John Harrington c1784-1868

[alan.h]

I know that this man lived in Tilehurst and Theale in Berkshire. He was an agricultural labourer/ horsekeeper/ publican in the area, being buried at Holy Trinity Church in Theale in April 1868. His wife was Hannah (or possibly Johannah) and they had at least five children between 1810 and 1827. In census returns his place of birth is given as Englefield or Burghfield.... but I cannot find any record of his birth or marriage. (Hannah came from the Woolhampton area, but as I do not know her maiden name I cannot locate her origins)

Any suggestions or help in moving forward with this search would be greatly appreciated.

Alan Harrington

[Vicwinann]

Hello,
There are no Harringtons at all in Burghfield PRs of any spelling, so I think you can discount that village. The Englefield ones are not available on fiche or cd, or anywhere other than the record office, and a few on the IGI. Theale was part of Tilehurst until 1832.  Perhaps someone visiting the RO could do a look-up in Englefield for you. Sorry to be so negative.
Yours
Vicwinann

[alan.h]

Thanks for your help and for looking at what information is available and where. The Records Office have found copies of the children's christenings but they cannot locate a marriage record for John and Hannah. That would logically suggest that they came from outside Berkshire, or at least married elsewhere, but in census returns they consistently give the areas of Woolhampton (for Hannah) and Englefield/ Burghfield (for John) as their places of birth. As an agricultural labourer there seems to be no reason for John to have travelled outside his home area......... Their origins remain a mystery!

[alan.h]

A (remote?) possibility for Hannah/ Johannah Harrington's maiden name has been the surname 'Wilkins'.

She was a charwoman in the 1851 census - living in Bath Road, Theale, but her Christian name then is given as 'Johannah' rather than the 'Hannah' used in other census returns and in the records of her children's christenings.

No Hannah's baptism has been found for the right period in Woolhampton, but there are three Johannah's: Joanna Nash 9 Aug 1789, Joanna Wilkins 16 August 1789 and Joanna Sangwell 14 August 1791... all in Woolhampton. Joanne SANGWELL was buried on  30 Oct 1791 at Woolhampton St Peter  according to a FFHS Burial Record, which leaves Nash or Wilkins as possibilities. Their ages would both fit with John's wife's age.

A further possible 'Wilkins' link, two generations on, is that a Harriet Wilkins married Frederick Harrington (John and Hannah's grandson) in Lewisham, London in 1875. It looks as if she came from Wantage in Berkshire. That may be a complete co-incidence or they could have been distantly related?

Reading your reply again I noticed that you actually have 'Wilkins' and 'Woolhampton' as research interests! I would be very interested to know what you make of this theory, and especially if you have any info on the Wilkins family which might be relevant!

Best wishes,

Alan

[Vicwinann]

Hello Alan,
My Wilkins in Englefield is Elizabeth 1779, dau of Richard and Elizabeth nee Wells. I am completely stuck on Richard except for his marriage and his daughter.

Sangwells in Woolhampton I have in my tree, but not Joanna. Presumably this came from a paid search at  the Record Office as those PRs, like Englefield, are not on the IGI, or available to buy.  That is why I have not got very far with them.

I have Nashs - dozens of them - in Aldermaston, not far away,  but none in Woolhampton.

I do think that John Harrington was born in the locale of Tilehurst - in 1861 he said Englefield.  However, I have looked in all the resources that I own and cannot find anything that you do not have.  My only other thought is that he married in a non-conformist church, or the RO has missed him if you paid for a search.

The Harriet Wilkins that you mention marrying Frederick Harrington looks to be (1881) born in Ardington. The 1851 gives her as dau of Richard 1815 and Emma 1814 both of Ardington, so I think this is a very different family from the Woolhampton Wilkins.

Yours
Vicwinann