Hedges, of Braintree and Bocking ..... or?

[DBCoup]

Thanks again grisel. I have turned up supporting evidence that Thomas Hedges the son of Joseph Hedges and Lydia Ralph may very well be the person I am after. The Grainger connection requires that Thomas has a sister named Maria, otherwise Thomas Hedges (who married Rebecca Saward) and Thomas Grainger could not be cousins. Castle Hedingham baptismal records show
Thomas son of Jospeh & Lydia Hedges was baptised April 25 1798
and
Maria daughter of Joseph & Lydia Hedges was baptised Novr 30th 1800

I still want to work out why Thomas and Maria Grainger named one of their sons "William Hedges Grainger" - if this is the right family then clearly not named after his maternal grandfather ....

[grisel]

The names do fit even though we don't have a definite link. I do wish Joseph had been a weaver though! I think Joseph may have died in 1817 so you could check his burial record. Lydia I think died in 1839 and it would definitely be worth checking her death certificate.
I think it is likely that Joseph and Lydia had their first child William in 1787, baptised Chelmsford 1792, which could be where the William came from (though it is a very common name).