Hastings baptism lookup request

[BenYielding]

Hi,

I'm looking for a baptism record of Thomas Noakes in Hastings, circa 1810. Hoping somebody may have access to the relevant records.

Many thanks in advance.
Ben

[emeltom]

Closest I can find is the baptism of a Thomas Laurence Noakes on 10 July 1809, parents Thomas and Martha in Dallington, which is around 11 miles from Hastings.

Emeltom

[BenYielding]

Hi Emeltom,

Thanks very much. That's a bit strange, though, as he is consistently recorded on the censuses as being born in Hastings. He married in Guestling, which is in the other direction from Dallington. Occasionally his name appeared as Noaks/Nokes/Noake.

Any suggestions for what I could try next to maybe find alternative baptism records?

Ben

[rosie99]

Closest I can find is the baptism of a Thomas Laurence Noakes on 10 July 1809, parents Thomas and Martha in Dallington, which is around 11 miles from Hastings.

Emeltom

He appears to still be using his middle name through some later records 

1851 states your Thomas was born 'All Saints' Hastings

[jonw65]

He married in Guestling

It's a banns record from Guestling that has been indexed by Family Search
Banns were called there between Thomas Noaks of this parish and Mary Barns of Northiam, 15, 22, 29 August 1830

The marriage was at Northiam, 19 September 1830
Thomas Noakes of the parish of Guestling, bachelor
+
Mary Barns of this parish, spinster
Both marked, as did the witnesses, George Bartholomew and Jane Bartholomew
John

[BenYielding]

Hi John,

Thanks very much for that correction on the marriage record!

Ben

[jonw65]

Did Thomas die in March qtr 1880, Hastings, age 69?
Which if accurate does give a likely year of birth of 1810
John + Mary Noakes were having children in Hastings around that time. One of those children, Edward, bap 1803, All Saints, may be around in Guestling later. Another possible child of theirs, was Mary Anne, bap Guestling in 1817 (might have been their last, if it's the same couple)
But it's not an uncommon name.

There's a Francis Noaks baptized Hastings St Clement, 20 April 1810. Son of John + Mary.
If this is correct, it would seem to rule them out as the parents of Thomas.
It does say Francis in the parish register. But there doesn't seem to be any further sign of him. Doesn't show up on Sussex Burials. Could be any number of explanations of course.
But is there any chance that Francis is actually your Thomas? Some error at the time, or a later change of mind re his name?
John

[BenYielding]

Yes, he died at Pett on 5 February 1880. There's an obituary in the Hastings and St Leonards Observer on 14 February, available on the British Newspaper Archive.

So 1810 does indeed seem likely for his birth -- it was Dallington that seemed unlikely to me (though not impossible, of course), as I have no other link with that place in my tree. After Thomas married Mary Barns in Northiam, they lived in Guestling until the 1850s, when they moved to Pett. On each census, Thomas says he was born in Hastings or Hastings All Saints.

John and Mary Noakes look like a possible lead -- will look into that. Francis becoming Thomas is also an interesting theory. If that is indeed what happened, it may be very difficult to prove, of course. Thanks for your thoughts!

Ben

[emeltom]

I have a similar situation in my tree. A Richard Balderson had a son Richard in 1772 and a son Thomas in 1774. Young Richard died, aged 8, in 1780. I can find no marriage or death for Thomas and no sign of him in the 1841 Census. However a Richard Balderson, a blacksmith the same as his father, married in 1796 and I can find a death for a Richard Balderson in 1832, birth year given as 1774 - the same year as Thomas was born. My question has always been did Thomas's name get changed to Richard when his brother died, so that the father's name was continued, so to speak. I cannot find another Richard Balderson born at that time. As you say, proving it is nigh on impossible.

Emeltom