Ward Northamptonshire Pre 1837 Advice

[djw]

I would be grateful for any advice or pointers on pre 1837 research. I have been successful in tracing my family back through BMD, census and local newspapers but I am now trying to get my head round parish registers. It all seems a bit like guesswork and I’m unsure how you can verify you’ve found the right person in PRs.

My eldest relative I have located is a Joseph Ward who consistently gives his birth place as Brixworth in the census returns. His date of birth based on census returns suggest 1793. I also know that he is married to Ann who is born around 1799 in Overstone. I know that their the eldest child shown on the census is also Joseph Ward and his birthdate would be around 1823 and that he was born in Ravensthorpe.

A search of the PR indexes show a Joseph Ward baptised at Brixworth on 30/6/1793 to parents Thomas and Elizabeth. There are four other Joseph Wards baptised in 1794 that are in other Northants parishes - am I correct to assume that the one in Brixworth is my man?

I know that Joseph’s eldest son is born around 1823 in Ravensthoroe so his marriage is likely to be before this. There is a marriage of a Joseph to Ann at Ravensthorpe in 1820. Is it right to assume this is him based on the date and the fact his eldest son is born in that parish? The record states that the groom is Of this Parish - would it show that if he was originally from Brixworth or could it just reflect that he was now a permanent resident of Ravensthorpe?

The only information I have on his parents are the name Thomas and Elizabeth. There is no marriage at Brixworth for them and whilst there are other Wards baptised in Brixworth, none of them were to Parents called Thomas and Elizabeth. There are various marriages of a Thomas Ward to an Elizabeth within the county but I can see no way of finding out which one (if any) is the right one.

I’ve not used the parish records before so would be grateful for any advice on whether I’m going about it correctly or if there are other factors/information I should consider.

Thanks

[KGarrad]

Parishes mentioned on a marriage (or "of this parish") refers to the place of abode at the time of the marriage.
I.E. the parish where the banns will be called.

[djw]

Thanks - that’s useful to know and keeps the Ravensthorpe marriage theory alive.

[djw]

I posted this on the one of the main threads before I discovered this Northants thread. Some local knowledge might help….

I would be grateful for any advice or pointers on pre 1837 research. I have been successful in tracing my family back through BMD, census and local newspapers but I am now trying to get my head round parish registers. It all seems a bit like guesswork and I’m unsure how you can verify you’ve found the right person in PRs.

My eldest relative I have located is a Joseph Ward who consistently gives his birth place as Brixworth in the census returns. His date of birth based on census returns suggest 1793. I also know that he is married to Ann who is born around 1799 in Overstone. I know that their the eldest child shown on the census is also Joseph Ward and his birthdate would be around 1823 and that he was born in Ravensthorpe.

A search of the PR indexes show a Joseph Ward baptised at Brixworth on 30/6/1793 to parents Thomas and Elizabeth. There are four other Joseph Wards baptised in 1794 that are in other Northants parishes - am I correct to assume that the one in Brixworth is my man?

I know that Joseph’s eldest son is born around 1823 in Ravensthoroe so his marriage is likely to be before this. There is a marriage of a Joseph to Ann at Ravensthorpe in 1820. Is it right to assume this is him based on the date and the fact his eldest son is born in that parish? 

The only information I have on his parents are the name Thomas and Elizabeth. There is no marriage at Brixworth for them and whilst there are other Wards baptised in Brixworth, none of them were to Parents called Thomas and Elizabeth. There are various marriages of a Thomas Ward to an Elizabeth within the county but I can see no way of finding out which one (if any) is the right one.

I’ve not used the parish records before so would be grateful for any advice on whether I’m going about it correctly or if there are other factors/information I should consider.

Thanks

[ColC]

 When Joseph Ward married Ann Woodford 17 Oct 1820 Ravensthorpe, Northamptonshire,
both signed, witnesses John Hollowell & what looks like Mary Ward.

If Mary & Joseph are related that might prove a link?


Colin

[ColC]

Although I can see Joseph born about 1823 on census returns, I cannot find a baptism for him at Ravensthorpe or elsewhere in the County, even though they are on Ancestry.

I do note in 1851 Joseph Ward senior 57 wife Ann Ward 52 and Susanna Ward 16 born Kingsthorpe, Northamptonshire

Susannah Ward
Mother   Ann Ward
Father   Joseph Ward
Birth   Abt 1835
Baptism   22 Feb 1835 Kingsthorpe
Her baptism states her father was a Carpenter, abode Kinsthorpe.


Colin

[ColC]

This might help.

1841 - Kingsthorpe
Joseph Ward   45
Ann Ward   40
Joseph Ward   16
Emma Ward   8
Susannah Ward   6

Colin

[trish1120]

There is a THOMAS Ward buried 21 Jun 1819 Ravensthorpe age 60

+ a MARY Ward married Charles BUSWELL there 26 Mar 1822

Both on FreeREG

[djw]

Hi Colin - thanks for your interest.

Yes, that's the right family in the census records.

I had seen the witness of Mary at the wedding in Ravensthorpe but not sure yet how I can use that information - I assume she must be a sibling. Would you agree that the marriage in Ravensthorpe is likely to me my man?

I haven't been able to find a baptism for Joseph around 1822 or his sister Emma around 1832 but there is one for the younger sister Susannah on 22/2/35. I would assume that if the younger child was baptised then you would expect the older children to be baptised as well. Maybe they moved out of the county for a while?

I hadn't found the Thomas Ward burial or the subsequent marriage of a Mary Ward to Buswell. The index i'm looking at shows Mary Ward as a spinster rather than a widow.