William Walker born abt 1798 Hemmingford Abbotts

[g a r]

While the photo restoration board sorts out its uploading situation, I thought I would take the opportunity to delve into one of the under-developed branches of my family tree.

Reverend John Manning of Spaldwick had several daughters and one of them named Sarah married a fellow called William Walker.

They settled down in Easton Huntingdonshire and raised a large brood of children.

On the census returns he appears on ('41, '51, '61 & '71) the informant is fairly consistent with age 40, 53, 63 & 75 but less so with place of birth, alternating between Hemmingford Abbotts ('51 & '71) and Alconbury ('61).

A quick glance at census returns for Hemmingford Abbotts and Alconbury show pockets of Walkers in Hemmingford Abbotts but not in Alconbury.

A search of the IGI turns up several groups of Walkers in Hemmingford Abbotts and a much smaller selection (and earlier time frame) for Alconbury.

There was this entry from the IGI which did pique my interest:

27 December 1796 Hemmingford Abbotts christening of William Walker
parents Owen Walker and Mary

Sadly, this is not an extracted event but rather a submitted event and we all know what that means, please pass the salt.

I'd like to be able to confirm or refute this tidbit (but I don't have a passport or £500 airfare to check it myself  )

thanks for taking time to read
g a r

[bedfordshire boy]

Hi Garnet

Fortunately Hemingford Abbots has been extracted onto the BVRI as well, and the entry appears as shown in the member submission. It looks as though it's another one caught by the ridiculous LDS policy of deleting an extracted entry if there's an identical member submission, thus devaluing the integrity of the IGI.

David

[g a r]

Hi David,

Thanks for the confirmation. (Didn't know the LDS were busy messing things up - thanks for the heads-up)

Now if I had information confirming that the William Walker married to Sarah Manning was from Hemmingford Abbots, THEN I could do a little celebrating.

But, in the mean time, did Owen Walker and Mary have any other children? and when were they married? (Just in case this turns out to be the lead to follow  )

cheers,
Garnet

[bedfordshire boy]

Owen and Mary baptised Mary on 27 Jan 1799 at HA. A Mary Walker married Robert Perkins in HA in 1821, which might be her. On the other hand the Mary Walker buried on 27 Jan 1799 might be either her or her mother - you'd need the PR to see if they can be separated. But as there's a marriage of Owen in HA in 1799 - doesn't describe him as wid though - it looks more likely to be the mother who died probably after childbirth

The place of residence of the William Walker who married Sarah Manning was Easton, which doesn't mean he was born there. I can't see a marriage of William Walker in HA though

David

[g a r]

Hi David,

Many thanks for all the info.

I suspect the marriage of William Walker and Sarah Manning took place at Spaldwick (her home parish) around 1818. (I don't know what the availability of the marriages for that parish is like.)

cheers,
Garnet

[bedfordshire boy]

Sorry, Garnet, I thought you had details of the marriage. It was at Spaldwick in 1818, but other than William was from Easton there's no other detail in Hunts Marriage Index

regards

David

[g a r]

Thanks David,

I've got a lot of food for thought now. Time to mull it over, check the files and see if something else comes to light.

appreciate all your help,
Garnet