Newent and Littledean

[Jean Price]

Hello All,

At the moment an Okey/Oakey/Ockey family is in my sights. Some are in Newent and some in Little Dean. As my research is in late 1600's and early 1700's am I safe in assuming that the families are living in either one or the other, and not a mixture?
According to Google, the two places are over 3 hours walking apart. Would a mother carry her new baby that distance to be baptised at the other place. (Both Church of England).
Thank you from Jean in New Zealand

[PaulineJ]

It's possible that they are the same diocese, and that the records are badly labelled.

Did you look at the original register, and peruse the pages back until you found a contemporary indicator of the type of record(s) and the church/chapel?

eg BTs vs parish register(s)?

[KGarrad]

I don't think it's a safe assumption to assume that the families are only living in the one place.

[KGarrad]

Forest-of-Dean.net shows 298 baptisms for Oakey (& variants).

21 baptisms in Littledean; 10 in Newent.

Also:
11 in Aston Ingham
10 in Ashleworth
41 in Hartpury
18 in Ledbury
18 in Norton
10 in Rudford
12 in Taynton
27 in The Leigh
24 in Tibberton
33 in Westbury on Severn

[Jean Price]

Thank you Pauline and KGarrad,

It looks as though my Okeys travelled between Newent and Littledean with no trouble.

Regards
Jean

[KGarrad]

Jean,  you might benefit by registering with the Forest-of-Dean website. It's free!
Amongst a wealth of information, they have Parish Registers

[Capetown]

Assume you are researching the children of William Jnr Ockey/Okey

1695 Elizabeth at Littledean

1697 Prudence  at Newent :  Father listed as William Jnr

1708 Elizabeth at Littledean.

On the Forest of Dean records they have transcribed thousands of Marriage Licence Allegations and Marriage Bonds including your William Ockey Jnr who was a Butcher at Newent, but also Widower
aged 28 when he married Prudence Clarke aged 20.  There are two records in this Section 30 Nov 1694 one spelt Ockey saying he was William Jnr the other one Okey.

William Oakley jnr c1666 father obviously William

[Capetown]

William Jnr first married Margaret Bullock again in the Licence Section early in 1694 6th Feb

Margaret wife of William Jnr was buried 17 Sep 1694 at Newent.

Seems after childbirth.  As William Ockey christened at Newent 15 Sept 1694 William Jnr Butcher and Margarett

Burial at Newent 17 Mar 1711 William sen Oakey old style 1710/11

Ancestry shows an Overseers Report for William Oakey butcher of Newent 1700

There are 3 children at Newent with Father William

Thomas 1670
John 1674
Jane 1676

Can’t see a William c1666.  However a burial of Jane Oakey a wife 2 Jul 1705 who could be William Snrs wife i.e family name

[Jean Price]

Hello KGarrad,

Yes, I am a member of the Forest of Dean - I have two separate families from the Forest of Dean who came to Canterbury, New Zealand. I do wonder if they knew of each other in England, and then once in New Zealand. (And they are not letting on).

Jean