Anything special about Pattingham

[LeedsHipPriest69]

I have family all born in and around Whitchurch Shropshire in the 1750's-1760's

The parents are Thomas Boulton (Bolton) and Margaret.

The only marriage I can find of a Thomas and Margaret within 50 miles of Whitchurch between say 1740 and 1755 is in the parish of Pattingham in 1754, Pattingham being a parish divided across the counties of Shropshire and Staffordshire.

Assuming this is the correct marriage, why marry 32 miles from Whitchurch ?

Others on Ancestry have suggested to a different Margaret in Bridgnorth in 1744, but I can find no records anywhere for any such marriage, and if that were the case that would have a 12 year gap from marriage to first born which seems too long.

[rosie99]

Is this the baptism of their son Charles at Ightfield 06 Jan 1756 - parents Thomas & Margaret  - it mentions Whitch* par.

Perhaps Margaret came from Pattingham.

[Rena]

Have a look at the terrain; people usually travelled via valleys and didn't climb mountains to go to church or the market. 

When a canal is built near any village people can appear many many miles from their home parish, unlike earlier times when couples met after travelling about 10 miles to a market, thus there was only 20 miles separating the families.
A vicar once told me that couples usually married in the large diocese church, which could be several miles from their homes and when they have their first child the wife often went home to her mother to have the first baby delivered. 

[Top-of-the-hill]

  "A vicar once told me that couples usually married in the large diocese church, which could be several miles from their homes"
   Does this relate to large Northern parishes? In my Southern researches, couples married in the parish church where one or both of them were living, which could be some distance from their homes.
   Not sure what you mean by large diocese church?

[LeedsHipPriest69]

Is this the baptism of their son Charles at Ightfield 06 Jan 1756 - parents Thomas & Margaret  - it mentions Whitch* par.

Perhaps Margaret came from Pattingham.

Yes this is their son, my 5th great grandfather

As for Margaret, well the Margaret that married in Pattingham in 1754 was named Bishop. This is the marriage I am leaning towards at the moment.

In terms of Margaret Bishops born around this time, I can find two possibles bap Bridgnorth 1712 and Whitchurch 1727

Just been looking at a map at Bridgnorth is a mere 8 miles from Pattingham.

[coombs]

I see the witnesses to the 1754 marriage are William Murray and Wm Devey. It seems the 2nd witness, Wm Devey was a regular witness to marriages.

[Rena]

  "A vicar once told me that couples usually married in the large diocese church, which could be several miles from their homes"
   Does this relate to large Northern parishes? In my Southern researches, couples married in the parish church where one or both of them were living, which could be some distance from their homes.
   Not sure what you mean by large diocese church?

I automatically thought he meant Cathedrals.


We have many towns, villages and hamlets in our Counties.  Thus there are several parishes in church diocese:-

"The number of parishes in a diocese can vary significantly. For example, the Diocese of London includes 413 parishes, while the Archdiocese of Southwark has 175 parishes. The Catholic Diocese of Oxford has 624 parishes, while the Diocese of Durham has 209 parishes"

[emeltom]

I  believe, although I may be wrong, that the 'large church' mentioned is usually the mother church for the diocese. Many coupled chose to travel to and marry in the mother church in order to save money. If they married in their Parish church they had tp pay to both the Parish church and the mother church. Going straight to the mother church cut out a payment.