COMPLETED Croxton marriages look up please

[bedfordshire boy]

John Chandler married Mary Vessey on 27 Oct 1758 in Croxton, and John Chandler widower of Eynesbury married Mary Cam in Croxton on 13 Feb 1768 (both per Phillimore's Marriages). I'm pretty sure it's the same John Chandler but would appreciate a look up to see who the witnesses were at each marriage.

Many thanks in advance

David

[Selina]

Hi David,

I am afraid this is not going to help! 

The witnesses to the 1758 marriage were Jonas BLANE and John SAYWELL,
both witnessed many marriages so appear to be Church wardens or whatever.

John and Mary were both otp and John made his mark

The witnesses to the 1768 marriage were Thomas LANTAFFE and James MASON.   Thomas Lantaffe again witnessed many marriages.

Mary was otp and John made his mark.

Selina

[bedfordshire boy]

Thanks for checking Selina. As you say, doesn't add a lot. I was hoping that one of his siblings from Gt Paxton might have been a witness to confirm that's where he was from, but I'll have to be satisfied with what I've got.

I think that John may have been misbehaving before his first wife died in Nov 1767, as in Aug 1766 John Chandler and Mary Cam, who was to become his second wife, baptised a daughter, Maria Cam. I wonder if the entry gives any more information.

Thanks again

David

[Selina]

Maria CAM baptised 3 August 1766 daughter of John CHANDLER and Mary CAM illeg.

So they had been 'friendly' for quite some time then and married as soon as decently possible.

Selina

[bedfordshire boy]

It looks like that to me as well Selina. John and Mary (Cam) then baptised three children in Eynesbury.

Thanks again

Davod

[bedfordshire boy]

Just a bit more detail on this rather tragic family. John Chandler and his first wife Mary (Vessey) baptised three children in Croxton between 1759 and 1765, per IGI, extracted. All three died as babies, the longest lived being five months. With Mary Cam, John then had an illegitimate daughter Maria in 1766 who only lived for a month. He then married Mary Cam three months after his first wife died in Nov 1767. John and Mary (Cam) then had three children in Eynesbury who all apparently survived although I can't trace two of them.

John and Mary then appear to have returned to Croxton where there are burials of a John Chandler in 1784 and Mary Chandler in 1792.

Life must have been hard at that time.

David

[Selina]

Thank you for the extra information, I always find it interesting to know a bit more about families, especially those from Cambs and Hunts as many of mine are from the fens.

Its very sad and hard to imagine what their lives were like.

Don't know if you have that the word 'poor' was added to both the burials of John and Mary in 1784 and 1792.  He was 'lab poor' and she was 'wid poor'.

Selina

[bedfordshire boy]

Thanks for the extra detail on the burials Selina.

Recessions, bailouts, problems with the euro, all seem to be relatively insignificant when you look at how people suffered in earlier centuries.

David