Travel c1790's

[suey]

Your thoughts please....I have John Kett born Wymondham Norfolk 1777.

Later he has a wife Esther.  The only marriage I can find is to Esther Brown in Rochford Essex 1797.  Nothing meaningful in Norfolk registers.

In 1799 John volunteers for the Royal Artillery back in Norfolk, he does just short of 20 years service mostly in Woolwich where seven of their nine children are born and baptised.

I'm certain I have the right John and Esther but how likely is that marriage ?

[PaulineJ]

If you consider that the most practical way around would be by boat, It's not so very unlikely.

Pauline

[suey]

If you consider that the most practical way around would be by boat, It's not so very unlikely.

Pauline

Thanks Pauline, I did consider that.  With all the boat traffic up and down that coast it's quite possible.

[chris_49]

I've found longer distances that can only have been undertaken by boat. My great great grandmother Ann Hicks was born 1813 Polperro, Cprnwall but married 1833 Wallasey, Cheshire before there was any railway network to speak of. And in a tree I did for a friend, a family moved from West Cumbria to Chepstow, Monmouthshire - and then back again!

[coombs]

Have you looked at the original of the 1797, or the FreeREG transcription of the marriage? Both of the parish, witnesses Edmund Brown and John Wade.

It does look very likely to the the right marriage.

Also I think horse and carts/carriages always had a good line as well in the 1790s, some people travelled by sea, but I am sure people did also travel across land even if it took longer, and stayed at coaching inns overnight on the way if the journey took more than 1 day.

[suey]

Thank you all for replies.  This is the first instance in my research where anyone has been more than about 15 miles from their home parish    I’ve been lucky.  It was the early date that had me off balance 

[suey]

Have you looked at the original of the 1797, or the FreeREG transcription of the marriage? Both of the parish, witnesses Edmund Brown and John Wade.

It does look very likely to the the right marriage.

Also I think horse and carts/carriages always had a good line as well in the 1790s, some people travelled by sea, but I am sure people did also travel across land even if it took longer, and stayed at coaching inns overnight on the way if the journey took more than 1 day.

Yes, I paid to download the image from Essex archives.  As we know ‘of this parish’ can be a bit meaningless.  Although having Edmund as a witness does point to Esther being local to Rochford.  John Wade appears as a witness on four of the six marriages.

[coombs]

Have you looked at the original of the 1797, or the FreeREG transcription of the marriage? Both of the parish, witnesses Edmund Brown and John Wade.

It does look very likely to the the right marriage.

Also I think horse and carts/carriages always had a good line as well in the 1790s, some people travelled by sea, but I am sure people did also travel across land even if it took longer, and stayed at coaching inns overnight on the way if the journey took more than 1 day.

Yes, I paid to download the image from Essex archives.  As we know ‘of this parish’ can be a bit meaningless.  Although having Edmund as a witness does point to Esther being local to Rochford.  John Wade appears as a witness on four of the six marriages.

Yes, of the parish often meant they just lived there, or were temporarily living there at the time of marriage so as to wed in a certain church. I have ancestors from Rochford and that John Wade was a regular witness, I think he was the parish clerk or something.

I have an army ancestor who arrived back in the UK from America in 1784 and apparently when the ship docked, they marched from Portsmouth to Bury St Edmund's.

[suey]

Have you looked at the original of the 1797, or the FreeREG transcription of the marriage? Both of the parish, witnesses Edmund Brown and John Wade.

It does look very likely to the the right marriage.

Also I think horse and carts/carriages always had a good line as well in the 1790s, some people travelled by sea, but I am sure people did also travel across land even if it took longer, and stayed at coaching inns overnight on the way if the journey took more than 1 day.

Yes, I paid to download the image from Essex archives.  As we know ‘of this parish’ can be a bit meaningless.  Although having Edmund as a witness does point to Esther being local to Rochford.  John Wade appears as a witness on four of the six marriages.

Yes, of the parish often meant they just lived there, or were temporarily living there at the time of marriage so as to wed in a certain church. I have ancestors from Rochford and that John Wade was a regular witness, I think he was the parish clerk or something.

I have an army ancestor who arrived back in the UK from America in 1784 and apparently when the ship docked, they marched from Portsmouth to Bury St Edmund's.

I have several marriages away from home parishes. 

It’s good to hear that others have long distance travellers. John’s 90 miles doesn’t seem so far now.    He may even have got there in easy stages over a few years.