Hereford Look-Up Request- Blakemere

[nigelspicer]

Hello

I was hoping someone could do a look up for me for a marriage possibly performed in Blakemere. I have several children born to a James Winston and Elizabeth christened in Blakemere between Feb 1727 and Jun 1738. My believe is that this James was christened in Madley on 22 Sep 1701.
So possibly the marriage took place in Blakemere around 1726, although I recognise that it may have happened elsewhere.

Many thanks for any help!

[Spidermonkey]

Herefordshire Record Office is still closed at the moment - should be open by "late spring" (which is a beautifully vague description!) so if it is not online, then the next best bet might be contacting Herefordshire Family History Society http://www.herefordshirefhs.org.uk/

[mazi]

There is a James Winston christened in Preston on Wye 16 dec 1673, father James mother Rebecca,
Possible grandparent.

Logically your James christened in Madley married Susan kisby inPreston on Wye 17 dec 1724,
I can find no children of this marriage tho, I have not looked for Susan's death or christening

Mike
Add

Mentioned this only because I see your James and Eliz. had a daughter Rebekka

[mazi]

Googling James winston Herefordshire produces a will for James Winston gent. Of blakemere in 1648.

Other results indicate they are a family of some wealth

Mike

[mazi]

Yet more possibly unimportant info,  sometime after 1580 blakemere and Preston on Wye churches merged into one. An Edward Winston is a curate at this church in the early 1700's, possibly 1727-1740.

Mike

[nigelspicer]

Thanks for the replies. I did actually contact Herefordshire Archives to get a quote to copy a 1686 will of a James Winston of Blakemere ( I've already seen the 1648 one) but I guess because they are shut they deal with all copying requests by referring them to their researchers at research rates plus copying charges so I guess I'll leave that one for now. By the way they are now saying summer 2015 to reopen!
Unfortunately there are rather a lot of Winston's in this part of the world at that time. Mike why do you think that the James who was christened in Madley logically married Susan Kisby. He could have married Elizabeth couldn't he?
Thanks again for the suggestions.

[Spidermonkey]

If it is any help, I am a mere stones throw away from Madley and Blakemere, so if you want I can go and have a wander around the gravestones to see if there are any remaining Winston inscriptions?

[nigelspicer]

Hello Spidermonkey

If the weather's good and your happy to do it then yes that could prove fruitful.

Many Thanks

Nigel

[mazi]

I never knew Blakemere had a church.  . I did visit Preston on Wye once.

My experience is that very little prior to the 1800's is readable, all the sandstone ones have lost their
top layer.

The churchdatabase does not know when the two churches combined, and has no record of a visit by a bishops representative, I wonder if any bishops transcripts ever got sent.

Mike