Richd Ractliff / Susanna Timberlake - COMPLETED

[jbml]

Richd Ractliff married Susanna Timberlake in Rickmansworth on 25 February 1797.

I have a hunch that this Susanna Timberlake was originally Susannah Thornot, who married Richard Timberlake in Acton, Middlesex on 24 August 1776; but I can find no burial for Richard Timberlake to suggest that she was free to marry again.

Very grateful if somebody could take a quick squint at the 1797 marriage and let me know whether the bride was a spinster or a widow.

 

[rosie99]

She is a spinster

[jbml]

Thanks for that, Rosie.

Nonconformists, then ...

[smudwhisk]

Nonconformists, then ...

Have you checked Buckinghamshire if you are unable to find a Susanna in the Rickmansworth area?  There are Timberlakes in the parishes bordering Hertfordshire earlier on in the 1700s and Rickmansworth is on the border.

[jbml]

Hi Smud -

Thanks for the thought. Yes, I've been keeping an eye over the border into Buckinghamshire. None of my lot have strayed over there so far, though. A few have dipped their toes into Middlesex (Harefield being a particular favourite) but they always come back to Ricky sooner or later.

And on this occasion, the Census evidence is for birth in Hertfordshire (Rickmansworth) too ...

[smudwhisk]

And on this occasion, the Census evidence is for birth in Hertfordshire (Rickmansworth) too ...

This is the Susanna Rackliffe who died 1846 Watford Registration District (the spelling of the surname being the same as on the 1841 Census)?  If yes, then all that can be deduced from the census is that she is listed as born in county in 1841.  Just because she was living in Rickmansworth at the time of the marriage and on the 1841 Census does not mean she was born there.   In any case, the reliability of "born in county" in 1841 isn't especially high, I have several ancestors listed either born in or out of county but of which later census have confirmed was inaccurate.  1841 Census details are not known I'm afraid for their reliability compared to later census.

As to county border hopping, well I have quite a few ancestors who regularly hopped the county borders in this area because of the parishes they lived in.

I also have a Timberlake ancestor in Chenies who is causing me a headache because of issues with the registers in both Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire in the very early 1700s.

[smudwhisk]

Assuming she is the Sarah Rackliff aged 82 years with Richard aged 65 years on the 1841 Census, that puts her birth around 1758/9.  There is a baptism in Sarratt in 1758 to Matthew and Mary Timberlake.  Sarratt is obviously the neighbouring parish to Rickmansworth.

There are several Matthew Timberlakes in Sarratt and also over the border in Chesham at various times in the 1700s.

[jbml]

And on this occasion, the Census evidence is for birth in Hertfordshire (Rickmansworth) too ...

This is the Susanna Rackliffe who died 1846 Watford Registration District (the spelling of the surname being the same as on the 1841 Census)?  If yes, then all that can be deduced from the census is that she is listed as born in county in 1841. 

You are of course right, Smud ... it was her husband Richard who, on the evidence of the 1851 census, was born in Ricky. Susanna Rackliffe, as you say, died in 1846.

I'm pretty sure we're dealing with nonconformists here in RIchard and Susanna. So far I've only got one child, Hester (or Esther ... it varies from document to document) who was born about 1800, but I can find no baptism.

[jbml]

Assuming she is the Sarah Rackliff aged 82 years with Richard aged 65 years on the 1841 Census, that puts her birth around 1758/9.  There is a baptism in Sarratt in 1758 to Matthew and Mary Timberlake.  Sarratt is obviously the neighbouring parish to Rickmansworth.

If you mean Susan, rather than Sarah, then yes ... she is

Many thanks for that baptism, Smud ... not sure how I missed that, but it's pretty clearly the right one. So at least the parents aren't looking like nonconformists ...

Woop woop ... another generation