Margaret Rice of St. George Hanover Square

[MacGrigor]

Hello,

I’ve read this from an FindMyPast transcription. Margaret was born in the 25th of November 1769, and baptised at St. George Hanover Square on the 8th of December. Her parents are given as Henry Rice and Margaret McPhearson, however it is unclear from the transcription it McPhearson is a middle name or maiden name. Also no address or occupation are given, and I haven’t found any marriage or possible siblings. Could anyone please help me?

Adam

[Watson]

It appears in the register pretty much as you said.  It looks like a child born out of wedlock.  Did she take the name Rice or McPhearson, do you know?

[rosie99]

Other entries on that page of the register are entered as ...
George S of Christopher & Hannah Ray
Charles S of William & Elizabeth Jones

Your entry reads
Margaret D of Henry Rice & Margaret McPhearson
That looks to me as though the parents were not married

[MacGrigor]

Right, thank you both 🤔 I’m looking if she might be ‘my’ Margaret Rice, who was born in about 1766. Her son married at St. George Hanover Square, which was why it first caught my eye.

[rosie99]

In case you are ever looking for the parish register copy Ancestry have transcribed her surname as Crice 

[MacGrigor]

Oh dear I’ll download it at some point, thanks

[Watson]

Could you perhaps tell us a little more about your Margaret Rice?  What is the source of born about 1766?

[MacGrigor]

Well it’s not exact but her death certificate from 1846 in Harefield said aged 80 so born c. 1766. She married James Winch - down as ‘Wynch’ - in Piccadilly in 1798, and they christened a number of children in Harefield. Her son, also James, married Sarah Salter at St. George Hanover Square in 1821.

There’s a strange pattern of the Winches, despite living around Uxbridge, as marrying as far away as Southwark and other London churches they have no known connection to. I’m not certain this Margaret Rice is my Margaret Rice.

[Watson]

From the information we have above, the child born in 1769 may have been known as Margaret Mcphearson (rather than Rice).  Neither surname is uncommon, so disambiguation could be difficult.  For example, a Margaret Rice, an adult woman, was buried at St. James's, Piccadilly, on 16 July 1789.