Accuracy of Boyd's marriage index - Littlewood marriage, 1736

[helvissa]

I'm researching my Littlewood ancestors in Essex. I've got back to them being in Tendring (Nathaniel Littlewood apprenticed there as a cordwainer, 1752, and Nathaniel Littlewood marrying Mary Newcomb, 20 Aug 1759), but I don't know who Nathaniel's parents are.

A clue seems to be the Nathaniel and Mary Littlewood living in St Osyth about the same time, who frequently appear as witnesses for marriages, then there's a buriel for Nathaniel Littlewood in St Osyth on 09 Mar 1770, and on 05 Nov 1773, burial of Mary Littlewood, St Osyth (these are not the same ones as in Tendring). There is an examination in St Osyth for Mary Littlewood on 02 Jan 1773, which states that about October 1742 she removed from St Martin's in Colchester to St Osyth. St Martin's Colchester was her last legal place of settlement.

I looked up "Nathaniel Littlewood" on Findmypast and found a reference in Boyd's Marriage index: Nathaniel Littlewood marrying Mary Townsend on 10 Sep 1736 at St Mary-at-the-Walls. Now that added grist to the mill, and I thought, yes, all I need now is their children's baptism. Hurrah! But no...! Because I checked the register scan on SEAX and there is no entry in that church on that date for them. The only thing I did find was a burial for a John Littlewood on 05 May 1735.

So what I want to know is - just how accurate is Boyd's? Could they mean St Mary Magdalene instead, perhaps? I did a check with names from the St Mary-at-the-Walls register and they did show up on Findmypast from Boyd's, but I do want to find evidence in the actual register (always check the primary source!).

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Helen.

[kmart66]

Hi

This is taken from the PRs for St Marys at the wall for September 1736. It looks more like Nathaniel Clarkson and Mary Townsend to me, I've attached the image for you to see.

Kevin

[helvissa]

That's it! I can see Littlewood! I just really didn't see that yesterday, but I think maybe my eyes had glazed over.

Now to find their children, maybe.

Thanks!

(PS: I wonder if you're related to my uncle - he's a Frostick. I haven't researched his tree, though).

[kmart66]

The more I look at it the more it is Littlewood.....

My Frostick's were originally from Ardleigh/West Mersea in the late 1700s then Brightlingsea later.

Kevin

[helvissa]

I'm stealing myself for looking through all those churches in Colchester for their children. They're not in St Peter's or St Martin's, that much I know.

[Poppy Rose]

Hello

I am also a descendant of Nathaniel Littlewood and Mary Townsend. Several years ago another researcher sent details of two children for them, Nathaniel baptised 1737 and Mary baptised 1738, both in Colchester.

I have not seen the original records and do not have the church but I do have the Colchester Record Office reference 178/1/4 for them both which should narrow it down.

[helvissa]

You are brilliant - thank you so much! DP 178 is the reference for St Peter's in Colchester. The baptisms were there - Nat. son of Nat & Mary Littlewood, 29 Jun 1737 and Mary, d of Nathl & Mary Littlewood, 12 Mar 1738/9.

Copyright image removed

Fab! I don't suppose anyone knows where Nathaniel came from originally? There's a Nathl Littlewood married in Stowmarket in Suffolk, 1678, to Elizabeth Blowas (Boyd's) and a burial in Stowupland, Suffolk, 23 May 1718.

I'm struggling with the Newcombs a little - I got hold of Thomas Newcomb (died 1762 in Tendring)'s will, which served only to confuse me more! But he does mention that his son, also Thomas, had a daughter called Mary Littlewood (which would be right, as Nathl (b abt 1737) married a Mary Newcomb in Tendring in 1759). In fact, the Thomas Newcomb who witnesses their marriage has the same signature as the Thomas who wrote the will - so I suspect it was her grandfather who witnessed her marriage as, accorging to the will, her father had died before 1759 (when the will was written - he refers to his late son). Anyway, I have transcribed the will here, if you're interested! http://essexandsuffolksurnames.co.uk/documents/

[helvissa]

Looks like Mary, b 1738/9, married William Dunkin in St Osyth in 18 Oct 1762 (he marked, she signs). I can't find any children for them yet - but as William marked, I wonder how mangled the surname appears in other records. I've transcribed St Osyth for FreeREG so if they *did* have children there, I will find them!

[Poppy Rose]

Hello Helen

Pleased you found the baptisms and thank you for posting them on here.

The Nathaniel Littlewood marrying in Suffolk looks very interesting. I think there has to be some sort of connection to the others in Essex. Nathaniel is not one of the most common first names.

I also think there is a connection between the burial of John Littlewood at St. Mary at the Walls church just a year before Nathaniel's marriage. He could have been this Nathaniel's father or a brother?

I had come to the same conclusion as to Mary marrying William Dunkin in St. Osyth and had checked on Freereg for her burial to see whether it gave an age. Any children of William and Mary might be useful - one named Nathaniel would help!

By the way I read on another post that you transcribed Kirby registers for Freereg. Thank you for doing them. They have been very helpful with two of my other Essex families; the Oxleys and the Fairbrothers. Looking forward to other parishes from that corner of Essex.  

May I ask whereabouts you fit into the Littlewood family?

My line is: (so far)

Nathaniel Littlewood & Mary Townsend
Nathaniel Littlewood & Mary Newcomb
Nathaniel Littlewood & Mary Abbot
Thomas Littlewood & Susan Candler
John Littlewood & Eliza Bacon
John Littlewood & Mary Ann Oxley - my great grandparents

Will come back to you on the Newcombs ...