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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Berkshire => Topic started by: pikei on Wednesday 07 June 17 09:09 BST (UK)
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I have a baptism of John Pike at Bucklebury on 20 July 1777, parents William and Mary Pike. I have seen a number of people on Ancestry.com have a birth date of 1 February 1774 at Reading for this John Pike, with no sources (thus I am sceptical). Can anyone find a John Pike born at Reading/Bucklebury with a birth date of 1 February 1774? Thanks.
Ian Pike
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Hi Ian
I can see the Bucklebury baptism but not one in Reading, there is however a document on Anc* which suggests the John born in 1774 and was born in Reading died in Australia.
Just seen other posts - you already have this information - it's very frustrating not being able to rule one of them out.
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There is a John Pike convicted of Grand Larceny at Abingdon on 31 July 1797, his age is given as 21. That would be closer to the baptism date you have. the ship's name looks like Coromandel
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One of the trees on Anc* with your John in it also have parents Zachariah and Mary PACK. This family were based in Devon and their son John PACK was born in 1771 Ipplepen, Devon, plus other children - so these trees can be discredited.
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I've checked St Marys, St Giles and St Laurence, Reading PRs and there is no such 1774 baptism for any Pike, John or otherwise. Infact, only St Laurence has any Pike or Pykes and they are all much later.
I'm sure there are some genuine trees on Ancestry but I maintain that most of them aren't worth looking at and that you should stick to your own research. Just my opinion.. perhaps this tree was submitted in error by Captain Mainwaring!!! (Don't tell them, Pike!) ;D
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Thanks folks for your replies. Yes I am always sceptical until I can find a source myself. It looks like someone has made up a date and others have blindly copied it to their trees, as I suspected. My John Pike was always said to have been born in Reading, and as Bucklebury is in the "Reading area", I thought that this could possibly be him.
Are there birth records/Parish records (as opposed to baptism records) for Bucklebury or Reading that cover 1770s? This would possibly be the only chance to confirm the birth date.
Thanks.
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Don't forget that he might have been baptised at Bucklebury and his family moved to Reading when he was very young and he only knew Reading and he therefore assumed it was his birth place.
Personally I'd have thought Bucklebury is too far away from Reading to be confused - 8 to 10 miles as the crow flies and in 1777 would have been connected by country roads probably of dubious repair state. I lived in Tilehurst in the 1940s and the road my house was on was still just gravel even though it was the link road from the A4 Bath Road to the village and beyond.
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Hi Ian Pike
Just wondering if you have found any more firm evidence on the birth place & year of John Pike, Reading, Berkshire.
I had some professional research done on John Pike, and the search found 7 John Pikes born in the Berkshire area (none in Oxfordshire). In all of England there were 82 found between 1760 & 1778.
There was more research needed, however I live in Australia and that is not possible.
The suggestion by the research people was to obtain the original criminal records from the National Archives at Kew in England - and particularly the minutes (if they exist) of the assize session when John Pike was convicted. Also the prisoner record aboard the La Fortunee prison hulk - which apparently had an age of 21 for John Pike.
In Australia there are conflicting sources of information on his age, so it is difficult to determine when he was born.
Would be great to hear if you have any further written evidence
Regards
Therese (nee Pike)