Current Dead Ends

ROBERT WHITAKER

We suspect that Robert was born about 1771, and our earliest knowledge of him is when he married Ann Reppen (see our Reppen Family Tree)
29 June 1796 at St. Patrick's Church, Nuthall, Nottinghamshire.

We know of two children christened of Robert Whitaker [sic] and Ann, in that area :-
Thomas baptised 11 September 1796 at Greasley, Notts.
Ann baptised 13 July 1800 at Nuthall, Notts.

Two more children were christened in Nottingham a few years later, and after failing to find another possible Robert & Ann Whittaker, we assume that ours had moved to the city:-
Elizabeth baptised 13 July 1803 at St. Mary's Church, Nottm.
Robert baptised 22 December 1806 at St. Mary's Church, Nottm.

To substantiate this connection we find that:-
Ann Whitaker was buried 10 April 1825 at St. Nicholas' Church, Nottingham.
Her abode was Castle Gate and she was age 50. (Which fits with the baptismal details we have of Ann Reppen)

Robert Whitaker was buried 11 March 1828, also at St. Nicholas' Church, Nottingham. His abode was Pavement and he was age 56. This gives us a possible birth date for him. (Assuming that it was indeed our Robert and Ann)

We have been unable to find any Wills, although Robert Whitaker paid rates to the Parish of St. Nicholas in 1822 & 1823. His address in 1822 was given as Castle Gate, and in 1823 as Gastle Gate Yard. The annual rateable values were £2 and £1.5s respectively.

We would be grateful for any information that might lead us to the baptism or origins of our illusive Robert Whitaker.............contact us

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To our Whittaker Family Tree

FRANCES STERLAND / STIRLAND

Thomas Whitaker married Frances Stirland 14th October 1817 at St. Mary's Church, Greasley, Nottinghamshire.

Their son Robert was baptized less than 4 months later, and they had a least three more children before Frances was buried 6th April 1826 at Greasley, aged 30 years. If her age was correct, then she would have been born about 1796, the same as her husband. We have been unable to find a Frances Stirland (or Sterland) baptized around this date.

One theory, which is shared by other researchers, is the christening of a Frances Sterland, base daughter of Betsy Sterland and Francis Truman 20th October 1789 at Greasley, Notts. However, this would make her aged about 28 when she married Thomas, who was only 21 years old.

Another theory is that it was our Frances who was baptized
14 August 1801 at Nottingham St. Peter's - daughter of Edward & Maria Sterland
We have never found the marriage of Edward & Maria, and do not know how old their Frances was when she was baptized. However, she would have been at least 16 years old when she married and no more than 5 years younger than Thomas.

We would be grateful for any ideas or information regarding our ellusive Frances Sterland.......Please contact us

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THOMAS EDIS

From 1851 census we believed our Thomas Edis was born about 1787, but up until recently we had no idea where. We couldn't read the entry of his birth place on the 1851 census and received various suggestions, from Carrington, Nottingham, to Warmington, Norfolk.

However, thanks to a  fellow researcher we now know of a baptism on 2 November 1788 in Paston, Northamptonshire, of Thomas, son of Thomas and Mary Edis of Werrington. 

Then we were sent an extract from a will:-

Church of England, Diocese of Peterborough, Consistory Court (proved at P'boro),
Registered wills 1826-1835 (LDS film number #0174913). 
27 Jun 1829 (Proved), Thomas Edis of Werrington, shoemaker, (leaves) to
eldest son David Edis who now lives in London 10 pounds;
to my youngest son who now lives in Nottingham, Thomas Edis, 15 pounds;
to second son John Edis the 'rest, residue' (etc of the estate). 
Executors were 'good friends Robert Bodger and Clement Whitehead of Werrington, farmers'. 
Witnesses were Thomas Holt and John Garner (X).  Effects 'sworn under 200 pounds'.
Unfortunately his wife was not mentioned - perhaps she had died?

This was the proof we needed that our Thomas Edis was born in Northamptonshire

There are three entries on the IGI which add to the confusion:-
Thomas Edis married Mary Brooks 7 Dec 1780 in Paston,
Thomas Edis married Elizabeth Hides 1 July 1782 at Paston
Thomas Edis married Sarah Tilley 18 June 1793 at Paston

As baptisms found of children of Thomas and Mary were from 1781 to 1791, "our" Thomas could not have married Elizabeth Hides in 1782. So who did?
It is possible that either Mary Brooks or Elizabeth Hides died and her husband then married Sarah Tilley. But which one?
We have not got access to all of the parish records of Paston as yet, but we are working on it!

Can you help? Do you know anything about the Edis family of Northamptonshire? Please contact us

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Index of more EDIS information

RATCLIFF

Thomas Ratcliff married Elizabeth Radford at Mansfield Notts. 7th August 1803, the entry states that both Thomas & Elizabeth are 21 years of age. Their first child, James, was bapt 1 May 1804 at Mansfield, another 13 children were bapt. at Mansfield between 1805 & 1828 including our direct ancestor, Moses Ratcliff, on 20 March 1809.

The Family were living on Duck Lane, Mansfield, in 1814 when they buried their daughter, Hannah, and
were still on Duck Lane on the 1841 census where Thomas states that he was 60 years old and "not of this county".
Marriage and census information therefore indicate Thomas to have been born c.1781.
We have not found a settlement certificate for our Thomas but have found one dated 3rd April 1788 for a Moses Ratcliffe, his wife Mary, and children Sarah, Mary, Moses, Elizabeth and Alice. This family were from Chesterfield, Derbyshire and were settling in Mansfield.
We have now managed to trace our Ratcliff family back to Chesterfield and are pretty sure that this Moses was related to them.  However, the certificate does present a problem.  Please see our page about Moses and we would be very grateful if you can help us.   Please contact us

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