Little Staughton

[bedfordshire boy]

I'm not convinced about the Sharman brothers. William's wife in earlier censuses is Mary, but she's born at Wilden not Lt Staughton. I can't find them in 1841, so it may be back to the CDRom set!*

Having said that I can't find any other marriage that fits other than the 1831 marriage


David

*Found them now in Duloe indexed as Sherman. William 30, Mary 25 and Samuel 6. Samuel's baptism in Eaton Socon is on the IGI, as is a subsequent daughter Jane, who died before the census. No sign of the Mary mentioned in her grandfather's will, nor is there a burial for her 1839-41. Strange that she wasn't baptised either. Something doesn't stack up and I can't put my finger on it.

[grouse]

Might be a bit of confusion here. The grandaughter Mary Sharman mentioned in John's will must surely be the Mary that you have just found in the 1841 census? She would have been born in approx 1816 which fits in with the other possible grandchildren - John 1813, Susan 1819 and Mark 1822.

My head hurts

[bedfordshire boy]

You're right. I hadn't put the will together with the age of Mary Sharman in censuses.

John mentioned Francis Gurry born 1788. The IGI has a Francis Gurry marrying Mary Pell in 1811 in Wilden, which is where Mary Sharman gives as her birthplace.  What happened to Francis?

[grouse]

Well found! I wondered what happened to Francis. Looks like Mary is probably his daughter as her mother was 'Mary' and the place of birth ties up.
Thanks for your investigative skills chaps, I couldn't have got this far without you.

[grouse]

From the Risely PRs, Francis Gurrey & Mary Woodfall married 11/9/1709 & baptised their children between 1712 & 1723
Thomas 6/1/1712 Thomas who died of the fever & was buried 7/10/1712
Thomas 16/11/1713
Francis 23/10/1715 & also died of fever & was buried 18/2/1720
Mary 16/9/1722 - a Mary daughter of F & M was buried 18/2/1741 (of Consumption)
Francis 8/12/1723

There is also a Mary, daughter of F & M who was buried 14/12/1710 reason for death given as Overlaid infant - there is not a baptism for her.

Mary Gurry, wife of Francis, farmer was buried 31/7/1745
& Francis was buried 14/12/1767

There is another Riseley marriage on 2/4/1716 of Thomas Gurrey of Bolnhurst to Mary Bonfield. A Thomas & Mary Gurry were baptising children there between 1736 & 1746.
4/10/1736 Elizabeth
11/4/1738 Francis
16/11/1740 Susan
22/1/1744 Mary
25/12/1746 Sarah

I suspect that these are not children of the above couple - why wait 20 year to start your family; perhaps they are children of the Thomas born 1713 who also married a Mary.

Also note that this Francis could well be the one who married Ann Bass & Pertenhall in 1759 as he'd be age 21 & the one you have would be age 36; & we have an Ann Bass baptised Pertenall on 7 Jan 1738 that could fit the bill, but who knows.

cheers John

Sorry, it's me again!
I think I may have found another clue. Browsing through the National Archives I came across Riseley parish records and listed under Indemnity and Settlement 13/1/1735 Are Thomas Gurrie and his wife Mary from Sharnbrook. Looking in the Beds Prime CD I can find nothing for Gurry/Gurrey for Sharbrook but a few under the matching names ie Geary etc.
I don't mind buying the fiche but I'm reluctant to if it doesn't contin any likely names. Does anyone have this fiche and can give me a buy or no buy clue.
Many thanks

[johnP-bedford]

John;  I have the Sharnbrook transcript at home so I check it out this evening if time allows

The 'Edwardian Farm' is on at 8pm BBC2 & I'll be watching that.

[johnP-bedford]

The Gearie/Gearey/Gerie names in the Sharnbrook PR are all baptised/married/buried between 1602-1660 which is well before the timeframe you are looking for so can be ignored.

I suspect the Thomas & Mary Gurrey who went from Sharnbrook to Riseley in 1735 were the couple baptising children at Riseley between 1736-1746

[grouse]

Thanks for looking that info up......very kind of you

Seems weird that the couple had an indemnity and settlement order from Sharnbrook. I always assumed that such was determined by husbands birthplace. If this is the Thomas who we think it is, he was baptised in Pertenhall. Maybe he'd previously had another settlement order from Pertenhall to Sharnbrook and moved around a bit!

[bedfordshire boy]

You're right that it's the husband's birthplace that would usually be the default parish of settlement for him, his wife and kids, unless he acquired settlement in another parish eg by working there for a full year