Am I clutching at straws?

[littleem1906]

I have a Matthew Stanley who married Lucy Lea on 14th February 1760 in Oldberrow, Warwickshire. I've looked high and low for a baptism for Matthew but can't find anything.

The only baptism I found was for a Matthew Stanley in Great Alne in 1756. Therefore it seems unlikely that this Matthew is mine. This baptism is also frustrating because it gives no father or mother's names. Just 'of J Stanley'.

I even toyed with the idea that this baptism could be my Matthew but if he was baptised as a teenager or young person. But is this clutching at straws?

The only Stanleys baptised in Great Alne during that time period were children of Thomas and Ann/Hannah Stanley. So the Stanley baptism of a child of 'J Stanley' seems to be a mystery and a one-off. There are no other children baptised to 'J Stanley'.

What I know of my Matthew is that in 1860 he married Lucy Lea in Oldberrow (where Lucy was born in 1739). All of their children, with the exception of their first child, were baptised in Beaudesert. His children are:
Ann Stanley - 30th January 1761 (Lapworth) A gap of 8 years - Why?
Lucy Stanley - 5th February 1769-1814
Elizabeth Stanley - 7th Oct 1771
Elizabeth Stanley - 14th March 1772/73 (What happened to the first Elizabeth?)
John Stanley - 14th April 1776-1803
Susannah Stanley - 11th April 1779- 22nd May 1780
Matthew Stanley - 26th January 1782
Phoebe Stanley - 26th January 1782   (Twins?)

He died on 20th July 1809 in Beaudesert.

Is there anyone who can help? I'm looking for a baptism for Matthew Stanley primarily but any other information about him and his family would be useful.

[jonw65]

Baptism of a Matthew Stanly in Aston Cantlow in 1735
Possibly 30 April?
Parents Matthew and Anne
of Aln Parva (Little Alne?)
Image on FamilySearch
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6SDW-Q8M

(Matthews Stanly, March 1734, on ancestry)

[jonw65]

They also have a transcript of the registers of Honeybourne, Worcestershire
30 July 1727
Matth. s of Wm Stanley of Aston Cantley and Anne
Is that meaning Aston Cantlow?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS65-8YGB

[jonw65]

Jan: ye 12th 1766
Baptism at Aston Cantlow of Sarah Daughter of Mathew & Lucia(?) Stanley of ?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6SDW-3FN

[littleem1906]

Good finds. Thank you!