BECK/FAWDREY/TIDMARSH/PEACHEY

[Roses]

Hi,

I discovered this website by accident, and I'm very glad I did.

It all started about a month ago, my mother received a letter from Brian Fawdray in New Zealand, who is trying to trace his family, who originally came from Enstone. He wrote to four Fawdrays in this area.

His great great grandfather William migrated to New Zealand in 1874. The family sailed from England on the 'waimate' departing 27/10/1874 arriving in Lyttleton 25/1/1875.

My mothers family 'BECK' come from Enstone, Great Tew, and surrounding villages, my fathers side come from Kiddington, Bladon, Charlbury, Fawler.

We have a family tree but cannot locate any members of Brians family or our family on it.

My great great grandmother Eliza Peachey was born in Charlbury 29 Mar 1845, she was the daughter of James Peachey and Maria Willis. My great grandmother was the daughter of Eliza Peachey, her name was Louisa Tidmarsh, she married my great grandfather Richard Fawdrey. She already had a son Arthur Algernon who was born out of wedlock, and took her surname. I would love to trace the real father of Arthur Algernon Fawdrey.

I am very new to this game and would probably never started tracing my family if it hadn't been for Brians letter.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Geoffers]

HiIt all started about a month ago, my mother received a letter from Brian Fawdray in New Zealand, who is trying to trace his family, who originally came from Enstone. He wrote to four Fawdrays in this area. His great great grandfather William migrated to New Zealand in 1874.

Any idea of rough year of birth for William FAWDR(A/E)Y? Does he turn up in the 1871 census?

My great great grandmother Eliza Peachey was born in Charlbury 29 Mar 1845, she was the daughter of James Peachey and Maria Willis

Just to make sure that I have the correct family, is this the group at RG10/1455 f15 p22 - Hunt's Farm, Pound Hill, Charlbury, with Louisa aged 6? (1871 census)

her name was Louisa Tidmarsh, she married my great grandfather Richard Fawdrey. She already had a son Arthur Algernon who was born out of wedlock, and took her surname. I would love to trace the real father of Arthur Algernon Fawdrey.

Any clues from the birth certificate? Arthur Algernon appears to have been born in 1884 in Steeple Barton - Have you tried running through the 1881/91 census to see if there was an adult Arthur Algernon - or just plain Algernon living in the Bartons?

Any idea where Richard FAWDREY was in 1884?

[Roses]

William Fawdrey was born 10 July 1835 in Enstone, it could be him on the 1871 census as born at Woodstock, I think Enstone parish comes under Woodstock.? I will need to investigate this further.

Arthur Algernon (Tidmarsh) (Fawdrey) is the same one born in 1884 in Steeple Barton. Again I will check the 1881/91 census to see if there was an adult Arthur Algernon.

You probably know but 'Algernon' is a French name, the family thinks we descended from the 'Huguenots' in the 1600's when we moved to England, (don't know how true this is).

Thanks Geoff for pointing me in the right direction to check these things out.
This will keep me busy for a while.

Roses

[Roses]

Forgot to answer your other question.

Yes I'm sure it's the family who lived at Hunt's farm in Charlbury. This rings bells somewhere.

[Geoffers]

William Fawdrey was born 10 July 1835 in Enstone, it could be him on the 1871 census as born at Woodstock, I think Enstone parish comes under Woodstock.? I will need to investigate this further.

Census returns should show the place of birth (parish, or town) rather than district.

I think I found your ol'bor at:

RG10/1442 f43 p5
Mill St Islip
William FAWDREY, hd, mar, 35, ag.lab, bn Enstone
Eliza Fawdrey, wf, mar, 32, bn Stanton St.John
Esther Fawdrey, dau, 1, bn Islip

You probably know but 'Algernon' is a French name, the family thinks we descended from the 'Huguenots' in the 1600's when we moved to England, (don't know how true this is).

Unless the name is handed down generation after generation, I'd ignore this for the time being. Family stories can act as a distraction; in trying to show Arthur's parentage, concentrate on the direct information relating to him - keep the other information in the back of your mind for when it is needed.

In trying to establish the parentage, you will (with difficulty) need to establish where his mum was living, her job, things that may be relevant to her circumstances - try checking the banns register to see if she try to get married about this time and if there were any objections, check to see if she was admitted to the workhouse. Look all the way through the parish register to see if the vicar added any notes - bits of gossip - anywhere, some (Not many) did this in the form of a journal. Check the parish register for baptisms to see if there are any hints. It's difficult to establish who the father was, but sometimes possible.

[Geoffers]

Roses - I've moved this thread over to the Oxfordshire forum where folks who are specifically interested in the county and just look for threads relating to it, may pick it up.

For anyone picking up this thread from new, it has another one which is associated with it and may be of interest, you'll find it here

In the second thread, you asked about Bastardy Bonds. A very short precis:

Legislation in 1733 required women to declare when they were pregnant with an illegitimate child and to give details of the father to the parish. Parish officials would then attempt to make the father cough up maintenance by way of a Bond of Indemnity which was either a lump sum or money paid over a period of time. If need be a warrant could be issued to arrest the dad. This changed with an amendment to the Poor Law in the mid-19th century, from which time the mother of an illegit chld could apply for maintenance at the court (Petty Sessions) and you do sometimes find information there.

[Geoffers]

In case to helps to give an idea of how you can use records to eventually reach the truth about a father of an illegitimate child, have a browse of this thread which I posted in 2007. See this link

[janbooth]

I have had a look through The Oxfordshire FHS PR transcripts of Steeple Barton to see if there were any clues as to Arthur's parentage but he was not baptised in Steeple Barton. The family appear on the 1891 census of Shipton on Cherwell as follows:

RG12/1173, folio 80, page 1
Shipton Farm

Richard FAWDRY Head M 34 Agricultural Laborer Oxfordshire Kidlington
Louisa do Wife M 26 do Fawler
Arthur A TIDMARSH Stepson 6 do Steeple Barton
James do Lodger S 16 Agricultural Laborer do Hampton Poyle

In the 1901 census of Kiddington, he is now known as Arthur FAWDRY and living with Richard & Louisa. There is a marriage registration for Louisa TIDMARSH & Richard FAWDREY in the September qtr 1889 at Woodstock registration district, vol 3a, page 1242 - in case you do not already have it.

Louisa is in Oxford St Giles in the 1881 census working as a domestic servant in the household of a William DOLLEY.

HTH

Janet

[janbooth]

Roses,

Further to my last post, from the OFHS PR transcripts of Kidlington:

28 September 1889 Richard FAWDRY, 34, widower, labourer, of the parish, son Richard, labourer married Louisa TIDMARSH, 24, spinster, of the parish, daughter Charles, labourer. Witnesses: John TIDMARSH Annie TIDMARSH

I also looked on Oxford St Giles for the baptism of Arthur Algernon, but no joy there either, nor was he baptised at Kidlington.

Janet

[Roses]

Thanks Janbooth and Geoffers for all your information, it has been very helpful.

I will try and find further info on Arthur and his family. His stepfather Richard Fawdrey was previously married and had a child but they both died.

Thanks again

Roses