Mary Buckingham marriage

[frances-b]

I’m trying to find out whether Mary Buckingham, daughter of John and Ann (nee Whiting), baptised in 1795 in Iffley (OFHS search), was married to a Benjamin Johnson.

There are 1841, 1851 and 1861 census records of a Benjamin and Mary Johnson in Iffley and the death of Mary Johnson in Headington RD in 1866 with a calculated birth year of 1798.

The 1841 census shows seven children, five born prior to 1837 therefore no civil record at GRO although I have found baptism records at Marsh Baldon.  For the other two, Thomas, age 4, has a calculated birth year of 1837 (so could be 1836) and Ellen, age 18 months, would have been born in 1840 or the very end of 1839.

I’ve searched the GRO birth records and cannot find a record for either Thomas or Ellen in Abingdon (Marsh Baldon) or Headington (Iffley) so cannot find their MMN that way.

I have found baptism records in 1817, 1822 (Marsh Baldon) and 1835 (Cowley) for three further children not on any of the census records but again too early for GRO records.  However this does help narrow down an approximate marriage window to between 1811 (Mary age 16) and 1817 (child’s baptism record).

I’d appreciate any help in tracking down whether Benjamin Johnson was the husband of Mary Buckingham.

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

I found these marriage banns,


St Mary the Virgin, Oxford

Benjamin JOHNSON and Mary BUCKINGHAM
both of Littlemore in this Parish
12 Jun
19 Jun
26 Jun 1814


but it doesn't confirm that this is the Mary born in Iffley.


Regards,
Daisy

[frances-b]

Thank you Daisy . 

Agreed, there’s not enough detail in the Banns  to be 100% sure it’s the right Mary Buckingham (parents’ names would be useful) but it’s in the right time frame and at least Benjamin didn’t marry a Mary Smith!  Hopefully a step in the right direction.

regards
Frances

[amondg]

They married 13 October 1814 at St Mary the Virgin Oxford. Both are listed as being of Littlemoor although it doesn't mean they were born there. Both made their mark. Witness Charles Richardson made his mark and Thomas Forster who signed he was a witness to several other marriages so probably the parish clerk.

[familydar]

In one of my illiterate lines I've found Buckingham also spelled Beckenham and Beckington.  Keep an open mind on spelling.

Jane :-)

[amondg]

1861 census Benjamin says he was born Tetsworth and Mary says she was born Littlemoore, then again if she lived most of her life in Littlemoore she may have assumed she was born there.

The John Buckingham and Ann nee Whiting were they from Iffley? Was she the eldest child, I've found that the first child is often baptised in the mothers parish instead of where they are living.

[CarolA3]

I found these marriage banns,

St Mary the Virgin, Oxford

Benjamin JOHNSON and Mary BUCKINGHAM
both of Littlemore in this Parish
12 Jun
19 Jun
26 Jun 1814

but it doesn't confirm that this is the Mary born in Iffley.

There's a historic relationship between Littlemore, Iffley, and St Mary the Virgin.

Littlemore (was Littlemoor) didn't have its own church (St Mary & St Nicholas) until 1836. Baptisms and burials - but not marriages - are recorded from that date.

Until 1847, Littlemore was still a chapelry of St Mary the Virgin in High Street, Oxford, and residents could travel into the city to marry at SMV if they so wished.

Alternatively they could marry in a neighbouring parish, either Iffley or Cowley, depending on which part of Littlemore they lived in.

From 1847, Littlemore church was licensed for marriages.

Hope this helps a bit

Carol

[frances-b]

Many thanks everyone

amondg: huge thanks for the marriage details.  Littlemoor, Iffley and Cowley are all bordering parishes* and as occupations were land-based (ag labs, gardeners) they all seems to move around a bit.

John Buckingham – I don’t have a baptism record for him but as three of his siblings and his mother Anne were baptised at St James Cowley and he is on the 1841 census living with one of his daughters in Cowley I think it’s fair to assume he’s from the area.

Ann nee Whiting – I don’t have any baptism records for her however her first child wasn’t John’s.  He was baptised at Forest Hill in 1786 where Ann married John in 1789.

Of their five children together, two (the first and last) were baptised at St James Cowley and the other three, including Mary, at Iffley.  I agree that particularly on the early censuses people tended to say they were from the area they were currently living – on the 1851, Benjamin, Mary and the three children living with them all “came from” Cowley.

familydar: ooh yes. I’ve had Bockingham and Buckington.  I suspect they had strong rural Oxfordshire accents!

CarolA3: I wrote *this bit while you were replying so many thanks for the extra detail which makes perfect sense.  I have a similar situation in Yorkshire with baptisms and burials carried out in the local church but marriages taking place in the next town.