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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Huntingdonshire => Topic started by: Selina on Friday 14 July 06 20:49 BST (UK)
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Anyone know why my family should have used both surnames, apparently randomly, in the first half of 19th Century? Eventually settled on Stevens using Brighty as a forename, probably as a safeguard!
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;D ;D ;D
Hi Selina
If you'd give us a bit more information and tell us who you're looking for, their parents names, their age, and were born, we can try and find out for you.
;D ;D ;D
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Thanks.
According to his ages in the Censi and at death Barnabas Brighty/Stevens was born between 1794 and 1797, Ramsey, Hunts. I can't find a baptism.
He married as Stevens in 1827. In 1828, 1840 and 1841 still Stevens.
1850 and 1851 Brighty. 1859 signed as Brighty Stevens. 1861 Brighty.
1866 Death Cert. Stevens, his entry in burial reg. Brighty.
His widow used Brighty in 1881 and she is Brighty in burial reg. 1886.
Sons used either name but after 1886 appeared to settle on Stevens using Brighty as a second Christian name. One daughter still Brighty in the 1901 Census.
There was a farmer in the area at the right time called Barnabas Brighty
who had many children but does not appear to have a legitimate son named Barnabas. My best guess so far is that my Barnabas may have been his illegitimate child.
Any other ideas?
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Hi Selina,
I noticed that you were looking for Information about Barnabas Brighty of Ramsey. I am related to him via the marriage of his sister, Elizabeth to John Palmer, dairyman of Ramsey Fortyfoot. John Palmer was my 5xggrandfather.
I have the will of Barnabas Brighty proved in 1814 which mentions Barnabas Stevens.
He requests that his executors invest money to allow £10 per year to
'Barnabas Stevens, son of Alice Stevens now wife of [blank] Stevens late of Ramsey but now a private soldier'
A further amounts are to be paid to Barnabas Stevens later in life by the exors.
The will is available via the NA website , but I'll gladly send the bit that mentions Barnabas.
The reason for his support of the boy isn't clear, but I suspect a payoff for a spot of misbehaviour!!!
Terry Haslam-Jones
Rossendale
Lancashire
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Have you actually managed to out together the brighty tree yet.
I have Barnabus Bright in my tree , he married jane slack and their daughter Anna was my great grandmother. I would appreciate any information that you have.
Thanks tricia
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I have been puzzled by the Brighty/Stevens confusion too. I am descended from Alice Stevens and John Richardson. If anyone can give me more information I would be most grateful.
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Hi Slippers,
Who were the parents of your Alice Stevens, and what sort of date etc? Was she from Ramsey?
I can't see a Richardson on my tree but I have to go back to some of the earlier stuff as there is more information available since I last updated this family.
Selina
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Alice's parents were Barnabas B Stevens born abt 1795 and Kezia(h) Hollis. Alice married John Richardson, the son of Frederic Richardson and Rachel Maycock. Fred was born in Whittlesey, John was born in Ramsey.
Thanks for your quick reply.
Stephen.
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OK! I have that Alice but nothing on her apart from she was born circa 1833.
I do have information on Barnabas and Keziah and also some of the siblings of Alice.
We are connected via the brother of Alice, John Brighty Stevens who married Mary Ann Smith.
Selina
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Selina,
Do you think Barnabas Brighty who married Mary Smith in 1797 could be the father of Barnabas Stevens?
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Stephen,
Yes it would appear that he was the father by a girl called Alice (surname unknown). See message from THJ above, he sent me some great information.
This could be lengthy correspondence and I may not be able to look things out now, I will pm you with email address.
Selina
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Hello
I'm afraid I have no idea, other than illegitimacy, to explain the Stevens/Brighty mystery but I am very interested because my ggggg grandmother was Sarah Brighty and is mentioned in Barnabas Brighty's will I believe - wife of Abraham Dobson.
Sarah was born around 1781 in Ramsey, Huntingdonshire and I think she is Barnabas' sister. I know very little of this family as I haven't got round to this side properly yet.
I will tell you if I find anything out of course.
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Hi Honey,
I do not have a copy of the whole Will of Barnabas Brighty, just the part that concerns what appears to be his illegitimate son Barnabas (Steven).
So your Sarah was the sister of Barnabas Brighty and therefore the aunt (albeit an illegitimate one!) of Barnabas Stevens? Barnabas Brighty had a daughter Sarah in 1805 which ties in.
Selina
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Hi
I have just bought all the Brighty of Ramsey wills. There is Barnabas Brighty, William Brighty and Peter Brighty all gentlemen of Ramsey, Huntingdonshire...does that mean they were relatively well off - it would certainly make a change from my ancestors. ;D
They are all handwritten so they are going to take a while to go through. I'll e-mail or pm them to anyone who has an interest or post them if I'm allowed... ???
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As the first typewriter wasn't marketed until 1873 all wills prior to that date are handwritten, and probably continued to be so until typewriters came into common use.
David
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Hello :)
Sorry to barge in but I was coming on this board to ask about my GGG-Grandmother Ann Brighty who was born in 1835 in Ramsey. Came across this interesting thread and got to ask if she's any connection to your Brighty's of Ramsey?
Thankyou
Jonathan
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Hi,
I can't see an Ann Brighty that fits yours in my notes. Have you found her in the 1841 or 1851 census?
However my Brighty connection just appears to be through an illegitimate son, whose baptism I have never found or the later marriage of his mother to a Stevens.
Selina
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I just wanted to see what was happening on here as I searchedfor Ann Brighty/Bright for 47813.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=399108.new;topicseen
I must say this is one of the most complicated Families I have ever come across :o and you all must have the utmost patience whilst researching them ;)
There are quite a few entries for this family on Freereg.
From there (apologies if most of you already have this);
Marriage,
Kezia HOLLIS
Barnaby STEVENS
11 October 1827, St Thomas A'Becket, Ramsey, Huntingdon
Trish :)
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Just thought i'd add a little note to this - in that i have ancestors that have a surname that has changed so many times and includes the spelling of Brighty.
It's Brightly/Brightle/Brightley/Brightwell.
They appear in the fenland surrounding Littleport and Little Downham during the 1800s - so not everso far away from Ramsey. Prior to those there, they were from Elveden (Eldon) on the Suffolk/Norfolk border.
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Hi Andrew,
My Brighty side is 'wrong side of the blanket' starting around 1795/7 ish although it was used as a second given name right down until 1907.
Even the Stevens name is from the man that the mother (Alice) of the illegitimate Barnabas (fathered by Barnabas Brighty) married and I cannot find their marriage and therefore her maiden name.
Selina