LAWS - Hoxne

[Anny]

Can anyone help with this one please.  I have all info, marr cert, census etc back to 1818-1819 Apprentice Indenture for John Laws,  (being over the age of 9 years, so supposedly born c1810)to Jonas Smith of Hoxne, cordwainer.  On everything I have found so far it states he was born in Hoxne, Suffolk but I haven't been able to find a baptism/christening for him.

The App Indenture was in the Parish of Dickleburgh, Norfolk and has John Law's father as John Laws, labourer of Hoxne.  There was also a Settlement Examination for John Snr in the Parish of Needham but I only have an abstract which doesn't give any further  info re the rest of the family.

There may also be a brother Samuel Laws born around 1805-1810.

Any help or pointers would be much appreciated.

Anny

[maudarby]

Hi Anny
What year was the settlement examination. I think it might be worth following this up because there may also have been a removal order which might name John snrs wife & children.

Maudarby

[Anny]

Hello Maudarby

Settlement examination was 29 April 1831, to date I haven't been able to find a removal order nor a settlement certificate.

[Keziah2]

Hello Anny

There was certainly at least one couple baptising children in Hoxne around that time

John LAWS & Lydia - first child recorded on pilot.familysearch.org is a Harriet LAWS 19 May 1814 Hoxne. 

I have checked the Suffolk Marriage Index 1813-37 & John Laws & Lydia must have either been married pre 1813 or out of County -  Hoxne is not that far from the Norfolk border.

There are a tremendous number of LAWES/LAWS burials in Hoxne St Peter & St Paul recorded on the Suffolk Burial Index, starting around 1720, which suggests that the name had been in that area some time. 

I found one other couple that might fit the bill as far as his fathers name goes:

John LAWES & Mary (late Catling)

They buried an inf daughter in 1787 and a 20 year old daughter in 1792 so I suspect this is a bit early for the parents of your John.

In 1841 John LAWS & Lydia are living in Worlingworth, south of Hoxne.  They have a son Samuel born c1811

in 1851 John LAWS born c1805 is living in Hoxne, shoemaker, wife Mary (born Banham, Norfolk) children John 1831, Henry 1835, Martha 1838, Harriot 1840, Alfred 1843, George 1846, James 1849.

Keziah


10.25am
ps.  This could be the marriage of John c1805
From the Suffolk Marriage Index:  John LAWS m Mary BURRETT 31 Jul 1828 Hoxne.

I have found these bpts for John & Lydia in Hoxne from the Suffolk Bapt Index
George LAWES bpt 3 Mar 1822
William LAWES bpt 3 Mar 1822 (age 2 yrs)

ALFRED LAWS bpt 21 Sep 1823
George LAWS bpt 6 Oct 1827 (born 24 Dec 1825)
Harriet LAWS bpt 19 May 1814 (parents John LAWS & Lydia BARTRAM)

Unfortunately the Index only starts at 1813 so it doesn't help with anything pre this time for that couple.

[Anny]

Thanks for all that info Keziah you've certainly given me plenty to mull over.  I think I have come across John Laws & Lydia before but didn't follow them up as I couldn't find a child of theirs named John (you would think they would have children called John and Lydia but then they wouldn't show up if the index is post-1813). John Lawes & Mary Catling are new to me.

As you say there were certainly a lot of Laws/Lawes in the area.

Plenty to keep me occupied this weekend trying to get my head around it all.

Thanks again
Regards
Anny

[Keziah2]

It did cross my mind Anny that John & Mary (late Catling) could be the parents of John c1781 on the 1841C (as in John & Lydia) but obviously access to the actual Hoxne PR's would be needed to establish that as there seems to be a lack of info from other sources.

I hope you can trace your John c1805 - fingers x'd there are some very kind people in Suffolk

Keziah

[Keziah2]

My last tea break of the day & I thought you might like the details of the children of John C1805 (Shoemaker/cordwainer) & Mary - all bapt at Hoxne - the similarity in names to those children of John & Lydia is probably a fairly good clue.

4 Jan 1829  Edgar LAWES
4 Jul 1830   John LAWES
1 Jul 1832  William LAWES
5 Oct 1834  Henry LAWES
30 Jun 1837 Martha LAWES
18 Oct 1840 Harriet LAWES
10 Dec 1843  Alfred LAWES
12 Nov 1848 George LAWES
12 Nov 1848 James LAWES

Keziah

[Annette7]

Should this turn out to be your 'couple' FreeReg shows John Laws married Lydia Bartram 12/10/1801 Dickleburgh, Norfolk.

Annette

[Anny]

Thanks for your replies Keziah & Annette, I didn't get the notification that any more replies had been posted.  I just thought I would google Lydia Bartram and the rootschat posts popped up there.  I've got baptisms for most of the Lawes children of John & Mary as I thought I'd go for broke and buy the Suffolk Baptism Index - Hoxne Deanery 1813-1900.  At the same time I got the microfiche for Hoxne marriages which goes way back in time but I haven't come up with many Laws in that one.  They seem to be floating back and forward across the border to Norfolk and later John & Mary move up to Durham.  I found on the Family Search site the marriage of John Laws & Lydia Bartram which confirms the FreeReg info you gave me Annette and that was in Dickleburgh so they keep going back to that area it seems.  Family Search also have images of the Norfolk Poor Law records so I might try going through them page by page and see if I can find anything.  I haven't found anywhere that I can purchase pre 1813 baptism records yet but will keep looking.

Thank you again for all your help.

Anny