Genealogy Chat

As I go through Parish Registers searching for records re my one name study I always note down any interesting or unusual entries. Will start this thread with one that made me smile from the Burial Register of All Saints, Kirkby Overblow, Yorkshire. 12th February 1812. JAMES GRANBY STONES ESQ., LUNATIC, AGE 35 WHO SHOT HIMSELF AT OTLEY, AND WISHED TO BE BURIED AT KIRKBY. Has anyone got any similar entries to share? Regards Ray Whincup

I found one in the banns at Oldswinford parish church. The names of the intended had been filled out but then crossed out and the vicar had written underneath that the marriage had been forbidden by the grooms mother as he was only aged 9. Ellen X

I found one a while ago, Joe Bloggs (cant remember the details) buried, aged 146, a grate ayge. (And yes, I looked back to see if I could find his baptism 146 years previously!) Along with the reputed witches, pious widows, poor but honest annotations, I found a burial entry alongside which the Vicar had written 'A Great Fool'. And another, birth entry, along side which the Vicar had written 'she says' against the name of the father (her husband) No wonder it always takes me so long to trawl through PRs, I am constantly sidetracked by all this extra stuff. Olde Crone

Like you, O.C. I get sidetracked reading the interesting snippets. While I was looking for my JONES' I came across another child baptised in that Herefordshire village, ' her having no fingers on her left hand'.

In Bedfordshire parish records (can't remember which parish) I found a burial of 'a travelling Scotch quack'. I thought it was funny - obviously his medicines did not work too well and the fact he was from Scotland put him right outside the pale with the Bedfordshire vicar! Anne

A wedding that never was at Bridlington - vicar had obviously filled in in advance all the details in the marriage register, ready for the happy couple to just add signatures on the actual day. Whole entry has a diagonal line across it, with the comment 'wedding cancelled - groom made off to sea on a boat ' Jay

I was looking for the baptism of James Finlinson who I knew was born out of wedlock. The baptism record read - 'James son of somebody alias Finlinson' Liz

in the vicars writing, which was an eighth of an inch high on the left of the page - increasing to over an inch on the right - covered in ink blots where he broke his quill!! 'bastard child of Ann Bromley who is an abominable and perjured whore''

There was a lovely one in one of my family tree mags a while back. It said that often parish priests would put cryptic little notes in latin by the entry and the locals, not being able to read latin would assume it was some sort of blessing. One entry next to a marriage said something like 'Well there is a good number of wellwishers at this wedding but how many would there be if you werent as rich as you are'.

Thankyou for your contributions. They make great reading. Another one from my records. It is also from the Burial Register of Kirkby Overblow (All Saints) 10th March 1810. BRYAN DAWSON, AGED 79. 'Killed by the sail of his windmill'. Of course this is anything but funny. It just made me feel so sad that Bryan had reached the grand age of 79, and then forgot the danger of the Windmill Sail. Also it adds a little to local history, in that it reveals that a windmill was in the area in 1810. No occupation stated but obviously a Miller. More additions please. (Also it would be great if someone eventually says, the person mentioned is on my family tree) Regards, Ray Whincup

Raymond, some time back we did have an 'amusing deaths' thread. If you put a search in the top of the board it may come up. My favourite was 'suffocated in a cart load of feathers'. As you say, funny now, not at that time when it may have meant the workhouse for the rest of the family, eh?

I do have one in my family tree ..... My earliest ancestor is a John Trankmore who died 28 Dec 1704 and written against the entry from the Portslade B.Ts is 'lived to be 100 or so he always saieth' couldn't find his birth so who knows..! Lyndax

I have a letter written by my 5x gr. grandfather in 1784 which says This morning my poor brother died, his death was occasioned by a fall he recieved in ringing the church bells. The bell rope entangled about him and threw him on his head, of which not withstanding all the Dr. could do, proved mortal. How sad is that?

My great grandmother's baptism is funny - in a certain light: 22 May 1885, Irvinestown, Co Fermanagh - Catherine, daughter of Catherine Mitchell, hopefully last of 5 illegitimate children. She wasn't the last, two followed after her. Her mother never married and died a 'dried up' spinster in 1944. lol Chloe

This is an entry in Glamis Kirk Session 2nd dec 1821-a distant relative of mine: Christian Doig appeared and acknowledged herself to be guilty of a relapse in fornication. She declared that she was with child to Alex. Graham who lately removed from this place and was now residing in Aberdeen. The woman promised to get a letter from him to the Kirk Session acknowledging him to be the father of the child, which would serve till he returned to make his confession before the Kirk Session. Christian Doig after being suitably warned of her danger and suitably chastised was dismissed for the present . Closed with a prayer! Rosalyn

Raymond, These windmills were obviously dangerous places to be near! Huggate burial register -30 March1848, aged 33 yrs Marmaduke Coverdale of North Dalton - killed by a windmill Jay

This from Cloughton PR's - the Press would have been proud of this Vicar's reporting!! This worthy & much respected man was shot by William Mead of Burniston, a native of Staintondale as he passed his (Meads) house early on Friday morning the 15th of February 1823. James Law had obtained a Verdict in the Court of Exchequer upon a Charge of Smuggling about the month of June 1822 and brought an action against Mead for wilful & corrupt Perjury in that cause, of which Perjury he was found guilty in the Court of the Kings Bench on Thursday the 19th day of December 1822 after a trial of 12 hours. In a short time after he was bailed by Government - then returned to Burniston, & shot his antagonist. Mead was committed to York Castle on Friday the 28th of February 1823.

Janet, I would not have believed another windmill accident would be revealed.The following entries from HUNSINGORE Church in Yorkshire revealed 'double standards' depending on whom was being buried. The entries were just over a year apart. Spellings as written. 2nd June 1679. ROGER DOBSON SONNE TO ROGER DOBSON, AND MY OWNE DEARE CHILDE WAS BURYED THE 2 OF JUNE 1679. GOD GIVE ME GRACE TO REMEMBER MY OWNE END. ROGER DOBSON OF AGE GONE 53. 19TH SEPTEMBER 1680. A WOMAN SERVANTT OF ROBARTT OTTER OF CATTALL BURIED. Comment. Son of vicar gets full treatment. We will never know even the name of the servant. Ray Whincup

Raymond Slightly off the burial theme, but I was very amused to observe the sycophantic Vicar in the parish of my Green family. (The Greens were a prosperous farming family for over 300 years, and also paid a good part of the Vicar's Benefice). The Vicar sweeps through the Births, spitefully scratching 'Bastard' heavily against the children of single mothers. However, we get to the eldest daughter of my Green family, who has obviously dallied in the Barn, and we read John Moreton Green, bap, the child of Sarah Green, and the natural Grandson of MR Thomas Green, benefactor of this Parish. Wonder how he squared his puritan conscience over that? Olde Crone

I found a couple in the Oxfordshire parish registers when I was rummaging recently. When the banns for one marriage had been read, the marriage could not go ahead because of an objection by 'Black Mary'. Obviously not a woman to be trifled with. The baptism of one of my (illegitimte) rellies stated that she was 'the natural daughter of (both parents' names) as was sworn on oath'. I guess that they did that as the father was only 14 at the time!!! Another rellie had been baptised at the wrong church 'due to a mistake of the vicar' as they lived in a neighbouring parish. It can't have been that serious as he baptised all the siblings too.