William LEWIS married Urscilla HAZLENS on 20th Feb 1764 in St Peters Church Wolverhampton. I have the baptisms for 8 Children all in the same Church but nothing at all for William or Urscilla before their marriage. Any pointers as to where to look, I have spent many an hour looking at the micro films of St Peters to no avail. (but then again the old eyes aren't what they used to be) TIA
There is a burial record on FMP of an Ursula Lewis in 1817, Willenhall Chapelry, Staffordshire - aged 75, so birth about 1742. Were the baptisms you found in Willenhall? Just wondered if this could be your lady?
The records were for St Peters which was the mother church for Willenhall, I am now wondering if the Baptisms did take place in Willenhall but were registered at St Peters (need to go check the dates etc. for when Willenhall became a separate Church in it's own right)
Hmm Family search has all the Baptisms taking place in Willenhall, off to the archives I go to look at the originals rather than just online indexes. So that is an afternoon off work
It could well be that William LEWIS was baptised at Willenhall. Burial record in 1813 on FMP of a William LEWIS at Willenhall, aged 82. Baptism of a William LEWIS (together with sister Elizabeth) in 1734 at Willenhall, father John. Not having quite so much luck with Ursula! Janet
Think I am going to have to revise how I am using FMP as I have not found that on there in a few years of looking
Son William LEWISE was definitely baptised at Willenhall in 1770 - baptismal record available to view on FMP. Doing an all records search on FMP in the surname of HAZLENS 40 years either side of 1750 brings up absolutely nothing except her marriage to William LEWIS. The nearest surname(s) I can find are HAZLE/HASSEL etc of which there quite a few in Staffordshire, but again not much luck finding an Ursula. Janet
So here is what I found at the archives 1 at that time period Willenhall could Hatch and Dispatch but not Match!! 2 All full registers from Willenhall where transferred to St Peter's 3 Hence when original films were made they were listed as St Peter's and that is why I have St Peter's as the place of Baptism when in fact it was Willenhall
Crikey, how to confuse us in one easy lesson! The only Ursula/Ursilla I can find baptised in Staffordshire around the correct area and about the correct date is one at Wolverhampton St Peter on 3 November 1744 of an Ursilla daughter of Richard MORGAN. She then seems to disappear completely but I have found the burial record of a Richard MORGAN at St Giles Willenhall in 1820, he being born c1749. However, MORGAN & HAZLENS are not easily confused so I am clutching at straws a bit here. Janet
Janet thank you for looking it has given me some pointers to follow up on which is more than I had a couple of days ago
I see that in 1771, a Sarah HAZLEHAM wed a chap in Baswich, Staffordshire, which is about 20 miles north of Willenhall. HAZLEHAM.... HAZLENS? People did write what they heard rather than any standard spelling. A sister of Ursula, perhaps? Just a thought.... or am I clutching at straws....
Thank you Jan, I would have thought they would write as they heard if they weren't sure of the spelling
Strikes me she could be a sister of Ursula as she is just as elusive! Sarah PERKIN is buried at Baswich in 1774 so no helpful age at death and doing a search for the baptism of a Sarah HAZLEHAM or HASLAM or variants in FMP's Staffordshire parish registers brings up absolutely zero. Janet
Having the same problem. I believe Urscilla and William are a pair of my 5xGG. Frustrating when you find an unusual name in your line that turns into a brick wall! Did you manage to find out anything else in the last year??