Completeness of Parish Registers (Hunts & Bedfordshire & nearby counties)

[Galium]

There is a baptism of William Gardiner, son of William and Jane at Eaton Socon on 25 December 1802.
There are no more baptisms of children born to this couple at Eaton Socon, the next Gardiner baptism there being Faith, daughter of William and Elizabeth Gardener 24 November 1805. 

However, at St Neots, Huntingdonshire there is a Jane Gardener, daughter of William and Jane baptised in 1806, and Thomas son of William and Jane Gardiner baptised in 1808.  (These two are from the Hunts. Baptism Index, which only gives the year).

It isn't unusual to find couples  who baptise their children in both places, at different times, as they are so close together.

[johnP-bedford]

Eaton Socon parish registers are transcribed on FreeReg

[magslote]

St Neots prs bapt 16.5.1806 Jane Gardener daughter of william/Jane.
born 25.10.1807 Thomas son of William/Jane.
Margaret.

[rbell35]

Thanks all. Yes it seems that this Jane is most likely my ancestor. The parents/family were of course once in Eaton Socon, then moved the short distance to St. Neots. Much appreciated. Cheers, Rob

[bevj]

My 4 x great grandmother Hannah Gardner (1801-1887) married Thomas Stock in 1824 in Eaton Socon.
I haven't been able to find a baptism for her.
Any connection?
Bev

[rbell35]

Hi Bev, thanks for replying. Yes Hannah could well be Jane's sister! Do you have any idea who her parents were? As you know I am have had some difficulty establishing Jane's birth although as you can see I may have found it! Perhaps William & Jane were Hannah's parents too?? As a matter of interest, were you aware of the Richardson connection? Cheers, Rob

[bevj]

Hello Rob
I can't be of much help, I'm afraid.  I found Hannah through her marriage to Thomas Stock, when I was researching my Stocks, most of whom were from Colmworth.
Hannah Stock died in Colmworth in 1887, stated to be aged 90, so sorry, my maths were a bit out.  she must have been born in or around 1798, if her age was corrrectly given on her death. .  I found a Hannah born to parents William and Mary in Eaton Socon in 1788 but ruled it out as ten years is too much of a difference. 
What's more, the children I've found for Thomas and Hannah were  Mary,  Ann,  George,  Jane, (all baptised together in November 1831)  Rebecca (1838)and Martha (1845), all born in Colmworth, so no clues there though I suspect there may be given the gap between Jane and Rebecca and the gap between Rebecca and Martha (though given Hannah's age they may just have been surprise packages!)  And nobody born in 1788 would be having a child in 1845.
So it's all a bit of a mystery.
Bev

[johnP-bedford]

There are a good number of entries on the Bedfordshire Workhouse/Poor Law records (available on Ancestry) for Thomas & Hannah Stock at Colmworth applying for relief from 1881 to 1886 where Hannah's age is consistent as her being born 1802, which tallies with some of the census years.

Also 3 of the census years has it that she was born in Dean, Beds.

Regards John