RootsChat.Com

Interesting slip of the keyboard there- you got me excited for a minute....

Indeed, my great-great grandfather John Thomas Kitchener (son of Ephraim Kitchener and Ann Odell) married his first cousin Elizabeth Jane Brice in 1874 in Islington,  her father was Joseph Brice but her mother is uncertain. The marriage certificate states that a witness was Lucy Jane Brice but other marriage records state that Sarah Ann Odell married Joseph Brice in 1858. Sarah Brice was buried in Olney churchyard in her parents' grave in 1895. So the question I have been grappling with for years is what happened to Lucy Jane Odell? Did she marry Joseph Brice or did she marry another Brice or was it not Lucy Jane Brice nee Odell at all?

You mentioned brothers and sisters marrying- this is also something in the Kitchener folklore but actually happened a generation later when John and Elizabeth's son Horace married Elsie Hinde and their daughter Annie married Elsie's brother Walter Hinde. I am interested in where your source for this piece of information comes from as it is a direct connection with all of my sources.

In the meantime I will trawl for info on Catherine for you (but don't hold your breath- such info does not spring to mind and I am sure I would have logged it)

You may also be interested to know that Ted (Edwin Ephraim)- another son of John and Elizabeth, emigrated to new Zealand in 1911 and had a series of shoe shops. His descendats remain in Auckland and Wellington. (although I realise that we are now getting far away from Catherine Odell!)

Hope this is of interest.

Robyn

Hi- I have info on George from 1861 census:

Yardley Rd, Widower, agricultural labourer, 54 y.o

For your information, the Leys (1851 census) and Yardley Rd are only a few metres from each other- the Leys is a tiny back-alley, Yardley Rd is quite a big road- they run parallel to each other. In the 1850s the Leys contained very tiny cottages. In Yardley Rd today the original cottages still stand (together with little courtyards). My guess is that George was a farm labourer on the farm adhjacent to the Leys.

How do I know this?

I have lived overlooking the Leys for the past 10 years; I also have old family descriptions of what it was like like to grow up there (dirt floors, etc). My great-great-great grandfather was born there (Eleazer Kitchener). The Odell connection is with the cousins- namely Lucy Odell (I have her sampler from 1842).

Some hints for you in your search: Odell in Olney today is pronounced "Oddle" so look also at this and "Hoddle". I have also found no connection between this branch of the Odell family and that in Newport Pagnell and Stony Strattford. (down the road). I also know that several Odells moved to Middlesex in the late 1800s- one in particular was Will Odell,- I have his obituary from Stanmore in the early 1900s (descended form the cousins you refer to). Look also at Lavendon (up the road from Olney) where there were also Odells.

I hope this information is useful.

I am interested in this because of the Lucy Odell link (my 5-greats grandmother), and whom I named my daughter after. So if you do come across anything pertaining to her I would be eternally grateful.

Let me know if you want more information on Olney in general; I may have other info also.

Robyn
(recently moved from Olney to Melbourne)