Hezekiah ODELL, Born 1844 (?), Aspley Guise,

[CaroleW]

Given the age of the spouse in 1891 - virtually the same age

[BAC3]

The only Hezekiah ODELL according to the 1891 Census is living as a lodger with 40 year old widow, Pamela WALKER in Luton   He is classified as single.

[CaroleW]

Marriage on www.lancashirebmd.org.uk

1891 Sarah Odell is 45 - married - b Pendleton. 

[Darnity]

His birthplace according to his prison records was Aspley Guise which is in Bedfordshire and all his criminal records, he was convicted 4 times totalling 10 years and 7 days, are from the Bedford Gaol Register.  Sadly the 1851 Census provides little help as none of the children's births, with the possible exception of Mary Ann, were registered as far as I am aware.

BAC3

A couple of thoughts here.

If you walk along Weathercock Lane the houses on one side of the road are in Aspley Guise and in Bedfordshire and on the other side are in Woburn Sands (now part of Milton Keynes) - Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands (and Aspley Heath where St Michael's church is located) are all contiguous.

Go back to the 1840s and Woburn Sands doesn't exist, the housing that was in the vicinity where the new railway station called Woburn Sands was built in were part of the parish of Wavendon, in Bucks. Wavendon was a large parish and had a number of "ends" and this area was known as Hogstye End but later became known as Woburn Sands.

St Michael's was built in the 1860s and prior to that time the nearest churches for baptisms if you were born in the area would be St Botolph in Aspley Guise or St James Husborne Crawley (both Beds) or St Mary's at Wavendon or All Saints at Bow Brickhill (both Bucks at that time).

The area was a hotbed of non conformity and there was a Friends meeting house in what is now Woburn Sands.

So Maybe look at Bucks as as well as Beds and also non-conformist records for him.

The other thought is the possible surname Buck - this makes me wonder if he had Traveller roots, there is a Gypsy Lane in Aspley Guise and an area up in Brickhill Woods, an easy walk from Aspley Guise and Woburn Sands, that appears to have been a permanent ("at all times occupied by Gypsies") Traveller encampment.

[Watson]

The age is given as 62 in the 1905 death entry, so that would make Hezekiah born about 1843.

There is an entry in the Woburn section of Pigot's Directory, 1830, for a George Odell, blacksmith and wheelwright, of Leighton Street, Woburn, so he may be connected, or possibly even the father.  Have you checked the Woburn baptism register? 

[BAC3]

May I first thank the last two contributors for their inputs.   I am grateful.

The question of the marriage in 1885?    According to the Marriage Certificate this was seemingly not the same Hezekiah ODELL.   He was 35 years of age, giving his birth date 1850, occupied as a Fish Monger with his father named Levy ODELL.    The marriage actually took place on the 25th December 1885.

The search continues!!!!!

BAC3

[Mabel Bagshawe]

The only Levy/Levi Odell I can find was born c1847, so something's a bit off here

[BAC3]

I'm afraid the Marriage Certificate has to be accepted as accurate.   The only other fact about the father, Levy ODELL, was that he was "deceased" in 1885!!

[ShaunJ]

I'm afraid the Marriage Certificate has to be accepted as accurate.

He may have lied about his age. 35 instead of 41 or 42.