William Prestige/PESTRIDGE, born c1745

[geoffpowers]

I am trying to find the place and date of birth of William, whose surname is variously recorded as Prestige, Prestidge, Prestage, PESTRIDGE.

In LDS IGI Family Search the marriage of a William Prestige to Mary Saunders is recorded on 5 November 1771 in Hampton in Arden. This date fits perfectly with the birth of their eldest child, Sarah, in 1772.

Mary Sa(u)nders was baptised in Knowle on 4 April 1752.

William and Mary apparently settled in Knowle after their marriage and the surname of their children was recorded as PESTRIDGE, a spelling which has persisted to the present time.

In the form Prestidge/Prestage the surname occurs in Brailes from the 17C onwards, and is also recorded in the mid 18C in Southam and Priors Hardwick, and in the west of Northants at Culworth and Moreton Pinkney.

There is no record in IGI of the surname in Knowle or nearby parishes before the date of William's marriage to Mary Sanders, which, to me, suggests that he was probably an incomer to the Knowle/Hampton in Arden area.

The baptism of a William Prestidge is recorded in Priors Hardwick on 10 January 1747. It would be gratifying to learn that this is in fact the William I am seeking. His age would fit very well with the other facts known about this married couple, and Knowle is only some 20-25 miles fom Priors Hardwick.

Alternatively, if another William Prestige/Pestridge were to come 'out of the woodwork' in Knowle or a nearby parish my problems might be over. As it may be a while before I can get to Stratford SBTRO or Warwicks RO again I would be very grateful for any clues!

HELP! HELP!

Geoff