Mendham Baptisms

[Siamese Girl]

I'm looking for the baptism of a John Smith who said that he was born in Mendham c.1735. He had a brother Charles also said to be born there c.1728. A third brother William gave his birthplace as Harleson c.1726.

Their father was William Smith the rector of St Mary and St Cross South Elmham 1722-1767. To be honest it would seem more logical to me that he would have baptised his own children in his own parish, but Mendham and Harleston are the villages they named as their birthplaces.

I'd really like to find out the name of William's wife - searching for John and William Smiths is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack 

Thanks

Carole

[pamdragon]

Carole,

The following is from Mendham PR's

William Smith bap. 18/10/1725                  William (clerk) and Frances
Charles Smith bap 5/12/1726                    Mr Wm Smith Esq and Frances
Frances Smith bap 1/2/1726/7                  Mr Wm Smith Esq and Frances
James Smith bap 29/7/1729                     William and Frances
James Smith bap 20/10/1732                   William (clerk) and Frances

There is no mention of John, I am afraid.

Hope that helps.

Pam

[Siamese Girl]

Thank you very much - that's brilliant information, even if John wasn't baptised there, that's the family and I now know his mother was called Frances - it narrows things down a bit 

Carole

[RossT]

Rev Wm Smith 'of Mendham', reader of the chapel in that town and rector of Homersfield and St Cross ---may help to explain.  see below

http://books.google.co.nz/books?id=Z-BBAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA888&lpg=PA888&dq=rector+william+smith+mendham&source=bl&ots=GG2Amec3qw&sig=rUF6bwFvYm1yw9COuAkI8MnTPL8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tXiYT-eeDsaZiQfDlMjjBQ&ved=0CCAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=rector%20william%20smith%20mendham&f=false

Ross

[Siamese Girl]

Thank you. I'm still interested in the family and other documents do show the relationships, I just haven't found the missing baptism yet.

Carole

[Suffolk Mawther]

Shrink Link shortens that long link to

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0loq/

 

Pat ...

[schnortles]

Hi looking at the Mendham/Harleston confusion.  Due to the strange drawing of Parish boundary you could be born more or less in the center of Harleston and still be in the parish of Mendham - the parish boundary coming right up to the south west boundary of the market place.

Even though Mendham is a Suffolk Village this means the parish boundary travels over a mile into Norfolk!  i.e you can be simultaneously and accurately both be born in Mendham and in Harleston!

[Siamese Girl]

Which is why the parish officials would annually walk the parish bounds so that each new generation learnt exactly where the parish boundaries lay - I wonder how many people today, especially in towns, are even aware of the concept of the word 'parish' let alone where the boundaries are?

Carole

[Suffolk Mawther]

Many parishes here in Suffolk still 'beat the bounds', as we do in Framlingham.

There are photographs of beating the bounds in the 1960s using a tractor, which is often the case nowadays to get around the farm lands.
www.framlinghamarchive.org.uk

SM