Eastwood family - kent/sussex

[elzabels]

Hello

Have you thought there could be a transcription error in the name of Seddon / Eastman if you state Eastwood when ordering the certificate from GRO, if it is not they will refund your money!

[ladynicotine]

I hadn't thought about the transcription error - more importantly I didn't know that GRO will refund your money in such cases!

The family tree for John & Ann & their descendents was drawn up by a firm of solicitors some time in the 1980's, so I know that they had four children, & the years of their birth.  I can only find GRO references for 2 of the children - & I am descended from one of the outstanding 2, so I know she was definietly born!

Given that John's family were gypsys, I'm beginning to think they may just have jumped over a broomstick in a field somewhere, & never saw the need for an "official" wedding.

[elzabels]

I had a refund as the name did not match 100% with the request I made, the indexing was incorrect!

1871 RG10 885.5.5
HEASTERWOOD John 32 Horse dealer
HEASTERWOOD Ann Hawker
HEASTERWOOD MAtilda, is this Phoebe 11
HEASTERWOOD Harriett 9
HEASTERWOOD Caroline 5
HEASTERWOOD John 7

encamped with them arer John's parents John & Harriett

Certification

Harriett q2 1862 Dartford 2a 27
 
John q1 1864 Dartford 2a 314

Caroline q1 1865 Dartford 2a 315

You will find Phoebe's baptism on the IGI I suggest that you look at the original parish record entry to see what has been added to the record....the only Eastwood birth at that time I can find is for Victoria b 1859 Dartford

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true

Phoebe appeared to marry William WINGROVE, there so is with her parents in 1901

Latest informationn suggests that they had been married 50 years there were 7 children of which 4 were living!

[Romany Knaves]

I have a few Eastwoods that I collected looking for a connection in my family if they are any use to you they are;

Noah Eastwood mar 20 sep 1903 to Priscilla Brazil at Kilndown,Cranbrook,Kent
James Eastwood mar 21 sep 1903 Janetta Dilton at Biddenden,Kent
James Eastwood mar Mary Elliott 1842 Brighton,Sussex
Tom Eastwood mar Harriett Lovell 1880 Heathfield,Sussex
Hezekiah Eastwood mar Caroline Ellis 1885 Ticehurst,Sussex
Joseph Eastwood mar Susan Bignell 1868 Itchingfiels,Sussex
Phillis Eastwood mar Edward Bignell Swanscombe,Kent

I think a lot of the Eastwoods did seem to travel along with the Bignell's the connection that I was trying to find was Jones/Brazil/Eastwood to Boswell anyhow hope you find what you are looking for.

[Romany Knaves]

Sorry,I had some Burwash Eastwoods that may be more helpful,

James Eastwood birth 10th dec 1811 / christ 5th jan 1812 parents James & Philadelphia.
John Eastwood christning 22nd dec 1798 parents George & Elizabeth Eastwood.
George Eastwood birth 16th feb 1808 / christ 20th mar 1808 parents William & Philadelphia
George Eastwood birth 1762 parents William and Ann Eastwood.

all above are for Burwash,Sussex,Engalnd

[LiamJDB]

I was interested to read somebody mentioning the possibility of travellers marrying by jumping over a broomstick - I've just read "Marriage Law for Genealogists" by Professor Rebecca Probert, who's the world's leading authority on the history of marriage laws and practices, which explains in detail that the idea of broomstick weddings (and in fact handfasting and all other kinds of 'informal' marriage practices) are complete myths - that's not to say that the grandmother hadn't heard of them, but that they were the inventions of Victorian folklorists and never in fact happened. I'd highly recommend her book, as her research rules out the possibility that they might have jumped over a broomstick. Actually, as an additional thought, if you really do have contemporary evidence that any ancestors did quite literally jump over a broomstick then Professor Probert would I'm sure be very interested in hearing from you - she's at Warwick University and encourages genealogists to contact her with their stories of ancestors interesting marriages.

[ladynicotine]

Hi Liam

I don't know for certain that my relations "jumped over a broomstick".  I supposed what I really meant was that they may have gone through a some form of ceremony that meant they were married according to the view of their families/social group, but it was not formalised in a recognised church.  Thanks for the pointer on the book - I shall look it up.

Lady N

[LiamJDB]

Hi there, Lady N

Even for traveller and Romany communities, I've yet to see any shred of contemporary evidence of any kind that there was any practice involving jumping over a broom etc, and it's intriguing that the phrase has become so embedded within family history as a supposed marriage practice for them. The evidence seems to suggest that formal marriage was the accepted norm for travellers, but of course this community is by its very nature very hard to pin down and do rigorous cohort studies with. If you do ever come across any hard evidence of marriage practices which were accepted socially amongst these communities then Professor Probert would be very interested in following them up. (I'm both her husband, research assistant, and occasional academic publisher, so I'll admit an interest in her work!)

Best of luck with the marriage hunting!

Liam