Oxfordshire look up request - Neville marriage at Sonning

[CrystalPalace]

Please could someone with access to the Sonning marriages check out the details for a marriage of William NEVILLE on 25.7.1756? The transcription I found (FindMyPast) gives the bride's name as Anne REVENEN but wondered if there were any more details available to help me track her down.

Sonning parish records are not among those Oxfordshire images available on Ancestry, so I can't look at the original, although I see OFHS has a CD of Sonning records. Is this because Sonning is now Berkshire and their parish records were transferred there and are only available to view at the Records Office Reading? Not sure if I've understood this correctly.

Ideally I would like to find  a baptism for Anne REVENEN! But I can't find anyone with that surname anywhere! However,   there are RAVENINGS in Bray, Berks and at various places (Pyrton, Crowell, Adwell) in Oxfordshire and Stone & Dinton in Buck so that's why I wondered about the marriage transcription accuracy.

[QueenoftheWest]

The transcription I found (FindMyPast) gives the bride's name as Anne REVENEN but wondered if there were any more details available to help me track her down.

Hi,

I'm just wondering whether you have seen the more complete transcription here?:
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/transcript?id=GBPRS%2FBERKSHIRE%2FMAR%2F000250040%2F1

I believe this record has transcribed everything you would find on the original document, which is the residence of the bride and groom, their marital status, whether the marriage was by banns or licence, and the witnesses. The only thing that you might gain by looking at the original document is seeing how she spelt her surname. However, if she was illiterate (as were many women of this period), then you are relying on how the person filling in the register interpreted her surname when she said it, which can be highly variable.

Queenie 

[QueenoftheWest]

Did William and Anne move to Shiplake in Oxfordshire? If so, Anne died in 1814, aged 81, giving her an estimated birth year of 1733.

Queenie 

[QueenoftheWest]

Okay, so I have got a theory for Anne's parentage. I looked for people with similar sounding surnames around the Berkshire/Oxfordshire area and found the Bray contingent you mentioned. I noticed that a Winifred Ravening married there in 1767. Winifred is one of the more unusual names I have seen, so I decided to try and trace her.

The closest baptism I could find is this one:
Winifred, daughter of Robert and Mary Raven, baptised 23 December 1739 in Adwell (another place you mentioned).

I noticed that Anne and William had a son called Robert, so I thought it could fit.

Then I found this baptism:
Ann, daughter of Robert and Mary Raven, baptised 25 January 1731 in Adwell.

Cannot say for certain that this is the correct baptism, but seems a strong candidate for Ann.

Queenie 

[CrystalPalace]

Thank you Queen of the West, amazing help and so speedy!

Yes, William and Ann were at Shiplake for the baptism of all but one of their children so fairly confident, the burial in 1814 is the right one.

I was interested in Robert & Mary Ravening of Adwell because of the dates of the baptism of their children and the repeated names in the two families but I only found 6 children, no Ann but the baptism you found is most definitely favourite.
You've made my evening!
Can I ask on which site you found this Ann's baptism?
Thanks again, Jill

[QueenoftheWest]

I was interested in Robert & Mary Ravening of Adwell because of the dates of the baptism of their children and the repeated names in the two families but I only found 6 children, no Ann but the baptism you found is most definitely favourite.
You've made my evening!
Can I ask on which site you found this Ann's baptism?

I'm glad I was able to help! 

Ancestry currently holds the parish registers for Oxfordshire, which have been digitised and the images are available to view. FindMyPast has transcribed certain records for the county, but their coverage is rather patchy at the moment.

Looking at the parish registers on Ancestry, I can see the following children born to Robert & Mary Raven in Adwell:
Ann (1731)
Mary (1732)
Elizabeth (1734)
John (1735)
Frances (1737)
Winifred (1739)
Mary (1741)

Also some other children born to Robert & Elizabeth Raven in 1745, 1748 and 1751.

Queenie 

[CrystalPalace]

I had found on Ancestry, the baptisms at Adwell from 1735 onwards, John, Frances etc.  but none before that date. 

Thank you, I'll look again at Ancestry but first I need to renew my subscription which expired last week.

I tried negotiating a discount 'been a member since 2004 etc' but no joy.  I hoped if I waited a while they might come up with an offer, but nothing so far -  think I'll give it a few more days, but a bit frustrating now the search has moved on thanks to your input!

[ribbo39]

Just to add more info re their marriage; Sonning marriage records are now under  Berks and transcribed by the Berks FHS.

The entry is shown as ;
25-7-1756 William Nevil (Newel on Banns) to Anne Revenen

There is nothing more shown.

Alan