RootsChat.Com

England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Shropshire => Topic started by: Willow 4873 on Monday 20 September 21 14:15 BST (UK)

Title: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Monday 20 September 21 14:15 BST (UK)
Can anyone help find a baptism for my 5 x great Grandmother Ellen Woollams? she married Thomas Matthews 5.12.1785 in Cheswardine listed as a spinster and was buried 7.2.1833 aged 70 at Cheswardine residence listed as Soudley which would make her birth around 1763. The marriage register definitely says Woollams but she did sign with a cross. Banns were called and they are both listed as being of the parish

Been chasing this lady for years

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: QueenoftheWest on Monday 20 September 21 14:49 BST (UK)
I often find it helpful to start off by looking at the names of the couple's children. In this case (unless I've missed any):

Sarah (1789)
Thomas (1791)
Anne (1793)
John (1796)
Joseph (1798)
Francis (1801)

Looking at the baptisms for other Woollams/Wollams in Cheswardine, there is a couple called John & Parnel Woollams, who start having children in 1728 and many of them have the same names:

John (1728)
Sarah (1731)
Francis (1735)
Joseph (1740)
Ellen (1744)
Thomas (1746)

They had other children but I'm only including name duplicates.

Obviously, this Ellen is too old to be yours, but there must be a connection... I wonder if Ellen is the daughter of one of these children?

Queenie  :)
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Monday 20 September 21 14:59 BST (UK)
Hi Queenie

Yes I had spotted the Ellen born in 1744 but I couldn't tie my Ellen into the family I suspect that she is the child of one of them but cant find any proof of her baptism

Ellen and Thomas Matthews also had

Henry - 1786
Ellen - 1806 - 1819
Elizabeth - 1809
Mary Ann - 1804
George -1811

I'll have to go a bit sideways and see if I can find the marriages of John and Parnel's children  ;D

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: ciderdrinker on Thursday 23 September 21 11:45 BST (UK)
Hello
It looks like the Woolam children about the right date in  Cheswardine are all illegitimate children of Margery Woollam born 1738 d of John  and Parnell-
Ann 1765 buried 1795
Hannah 1774 married 1798
Mary Buckley Woollam 1779
All born before Margrey's marriage by licence in 16 .11.1780 to William Buckley
Margery was buried 11.12.1815 age 78.

But john and Parnell did have quite a lot of children ,who all seem to have moved on except Margery. Francis born 1735 and Henry born 1742  are the only sons who live to grow up in case that helps.

Ciderdrinker
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Thursday 23 September 21 12:04 BST (UK)
Yes I suspect it might be Margery but Thomas and Ellen didn't name a child after her but there is a Henry so he might be her father (the other contenders are Thomas Robert Sarah Ellen or Frances) but I can't tie them down at the moment. John and Parnell are definitely her grandparents as far as I can see just missing a link/record in between

It doesn't help when they get mis-transcribed as Williams either

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: ciderdrinker on Monday 27 September 21 10:27 BST (UK)
Hi
I'd just like to say ,there are some bastardy exams for Margery
23.5.1764 child with Francis Adams of Brockton.
I'm presuming the child will alreay have been born so it can't be Ann.
XP58/L/10/8
Document Reference:
P58/Fiche 256
Finding Aids:
Former reference 4728/PB/51

9 June 1764 Bastady bond unborn so baby is on it's way. Ann bapt 17.11.1765 so not her.

Just in case you haven't seen them

Ciderdrinker
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Monday 27 September 21 11:06 BST (UK)
Hi Ciderdrinker

Thank you for that no I hadn't seen them and that could well be Ellen as she was 70 in 1833 when she died giving us a birth year of c1763/4

I think the baptism is just unfindable at the moment

Thomas and Ellen did name one child Francis as well

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Monday 27 September 21 11:26 BST (UK)
Hi Ciderdrinker

Where can I find these records please?

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: ciderdrinker on Wednesday 29 September 21 11:28 BST (UK)
Hi
Yes I should have said .They are at Shropshire Archives.They are open if you are anywhere near but you can also send for them.
There is also a bastardy bond for her daughter Mary with William Buckley if you do go in.
Search for Margery Woollams and the order and bond for 1764 come up(It doesn't if you put in Woollam).

All the best
Ciderdrinker
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Wednesday 29 September 21 12:44 BST (UK)
Thanks Ciderdrinker I will have to send off for it as I do suspect that it is Ellen but I still haven't found the baptism. When I get time I might just have to trawl through the records for around her birth date to see if there is anything but at least that helps in narrowing the search

Francis Adams is proving just as elusive as well

Kind regards

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: Willow 4873 on Friday 15 October 21 13:46 BST (UK)
Hi Ciderdrink just to let you know that I ordered the bastardy bond and I am just ordering the Bastardy examination as well it makes interesting reading thanks. It does look like it relates to Eleanor although I still haven't come across the baptism

Thanks again

Willow x
Title: Re: The elusive Ellen Woollams
Post by: ciderdrinker on Monday 18 October 21 10:06 BST (UK)
Hi
That's brilliant!
Thanks for getting back to me .That's great to know
Ciderdrinker