BREIGHT Family of Ramsbury, Wiltshire

[fullback]

I am seeking information on a Leah Bright who I believe was the daughter of Martha Bright.  Martha Bright was baptised at Ramsbury, Wilts, on 13 June 1802 and was the daughter of Thomas Bright and Mary Hopes who married on 2 July 1797 at Aldbourne.

Martha registered the baptisms at Ramsbury of Joseph on 31 Jan 1830 and Mary Anne on 8 Jan1831.

However I can find no baptismal or 1841 census record for Leah Bright who married John Embling at Holy trinity, Ardington, Berks, on 15 March 1842.  They married by licence with Laeh supposedly of full age - hoever it is believed she may have been born c1824-26.

Cheers

Fulllback

[warncoort]

Do you have Leah's marriage certificate?Have you found Leah in later census?Note marriage index has John's surname as Emblin.
You make no mention of Martha's marriage so Leah may carry any surname.

[fullback]

Yes I do have her marriage certificate but it gives no detail of actual age or birth place (only married by licence and of full age).  John and Leah Emblin (the name is spelt various ways) emigrated to New Zealand in May 1841 so no later census records.  Her death certificate states she was born in Wiltshire.

We believe, from letters to Leah in NZ from cousins in the Uk that she was the illegimate daughter of Martha, likewise her siblings Joseph and Mary Anne.  Martha married Thomas Bright in March 1831 at Ramsbury

Re 1841 I have had no luck with the Bright or Moody surnames, or even Leah as forename with birth in Berkshire or Wiltshire.

Cheers

[cminton]

Hi Fullback, delighted to find your post, 12 months after you put it up. Leah Bright is my gggrandmother. She is difficult to trace! My mother, some years ago, tried to uncover her background by interviews in Leah's Embling family and through documentary research. She made reference in her notes to letters to Leah by relatives in the UK, perhaps the same ones you mention? I have not seen these letters, knowing of them only by reference. Perhaps you are one of the NZ Emblings?

So your post is very interesting to me. I would be delighted to finally see content of the letters if that is possible. My mother's Notes , documents and family photos were dispersed after her death, some going to the Howick Historical Society and some returning to me several years ago.

Are you still involved in this research? You might have seen this photo I attach?

Regards,
Clive Minton

[fullback]

Hi Clive -
John and Leah Embling are also my wife's gggrandparents - nee Joanne Longley and ggranddaughter of Martha and Fred Carter.  She has both books by your mother on the Embling family and I got a copy of Alan Spence's book, "A Carter Chronicle".  They are the source of my observations about Leah's parentage.  I have no letters as such.
Thanks for the photo - it is a treasure and different from those in the books.

I have not done much research on the Embling/Carter families since I included the 1911 UK census.

Cheers

[cminton]

Well, I wonder if you or Joanne have any inkling of where those letters to Leah might be. I would love to see them before they get lost, if they aren't already. Any ideas? I grew up not knowing even of the existence of Charles, or George, Carter and their families, only the daughters. Don't know why.

With best wishes,
Clive

[fullback]

Sorry Clive but I have no idea where those letters might be.  Have you seen Alan Spence's notes on pp 50-51 of his book?  If not I could scan them for you - if so, let me know your email address.

Alan Spence might have some idea: his address is  21B/66 Avonleigh Road, Green Bay - 09 817 6899.

Cheers

[cminton]

Yes, I have seen Alan's book. Thanks for your offer. I just wanted to check those letters myself. I think I already asked him about them. He also relied on Mum's work. The idea of Leah's background all sounds quite probable, especially as Martha Bright and her family moved from Ramsbury to Wantage, nearby John Embling, perhaps on her wedding in 1832.

Both families, John's and Leahs, were of very humble means. I found Thomas Moody in 1841 in Workhouse Row in Wantage, working as a Hawker. The emigration opened up profound changes for them, not to mention their descendants!

Best wishes.

[GeorgiyH]

Very interesting to find this. Leah Bright is my g.g.g.grandmother though her daughter Mary, who married John Kemp. I wonder where can one get a copy of Alan Spence's book?