West Grinstead PRs 1766

[coombs]

Hi

Does any kind soul have the parish registers for West Grinstead in West Sussex for the baptism of a James Boniface in April 1766, info off the IGI, as I believe he might have been baptised aged about 15, son of Richard and Mary Boniface. Any further info in the PR including the year of birth would be grateful.

The IGI entry was submitted by a personal researcher not the LDS and his year of birth is said as 1745 but I query that as he died aged 79 in 1829. I was just wondering if the baptism would give any further info.

Thanks

Ben

[sillgen]

Hi
I looked for a marriage of Richard Boniface to a Mary on the Sussex Marriage Index and there isn't one within a sensible time frame for a birth in the year you suggest.  Several much earlier and some later.     I was hoping that might tie it down but no!
Andrea

[coombs]

Hi

Thanks for the marriage lookup mate. Maybe the original entry might have been lost or destroyed, but would love to see James 1766 baptism now, as this could be vital evidence in tying my Bonifaces together.

Ben

[derekchesh]

Ben - I've only just joined so I hope you haven't given up on this one.  I have
looked up the Bonifaces at West Grinstead - they appear to have moved in and out of the parish.   Some of this you may know already.

James   - son of Richard and Mary baptised 1 Apr 1766 as Adult
Richard - son of Richard and Mary baptised 3 Aug 1760 age 14 years

previous baptism was Thomas in 1706

Weddings are interesting - and what isn't there is just as interesting

Richard acts as a witness for John Bancroft 17 Apr 1757
John returns the favour when the widow Mary Boniface marries John Mansell 5 Apr 1763

There was a burial of a Master Boniface 25 Nov 1760 but no other details.

No other BMDs recorded of the West Grinstead Parish recordsand there is no wedding recorded on the Sussex MI for a Richard Boniface to a Mary after 1716

Any other parishes likely?

Derek

[Sussex Turners]

Ben

I have some thoughts on James Boniface of West Grinstead. He wasn’t baptised as an infant, nor was his brother Richard, baptised at 14 years and my 4x Great grandfather Henry Ewens, the husband of their sister Lydia Boniface. Infants were normally baptised within a couple of months of birth so that if they died they could be buried at the local church but in their case I have a suspicion that they may have been born to catholic families.
West Grinstead has been a centre for Catholicism since the Caryll family purchased West Grinstead Park in 1638 and built a chapel. In fact so important was West Grinstead to the Catholics that there is the document West Grinstead Catholic Mission: registers 1705-1855 (Acc 12799) held at West Sussex Record Office, which I believe may hold some clues. The number of Catholics began to decline after 1753 when West Grinstead Park became the property of Merrik Burrell MP, as you may know Catholics were persecuted throughout this period and with their ‘champion’ gone I imagine many of them turned to the Church of England.
Here is some IGI & Parish Register info if you haven’t already found it:

Stephen Boniface bpt 1638 Woodmancote [IGI], married Jane Upten, 28/10/1673 Newtimber [IGI], Jane Upten bpt 23/03/1650 Hurstpierpoint daughter of Necolous Upten and Margra [IGI]

Thomas Boniface bpt 08/02/1679 Albourne son of Stephen Boniface and Jane [IGI], married Margaret

Richard Boniface bpt 05/10/1720 Albourne son of Thomas Boniface and Margaret, died 17/06/1787 Woodmancote [IGI], married Mary, 1746 West Grinstead [IGI] [This does not appear in the West Grinstead Parish register]

Lydia Boniface bpt 1751 West Grinstead daughter of Richard Boniface and Mary [IGI] [This does not appear in the West Grinstead Parish register]

Richard Boniface bpt 03/08/1760 West Grinstead (aged 14) son of Richard Boniface and Mary [West Grinstead General Register 1706-1812 par95/1/1/4 Fiche 1+], died 11/06/1807 [IGI]

James Boniface bpt 01/04/1766 West Grinstead (an adult) son of Richard Boniface and Mary [West Grinstead General Register 1706-1812 par95/1/1/4 Fiche 1+]

I hope this gives you another lead to follow if you haven’t yet found what you want.

Steve

[Pirate]

Thanks for the info on Catholic registers.
I have recently discovered that I have CARYLL ancestors, but have found very little in Parish registers.
A trip to the West Sussex Record Office is on the cards.

Pirate