I am fairly certain that my GGGgrandfather was John Reynolds of Newcastle under Lyme, a slipmaker. From the 1851 and 1861 census records he appears to have been born in Ipstones/Hipstones, Staffordshire. And he seems to have been born about 1780. His death record also indicates a birth year of 1780. I have good reason to believe that he was a Roman Catholic for two reasons. His daughter my GGgrandmother (Martha) and my GGgrandfather (Joseph Barrow) were married in Holy Trinity Roman Catholic Chapel, Newcastle under Lyme. I have found the baptismal record for another of his daughters, also at Holy Trinity.
Looking through Ancestry, I found in the Staffordshire Probate and Parish Records, Roman Catholic Registers, the following baptismal listing: 17 Dec 1780-1781 Jno Reynolds s. of John and Mary Reynolds Godfather and mother Joseph Warrilow and Eliz. Cope, legitimus.
I then checked the IGI and found what appears to be the same record as: John Reynolds to John and Mary Reynolds; christening: 17 DEC 1780 Saint Mary-Rc, Cresswell, Stafford, England. So one can see that with the christening date of 1780 and the 1851/61 census records suggesting a birth year of 1780 I am tempted to believe I have found the christening record of my GGGgrandfather. Unfortunately the LDS microfilm (0873649) does not circulate here in the states, so I can't check further details.
Checking GENUKI, it appears that there is not a Roman Catholic Chapel in Ipstones, but Ipstones is very close to Cresswell, maybe 7 Kilometers. Is it possible that someone listed in the census records as born in Ipstones could have been christened in Cresswell (1780)? Another question is the phrase " Godfather and mother Joseph Warrilow and Eliz. Cope, legitimus" Can I assume that these Godparents are related to the Reynolds or is that too great a step to take?
Any help and opinions here would be appreciated so as to tell me whether I am just wishing this record to be part of my family history.
Best regards,
Bob Croman
