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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Dorset => Topic started by: astromuzza on Thursday 18 April 19 23:27 BST (UK)
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Hi everyone,
I'm trying to determine the parents of Rachel Melmoth who was born around 1803. According to the 1841 and 1851 censuses, together with her marriage details to John Hayward (marriage in Stourpaine 1823) she was born in Durweston, just across the Stour River from Stourpaine.
It seems that she was very close to Sarah Melmoth who married John Allen in 1820, also in Stourpaine. Sarah was baptised on 8 February of 1795 to George and Sarah Melmoth. There is another daughter baptised to George and Sarah on April 14 1799 but I can't make out the child's name.
I'm working on the theory that Rachel's parents were also George and Sarah on the basis that the two married couples mentioned previously (John & Sarah Allen and John & Rachel Hayward) appear as witnesses on their respective marriage documents. They also lived two doors from each other in Stourpaine on the 1841 census...
My gx3 grandmother Marianne Melmoth, born 1803 to Henry and Christiana Melmoth in Durweston, is definitively a first cousin to Sarah but I'm trying to firm up the relationship to Rachel, so any help would be gratefully accepted!
Cheers,
Mario
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The transcription for the 1799 baptism at Durweston says that the child's name is Jane, daughter of Geo and Sarah Melmoth.
I cannot see any baptism for Rachel Melmoth in the C of E Dorset registers (1538-1812 or 1813-1906) available to view on Ancestry.
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Not found Rachel, but just a couple of possibly connected things
George and Sarah Melmoth baptised a son George in Durweston on 25 Sep 1803, and a daughter Hannah on 7 jun 1801, so Rachel must be before or after, unless Hannah changed her name to Rachel
There is a marriage for an Amelia Melmoth (spinster) to Merit Upward on 29 nov 1821 at Stourpaine. Bride's parish Durweston. Witnesses John Allen and Robert Cole. So is Amelia another sister to fit in?
(Amelia signed her name Melmoth, but clerk has written it with the last couple of letters a bit unclear and it has been transcribed as Melmor). Signature of John Allen matches that on his own marriage to Sarah so definitely the same. Rachel and Sarah Melmoth made their marks, but Amelia could sign her name.
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Found Amelia and Merit (as Meriot) Upward in 1851, Amelia was born in Sturminster. She must have been residing in Durweston immediately before marriage. Could be Sturminster Newton or S Marshall, S Newton is nearer to Stourpaine / Durweston.
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Durweston - baptisms of Melmoth, with parents George and Sarah:
Ann - 5 May 1793
Sarah - 8 February 1795
Susannah - 30 April 1797
Jane - 14 April 1799
Hannah - 7 June 1801
George - 25 September 1803
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Sturminster Marshall
bapt 21 May 1800 Amelia d/o John and Sarah Mulmer
bapt 21 mar 1802, Rachel Locker d/o John and Sarah Mulmer
Is it them or just a coincidence in names?
Rachel's second name could imply Sarah's maiden name was Locker.
Was this John Mulmer actually Melmoth and related to the Melmoth's of Durweston and moved there before his daughters got married?
added
and a daughter Sarah bapt 25 Jan 1801 at S Marshall
and Thomas and Elizabeth bapt together on 14 may 1797
George 13 Oct 1793
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John Melmoth married Sarah Lockyer in Morden on 1 May 1787, witnesses Walter Morgan and Thomas Baker. Both were otp. John signed, Sarah made her mark. There are Melmoths in Morden going way back , I keep stumbling across them when researching my family from that village.
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Bapt in Durweston
John Melmoth on 20 May 1753 s/ o Thomas and Mellyar
George Melmoth on 12 Apr 1761 s/o Thomas and Mellyar
again could just be coincidence
Could Mellyar be Amelia said with a strong Dorset accent?
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Thomas Melmoth married Mellior Newman on 07/11/1748 at Shillingstone
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Henry (your Marianne's father) was also a son of Thomas and Mellyer, so it looks like Rachel was Henry's first cousin - her father being John not George.
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Thomas Melmoth married Mellior Newman on 07/11/1748 at Shillingstone
Just found image of parish register, it says they were both of Durweston
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Well done, LizzieL :D
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Wow, thanks BumbleB and LizzieL for your input to this!
Yes, Thomas Melmoth did marry Amelia Newman had had a few children including George and Henry but hadn't considered John as the father of Rachel. I've seen Melmoth written as Melmer so Melmur doesn't surprise me at all! In fact, the family here in Australia became the Melmouths, I guess due to the Dorset accent...
So as I see it, my gx3 grandmother Marianne Melmoth is a cousin of Sarah Allen and both are cousins of Rachel Hayward, all having as their grandparents Thomas Melmoth and Amelia Newman. That makes Sarah and Rachel my first cousins, 5 times removed...
Thanks once again, it's been quite a productive post,
Cheers,
Mario
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Further to my thank you post, looking at the Morden marriage of John and Sarah, if you go back a page in the registry you'll note that a William Newman, widower, is married. John Melmoth's mother was Amelia Newman... perhaps this is her brother... or maybe just a coincidence... the plot thickens!