Witham Parish records

[wdurham]

Many thanks, Diblet - at least that's St Nicholas ruled out!

The family were non-conformists, but they still had to be married in a church, so they have to be somewhere....!

[Diblet]

If you know they were non-conformists, I doubt very much if they'd have got married in a parish C of E church.

A lot of the non-conformist denominations had their own records and burial grounds, so I'd check them first before normal parish church ones.

 

[wdurham]

I have    - which is how I have the baptisms...

But as far as I am aware, with the exception of Jews and Quakers, all marriages (if they were to be legal!) had to take place in a parish church prior to 1837.

[Diblet]

Hi again Wendy

Have you managed to track down Thomas Abbott's first marriage in Witham?

There is Emmens activity in Witham St Nicholas parish but not for the Esther you're looking for!

 

[wdurham]

Yes, Diblet - Thomas first married Elizabeth Smee on 30 Apr 1798. She appears to have died (registered as Mrs Thomas Abbott) in January 1830, and he then married Esther on 27 Oct 1833.

He wasn't very diligent about baptising his children from either marriage - he seems to have baptised the eldest in each case - both apparently in the parish church - and then forgotten about the rest! His son Thomas from his first marriage did better - most of the children of Thomas Jnr and Jemima were baptised at the Witham Independent Meeting, as were most of the Emmens family.

I may have to give up on my elusive Mr Monteith. He and Esther only had one child, who did not marry and died childless herself. But the name Monteith has survived as a middle name in our family and I have always wanted to know who he was!  Of course it's perfectly possible that Esther was never married to Mr Monteith at all - like at least two of her sisters, and her own daughters later, she may have gone into service in London, and anything could have happened!

[chrislb]

I've got some Witham parish registers (St Nicholas) and wondered who you were looking for and when?

They're not indexed yet but if you can pinpoint a decade and I've got it covered I'll have a look for you!

 

Hi Diblet,

I saw your above quoted post and was wondering if you might be able to have a look at said parish registers for any occurence of the Harris family?  pre 1830 is fine   The foremost name I am interested in is Gregory Harris, born c 1781ish and his forebears. Gregory's sons (and a daughter I believe, Elizabeth) were all born in Hatfield Peverel but I as yet have found no baptism records for them either.  Would you know if any are available to search online? 

Chris.

[Diblet]

Hi Chris

Could you be a bit more specific about what you are hoping I'll find in Witham?

I had a quick look at baptisms between 1775 and 1783 and although there is Harris activity, there's not a baptism for a Gregory Harris.

Do you know where he was born? Have you found him on a census with a place of birth?
Was he married in Witham? When were his children born?

Any extra pointers would be appreciated. As I've mentioned before, my registers aren't indexed yet and it's a busy church, so having more positive things to look up at this stage would be appreciated!

 

[chrislb]

ah well all I can tell you is he had 4 children that I know of - Elizabeth born um... 1798ish to his first wife, Elizabeth (I think) and John, William and James born to his second wife, Martha (also of Witham parish, don't know her maiden name).  John was born c1814, William born c1817 and James c1819 (probably 1820).  My husband is descended from James.  They were all born, and grew up in, Hatfield Peverel.  Gregory died around 1840, I think.... I am going from memory here.... I do know that John, and William, were living in Hatfield Pev. in 1851 along with mum Martha.  Or at least William was.  James married Elizabeth McKenzie in 1844 in London.  John's wife was also an Elizabeth.  John moved to Little Badlow as his children were all born there.  William married a...Jane I think?? James' only child was called Martha.  John had a daughter Martha.  William's wife was actually Margaret I think as his daughter was Jane.  William at one time lived in Withyham, Sussex (1870's) then moved to Kent I think after James's death.  James was the innkeeper at the Dorset Arms Inn at Withyham Sussex in the 1870's. I will check the details and edit this post if necessary.

[juliad]

Hello Diblet,

I found your post about the Witham parish registers and wondered if you still have them and whether you might be willing to look up some records for me?  I'm particularly interested in finding the baptisms of James William Blaxall born about 1805 and his sister Lucy who was born about 1789 (she was born out of Witham, so I'm not sure if she was baptised there).  I would also like to know if you can find a burial for a William Walford between ~1833 & June 1841, he would have been ~40-55 years.

I'm also looking for baptisms of an Eliza Walford born ~1835 & her brother James Walford born ~1825, both children of William Walford & Lucy; and also a marriage between James Blaxall & Lucy that took place about 1828.

Many thanks,
Julia