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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Huntingdonshire Lookup Requests => Huntingdonshire => England => Completed Huntingdonshire Look ups => Topic started by: Blunny on Saturday 20 January 07 14:40 GMT (UK)
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Hello All,
I would like to ask for your help in trying to knock down a brick wall. Having had no luck in the direct approach, i am trying the sdeways attack.
Simon Battle has been found for me in Godmanchester, he appears to be related to Mitten Battle in Blunham ,Bedfordshire in 1820. Mitten is my 2 x great grandfather, but cannot find his parents, or his birth, hence the sideways attack. Both Simon & Mitten are married to Richardson girls, there are sisters Ann & Lucy, daughters of Samuel & Eleanor, who are I'm sure correct. I have the details of the family upto today, but could someone please light the fuse to blow up my brick wall.
All help greatly appreciated,
Best wishes Peter.
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Hi Peter, did you get anywhere with this?
I am researching the same family. It seems as if Mitten and Simon emerge from nowhere!
I would be grateful for any hard facts.
Regards, Linda
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https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/682998908655749ab8641aac/elizabeth-mitten-leonard-battle-marriage-cambridgeshire-cambridge-1762-11-16?locale=en&search_id=699773958655745ca32298d0&ucf=false
This may be where the name Mitten enters the family.
They have a son Simon Mitten Battle Christened Oct 1765 st Giles Cambridge.
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I would see if you can track down this will, seeing as Mitten & Simon are brick makers.
RefNo
KAH/16/2/170/2
AltRefNo
AH16:dated 1832/2
Title
Battle, Leonard - Brickmaker of Godmanchester: will
Date
1832
CreatorName
Archdeaconry of Huntingdon
Repository
Huntingdonshire Archives
Another mention of Leonard a brick maker...same man?
https://calm.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=KFIELDEN%2fF3%2f4%2f2&pos=16
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Thank you, I had seen details of Leonard, but haven't yet found anything to make a positive link.
Maybe the Will is the answer, I will chase it up....
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LEONARD was buried 31 Oct 1832 St Mary the Virgin, Godmanchester
Age 94
Birth c 1738
So may be the Leonard who married 16 Nov 1762 Cambridgeshire to Elizabeth MITTEN
Marriage for other various Leonards;
15 Oct 1787 Ramsey to Eleanor LOVEN (Son?)
17 Aug 1813 Ramsey to Mary ASHER
01 Sep 1817 Ramsey to Elizabeth FORDHAM, as a Widower
I did notice a THOMAS Battle in Blunham also born c 1799 Ramsey, Hunts
A Brickmaker
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LEONARD Battle c 1796, Tile Maker, in Essex 1841, not born in County
Anc has a bapt 1 March 1797 Ramsey to LEONARD/ELEANOR age 5, + WILLIAM bapt same day no age given
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STEPHEN Battle bapt 1 Aug 1801, born 1 Mar. 1800 to LEONARD/ELEANOR
Bit confusing as Stephen is unm on Census and 1851 is with Mother ELIZABETH.
Could this be his Step Mother?
Relating to Marriage of Leonard a widr who remarried 1817 to Elizabeth Fordham?
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Wow thanks, lots of interesting info here.
I will try to make sense of all the names and dates. It's a proper detective story!
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Marriages are on FreeREG www.freereg.org.uk
Have a look over my info and post later what you think.
As I am Australia will not be back on here until tomorrow night my time.
Logging off soon as nearly 1 in the morning here.
Hopefully others still up in the UK can help :)
Yes a detective story is often what genealogy is!
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Hi Trish
Thanks for all your ideas; I have spent the day searching, but there are not many facts, just assumptions.
I have found more brickmakers; there is also a William b. abt 1799, in St.Ives in 1851.
And another William b.1820, in Blunham, from a different branch.
I need to keep looking, and try to prove that Mitten is Simon's son; it looks likely but no records to prove it.....
Nearly midnight in UK, I'm off to bed now, more to do in the morning.
Linda
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https://www.chfhs.org.uk/
May have some records. Also if you become a member you can see whether anyone else is researching Battle/ Mitten.
I am wondering if a generation became non conformists, and that is why they are so elusive.
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Thanks, yes I have already joined CHFHS, and searched the database.
There is one person who lists Battle, but possibly a different area.
One issue is that I can't see the original parish record for Mitten's marriage, only transcriptions.
And another that there are 3 counties and several parishes to look at, not all online.
I do need to pursue the wills, and will also look at non-conformist; thanks for the suggestion.
Still, it's all part of the fun I guess!
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That Will may pull it all together if it names children/grandchildren :)
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Hi both
An update:
I now have 2 wills, for both the Leonard Battles, 1830 (son) and 1832(father).
They both name some family, but no mention of Mitten or Simon.
I have also delved into the records and constructed what I think is a partial family tree, covering all the Battles who were Brickmakers.
Leonard Snr married in Cambridge, lived in St.Neots, then Ramsey and died in Godmanchester. The various brickmakers mostly moved to Blunham. So we have 3 counties.
But there is no documented link between the 2 Leonards, Simon Mitten Battle (son of Leonard Snr) and Mitten & Simon born around 1800. I can guess, but that's all it would be.
Can you advise me what is best to do now?
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Plan of attack:
Firstly
You need to see the original marriage records as witnesses names may help.
Look for any other wills - don't forget possible maternal sides.
The baptisms ( Mitten, etc) do not seem to be online. You need a map of parishes and chapels which cover the relevant places and look for the ones which are not online, working out from the Blunham area. Genuki for the relevant counties should help with this. Hopefully the records should be with the county record offices.
Have you considered taking a DNA test?
Old newspapers?
Local history books? Has anyone else researched them?
I can't think of anything else to try. May be very hard and take a while to get anywhere.
Good luck.