Hi Bunnygirl,
Thank you for your reply. Rebecca was born in C.1782, and you are right there are baptisms from 2 families but I havnt been able to locate Rebecca among them.
Linda
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Hi
No neither can I she was probably on the missing pages? The Parish Register shows no Dickens children baptized for 1782. William & Sarah baptized a son in November 1781. if that's any help? The BT's for 1783 are missing. The baptisms for 1783 are the BT's for 1782.
Think this one is going to be very difficult to prove!!!
Bunnygirl
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I think you are spot on Bunnygirl, very difficult to prove. I have to take a stab at it by looking at the names of her children which on the surface are a bit of a giveaway, but of course not proof as such.
Many thanks for your help.
Best wishes,
Linda.
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Both James & Rebecca are in my tree
I have her born c 1782. the baptisms are missing from Riseley PR from 1784 to 1789
On 1841 she is age age 60 with a 15 yr old daughter ? Rebecca
Cheers John
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Hi John,
I am going on the fact that she named one of her sons Simon Dickens Dennis to guess at her fathers ID. I thought she was the daughter of Isaac Dickens and Mary Reynolds but I believe they only had the one child, a son, also called Isaac.
Linda
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...... Rebecca was born in C.1782......
How have you determined this Linda? by her being aged at least 21 at the 1803 marriage.
The 1841 census at Riseley she is aged 60 (=1781) with 15 yr old daughter Rebecca.
I've found her in 1851 at Riseley (Anc* has her as Dinnis) widow, mother in law, age 72 (= born 1779) Riseley with daughter Rebecca 1823 who married Samuel Robins 1814 at Riseley on 12 Apr 1850; witnesses Samuel Woodham & Ann Woodham. Rebecca's father was James Dennis, Sawyer who was buried Riseley on 21 Feb 1826 age 47. There's a death index for Rebecca Dennis in Bedford RD in Sept 1860, she was buried Riseley on 2 Sept 1860 age 81 (=1779)
I didn't find daughter Rebecca's baptism (c 1823) but a previous Rebecca daughter of James & Rebecca Dennis was baptised aged 8 months on 12 Sept 1819 and was buried age 2 years on 22 Dec 1820.
So if Rebecca Dickins was born 1779 why is she not in the Riseley PR baptisms transcript which exists for 1778,1779,1780,1781,1782; although these are all sourced from the BT's as the baptism register vol III for 1747-1789 does not exist. While BTs have filled most of this void there are no BTs for 1777 & 1783 to 1789......
Which might explain why I cannot find baptism of James Dennis either?
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Hi
So who were the parents of this Rebekah Dickins?
Riseley Marriages
William Holden to Rebekah Dickins 26 April 1829 by banns
witnesses Mary Dickins & James Young
Bunnygirl
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So who were the parents of this Rebekah Dickins?
The William Holden she married? could that be William Holding who was buried Riseley on 25/7/1832 age 25 - so he could be the son of Thomas & Susan Holding baptised there 26/10/1806....
.... then did Rebecca Holding marry George Wood at Riseley on 1 Dec 1834...... and is she then the Rebecca Wood, widow age 57 in 1851 & age 67 in 1861 born Riseley living in Hackney Middx, & has death index in Sept 1866 age 72, so born 1794..... yes, but who to?
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Yes John, worked out a rough age from the census, but I know they are never exact.
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The witnesses at 1803 marriage of James Dennis to Rebecca Dickins were Isaac Dickins & Joseph Goss (who appeared on many.... & when he was buried 27/6/1808 is 'clerk of the parish') As to Isaac Dickins - is he her brother, her father, her cousin?
Isaac Dickins (1) was buried 28 Oct 1821 age 71 (born 1750)
He married Mary Reynolds on 4 May 1768 at age 17 (= 1751) witnesses George Dickins senior & his son George Dickins.
Isaac Dickens (2) was buried 18 Aug 1825 age 45 (born 1780)
He married Sarah Durding on 15 Feb 1798 as minor with consent, witnesses Isaac Dickins his father? & Daniel Gell (clerk)
Robert Reynolds, weaver married Mary Dickins, minor on 24 Jul 1782 by licence witnesses Isaac Dickins & her brother George Dickins. The licences says she was daughter of Mary & surety given by George Dickins mason as did her mother Mary. This George was her brother rather than her father as George senior was buried 27 Oct 1781.
George's will dated 4/3/1779 leaves stuff to wife Mary, son George, daughter Mary, son Philip & daughter Pricilla. It mentions some tenements he has occupied by George Dickins senior & Isaac Dickins & will was witnessed by Simon Dickins.
The 1803 Muster List for Riseley has Isaac Dickins (1) mason, age 52 married & Isaac Dickins (2) mason age 23 married with 1 child under 10.
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The plot thickens!!!
Now would her father have been a likely witness?? Not sure if that was usual in those days, times may have changed. So Isaac could have been her cousin or her brother. More likely brother I would think, but maybe wrong. If he was her brother that makes her the daughter of Isaac and Mary Reynolds, and if Isaac was her cousin then she could have been the daughter of Simon and Martha Harper. Looking at the names of Rebecca`s children I am thinking they look more likely, but no proof of course.
Thank you John for all that information.
L