FINCH - Southill

[AB321]

Hi everyone,
I have just registered and thought I'd see if anyone has any info frgarding the Finch family in Southill/Biggleswade. I have got back as far as William and Mary c1795 who was a Woodsman in the 1851 census. His children were James, Samuel, Charles, Mary and Naomi (who is my Gt Gt Grandmother). I believe they were members of another denomination which is why I can't find them listed under parish baptisms. Any help would be wonderful. Thanks Andi 

[bedfordshire boy]

Hi Andi

Welcome to Rootschat.

A bit of a mystery aren't they! I can't see them in 1841, can't find a marriage for William and Mary, in fact can only see them in 1851, other than Samuel and Charles in subsequent censuses.

The only Finch mentioned in Southill Baptist Church book was in the 1600s.

What else do you know about them - who when and where did Naomi marry?

Regards

David

[AB321]

Hi David,
Thanks for the response - I have been stuck on these guys for months and months now! Don't have much info aside from the 1851 census, but here goes:

Charles 1834 m Mary. 1891 Publican at The Crown, Village St, Southill. 1901 Lived in Clifton.
1881 census says he has children Arthur, Fred, Thomas, Harry and Johnathan. I have not got proof that this is the same Charles as mine, but dates and Place of birth match...

Naomi 1843 m William Stradwick 1841 and moved to Middlesex for the 1881 census. On the 1901 census along with their children was Joseph Finch -Nephew- but I'm not sure which of her siblings was his parent -no records!! His DOB is 1861 on the census. I did find an entry for 26 sept 1857 at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Dunstable for a Joseph Finch? Not sure if it is the same guy though!

The rest of Naomi's history leads back to me.
My mother said she was told that there were problems with various marriges due to age and religion differences, so any help you can give would be great.

Thanks Andi   

[bedfordshire boy]

Hi Andi,

Naomi’s marriage was in Shoreditch registration district in the September quarter 1867, so she had already moved down to London (http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl )

In 1861 Charles and family were living in Langford
RG9/997 folio 89A
The Pits, Langford
Charles Finch head married 27 ag lab b Southill
Mary Finch wife 23 Plaiter b Langford
Joseph Finch son 1 b Langford
Isaac Finch son 1 month b Langford

This looks to be the Joseph Finch in 1901, so I think you can rule out the Dunstable baptism.

In 1871
RG10/1552 folio 73A
The Crown public House, hamlet of Stanford, parish of Southill
Charles Finch head married 37 publican b Southill
Mary Finch wife 33 b Langford
Josh Finch son 11 scholar b Stanford
Isaac Finch son 10 scholar b Langford
Sarah Ann Finch dau 7 Scholar b Langford
Ruth Finch dau 5 scholar b Langford
Fanny Finch dau 2 b Stanford


The following baptisms appear on the BVRI in Langford, parents Charles and Mary Finch
Isaac William Finch
Josh Finch
Naomi Finch
Ruth Finch
Sarah Ann Finch
All 21 Jan 1866
The same parents at Southill
Arthur Finch
Fanny Elizabeth Finch
Fred Finch
Mary Jane Finch
All 18 June 1876
Henry Finch
Jonathan Finch
Thomas Finch
Last three on 6 May 1883

I suspect that Josh may be a mistranscription for Joseph where it is abbreviated to Jos with a small h.

More later – got an appointment with a barman now.

Regards

David

[johnP-bedford]

Morning Andi ; David,

Found this family set up in Southill on 1861,  but named Chambers ?

RG9/998; Folio: 31; Page: 6

Mary Chambers, head, widow, age 58, born Clifton
Mary Ann Chambers, daughter  age 25, born Southill ; straw plaiter
Naomi ?? Chambers, daughter,  age 17, born Southill ; straw plaiter
Joseph Ross Chambers, grandson, age 6 months, born Southill

Regards John (spanner in the works !)

[johnP-bedford]

1871 in Southill - the name's back to Finch ?

RG10/1552; Folio: 58; Page: 23

Mary Ann Finch, head, age 68, widow, born Clifton ; straw plaiter
Mary Finch, daughter, age 35, born Southill ; straw plaiter
Joseph Finch, grandson, age 11, born Southill
 

[bedfordshire boy]

Hi John

Not a spanner at all - you deserve a medal in fact. I've been looking for this lot since early this morning, and confusingly found another Joseph in the 1871 census who I am sure is the same one that you have found enumerated as Chambers

Cottage, Southill
Mary Finch head widow 68 straw plaiter b Clifton
Mary Ann Finch dau unmarr 35 straw plaiter b Southill
Joseph Finch grandson 10 scholar b Southill

I had wondered if Joseph was Mary Ann’s son or was he the son of Charles and Mary and appeared twice on the census? I now think there were two Joseph's, or at least a Joseph and  a Josh, as there is a Josh Finch on the GRO index born in Biggleswade registration district, which includes both Southill and Langford, in the September quarter 1859, but no other Joseph 1859-63.
http://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/rectype/vital/freebmd/bmd.aspx

This family doesn’t appear to like appearing in censuses, registering births of their children, or baptising them!

There's an Emma Finch, daughter of Edward Allison in Southill in 1861, but no sign of a husband. The only marriage I can see for an Emma Allison was in Southill to ..... and now the IGI is playing up and won't let me in "Your access to FamilySearch.org has been temporarily suspended. Your computer or a computer at your location has sent a large volume of requests to FamilySearch.org and as a result access to FamilySearch.org from this location has been temporarily suspended."...who from memory I think was James Chambers - a coincidence?

These Finches are beginning to bug me!

Regards

David

[johnP-bedford]

David,   

On 1881 census along with William Stradwick & wife Naomi (ne Finch) living in St Leonards, Shoreditch is Joseph R Finch age 20, born Southill; listed as Nephew.

Also noticed that on 1851 the family of William & Mary Finch, there is Mary b 1836 & then Naomii b 1843. So is Mary, William's second wife ?

Yes my LDS site access is also playing up .. maybe it's maintenance time. 

John 

[AB321]

Thanks David for that info! A great surprise!
At least now I know that some of the members of Charles family were correct on my tree, don't think I would have got all of them tho!
I'd seen the Naomi birth but could't attatch her to a family (also her death a year later) I take it she was Ruth's twin. Another one again in 1878 followed by her death after a couple of months - can see why they gave up on that name!
Any idea which religion they were - I think I remember being told they were Methodist? If so, where were they practising as Southill had Baptists during that time.
I would appreciate any leads with the Parents William and Mary so I can continue to research further back - I would love to link them to all the other Bedford Finch's of the early 1700's.
Just seen your reply this morning so I;ll read it and get back to you in a moment...
Hope the beer was good!!
Andi