The baptism of William GILBERT – was it in Etchingham?

[nong43]

Hello

My 4x-great-grandfather William GILBERT was supposedly born around 1762 in Etchingham, to parents John GILBERT and Ann SHOESMITH, but I can find no sources to back this up. Familysearch doesn't have any close enough matches, neither do Sussex Family History Group's members-only records, and neither does Findmypast or Ancestry.

Is there anywhere else I might have forgotten to look, or does anyone else have William on their tree?

Thanks

Martin

[jonw65]

John Gilbert married Ann Shoesmith, 30 September 1749, Etchingham. By licence.
Parish register says both of Rotherfield.
Image here if you are logged in as a free member
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRZH-HSZ?i=163&cat=215354

[nong43]

Thanks Jon. Don't know how I missed that...actually, of course I do - I was looking in the wrong place. I now need to check the baptisms of John and Ann's other children to see if I can work out their (John and Ann's) movements. That might help me with where/when to look for William's baptism.

There is an Ann Shoesmith baptised in Burwash in 1725, so Ann may not have originally been from Rotherfield (unless the Burwash Ann is a different one).

Martin

[Annette7]

What are the sources of your information - cannot see a burial for a William Gilbert who was born circa 1762.

Annette

[nong43]

What are the sources of your information - cannot see a burial for a William Gilbert who was born circa 1762.

Annette

Sorry, Annette, I've been researching for nearly 20 years and William was added to my tree right near the beginning, at a time when I wasn't so fastidious with regard to quoting sources, so unfortunately I can't say.

Martin

[jonw65]

Hi
Are you looking for William Gilbert who married Elizabeth Merchant, 31 December 1787, at Etchingham? Both of the parish.
From the same film as before, the image is here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRZH-4PB?i=233&cat=215354

Elizabeth, daughter of William + Elizabeth Gilbert, baptized at Etchingham, 25 March 1790
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRZH-HD9?i=259&cat=215354

John

[jonw65]

Maybe Elizabeth's name would more usually be Marchant? John the witness may have signed thus, and there are a few Marchant marriages in Etchingham in the following years.

[jonw65]

If they were also in Burwash
Baptism there, 16 August 1795
Sarah, daughter of Wm + Elizabeth Gilbert
PR here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DT7Q-F5W?i=210&cat=215229

Might be a William Gilbert junior (born Burwash?) floating about later?
There are more John + Elizabeth Gilbert baptisms in Etchingham from 1800.

There is a burial of a William Gilbert in Burwash, don't know if it's the right one though.
7 Feb 1831, William Gilbert, age 78, abode Burwash
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DR83-2G5?i=483&cat=215229

There is actually a possible baptism of that chap there, 23 August 1754
William Chapman, base child of Sarah Gilbert
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DT7Q-X92?i=164&cat=215229

 

[nong43]

Hi
Are you looking for William Gilbert who married Elizabeth Merchant, 31 December 1787, at Etchingham?

That's him. Trying to find out whether his parents really were John Gilbert and Ann Shoesmith.

Maybe Elizabeth's name would more usually be Marchant?

I've seen both - Merchant and Marchant seem to be interchangeable at the time, and it may indicate that the local pronunciation at that time was Marchant, regardless of spelling.

Martin