Ellingfords of Bocking, Essex

[Viery]

Hi I have a brick wall with my family search, in particular with my g.g.grandmother Sarah Ellingford.
 
I cant find a spouse or a marriage for Sarah, but she had

Eliza Ellingford b. 1839
Rosina Ellingford b. 1841
George Ellingford b. 1845 and
Harriet Ellingford b. 1847. (Harriet is my g.grandmother).

Harriet's birth certificate records her birth as 11.6.1847 at Church Street Bocking. No father is recorded and Sarah signs with her mark.

Sarah Ellingford marries John Saward 17.8.1847, shortly after Harriet's birth at
The Bocking Independent Meeting House, Braintree.

Sarah and John then had:
Matilda Saward b.1851
Emily Saward b. 1852
Jane Saward b. 1858
Louisa Saward 1859.

Harriet and older siblings became Sawards later. They are on the 1861 census at Bocking as "Hellingford".

John Saward seems to have "adopted" Harriet and older siblings, but there must have been a previous spouse for Sarah, but no mention of her being a widow at her marriage to John Saward.

I would be glad of any help/suggestions for this
Thanks in advance

[rosie99]

John Saward appears in 1841 along with Sarah, Eliza & Rosina
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ28-V7N

[rosie99]

Freereg has baptisms with only mothers name at St Mary the Virgin, Bocking all on 10th March 1852 for Eliza, Rosina, George and Harriett.


Who was named as Sarah's father when she married 

[Viery]

hi Rosie99, thanks for what you have found.

Sarah's father was Thomas Ellingford.

Thanks again

[suffolk*sue]

Thomas Ellingford(widower)married Sarah Spinks(spinster) in Braintree on 3rd February, 1817, one of the witnesses was Mary Ellingford.

[Viery]

Many thanks Sue. Am now thinking that I wont be able to get much further back, but thanks again.

[amondg]

Independent Church Braintree.
Sarah daughter of Thomas Hellingford and his wife Sarah baptized
6 September 1818, no birth date recorded

[Viery]

Many thanks for your help, amondg. Its interesting to see that the family is Hellingford here and again in the 1861 census.

[essexpoet]

Viery,

"John Saward seems to have "adopted" Harriet and older siblings, but there must have been a previous spouse for Sarah, but no mention of her being a widow at her marriage to John Saward."

It seems fairly obvious that the children from Harriet back in time were the illegitimate children of Sarah and as John Saward is living with Sarah in 1841 he is most likely the father.  It happened a lot - there has got to be a father but not necessarily a spouse.

Mike