Lewis Flower Dunkerton Somerset

[AnneToday]

Hi,
I'm looking for details of my ancestor Lewis FLOWER, he married Mary SIMMS in 1756 in Dunkerton.  Does anyone have details of their birth, age at marriage etc.?  Lewis died in Ashwick in 1791.
I've found several candidates for Mary but can't identify which is the correct one.  I have the tree from Lewis and Mary onwards but nothing before.  All info would be appreciated.  Thanks.

[DRH123]

FreeREG has very good coverage of that area but they can only copy the records that are available and unfortunately there are no surviving parish registers from Dunkerton from before 1748. The neighbouring parishes were teeming with Flowers, but no sign of Lewis.

There is a glimmer of hope in the Bishop's Transcripts. Those from Dunkerton are very patchy but, according to the SHC catalogue, they do include a couple of years from the 1730s. So you might be lucky. They are not online as far as I know. You can see them at Taunton or order the microfilm at a Family History Centre.

David

[trish1120]

Witnesses at the 1756 Marriage were James Flower and Elizabeth Marsh
(FreeREG)

A JAMES/RUTH Flower were Baptising in Dunkerton 1750-1768
So James may be a possible Brother for Lewis.

[DRH123]

As it happens, James Flower was a witness at nearly every wedding at Dunkerton 1756-1790, so nothing can be deduced from his presence at Lewis's wedding. (He was probably the parish clerk).

Flower is such a common name in the area, he could easily be a cousin or more distant relative.

David

[AnneToday]

Thank you David, It's just my luck to find a gap in the records, but I'll try just in case next time I'm in Taunton.
Thank you for looking, Trish 1120. 
I have a feeling there might be something to find about Lewis in the court records etc.  Apart from newspaper archives, does anyone know of a free online source for these items?  'Google' for his name has not produced anything.  Thanks. 

[DRH123]

I notice in the Dunkerton register trancripts that Lewis was the reputed father of the illegitimate son William of Anne *OOD in 1768 (Surname partially illegible). So there might be a bastardy order somewhere.

Also a base born son James of Mary SIMMS was buried in 1755. No corresponding baptism so perhaps he died before he could be baptised.

Ancestry has an apprentice record for a Lewis Flower in 1752, linked to the wrong master. It should be Thomas Biggs of Camerton, a cordwainer. The usual age for taking up an apprenticeship was 14.  It was also usual to not marry before finishing, usually after 7 years. But of course things could go wrong in various ways.

[AnneToday]

Thanks, DRH 123, David.  I've drawn a blank online, so it's a visit to Taunton, but I'll check what's available before I go.   Cheers.  Anne.