Mystery of Mary Ann GREENHAM's Essex origins

[alitajj]

Hello Essex helpers, I am all the way over in Australia, and have been unable to find proof of my ancestor being from Essex. I have exhausted all possible leads on ancestry.com for a Mary Ann GREENHAM (could be a similar surname) who migrated to Australia in 1835, claiming to be from Essex. I have two primary sources (Australian government shipping list and assignment card) that both note she was from Essex. That is the only indication of her origins - there are no other family members listed. I found 3 GREENHAM families living in Essex in 1841 census, but so far I have found no baptism that links any Mary Ann to one of these families. Some researchers are happy to assume that she is the Mary Ann Greenham born in Middlesex (St Giles, Cripplegate) in 1813, but I don't want to accept that, as Middlesex is not Essex. According to records I have, she would have been born between 1813 and 1815, and her religion was Church of England. If anyone with access to baptisms that are not on ancestry can help me to shed light on this I would be very grateful, and I can find info in Sydney, Australia in return if anyone needs. Thanks a lot, Alison

[jomcd967]

Hi Alison,

The following is from the Non Conformist registers....
Mary Ester, d/o Wm & Elizth Greenham of Hadleigh Essex, was born 11 Oct 1814, named at home.

Mary, d/o Wm & Elizth Greenham of Hadleigh Essex, dob not filled in but those around ranged from 1809 - 1812.

Also....Deborah born 1811

And Joseph Pease born 1836, s/o Joseph Pease, farmer of Rawreth Essex and his wife Jane, d/o Wm Greenham, Grocer of Hadleigh Essex.

Jo 

[jomcd967]

Dr Williams Library Registry of births shows the following children of Wm Greenham & Elizabeth (d/o Jonathan & Elizabeth Clark), of Thundersley Essex, all registered on 13 Jan 1819....
Mary Ester with dob of 22 Apr 1806 (other records show 1812?)
Elizabeth dob 11 Oct 1813
William dob 4 Jan 1813
Jane dob 21 Feb 1814

Deborah b. 1811 is not registered so may not have lived.

William, Elizabeth & William Junior are all on the 1841 census in Hadleigh Essex.

Jo 

[lizdb]

Ancestry has very few Essex baptisms.  So if you are relying on that you may well miss her, or easily latch on to the wrong person.

Full Essex PRs can be viewed (not indexed, you have to look through each) on the SEAX site for a small subscription.  But as you only have "Essex" and no more detail then it would be a hard task to know which parishes to look in, and a mammoth task (not impossible) to look through all.

[alitajj]

Hi Jo, thankyou for your speedy replies. The Mary Ester you found is the right timeframe, but Ester is quite different to Ann as a second name, and I'm guessing non-conformist means not Church of England? Interesting that there is another Mary from the same parents earlier - being another Mary though, might that mean the first one died young? Anyway I will keep notes on this family, and you have given me a few people and place names to investigate, so thank you and wish me luck

[alitajj]

Hi LizDB,
thanks also for your reply - I suspected as much (about ancestry not having all baptisms). I don't have the time to look through ALL baptisms, as much as I'd love to! Still, I'll have a look at the website you mentioned to check the price, and on second thought I suppose I could just look at one place per day in the right year range and maybe I'll get though it in a year! ha ha
Yes, I wish I had more than Essex. Good luck to me, one day, you never know. thanks for your help,
Alison