Melchbourne - LOVELL/WRIGHT

[houziwang1]

Hi

I'm looking for any information on Ann Lovell and James Wright who were originally from Melchbourne. I believe they were married in 1730 in Wollaston, Northants so I guess their birthdates would be 1710 to 1720.

Any information or sources of further research anyone has would be really appreciated.

Thanks

[janan]

Hi
Don't know if you already know this site which allows you to search the IGI by parish

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/IGIBatchNumbers/CountyBedford.htm#PageTitle

However there are no Wright or Lovell baptisms or marriages showing in Melchbourne 1602-1812. How do you know this couple were originally from Melchbourne and why do you believe they were married in Wollaston? Any other information you have as to  how you got back to these two will make it easier for someone to help track them down.

Regards
Jan

[houziwang1]

Hi Jan

Thanks for the link. I didn't already have it so it's very useful. Thanks again.

Firstly, I've got my knickers in a twist a bit. It's not James Wright, it's William Wright. Apologies, i've had so many names in my head recently!

To answer your question, I've been looking into the Wrights in Wollaston who seem to have been a pretty static bunch. I traced back from the 1950s and got as far back as the early 1800s before having to ask the Northants Archivist for help.

I was looking in particular for details on Charles Wright who died in 1800 so I figured he may have been born between 1720-1730. The archivist couldn't find a record of his birth in Wollaston and actually said there was no evidence of any Wrights in Wollaston around that period suggesting the family came in from elsewhere.

However, a record was found relating to the marriage of William Wright from Melchbourne in the 1730 register for Wollaston. His bride, Ann Lovel was also from Bedfordshire. I put 2 and 2 together and thought she was from Melchbourne but I've also got a note that she may be from Farndish.

In essence what i'm trying to establish is a link between this couple and Charles so I can delve further back.

Many thanks for your help on this.

Matt

[janan]

Hi
This is a tricky altogether
 William was of Melbourne when he married but it doesn't mean he was born there. Being so close to the Beds/Northants border he could be from either county. Sadly it is also a common name.
As for Anne does it just say 'of Bedfordshire' when she married rather than giving a parish? I wonder why they married in Wollaston rather than Anne's parish?? There is an Anne Lovell baptised in Puddington in 1698 which could be a possibility - I can't see a marriage for her in Puddington. No Anne Lovell baptised in Farndish - of course could be non-conformist. As indeed could be William!
Then Charles - all you have is his death in 1800, but no idea of his age.
Hmm, hope someone else comes along with some more thoughts for you - I'll keep pondering.
Jan

[bedfordshire boy]

I prefer to do it the traditional way - work backwards from what you know.

What else do you know about Charles - marriage, children etc? Where was he buried? Wollaston?

There was a Charles Wright who married Ann Teal in Farndish in 1783, with no children showing on the IGI. Might this be the Charles buried in 1800? If so it makes a mess of your estimated birth - which in any event seems too early.

There was only one Wright buried in Farndish after 1700 - Sarah Ann on 9 Jul 1805. There were no Wright burials at all in Melchbourne

I agree with all that Jan wrote

David

[houziwang1]

Hi

Thanks to you both for your comments.

Looking back at my notes on Ann, I think it's highly likely she was from Farndish when she married although I don't know any place of birth.

For Charles, he was married three times. His first marriage was to a girl called Mercy. I don't have any other information, other than it took place outside of Northants so could have been in Bedfordshire. Mercy died in 1754. I was putting an approximate age of mid-twenties on Charles to get his birthdate between 1720-1730 but I suppose he could have been younger.

His second marriage to Elizabeth Stratton was in 1755. They had one child, Edward Wright, who was born in 1756. Charles' wife Elizabeth died in the same year. In 1757, Charles married his last wife, Sarah Barker in Wollaston and together they had 8 children. Charles is listed in the 1762 militia ballot for Wollaston (Charles 'Right'). The Wollaston burial records show that Charles was buried on the 18 May 1800. His wife, Sarah, had died two years earlier.

I hope this helps paint a clearer picture. Once again, thanks for your help.

Matt

[janan]

Hi
Much clearer thank you - never be afraid to give too much info when you post a query Just one more minor question though - how do you know of Mercy's existence? from the burial?

I would start with a thorough search for the Charles/Mercy marriage as it is the earliest known information you have. How are you sure it took place outside Northants? (Sorry that's 2 questions ) Bedfordshire is very well extracted on the IGI (just how well will have to wait for David to come back and tell you), there is no Charles Wright to Mercy marriage showing. From my own experience Mercy does get mistranscribed  as Mary - but there isn't a suitable marriage for Mary either. There is a member submitted record which has a date so may be accurate of a Charles Wright to Mary Burton in Peakirk Northants 1st Jan 1750 which would be worth checking out in case she is really a Mercy.

Jan

[bedfordshire boy]

I started typing this nearly two hours ago, had to go out on an errand, make a long phone call, and got sidetracked with another call! Hence Jan may have covered some of what I have included.

Unlike Northants, virtually all baptisms and marriages in Beds pre 1812 have been extracted onto the IGI, so if the entries you're looking for are not there it implies that it's one of the very few Beds parishes that hasn't been extracted (and this can be checked on the Hugh Wallis site that Jan provided); or that the parish register is deficient/missing for that particular year; or that the family was non-conformist and the child wasn't baptised in the established church; or the event took place in another county

In the 1803 Beds muster Wm Wright of Farndish was recorded as having 1 waggon, 3 horses and 1 driver

If your estimated birth date for Charles is correct the chronology is a bit tight for him to have been the son of William and Ann who married in 1730

Don't really like the Peakirk marriage Jan.  It's a bit of a hike from Wollaston - 33 miles.

I assume you've checked Northants marriage register for the Mercy marriage and drawn a blank?

Regards

David

[janan]

Hi David
I agree Peakirk is a bit distant but worth a look I would have thought? You never know
Jan